Back from the funeral - you can watch it on Jerry Springer.
Wedding WAS legal.
First - the new wife wanted open casket - against Jewish tradition -it was compromised - open casket, pine box, cremation. She was 45 minutes late, so we barely had time to go in. In the middle of the service (Jewish) after 3 eulogies (including mine) the rabbi told us it was time to leave - time up.
Next - fights over money - wife sneaking out and getting his files from his office at midnight. UGH.
Daughter threw wife's mother's suitcase in the ocean (turned out it was her uncle's suitcase - oops).
My cousin was a very successful man. Unfortunately, this is a bad time to die - of course he has bills that I'm quite sure he intended to take care of when the market recovered (that's his business). His memory is being tarnished and muddied with words of irresponsible. He did cancel his life insurance policy 2 years ago - well , economic people might say that was smart considering all his kids were grown and out of college. Who knows?
No new will since the marriage -though the marriage was only 4 days old - so no big surprise there.
But he was a special man. So if you'd like to read my words about him:
Ben loved Florida, his home, and the gorgeous Florida landscape and weather. He was an extraordinarily successful man, perhaps the most successful person in our family. His success allowed him to acquire a lot of beautiful things that he adored. But the reason why Ben adored these things was not because of the things themselves, but because of the great pleasure he received from sharing these things with his family, his loved ones, his friends, and even with people he had just met. Ben was always beseeching his family members and friends to visit him – wishing to share his good fortune. Ben took extraordinary delight in seeing the smiles of his visitors as they took in what he so loved.
Ben was a family man. There was no family function he would miss if he could help it. He adored his parents, his brother and sister, and his 3 children --- taking pleasure in what made each one unique. He was also devoted to his extended family. He checked regularly on my mother’s condition when she suffered an injury, and he sent us all periodic emails just to stay in touch.
I myself visited Ben and Nancy on a regular basis – often bringing various friends whom he welcomed warmly. He was always a gracious and generous host – taking us to fabulous eateries and always showing us a wonderful time.
Part of what makes this moment so intensely painful is that Ben was a man who lived live so fully. But what I’ve tried to emphasize here is that it was equally important to him that everyone he loved should love life fully, too.
And so, for his sake, I want us all to do just that. I know that Ben would ask us all to go back home, relish the beauty and love that surrounds us, and have a martini – dry – straight up – a splash of vermouth – 2 olives.
Here’s to you, Ben. I’ll miss you terribly.
