The Love A Friend Left Behind

"WILLIAM CHARLES SEEGMILLER JR., 56, of Huntington, loving husband of Patricia Whitt Seegmiller, passed away Saturday, August 1, 2009. Bill, as he was known to his family and friends, was the son of the late William Charles and Lorena Melrose Seegmiller. In addition to his wife, Bill is survived by his son, William Tyler Seegmiller of Huntington, his wife's three children, who he loved and cared for as his own, Erin Stone Wesol and her husband Nick of Fairfax, Va., Jacob Stone of Richmond, Kentucky, and Rachel Stone of Spartanburg, South Carolina; one precious new grandson, Beckett Reid Wesol, of Fairfax, Va........Online condolences may be conveyed to the family at http://www.beardmortuary.com/." (The Herald-Dispatch Online Obituaries).

I attended Bill's funeral today and was able to see and talk to Pat, his wife, Jacob, & Erin. Pat & Bill were good friends of mine & Debbie's when we use to be members at Beverly Hills Baptist (BHB)...We had their kids in youth and childrens Sunday School for many years and they were friends of our children. I really liked and loved Bill and still like and love Pat...Bill was always a likable person and treated me with respect and kindness every time that I saw him, even since leaving BHB many years ago. I did not claim to be one of his "closest friends" or "buddies", but we did get to know each other through the years.

Today I realized that there was so much about Bill that I either did not know or seemed to overlook and not see....As I sat there hearing the wonderful, respectful words from his "children" and wife being read and/or spoken, I understood that there was a very special side to Bill that I had allowed myself to miss. When we attended the same church together and our children were involved in the same activities together over many years, I knew that his "children" included three "step-children", Erin, Jacob, and Rachel, and one child of his own, Tyler. But to be honest, I never really gave it a second thought because the "step-children" treated him just as though he was their "real dad" and he treated them just as though they were his "real children".....They had a wonderful relationship and family and never acted like there was anything "different" about what they were doing and how they were doing it; there was no special attention given to the fact that they were not biologically connected. They were "real" to each other!! That is something very special!!!

The children talked today about how Bill had loved them and treated them just like his own and that they realized that he didn't have to. That got me to thinking about my son, Dustin, and my "grandson", Nicolas; Nicolas is Dustin's stepson, but no one would ever know by the way he treats him and loves him! In fact, Nicolas calls Dustin "Dad" and people have told them how much they look alike, not knowing they are not biologically connected. It takes a very special person to receive a child into their lives that is not a child "of their bone" and make them feel like they are genuinely their own....Bill Seegmiller and Dustin Clark are two of those very special people!!!!

I also knew that Bill had some very serious health issues throughout his years but today I really learned what a brave man he truly was, as he went about his daily routine never complaining or feeling sorry for himself. It made me realize how I need to take better care of myself physically and how I need to appreciate my situation more.

Watching the pictures of Bill and his family today, I saw how much Bill loved his wife and children and it reminded me of how I need to show my love and appreciation for my wonderful wife of almost 32 years, my children, and my grandchildren more than I do now....Bill left this world quickly and unexpectantly this past Saturday, but before he did he fully showed his love for his family and left a wonderful legacy; his life showed Christ's love to the world through the love he had for his family, loved ones, church family, and friends! Will my life show the same testimony? I pray that it does, but I realized today that I need to take the time to love my family more and with better quality!

Bill Seegmiller's love, life, and testimony taught me something as I realized I did not know him in this life as well as I thought I did or as well as I wish I did....I believe that I could have learned a lot more from him if I had paid a little more attention to his life while he was living it. I am thankful and blessed for the time I did know him, but I am really thankful for what God showed me and taught me today as I heard and saw the love that Bill left behind! Thank you, Bill!