In Memory of Luke G. Nee

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We still miss you so much Luke! You are in my thoughts daily. When I wake up, when I go to sleep.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leafs a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

-Robert Frost

*** Posted by Tara on 2007-03-13 ***

Love Lives Here
Ron Wood/Rod Stewart/Ron Lane)

It's hard to believe that this is the place
Where we were so happy all our lives
Now so empty inside and feeling no pain
Waiting for a hammer and a big ball and chain
They can tear it all down and build something new
But only I remember what was here
Tomorrow comes easy just another day gone
How hong will I have to keep returning

Now I look back think I've known all the time
I've been finding myself for so long
All the vows that we made
Count for old bags of lumber
Disappear on the cart down the road.

For Luke Nee

*** Posted by Tom Carroll on 2006-01-18 ***

Luke Nee came into most of our lives when he walked into the Bronx courtyard of 2855 Grand Concourse holding onto the chrome handle of his brother’s baby carriage.  He left us on the wings of angels with the fine and brave, embracing each other toward Heaven.

Luke was holding on tight to the carriage that day when he saw the Carroll brothers sitting on the stoop.  We would be friends in five decades.  He lived in Apartment 4-G, beneath us, and the Hartnetts and Maiers, too.  In four buildings, we also had the Beicherts, Davidoffs, Geohhegans, Slatterys, two sets of Walsh’s, the Kopilaks, the Moloneys, and the Mc Donalds.  We tantalized Luke in jest often for a good laugh, yet he would always chuckle at himself and never lose his temper saying, “Why do you gotta be like that?”  Luke was the consummate good friend, brother, husband, father, and son.  His best friend, Robert, protected him at school and in the neighborhood, and was there in the end to help search for him and the brothers brave.

Luke was a kind and generous man, who loved music: the Faces, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, and U-2. When he heard that my son liked Aerosmith, Luke gave their first album to Craig from his private collection.  Luke would give you the shirt off his back, or buy you one at Yankee Stadium.  That’s the type of man he was.  Cathy and I were fortunate to have had Luke, Irene, and Patrick at our home on September 2nd.  Luke always reminded me how lucky I was that Cathy had married me, and what a beautiful family we have.  We played football that day, fathers against sons.  In the 70’s, we would threaten to chuck Luke, if he dropped a pass, down and in, between two parked cars on Minerva Place.  In our backyard that day, Luke never dropped a pass, and he caught a few touchdowns, too.  That’s how we will always remember Luke.  There wasn’t a bad bone in his body, nor a gray hair on his head. Luke Nee was a touchdown, a homerun! 

There are many quotations that one may reference to remember and to honor Luke Nee: authors, poets, musicians, and of course politicians. With Luke it always seemed to come back to the Kennedy’s.  Jimmy and Robert would endlessly tease Luke about his Kennedy shrine, burning candles included, honoring Jack and Bobby.  So, Patrick and Irene, we salute your husband and dad, today, and we look to the future.  In the words of JFK, “A rising tide lifts all boats!”  We your family and friends will forever be there for you, because to quote one of Luke’s favorite songs, “Love Lives Here!”  May God Bless Us All!

*** Posted by Tommy Carroll on 2003-11-17 ***

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