In the last week American news services reported on three momentous events. These had nothing to do with elections, wars, attacks, or the Golden Globe awards. They were tales of three remarkable people who exemplified service. To celebrate the first week of our campaign to spread the word to Live, Love, Share, we turn to the obituary page.
The new year had not yet begun when first of our trio left us. On December 29, 2024, former President Jimmy Carter died at the age of 100. Not much can be said about President Carter that is not already widely known, except possibly that he had never planned to share his life with an entire country. His plan was to serve in the Navy, and after graduating from the U. S. Naval Academy, he had the chance to do something he always wanted to do. And he did until his father passed away at not quite 60. Then the future President resigned his commission to return to his home and take over the family business. Two years later he entered local politics, and the rest is literally history. Although he had a full post-Presidential political career, his greatest personal achievements were with one of his favorite charities, Habitat for Humanity. Since 1984, he and his wife Rosalyn worked in over 14 countries building and rehabbing close to 4,400 homes.
On Saturday, January 4, 2025, the Washington Post reported the death of 105 year old. Warren Upton, the oldest survivor of the attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941. After serving the entire war and then leaving the navy following the end of WWII, he returned to served again in Korea. After that, he used his expertise as a naval radioman working for the city of Paolo Alto and San Mateo County. Working wasn’t enough so he also donated his time leading his local chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.
Although not reported until Sunday, January 5 by the Associated Press, Agnes Koleti passed away on January 2, 2025, at the age of 103. Ms. Koleti, notable enough as a Holocaust survivor, was also the world’s oldest living Olympic medalist, earning 10 medals, including 5 gold, beginning in 1952 at the Helsinki gamesin gymnastics. She became the oldest gymnast to ever earn a gold medal when she accomplished the feat at the age of 35 in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. In her 70s, Ms. Koleti was still sharing her expertise as a coach with the Israeli Olympic gymnastics teams.
Three remarkable people, one known worldwide as a champion of service to humanity, one known to generations as a champion of young athletes, one not known far outside his hometown where he served those he served with, all left the world a better place. They lived and shared, and they surely loved and were loved.
You may not live to be 100. You may not live to be a champion of any sort. Few can say they survived the attack on Pearl Harbor or the attack on humanity at Auschwitz. Fewer still can say they survived taking on the job of President of the United States. These aren’t the only ones who have lived lives worth living like. In every city and town, published in every, local paper, others are remembered for the lives they lived, the people they loved, and the values they shared. Everybody can say they lived a life worthy enough to share with those they love. All you need to do is to do it.
They lived. They loved. They shared. Now it’s your turn.
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