Two brothers.  At once so different and so alike.  They came from a mom who governed her house with a firm but fair hand.  She was quiet and thoughtful but clearly the one in charge of her boys.  It was hard to know what was churning behind her fading and unfocused blue eyes but whatever it was, they knew it would be bound in love.  Their dad was a sweet, strong and respectful man.  This man had worked long and hard in any way he could to keep his family safe and sound.  These parents had a deep and abiding love for each other and their children.  

The boys were born almost exactly two years apart in the early 1930’s.  Their lives began squarely in the middle of the Great Depression.  They were far from wealthy, carefully counting each dollar, stretching each paycheck as far as it could go.

One boy, Bob, was painstakingly rigid in his day to day life and would be just as stringent and married to his routine as he grew older.  The other boy, Hal, was a lively spirit, bound to wandering playfully through life taking chances and running free.  Although they were so different, the brothers were fiercely protective of each other.  

As they grew and had families of their own, they lived hours apart but remained close, gathering the families together as often as they could.  Each family reflected the personality of the boys.  One family was quiet and structured, while the other was loud and boisterous.  At family overnights Hal would routinely awaken the house by calling “Now hear this, now hear this, all hands on deck” as loud as possible.  Bob would promptly require toothbrushing before coming to the breakfast table.  

When they were young their father worked for some time in a chocolate factory.  

One day, against the mom’s wishes, he brought home 2 large boxes of solid chocolate.  One box for each boy.  This was quite a treat for the brothers.  Candy and other sweets were a rarity in this house.  As you might expect, each boy handled their treat in a vastly different way.

Hal spent the following days eating as much chocolate as he could after dinner leaving chocolatey fingerprints on every surface and doorknob.  He finished off the box within a week.  Bob, on the other hand, painstakingly cut the large chocolate block into small squares.  Each night before bed he would eat just one.  As the first week passed and Hal had finished his box, Bob remained steadfast in extending the life of his treat as long as possible.  This was the way for each of them.

As the boys grew older and retired, lost their parents, watched their children grow and begin their own lives, they became closer still.   They decided to return to the comfort of their shared past and moved to the same village. Their twilight years again reflected their differences and at the same time strengthened their bond.  Hal remained socially active, bringing roaring laughter and joy wherever he went.  As always, the life of any party.  Bob created an orderly schedule each day, beginning with breakfast set out the night before, golf during the day and mysteries before bed.  Although Bob went to the same parties, he would quietly enjoy the time.  But once he began to speak everyone would stop and listen, knowing that his words would be thoughtful and important.  They used to say that “When Bob speaks people listen” – just like E.F. Hutton.

There was never a time when they did not support each other through the many difficult circumstances that life brings.  This continued to the bitter end, with Hal helping Bob to rest and then joining him just a few months later.  

The children of Bob and Hal strive to continue their legacy, honoring their differences while never really leaving each other’s side.