StgCoach – Page 22 – Oh, Contrarian!

Rev. Dr. Lou Pecek, 1931-2019

This morning, Lynn and I attended the funeral of Rev. Dr. Louis G. Pecek. Since learning of Lou’s death earlier this week, I have been thinking about him a lot. He was probably the greatest single influence on my teaching career.

When I met him, his title was just “Doctor,” chairing the English Department during my years as an undergraduate and graduate student at John Carroll University. He added the “Reverend” later when he was ordained as one of the first married deacons in the Cleveland Catholic diocese.

Postlude

I’ve been home now for three weeks and I keep running into people who say they enjoyed my blog posts while we were away in Italy. Enough is enough, I say, and it’s time for me to move on; but there’s a topic that perhaps deserves a bit more exploration, and that’s the feast that served as the centerpiece of our trip.

Return to The Shire

“At last they rode over the downs and took the East Road, and then Merry and Pippin rode on to Buckland; and already they were singing again as they went. But Sam turned to Bywater, and so came back up the Hill as day was ending once more. And he went on, and there was yellow light, and fire within; and the evening meal was ready, and he was expected. And Rose drew him in, and set him in his chair, and put little Elanor upon his lap. ‘Well, I’m back,’ he said.”

The last paragraph of The Lord of the Rings seems a fitting way to bring this adventure to an end. Except it may not be the end: I am indeed back, and reflecting on the wonderful experiences of these past two weeks. I think I have a few more observations in me.