Eulogy by Andrew McKeough for U.S. Army Lieutenant James G. McKeough
THE AKSM PRESS
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release | June 7, 2017
Eulogy by Andrew McKeough for
U.S. Army Lieutenant James G. McKeough
Saint Katherine of Siena Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
10:55 AM EST
MR. McKEOUGH: Good morning, family, friends, clergy, neighbors, relatives and parishioners. My name is Andrew McKeough and today we are here to celebrate the life of my uncle and godfather. Uncle Jimmy was not just my uncle and my godfather, but he was also a brother, nephew and friend who would be there to not just protect us but to protect these United States of America. Today, I would like to thank him for dedicating himself to protecting all of us.
A few years ago, – in the summer leading up to my freshman year at Villanova – Uncle Jimmy sent me a packet of four pieces of paper in which he titled, Uncle Jim’s 2015 Guide to Villanova University. He slipped it into a red folder and mailed it to me. In fact, I have it here today. I keep it next to my desk in my study and I like to read it every time I need inspiration for something.
He describes his piece of writing as, “Simply Put Educated Advice”. Uncle Jimmy wrote out everything for me. From how to be the BMOC (“Big Man On Campus”) to living “the big life.” He taught me how my musical ability would pay off in college and get me to travel the USA with the basketball team. I do not have any idea how he predicted that either. He even gave me coffee tips. “Get yourself a twelve cup brewer and twenty pounds of coffee.” I never thought that would happen, but it did. Uncle Jimmy told me how important my varsity jacket would become and how the first thing that I needed to do was get my college ring. At Villanova, you do not get your ring until junior year at a special ceremony in which I was looking forward to having Uncle Jimmy by my side for.
Finally, he told me to stop by the NROTC offices and “consider following in the footsteps of [my] cousin and Villanova alumni, Commander Patrick Finney, US Navy, Nuclear Submariner – Blue Dauphine Insignia.” I wanted to share this with you because I wanted to remember a man, a brother, a cousin and an uncle who remembered everyone. Every birthday. Every holiday. Every Christmas. There was a card from Uncle Jimmy. He did not just remember us, he was proud of us. Of every single person here whom – in some way, was graced by my Godfather. I personally believe that so far in my college career, I have been able to use every piece of advice that he wrote to me. However, the one thing that I do not think I can still figure out is why he appraised this piece of intellectual writing at $16.95.
Earlier, I spoke to how his writing is an inspiration for me. For my very first essay, I was given a prompt of “What is a Life Well Lived?” I simply answered it with a poem, which is especially meaningful for today. Titled The Dash; it was written by Linda Ellis in 1996 which just so happens to be the year I was born. It goes something like this:
I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end
He noted that first came her date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years
For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?
Uncle Jimmy spent his dash being the type of person who was a family man with a sense of humor that could have landed his own talk show, but instead he decided to revive his family home and enjoy a life doing his favorite things. Uncle Jimmy lived a life well lived. So thank you, Uncle Jimmy for being my hero, our family’s hero and a hero to the United States of America. Rest well Uncle Jimmy.
END
11:02 AM EST