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Hal Minyard 1925- 2010

Yesterday, Hal Minyard died.  Hal was my sister’s husband. Guess that makes him my brother-in-law.  Never though of Hal as a brother.  Hal was 85 years old. Up until about a year ago, he smoked. For the past few years, he was attached to an oxygen machine. I remember him disconnecting to it to go outside for a smoke.  I thought that was stupid.  Hal was a retired race car driver. He raced midget and sprint cars from the later 40’s to the early 60’s.  During his racing career, he developed a new helmet and was somewhat successful at it until he sold it.  He also worked at the Indianapolis raceway in Speedway, IN.  They rented a house from the raceway and were told they can live there as long as Hal is alve

I don’t know how he met Dawn, but he was one of the nicest men she ever was associated with. Hal was Dawn’s third or fourth husband.  She was his second wife.  Hal was just a few years younger than my Dad, so when he and Dawn got married, many felt that she was marring a father figure. Who knows.

Since Dawn called yesterday, I have been thinking of her often. She has terminal cancer and is probably not going to last another 12 months.  We have become closer in the past two or three years.  Facing death does that to some. Gets one thinking and realizing that they won’t be around forever.  There will be a day when tomorrow won’t happen for all of us.  We often put off things we want to do until ‘later’. Someday, ‘later’ will be too late!

Makes one think.  and think. and think.