Eulogy

Thank you for coming today. With your presence, you honor Collin’s life; and he would be so thrilled to see each and every one of you. Your amazing love and support are appreciated more than words can ever say.

Our sons, Collin and Russell, have been the light of our lives since the day they were born. Some of you may know that Collin and Russell share the same birthday. Collin was born on December 31, 1985, exactly three years after Russell. At the end of that day, Mary, Collin, Russell, and I celebrated Russell’s 3rd birthday by opening presents on the bed in our house in Roundup, Montana. Eleven months later at Grandma and Grandpa Norris’ house, Collin pointed up at a sparkly evergreen and spoke his first two words: “Ismas Eee”.

The light in our lives shines a little dimmer today as we mourn the loss of Collin and the truly remarkable young man he had become. My sons are not just my sons but also my best friends. They are my past and my future. Mary, Russell, Kala, and I will miss Collin dearly, as will many others.

But Collin would not want you or I to be sad. To be sure, he would want us to be a little sad, for a while, just enough to show we cared. But then he would want us to find happiness again. To seize life with a joyful heart. To love and respect those around us. And to challenge ourselves to be better than we are. Those are just a few of the many lessons I have learned from Collin in his all too short life.

With the love and support of friends and family, we will get past the sad times. We will create positive results out of the sadness. Results that will honor Collin’s life and are born out of all the love, humanity, and community represented in this church today.

Collin I Love You! I miss you more than you will ever know and I am a better person because I have known you. May God be with you and may your light always shine. You are in my heart forever.

Written and presented by Collin’s Dad