Day 172: Eulogy

Since I am driving home tonight and won't get a chance to write tonight's entry. I thought I would just share my father-in-law's eulogy.

Emmanuel “Mort” DeFrates

Mort was a fighter, not much in his life came easy for him, but he never let things get in his way. From a childhood in difficult times, to surviving a devastating fall and living with kidney failure for the past several years, Mort was the kind of man who overcame obstacles and taught his children and students the same.

Emmanuel was born in Chicago to a father who was a commercial fisherman and hunting guide on September 20, 1946.  His family moved to Dallas City when he was an infant.  That must have been where he developed his love for the environment, hunting and fishing.  His family struggled in difficult economic times with eight children.  His father taught him to hunt and fish and to survive using these skills. He passed this knowledge and love of nature to his children and grandsons.  During childhood, he earned the nickname “Mort” from a puppet on tv, and it stuck. Most people don’t know him by anything else.

Being a star basketball player in high school helped keep him stateside during the Vietnam War. Mort had joined the Marine Corps with his brother, Richard “Dickie”. They went through basic training together. Mort eventually served his country for four years. His patriotism was something he passed down to his son who has served in the military for 13 years and credits his dad with teaching him the honor of military service and a commitment to his country.

Mort was recruited to play basketball on a travelling Marine Corps team, which kept alive his love of the sport. After taking advantage of a military program giving early release for soldiers to attend college, he attended Western Illinois University majoring in education. He had a love for education and especially for sports.  He felt that sports was one way of getting kids to school, keeping them in school and teaching life skills.  He LOVED to coach, feeling his experiences throughout his childhood and Marine Corps gave him a lot to share. He began teaching in Taylorville in 1972 and touched the lives of numerous students.

Trying to provide the best he could for his family, he briefly left education to sell insurance in 1978.  He won an award as the top salesman with over 1 million dollars in sales during a quarter during his four years in insurance. His love for teaching and working with young people led him to return to teaching in l982 until his retirement in 2002. 

Outside of school, Mort never was far from nature. He grew amazing gardens. Some of his children’s fondest memories from childhood were eating fresh tomatoes and corn from their dad’s garden. His love for growing fresh vegetables and fruits led him to another lifelong hobby, cooking. He loved playing around in the kitchen with herbs and spices and recipes, eventually creating and perfecting chili and salsa recipes, winning many cooking competitions over the years.

In 2004, he decided to move closer to his brother Orland and his family. He enjoyed spending more time with Orland, Alma, and their family. A few years ago, his daughter Megan moved in with him and despite the various struggles, It was so important for her to be there for and get to be close to him.

He will be missed by many; his daughter Megan, son Chad, daughter-in-law Jennifer and his grandsons, Trenton and Nathan will miss him the most. He was a great dad and wonderful grandpa. Trenton and Nathan loved going fishing with Papa Mort. They will always remember Papa teaching them to catch and cook their fish, just the way he once taught their father. His granddaughter Allyson will miss getting to know her grandpa, but he will be kept alive in all the stories of the people who loved him.

He is preceded in death by his parents, brother Richard (Dickie) and brother Carl.  His surviving siblings are Orland, Cheri, Chuck, Debbie, and Sandy.  He is further survived by daughter Megan, son Chad and grandchildren, Trenton, Nathan and Allyson.