Dale and his sisters at Dad's funeral.
I did get to speak to Dale once after the funeral. He called looking for Mom, but got me instead. Ironically, this was days after Tim and I decided to get married. I will always be grateful that I answered that call because, even though he never met Tim, at least I got tell him myself that I was getting married. We got married in the courthouse, but I remember telling Dale that we would have a ceremony next year and he could give me away.
One of the hardest parts of him being gone knowing how many important people he never got to meet. My sister, Rachel, had a baby in August and he never got to meet her. He also never met his other two nieces and his nephew.
I know it won't change things, but I can’t stop thinking of all the things I wish we had done together. After seeing Dale at the Dad's funeral, I really started thinking about him more. Especially while I was in Ireland and traveling alone. I wrote him this post card, and sadly never sent it.
“Hi Dale!! Right now I’m in Killarney Nat’l Park in SW Ireland. Today I hiked the Gap of Dunloe. Wish u were here, there are some really cool hikes here, up mountains & stuff but I’m scared to do them alone. Yesterday I did climb a mountain, but it was small. Maybe when you get home we can do some hiking together. (You can carry all the heavy stuff). I want us to hike the Inca trail in Peru. Everything is going good except I’m kinda poor; I’m eating lots of peanut butter & jelly sandwiches everyday! I’ll try and send you some pictures. Miss you a lot."
Love Jen [the scanner cut this part off]
Here’s an email he sent me. The postcard he talks about was a different one. I never sent the one shown above.
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 18:45:31 -0700 (PDT)
From: "dale burger" daburger9@yahoo.com Add to Address Book
Subject: hey jen
To: xxx@yahoo.com
Hi jen, its your brother. how are you? I just remembered your email address and figured i'd write you and see how you are doing. i got the postcard you sent me. thanks. i would have wrote back but i guess you don't have an address for me to write to. ive been talking to mom every now and then and she says shes gonna keep the house in port deposit. if youre gonna live there too thatd be cool. we can split the rent. ive been thinking a lot about what im going to do when i get back. i really just want to take a year off and enjoy my freedom for a while, just live my life the way i want to. i really want to spend more time with you and rachel. we've all drifted so far away from each other. i'd relly us all to be close again, like when we were younger. i feel bad not talking to you two hardly ever. i feel like ive let you down. but anyway, we'll hang out more when i get back. you'll be home by then, right? i hope so. you know i had a really fun time hanging out with you when you were home. well hows ireland, or spain, or england, or budapest, or wherever the hell you are now. i bet its really cool. we had a layover outside of london on the wayover here. but we werent allowed off the plane. it was dark and rainy and cold, but it still looked cool. you definately have to take me over there with you sometime and show me around. well i've gotta get going, i've got a patrol to go on soon, so i gotta get ready. write back if you can. and mail me some pictures too.
ok jen, hope to talk to you soon.
your brother, Dale
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