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Brother Tom wishes to add a few comments about a very special brother.
Brick (Robert) who watched over his twin brothers like a mother hen watches her
chicks. He was always there ready and willing to defend and teach us the ways
of the world. Yes, I am going to miss his good humor, positive personality, and
jovial mood. He was our defender and enforcer when it was called for when we
were picked upon by older boys.
Does anyone ever know how a person is tagged with a nickname? For Brick, One
story is that his nickname came as a result of his fine physical appearance. He
was a good-looking guy in high school and after. Not too heavy, not to light,
wiry, and a fine figure of a man. As was explained to me his name was born one
day while he was in high school. He was walking down the street one day after
school with a cute chick from high school. As they were sundering down the
street couple of his friends said look at those two, both built like two brick
houses and the name Brick followed him the rest of his days.
I was very young being born in 1927 and I vaguely remember Brick on the farm.
However I was told of one incident when he and his older brother Jack were
digging a hole for a new toilet. As brothers sometimes do, they were arguing
about some silly thing when Brick took the shove and smacked Jack over the
head. After that it became a foot race between the pursuer and the pursued. How
it turned out I do not know but they both lived and became even better friends.
I do not recommend this method of bonding however.
Brick was a avid hunter. He hunted; he did not sit on a stump and wait for a
deer to come to him. Many of you know he lost his hand in a accident right
after WW II in Milwaukee. Two things show his courage, fortitude, and never say
die philosophy. First, he went deer hunting the same year he lost his hand,
shot a deer, dressed it out, and dragged it out by himself to a spot where he
could get some help. Remember this was without a hand he had not to long before
left at A.O. Smith in Milwaukee. Second, he recognized that he could do more if
he had something on that hand that was no longer there. SO, he found a piece of
wood to his liking and carved himself a wooden hand as a replacement. That
takes some courage and dedication. He never felt of himself as a cripple.
There are so many things one could write about Brick. He was a great mechanic,
body and fender man, all on his own car, not as a business. He could tear apart
a transmission and put it together again as good or better than when it was
new. He was a great driver. I rode with him the night, in the late 1930's, the
gears that moved the car forward went out. We were all at a dance at the Town
Hall, temperature was around 5 degrees above zero and Brick put the car in
reverse and backed that car between 4 and 5 miles home. Why he did not freeze
his ears I do not know. Maybe it was his red hair.
There is so much about my wonderful brother. He was loved by many, hated by
none, and will always live in the memory of all who knew him. I love you Robert
and will miss you more than words can tell.
Your brother Tom.
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