TESTAMENT OF A GOOD MAN (MODEL FATHER, HUSBAND, BROTHER AND FRIEND) Today, I lost a close and dear friend. My earthly father made his transition to immortality. I lament and cry, for I did not have the chance to say my last good-bye. Each day, for the last five years, I would wake to the sounds of his early rise, greeting the day. I always made the habit of asking him “How are you doing Young Man?” He would fondly respond with the question “How are you doing Old Man?” I shall sorely miss his presence in our lives. Life will never “taste” the same. Ours is a family of strength in numbers, with support by and of, a broad community of close family friends. I can honestly say that God has blessed me, my brothers, sisters, cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, grandparents, great grandparents, god-brothers, god-sisters, spiritual mothers, spiritual fathers and a host of close family friends with his divine favor. Our heavenly father is so wonderful, merciful, gracious and awesome; he saw fit to bring together two wonderful people, who always kept their children and a broad community of spiritual family as well as friends, close to their hearts. We have been blessed with a multitude of long-lasting relationships that have endured throughout the decades of time and distance. Humbly, I write this sonnet as a testament to the life of the man who most emphatically shaped my life. So numerous are the things he did for me and my siblings, time does not permit nor can paper encompass them all. So immeasurable his impact on my life, I can only attempt to find the words to describe a fraction of the true measure of the man. Nevertheless, I shall briefly articulate but a few items of distinction. He braved many nights of sickness and bitter cold to clothe and feed us. It took its toll on his body. He sacrificed his health to preserve us from the ravages of arthritic disease. We are eternally grateful. He was there to save the life of my gravely injured brother. Had he not been there, his son, my brother would have surely died. He was always present to enrich the lives his sons, daughters and grandchildren, he so dearly loved. What more could we ask. My father set an unequaled example of fatherhood and husbandry for his children as well as other young man looking for a model of what it is to be a man of character, in a false world of celebrity worship. He exemplified the model of manhood for his sons and grandsons. He never, ever denied his daughters and provided a living example of what a husband should be. Despite the daily challenges of debilitating health and mental anguish, he always found time to love and cherish us, most of all the love of his life for 50 years, his wife, our mother, Patricia Louise. So when the world seeks to find that elusive creation of God called righteous man, loving father, faithful husband, adoring brother and true friend, I stand ready to proclaim and provide unwavering testimony, a testament to first of all, the life of the greatest man to walk the earth, my lord and savior Jesus Christ. Then, I shall give a firsthand account of the second greatest man I know, who laid down his life for his family and for whom I am most honored to be named after, my father as well as dearest friend, Allison DeBonnett, Sr. To God, all glory and praise forever. Amen