Saturday, May 23, 2015
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My uncle - Phil LaPlaca - was an extra-ordinary man that my entire family was blessed to have known. One of my favorite memories of him involved Christmas. As youngsters, I and my cousins were fortunate to have Santa Claus (aka my uncle) visit us on Christmas Eve. My uncle not only went to great lengths with the aid of my Aunt Carol to look the part in every way, but he also made sure to entertain adults as well as kids by having a different accent every year. In addition to the religious importance of that day, Christmas Eve was often an opportunity to get together with several aunts, uncles, cousins, and my grandmother. He, along with my Aunt Carol, always made everyone feel as close as family ought to be.
When I in later in life had children of my own, my uncle made my kids feel as loved as he did me and my cousins when we were my children’s age. My oldest daughter loved to have her Uncle Phil swing her back and forth which he somehow managed to do for what seemed like an eternity. Indeed, he had a knack for making family friends, and neighbors - even the “challenging ones” - feel accepted.
My uncle decided to take up golf later in his life. Let’s just say that athletics was not one of the many gifts God gave him. When he played with my father, brother, and me, he took our “constructive criticism” with the good nature that seemed to be his approach to life in general. Indeed, I can’t remember any time when he wasn’t his positive, upbeat self even though there must have been days we he like most people wasn’t really feeling it as they say.
I was fortunate to see him relatively recently when he was in Florida. Along with my cousins, he stopped by to see my father (now in assisted living here) and my family. He was as always his warm and entertaining self. Although I had not seen him in a while, it felt as if I had just seen him the previous week. And I hope that if I live my life according to the role models that he as well as my many aunts, uncles, and grandparents were, I will see him again in the next life. I just wonder what accent he will use then!
