A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. / A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. / A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds; / for he who fears God behaves accordingly, / and his friend will be like himself. [Sirach 6, 14 to 17.]
I read these words 13 years ago when I was the best man at Pat and Julie’s wedding. They were chosen for the simple reason that I was reminded of Pat each time I heard them. I was so honored that Pat chose me to be his best man. The honor given to me then was the opportunity to stand before your family and friends and tell them what a great friend you were to me. And to tell you, Pat, how much I love you.
Here I am today with a second opportunity to speak your praises. I wish that I had told you 13 years ago that that was a one-time offer.
A sturdy shelter. A treasure. Beyond price. A life-saving remedy. Pat was all those things to me.
I really love Pat with all my heart. I loved his directness, his tenacity (especially when talking politics), and the tenderness that hid behind a stoic exterior. I loved the way he could complain about almost anything, but never complained about the cards that were dealt him in life.
I liked the way he always folded his cards when they bad. If Pat ever raised the bet, to be sure, every one folded their cards … because you knew he wasn’t bluffing. And if you don’t know what Murphy’s Five and Dime is, then you never played poker with Pat.
I recall the many times we played chess including one Christmas Eve when it was six degrees below zero. Thank God my father was able to make it over and get my car started. And Pat, I was glad that you did finally beat me one time. And, no, I did not let you win. I just had a bad night.
In my senior yearbook, he mentioned what I had first written in his yearbook that I had at first found him to be “obnoxious.” He followed that by mentioning that he found me to be “a little loud.” One thing about true friends — they don’t hold back on telling the unvarnished truth.
Pat wrote the following thoughts in my yearbook:
“I found you [to be] a good friend. Our friendship has grown quite a lot over the three years and I know it will continue…I never found anyone so concerned about such a simple operation as yourself...Knowing that you cared made it easier for me to accept...Jim, I could go on and on remembering the things we did together but there’s just too much to write. Have all the luck in the world and let’s never lose our friendship. Love, Pat. P.S. Watch your CONDITION!”
Our friendship truly was treasure and one does not simply lose such a treasure. When he said “let’s never lose our friendship” Pat was merely underlining his understanding that we would be friends always. I don’t think that there was ever a chance that it could be lost. Yes, we had many, many great times, but I thought that there would be so many more.
One thing I have to say for Pat and for all of our friends. He was never embarrassed to tell me that he loved me. Indeed, we closed all of our many telephone conversations by saying “I love you” and “I love you too.”
Julie, you were Pat’s best friend. Pat loved you more than any one else on earth. Friendship and love go hand in hand. You were his greatest blessing — period. Marriage perfects love and strengthens unity. Jesus loved us to the Cross and in your marriage you and Pat invited Him to help you in living out your vows. He said to take up our own Cross and follow Him and bear one another’s burdens. The love in marriage, it is said, is but a foretaste of an even greater wedding feast in Heaven.
I wish I had words to comfort you, but the best I can do is repeat what Saint Paul wrote: “What will separate us from the love of Christ? ... In all things we conquer overwhelmingly through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor power, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Our Lord.” [Romans 8, 35 and 38-39.]
Pat is now where he will never be separated from the love of Christ. In Christ too, I long for our reunion where our every tear will be wiped away and there will be no more death or mourning. [Revelations 21, 4.]
I don't think I knew Pat well, but in Jim Kolan's eloquent and moving eulogy, I regret that and feel I won't ever forget him. Thank you for posting this, Jim.
Jim, Thanks very much for posting this eulogy. I'm sorry I did not know Pat as you did. Yours is a touching reminder that good friends, like good health, are our lifelong treasures.
"Think of where man's glory most begins and ends, And say mine was, I had such friends." W.B. Yeats
"There is only one thing worse than being talked about and that is not being talked about." Oscar Wilde
Pat Crerand with Joe Lawrence,
James S. Kolan
My Eulogy given at Pat's Funeral October 2004:FOR YOU, PAT!!
