My Favorite Brother-in-Law!

David Alan Von Duyke was my brother-in-law for over 44 years. In that time I don’t ever recall him calling me by another name than "Aunt Judy". He would greet me by saying "Hey Aunt Judy, how is my favorite sister-in-law"? He would also calls on the phone and identifies himself as "This is your favorite brother-in-law" ( I pretended I didn’t know that’s how he greeted all of his sister-in-laws the same way!)
I loved him because he was a rascal and sometimes irreverent. I enjoyed the verbal sparring we used to do. He loved to eat my cooking, so that put an extra star on his chart with me.
He was funny and bright with a teasing sense of humor. He would feign having his feelings hurt if his intentions were ever questioned. He would sometimes arrive in our driveway unexpectedly during the night of Christmas Eve. He’d sleep in his car in the driveway no matter if the weather was frigid and the temperature below zero, so that he could be there to watch watch Nathan and Sarah get up in the morning and open the presents that Santa had brought. He always told them that he had passed Santa on the way from Indianapolis to our house, and almost had a wreck-avoiding running into Santa’s sleigh.
And of course there were things I would never discuss with him.
Things like:
Politics, Religion, dog training, child rearing, horse training, cooking, fly fishing, boat rowing, auto mechanics, the weather, farming, gardening, fire lighting, Doctors, egg prices or the State of the Union.

There were two distinct opinions in this world. Uncle David’s…. And the wrong opinions.
He was charming to have at a party; he was congenial, comical, lovable and good looking.
I remember the day he arrived at our home in Valley City with the most exciting news he had ever told us.
"Hey Aunt Judy, I met a girl today"! "She locked her keys in her car at the nursing home where I work, and I gave her a ride home to Medina. I think I’m going to marry her"!
And he did!
God speed on your journey. We will see you later!