Below is one of our classmate’s eulogy copied as it appeared in his email: (He never made it into Mrs. Redick’s typing class but must have made an A+ in Bragg’s English class.)
how do i, alone, understand an emotion never felt? try as i may, with all of my might, i do not believe such understanding is attainable; for fantasy’s charade is more reflection of desire than things real in this world.
am i deprived a part of life for emotions never known? in my small sliver from the bounty of all life, the closest i come to the essence of vast experiences is through life with and of others. their expressions of passion and compassion knit into my fiber an understanding otherwise missed.
the man i had the good fortune to know exponentiated enthusiasm for his experiences. just being around him made me feel more life about life. when with him, facade and shield could be cast aside. he was friend and, while i missed his underlying meaning at the time, he was also a teacher, a giver of life.
i have never piloted an airplane. my only experience of a pilot comes from movies, tv, and my friend. but his eagerness to share some of his life with us a few years ago took me closer to emotions not yet known. his story of accelerating a marine jet into very low altitude, suddenly having an electrical failure blow holes through both main wings, in an urban area, making the right decisions to ensure a safe ditch, and exiting the plane will always be me. but not as much as his comment to the nurse on the helicopter that plucked him from the drink when he first got on board. my friend had just gone through an unbelievable disaster, the nurse runs up, “Sir, what can I do”; he yelled over the engine noise, “I need to pee”; and, she handed him a dixie cup. he looked at the cup, then at her, and said, “I’m not that small.”
mike dealt with dangerous complexities i could never imagine. he had to make decisions having unbearable weight. but his perspective coupled with his innate abilities in such a way that he faced danger with a smile. Thank God i got to know him. i wish i had taken the time to know more. ALL HONOR TO HIS NAME! our friend, MIKE MOTT. every memory of him is of one smiling, happy, great guy.
Bill Pemberton ‘67