More than Wonderful

I went to a memorial service yesterday at work. A full 90 minute memorial service, held at work yesterday. I am lucky to work in a place that allows that sort of thing, and does not at all discourage employees from attending them.

Derrick Lewis, who I found out yesterday, was Pastor Derrick Lewis worked as a Public Safety Officer at the hospital. That is how I knew him. He was the security guard who worked at the front desk and he was the first person I met on my first day there. Perhaps I looked lost, but he reached over and touched my shoulder, and said, "Good morning there miss!" and he had a very warm smile. I told him it was my first day and he said "well good luck to ya! I hope I see you again tomorrow!" Every morning he would greet me and every other employee or hospital guest who would walk by.

Over the next year, I would stop and chat with him, asking him how his weekend went, how his kids were. He gave me really good potty training advice. Once when the e-husband was in the hospital, he saw me looking distraught and he talked to me, encouraging me to stay strong, I remember he put his hands on my shoulders and said, "Stay strong sister. You just stay strong." and he hugged me. Some mornings I would just ask him how he was doing and his answer was always the same, "I'm more than wonderful." Eventually when he would asked how I was, I would reply, "I'm much better for seeing you, my friend." I suspect he had this rapport with many people. He was that kind of guy and when he was standing up at the front desk, I was never too busy to say hello and receive his morning greeting.

He left the hospital early in 2007 for reasons unknown. He died on January 18th. He had a massive stroke and died within a few days, I was told. Yesterday the hospital held a memorial service for him and there were about 100 employees there. It was a very religious service, as I learned that he was a pastor at a church not too far from here. His wife came with two of their four young children. There was singing, there was praying, raising of arms. "Amens!" "Praise Jesus'" and all the things that you would imagine in a Baptist memorial service. It was wonderful. More than wonderful- just like Derrick.

He will be missed by so many, but so many were truly blessed by the way he touched our lives and we are all better for knowing him.