Farewell dear friend…

We buried a dear friend today. It’s going to have a lasting effect on me. David Rieman. A man to be remembered. He was fun! He was true. He was salty. He was detail driven. A meticulous treasurer. Faith filled. I will miss him. Mostly for his casual interactions at sunset when many of us would gather to take in the awe that a Destin sky can dish out. Often, I will wander downstairs around sunset, maybe in search of company, maybe not. But David will be there. sitting on one of the high stools, watching the boats come in. Seeing the fish arrive. It really is the magic hour. And he appreciates it.

David loved his time here. He would head out on any given day on his pontoon boat to Crab Island, or just to cruise, Ole Miss and The American Flag flying off the stern. He loved the water. A salty soul.

But David was a lot more than that. He was a real thinker. A man of integrity. I loved to talk small business principals with him. As a third generation funeral director he had a tapestry woven into his soul that came from generations past. He knew the culture of his grandfather and his father’s legacy and he knew it was his responsibility to keep that culture alive and vibrant into the years ahead. I loved sharing those thoughts with him because we too have a small business and the similarities are not as distant as one might think. Service is service. We often discussed that principle.

My prayer tonight is for his family and friends. I pray they can use his memory as a beacon when rough seas come upon them. Let his love for the water be the anchor we need when our own boat begins to drift. I will always remember him at the helm of his vessel. Steady and strong, gazing into the setting sun.