Tribute by Shelby
Bonnie I have been asked by children to provide
some of their thoughts. First, they have a little secret to tell
of their father. He didnt have a hearing problem. "I
love you, but I cant hear you" It was Erskines
ploy that he used sometimes to get you to draw closer or
make you less cautious of what you said around him, so he
could overhear your most private secrets and spring them on
you when you least suspected. There are so many stories that could be
told of Erskine. He told stories, made up stories and
created stories throughout his life. He lived life in way
that we all should. He reveled in its joys, made fun of the
hard times and was as good a neighbor and friend as anyone
might have. He couldnt say no which meant he was
always running off to do something or help someone. He liked
to fancy himself the gentleman farmer with his old green
truck and short kaki pants, but we all knew he was more than
this. He was a historian, conservationist, businessman,
ambassador, and partner. The proudest time for his kids was seeing
him in the huntfield. There he rode and was both leader and
friend to everyone. His kids would sit in the back,
anonymous, and watch their father in his element, holding
court as everyone listened to his every word and think,
"thats my dad." Erskine was at his best in the hunt
field. When the day would slow, he would send
back one of his lieutenants, like Jamie, Juiliet or Hillary
to fetch you. "Erskine would like you to ride up front." On
that trip rode forward you would try to remember all the
terrible things that you had done in the past month, because
Erskine had surely found them out and was about to kid you
about them. There he waited with a twinkle in his eye and
knowing grin of humor. Sometimes he would simply say,
"please follow me". He would ride forward and jump the
stonewall ahead of you and turn so he could wait and watch
you jump behind him. Then he would grade you or chuckle as
you did your best to clear the fence. But the best for him always seemed
towards the end of the day. As the field slimed, he would
invite forward the kids on their fat ponies and horses. He
was as respectful of the kids as anyone in the field, if not
more so. For Erskine and these kids this sport was in its
purest moment of joy that they shared together. He gave them
his greatest gift of respect and welcomed them into his
world and made them feel part of something special.
This is was Erskine did for all of us. He
treated all people with the same respect and honor.
To us he was all of these things: friend,
farmer, stockbroker, gentleman, master, red neck, race
organizer and partner. But to his kids he was something
more, he was their father and he did this with the same
twinkle he did everything. They will miss him but know he
that he is in a happy place and given that it is Thursday he
has probably managed to clear at least two fields and three
trails of rocks and branches, and has joined Tommy (Stokes)
and Mrs. R in organizing their new pack of
hounds.