What does one begin to say?  How do you begin to explain the sorrow that you feel because of a loss of a close friend or family member.  Well, that is where I am writing this article.  So, let me tell you how I met Curt.

    About two years ago, we were just starting out with the chapter and we had our first BIG meeting at the Decoy Museum.  The crowd was made up of many people, Curtis was one of them.  During the meeting, we passed out a signup sheet and asked for everyone's name and email address that would be interested in helping us start our chapter.

    As the months went by, I looked closely at the picture that we had taken (its the big group photo out on the boardwalk at the museum) and scanned for faces I didn't recognize.  There in the crowd, stood this grizzly face of a man who I had no clue who he was.  But, there in my UCC email chain, was the name Curtis Holcombe.

    Some months later, I announced an "All Call" meeting at my house and guess who walked in...good ole' Curt.  I said "Hey, I know you..." we both laughed, he stood and talked with Jeff Coats about dogs after and that began his start with the UCC.

    Over time, Curt became a very valued core member of our chapter and his love of retriever training was soon revealed.  After speaking with him about reaching out into the Retriever world, the Delta Dogs program invented.  Curt ran with the idea, honestly at times, he was 100 steps ahead of me making it hard for me to keep up.  I told him "Curt, I don't want you to burn out" but his love of dog training made it non-stop.  He thought of everything, how to make it bigger and how to make it better. 

    Recently, we stood in the pouring rain out in the Canal just so that guys like me could have a chance of running our dogs.  Curt was true blue UCC...

    Several weeks ago, we drove together to the Wounded Warriors day way up in Pennsylvania.  Curt had no problem going up there and laughed when he made mistakes directing "Odin."  We laughed the whole way home about Odin staring back at him and looking as if he was saying "Dad, its not there, why are you sending me here."  Curt was absolutely one of a kind.

    Then, several days ago, Curt met me at my house early in the morning to drive down to the Shindig with Georgie, Jen and I.  During the entire day, Curt took pictures of everyone there, ensuring that those pictures would be up on the net by sundown.  We talked about his upcoming shoulder surgery and he said that eventhough he would be under the weather, he still wanted to have a training day on June 20th.

    Then, sadly enough, my phone rang yesterday...as if it was a joke.  I was told that Curt had came home and passed away.  I hurriedly got off the phone and called his house.  With my heart beating out of my chest, I hoped and prayed I would hear his voice saying as he always did "Hey, whats up Dude?"  but his mother answered the phone.

     I asked if anything was wrong, she quietly said "George, Curt just passed."  My heart fell out of my chest, my chin dropped down and a dark cloud fell over me...

     Today, I went to his house.  There in the driveway was his duckboat, with his bags of decoys piled neatly next to it and Odin in the newly built kennel awaiting some unknown visitor to see him.  I walked into the porch area and saw that old dirty white Delta hat hanging on a nail.  I stopped and could feel him standing there looking back at me.  I just recently gave him a new one because the one he wore was dirty.  But there, hanging on that nail, was that dirty old hat. 

I was greated by his mother and brother.

    After conveying our deepest regrets and our support, his brother Guy softly told me what had happened today when he went to see Curtis for the last time.  Guy said that he walked into the funeral home where Curt was and found him there.  But, tucked into his shoulder, was his white Delta Waterfowl hat, the same hat that I had just given him.

    I want to thank everyone for conveying their sympathies to our chapter and to the Holcombe family.  I conveyed them all to the family today and pledged our around the clock support. 

   

     Curtis will be missed a great deal.  He touched many lives but mine especially.  He taught me many things in the short time that I was blessed with his friendship.  During the ride to the Pennsylvania, I asked him why suddenly he was getting into photography and buying all the expensive camera gear.  He looked over at me and said "George, I have been through so much in my life and this is just something I want to do...life is too short"

     Goodbye ole friend.  I will think of you whenever I walk into the deer woods, prepare for the upcoming waterfowl season, hunt my spot that you shared with me this year or when I pet my dogs...I will remember you.  Your legacy will live on through the thousands of lives you so graciously touched.  We will miss you Curt...   

    On Wednesday, June 17th at 10 am, the Holcombe family is holding a visitation and a Memorial Service at 11am for Curtis at the Collins Funeral Home located at 86 Pine Street, Oxford, PA.  The phone number is 610-932-9584/800-852-6723.

    In leiu of flowers, the family asks that donations are sent to the Rhianon Holcombe Education fund at the National Penn Bank located at 24 South 3rd St., Oxford, PA 19363.