STEVE POORE
Thank You and Remember
Steve thank you for being such a good friend as you were always there when I needed you.
Thank you for all the times you made me laugh. You had such a great sense of humor you could have had a successful career as a comedian if you had wanted to. I am not sure everyone saw the humor that I was so fortunate to see. Remember when I wanted you to grow your hair long and become a TV evangelist? You would have been great. I miss your smile you so freely handed out to people.
Remember when you flew with me right after I got my private pilots license in high school? You were a brave soul to do that. But you were always brave.
Remember the big hotel suite we had graduation night at Howard Johnsons? Man what a time we had. I don t remember what all we did that night but I do remember us hanging off of the balcony and looking at the "old people" who were probably in their mid thirties at the function downstairs. We had great fun.
Steve thank you for talking me into joining the Marine Corps, as it was a life changing experience I will never forget. I only wish you could have stayed in the Corps and made a career out of it. I know how much you wanted to stay but it was not meant to be.
I remember being in awe of you after I survived Marine Corps boot camp and wondered how you went through it three times. And you were sick most of the time. You were amazing my friend.
You were no doubt the toughest man I ve ever known. And you had a natural physical strength that was very deceiving. You also had a spiritual strength that never wavered under the harshest of life s tests and scrutiny. You were tough but you had a soft heart.
Thank you for scuba diving with me. You talked me into joining you and we got certified when we were 16 through the YMCA. You were an excellent swimmer and I swam like a rock. We braved the treacherous surf and surges of the Pacific Ocean in Laguna Beach, California. We marveled at the giant bladder kelp forests off the coast to the frightening, freezing cold, total darkness at over 100 feet deep at Lake Tenkiller. Dubbed and better known as the "Dive Trip to Hell". I never told you how scared I was but I knew I was safe as long as you were there.
Do you remember the World Mini-Frisbee Championships we created and competed in and we will forever and always dispute the outcome? We will have to settle that contest once and for all when I see you again.
Remember when we got our Conceal and Carry licenses together at H & H gun range and the many trips we made to Tri-City range.
It is truly a miracle we survived some of the things we did together. Many will go untold. We surely had angels looking out for us.
I especially remember you being so very happy when you married your true love and life partner Nancy McCraw. And Nancy hung in there with you through it all. She is an amazing woman.
I know you are at Heavens Gate looking totally squared away in your Marine Corps Dress Blues. I can see that ole Stever grin on your face as you greeted both my mother and father with a flawless white gloved salute and a big hug for each of them. You were my brother and their second son.
But most of all, you were my true best friend. I love and miss you very much.
Semper Fi my brother and I will see you later.
Your friend,
~Jerry Taylor~
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