“Miss Me, But Let Me Go”

April 29, 1920 to July 7, 2015. Ninety-five years of the greatest soul, Richard Peter Moran, Senior.

I was blessed to know this extraordinary man as my grandfather, Dickie, as the kids called him. As far back as I can remember, he was a very important and influential part of my life. And I know, long before I was born, he was influential to countless others. From Bermuda to Chile to Barbados to DC, Dickie played an critical role in so many business ventures, polo clubs, etc. but to me he was more than his past: he was a man I never wanted to lose, one who reminded me every single day how blessed I really was and am.

Not many children know their grandparents the way my sister and I know Susie and Dickie. Even living eight hours away from them, we saw them multiple times a year. From Gatlinburg trips that including smoking pretzel cigars and playing card games to beach trips with the entire Moran side of the family, there were always moments between Dickie and I that stuck out. As a child in elementary and middle school, he and I used to write letters back and forth. Usually his included riddles and jokes about his two “meeses,” referring to my sister and I. We always had traps that we would have to discover or be caught in at family reunions, including the infamous trick where he captured us in a large box lowered from the ceiling when we were posed for a photo. He was always game to let us tie him up and play cowboys and indians at the house, and never disappointed when making Sunday brunch-even if he did leave the eggs too runny.

---

---

Dickie was the healthiest person I have ever known in my life. Yes, his eating habits did contribute since he was “always in training.” He always joked he was training for the women’s olympic wrestling, since he was too small for the men’s division. In his last few years, I would tease him about his training when he did his physical therapy. He never found himself in the hospital until the age of 93, and then fought every second of being sick. Lucky is an understatement: this man was extremely blessed.

---

---

My grandfather set a very high standard for me when it came to boyfriends. He always said, “Never let a man dictate who you are and where you want to go. You deserve the world, you will achieve it, and there’s a man out there with his own world dying to share it with you.” He always encouraged me to finish school and not to worry about compromising while I was young, because there was a “hell of a lot more of the world out there.” To this day, this has been my mantra and it has not failed. Being careful who I choose and always considering if this certain man will make me better than I am alone- these are characteristics I learned from him, and it has saved me from heartbreak so many times. Dickie always told me the story of how he met Susie when she was a baby, how they fell in love after being reunited years later, and, despite their disagreements and differences of opinions, one thing was for sure: they had a love that both felt very strongly about. And it showed. Eight children, nineteen grandkids, and three great-grandkids later, they are still the example of an ideal relationship for all of us. Together these two conquered so much and remain the most respected people I have ever known.

---

---

---

Richard Moran was a charming and intelligent man with more life experience than any other person I have met. He always sought out new things and was not afraid to take risks. Even though several of his decisions didn’t turn out quite perfectly, he was always confident that the next would be more profitable because of the previous failures. He always kept a great attitude and it was infectious. I already miss his constant banter about how fresh squeezed orange juice was a Sunday brunch staple, and yes, pulp was the most delicious and nutritious part. His impeccable style will never be surpasses-I mean just look at those sport coats and Bermuda socks! This man was a people person -he made you feel like the million bucks that he knew you were worth, and didn’t let you ever undersell yourself. This world needs more leading men like my grandfather, and his loss will be felt by many.

---

---

To the man who had more love for his granddaughter- and other family members- than even I could possibly imagine: thank you for teaching me valuable things that I will remember for the rest of my life. I am extremely proud to say that I am blessed with a few of your characteristics, and I hope to carry a piece of your spark with me forever. I can never thank you enough for teaching me how to love, how to be loved, and what I already have inside me that makes me great. The Moran family would not be as strong or as successful without you as our patriarch.

I love you and always will. Fly high, Dickie Bird, I can’t wait to see you again.

---

When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom-filled room
Why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little-but not too long
And not with your head bowed low
Remember the love that we once shared
Miss me-but let me go

For this is a journey that we all must take
And each must go alone.
It’s all part of the Master’s plan
A step on the road to home

When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to the friends we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds
Miss me but let me go