To me he was Uncle Chet, even though he was my first

Cheney family reunions kept us close. This is a photo from one at our Busch family farm. Look at my Uncle Chet eating cake with a knife. His motto was to adapt to whatever life brings your way!

cousin. My parents loved him like he was one of their children and he loved them in that same way. He was 18 years old when I was born and always an important part of my life. Chester Leroy Cheney was born December 11, 1942 and passed away April 16, 2016.

You’ve probably heard people refer to the dash between the date of birth and the date of death and how that is what really defines a life well lived. Uncle Chet’s dash was a dash worth remembering.

His life was never easy. His father, my real Uncle Chet, was killed in action during World War II. His mom, my Aunt Francis, remarried and Chet was given a second father who loved him without pause.

From stories I heard, Chet was an incredibly talented baseball player and was being highly recruited by professional teams including the Dodgers. He was asked to try out and was on a trip with his coach and other players when there was a car accident. Chet was the only one who was injured. From that day forward, he lived his life in a wheelchair.

Despite these two major life challenges I can’t even begin to fathom, he made living look easy. He was a major influence on my life. He taught me perseverance. He showed me what strength really is. He loved without judgment. And he was the author and perfector of more off-color jokes than anyone in the history of mankind. I’m not exaggerating. I loved that every time we talked on the phone he would tell me a silly joke and then tell me he had a joke for me to tell Tim. It was always inappropriate and hilarious. He taught me to laugh at raunchy jokes and to never take your self too seriously.

He told me he loved me every time we spoke on the phone, which was pretty regularly. He called often just to chat, catch up, or check in on how Tim and the kids were doing. We had a special bond because he was a special man.

Everyone kept it a secret from me so you can probably imagine my surprise when I walked through the back door of the church on November 24, 1984 on my dad’s arm and saw Chet in his wheel chair in the aisle. As if your wedding day isn’t special enough, it was even more meaningful to have him travel from Colorado to share that experience with us. On this occasion and on so many others, he made me feel like I was the most important person in his life. He loved big!

As my parents grew older and especially when my dad was in hospice care, Chet called often to check on them. He would send cards and include $10 with a note that said “use it to buy coffee.” He taught me generosity. He taught me how important it is to take time to enjoy the company of others and a good, hot cup of coffee, or a cold beer.

Chester Leroy Cheney – your dash is truly memorable. I love you.