A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. / A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. / A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds; / for he who fears God behaves accordingly, / and his friend will be like himself. [Sirach 6, 14 to 17.]
I read these words 13 years ago when I was the best man at Pat and Julie’s wedding. They were chosen for the simple reason that I was reminded of Pat each time I heard them. I was so honored that Pat chose me to be his best man. The honor given to me then was the opportunity to stand before your family and friends and tell them what a great friend you were to me. And to tell you, Pat, how much I love you.
Here I am today with a second opportunity to speak your praises. I wish that I had told you 13 years ago that that was a one-time offer.
A sturdy shelter. A treasure. Beyond price. A life-saving remedy. Pat was all those things to me.
I really love Pat with all my heart. I loved his directness, his tenacity (especially when talking politics), and the tenderness that hid behind a stoic exterior. I loved the way he could complain about almost anything, but never complained about the cards that were dealt him in life.
I liked the way he always folded his cards when they bad. If Pat ever raised the bet, to be sure, every one folded their cards … because you knew he wasn’t bluffing. And if you don’t know what Murphy’s Five and Dime is, then you never played poker with Pat.
I recall the many times we played chess including one Christmas Eve when it was six degrees below zero. Thank God my father was able to make it over and get my car started. And Pat, I was glad that you did finally beat me one time. And, no, I did not let you win. I just had a bad night.
In my senior yearbook, he mentioned what I had first written in his yearbook that I had at first found him to be “obnoxious.” He followed that by mentioning that he found me to be “a little loud.” One thing about true friends — they don’t hold back on telling the unvarnished truth.
Pat wrote the following thoughts in my yearbook:
“I found you [to be] a good friend. Our friendship has grown quite a lot over the three years and I know it will continue…I never found anyone so concerned about such a simple operation as yourself...Knowing that you cared made it easier for me to accept...Jim, I could go on and on remembering the things we did together but there’s just too much to write. Have all the luck in the world and let’s never lose our friendship. Love, Pat. P.S. Watch your CONDITION!”
Our friendship truly was treasure and one does not simply lose such a treasure. When he said “let’s never lose our friendship” Pat was merely underlining his understanding that we would be friends always. I don’t think that there was ever a chance that it could be lost. Yes, we had many, many great times, but I thought that there would be so many more.
One thing I have to say for Pat and for all of our friends. He was never embarrassed to tell me that he loved me. Indeed, we closed all of our many telephone conversations by saying “I love you” and “I love you too.”
Julie, you were Pat’s best friend. Pat loved you more than any one else on earth. Friendship and love go hand in hand. You were his greatest blessing — period. Marriage perfects love and strengthens unity. Jesus loved us to the Cross and in your marriage you and Pat invited Him to help you in living out your vows. He said to take up our own Cross and follow Him and bear one another’s burdens. The love in marriage, it is said, is but a foretaste of an even greater wedding feast in Heaven.
I wish I had words to comfort you, but the best I can do is repeat what Saint Paul wrote: “What will separate us from the love of Christ? ... In all things we conquer overwhelmingly through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor power, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Our Lord.” [Romans 8, 35 and 38-39.]
Pat is now where he will never be separated from the love of Christ. In Christ too, I long for our reunion where our every tear will be wiped away and there will be no more death or mourning. [Revelations 21, 4.]
Jay Kopelman
I don't think I knew Pat well, but in Jim Kolan's eloquent and moving eulogy, I regret that and feel I won't ever forget him. Thank you for posting this, Jim.Heidi Mathis
Jim, Thanks very much for posting this eulogy. I'm sorry I did not know Pat as you did. Yours is a touching reminder that good friends, like good health, are our lifelong treasures."Think of where man's glory most begins and ends,
And say mine was, I had such friends." W.B. Yeats
"There is only one thing worse than being talked about and that is not being talked about." Oscar Wilde
God Bless Pat.