Very recently, my father-in-law, Rev. David Rivers, passed away after a long illness. You can read his obituary HERE.
Smarter and more eloquent folks than I will write better remembrances of David, so I'm not even going to try to be anything other than simple and honest. Here goes.
I remember vividly the very first time I met Ms. Rivers' father: It was a family gathering at Grotto Pizza, Harvey's Lake, around Christmas time. This was my introduction to much of Ms. Rivers' family, and I was a bit unsure of things. One of the reasons why...and I swear this is the absolute truth...was that I had never really met a Protestant clergy member before. I literally didn't know what to expect. Now in all fairness, Ms. Rivers did somewhat prepare me for the event, but there is only so much that can be done in situations like this. Anyway, I entered Grotto Pizza, and one of the first people I met was David, who was in attendance with his brother Dick Rivers (a retired and well-regarded coal company attorney from Philadelphia). Upon meeting me, the very first thing out of his mouth, along with his brother, was a Dolly Parton joke. I kid you not. They laughed, and I was mainly confused. This was my introduction to Protestant clergy. And to Ms. Rivers' family.
I love telling the above story, by the way.
This is the part where I say that I was welcomed into the family, etc. That is true, by the way. Here's the thing about David though: More so than the vast majority of folks I've ever met, he was very smart, but equally unassuming. Whatever I thought about how an Episcopal priest should be mattered not when it came to him. On more than one occasion over the years he would ask me a question about something happening in "The Roman Church", requiring me to basically speak for all of Roman Catholicism. This is, by the way, an almost frighteningly humorous position for me to be in. Anyway, I didn't mind, because he would ask out of a genuine interest in the discussion. There was never any semblance of being judged...there was only an honest interest in my opinion and the discussion to be had as a whole. I've since come to regard the Episcopal Church as being a kind of home, with the Rev. David Rivers personally exemplified its very best.
In addition to being the "family Catholic" there were/are other differences that one would think could (but actually didn't) make me feel out of place in the Rivers family, including abstaining from alcohol, my limited choices in food...best described by many as "eating like a toddler"...my lack of interest in folk music, or the Phillies, etc. But none of that ever seemed to matter with David, as he had a wonderful ability to see people and things in ways that transcended mere labels.
Finally, I will note that, of all the Rivers siblings (daughters Christine, Julie, Diana and son John), I think my wife is the most like her father. They have shared a similar temperament, a quiet sort of deep intelligence, and a strong sense of real-world morality. Both represent the very definition of "good people", and my life has forever been changed for the better by knowing them. While David is gone, his living legacy remains, carried forward wonderfully by all of his children, especially his oldest daughter Christine.
1 comment:
Beautiful
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