Father of Rustin, Jake and Joseph. Husband of Teen.
USMC 1978 to 1987
And the best friend I ever had.
==============================================
This is the eulogy I delivered at his funeral:
First of all let me just say thank you to Teen for giving me a chance to say a few words about Bob. It is an honor to stand up here and speak on his behalf.
Since most of you don't know me, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Tony Middleton and I was Bob's best friend. I first met Bob in the summer of 1982 when we were both Marine Corporals in Kansas City. I knew by the end of the first day that he and I were going to be friends for life. Some folks just "click", and that's the way it was with Bob and me. I have an older brother that I am extremely close to, but I am no closer to him than I was to Bob. Bob and I were like brothers. When my oldest son was born, Bob was his Godfather. When my youngest son was born, I named him after Bob. There was nothing that Winston and I couldn't talk about. He and I shared our deepest thoughts about everything. To say that we were close would be a tremendous understatement.
There were two Bob Winstons. A public Bob, and a private Bob. I guess that's true of most of us really. The public Bob was bold and loud and apparently filled with self-confidence. His sharp tongue and quick wit was guaranteed to either make you howl with laughter or mad as hell. The public Bob didn't know the meaning of words like embarrassment or timidity. And the public Bob was the life of the party wherever he went. When that Bob strode into a room (he didn't just walk in!) everyone in that room knew he had arrived. That was the Bob that most people knew.
The private Bob was altogether different. So different in fact that you might not recognize whom I am talking about. He was humble and self effacing. He had pride in his service to the Marines and pride in his children. He had pride in his friends and in his work; but never did he take pride in himself. He was all too aware of his shortcomings. Bob knew he had problems, but he never hid it or in any way tried to excuse himself. Instead he chose to punish himself for it.
I am sorry that he felt that way. Because he had so many good qualities that it would be hard to list them all. But I will say this: Bob had more heart than anyone I ever knew. And he was completely without guile. You always knew exactly where you stood with Bob. I would have entrusted to Bob my money, my children, even my life. No one could ever have a more loyal friend than Bob Winston. He was my dearest friend and I will miss him terribly.
But the story of the Bob's life does not end here. The Apostle Paul wrote in I Thessalonians that we are not to grieve like those who have no hope. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus." Four thousand years ago the patriarch Job wrote: "For I know my redeemer lives and in the latter day shall stand upon the earth, and though worms have destroyed my body, yet in my flesh I shall see God." That is exactly what Bob believed, and I share his belief. So I don't grieve like those who have no hope.
Remember I spoke of the humbleness of private Bob? In Luke Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee stood in the temple and lifted his eyes as he prayed and thanked God that he was such an all-around great guy, and not like that old sinful tax collector. The tax collector on the other hand was unwilling to even lift his eyes to heaven. And he beat his breast as he prayed saying "God be merciful to me a sinner". Jesus said that this humble sinner was the one who went home justified. "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted." There's Bob right there. That humble soul is this very day being exalted on streets of gold.
I am going to take a little of public Bob's boldness and say this to you all: If you have a hope of ever seeing Bob Winston again, I advise you to get to know this same Jesus that Bob knew.
Semper Fi Marine. I'll be seeing you.
=================================================
Customer Service...Winston style
I followed my dear friend Bob Winston into Walmart one night. He was an alcoholic (God rest his soul) and this night, like every other, he was drunk as a skunk!
I forget the purpose of our visit. I forget the department we were in. (Yes, I was drinking too) But what I will never forget if I live to be a thousand, was Bob's approach to poor customer service. We had searched fruitlessly for whatever it was that two drunks needed that evening in Walmart. Then we searched equally in vain for assistance.
With no warning whatsoever, Bob stopped, threw back his head, and yelled at the top of his lungs:
HELP!!!
Considering that Bob was a Marine Corporal, that meant that every single person in that entire building heard it.
We got help pretty darn fast, let me tell you!
USMC 1978 to 1987
And the best friend I ever had.
==============================================
This is the eulogy I delivered at his funeral:
First of all let me just say thank you to Teen for giving me a chance to say a few words about Bob. It is an honor to stand up here and speak on his behalf.
Since most of you don't know me, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Tony Middleton and I was Bob's best friend. I first met Bob in the summer of 1982 when we were both Marine Corporals in Kansas City. I knew by the end of the first day that he and I were going to be friends for life. Some folks just "click", and that's the way it was with Bob and me. I have an older brother that I am extremely close to, but I am no closer to him than I was to Bob. Bob and I were like brothers. When my oldest son was born, Bob was his Godfather. When my youngest son was born, I named him after Bob. There was nothing that Winston and I couldn't talk about. He and I shared our deepest thoughts about everything. To say that we were close would be a tremendous understatement.
There were two Bob Winstons. A public Bob, and a private Bob. I guess that's true of most of us really. The public Bob was bold and loud and apparently filled with self-confidence. His sharp tongue and quick wit was guaranteed to either make you howl with laughter or mad as hell. The public Bob didn't know the meaning of words like embarrassment or timidity. And the public Bob was the life of the party wherever he went. When that Bob strode into a room (he didn't just walk in!) everyone in that room knew he had arrived. That was the Bob that most people knew.
The private Bob was altogether different. So different in fact that you might not recognize whom I am talking about. He was humble and self effacing. He had pride in his service to the Marines and pride in his children. He had pride in his friends and in his work; but never did he take pride in himself. He was all too aware of his shortcomings. Bob knew he had problems, but he never hid it or in any way tried to excuse himself. Instead he chose to punish himself for it.
I am sorry that he felt that way. Because he had so many good qualities that it would be hard to list them all. But I will say this: Bob had more heart than anyone I ever knew. And he was completely without guile. You always knew exactly where you stood with Bob. I would have entrusted to Bob my money, my children, even my life. No one could ever have a more loyal friend than Bob Winston. He was my dearest friend and I will miss him terribly.
But the story of the Bob's life does not end here. The Apostle Paul wrote in I Thessalonians that we are not to grieve like those who have no hope. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus." Four thousand years ago the patriarch Job wrote: "For I know my redeemer lives and in the latter day shall stand upon the earth, and though worms have destroyed my body, yet in my flesh I shall see God." That is exactly what Bob believed, and I share his belief. So I don't grieve like those who have no hope.
Remember I spoke of the humbleness of private Bob? In Luke Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee stood in the temple and lifted his eyes as he prayed and thanked God that he was such an all-around great guy, and not like that old sinful tax collector. The tax collector on the other hand was unwilling to even lift his eyes to heaven. And he beat his breast as he prayed saying "God be merciful to me a sinner". Jesus said that this humble sinner was the one who went home justified. "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted." There's Bob right there. That humble soul is this very day being exalted on streets of gold.
I am going to take a little of public Bob's boldness and say this to you all: If you have a hope of ever seeing Bob Winston again, I advise you to get to know this same Jesus that Bob knew.
Semper Fi Marine. I'll be seeing you.
=================================================
Customer Service...Winston style
I followed my dear friend Bob Winston into Walmart one night. He was an alcoholic (God rest his soul) and this night, like every other, he was drunk as a skunk!
I forget the purpose of our visit. I forget the department we were in. (Yes, I was drinking too) But what I will never forget if I live to be a thousand, was Bob's approach to poor customer service. We had searched fruitlessly for whatever it was that two drunks needed that evening in Walmart. Then we searched equally in vain for assistance.
With no warning whatsoever, Bob stopped, threw back his head, and yelled at the top of his lungs:
HELP!!!
Considering that Bob was a Marine Corporal, that meant that every single person in that entire building heard it.
We got help pretty darn fast, let me tell you!
Father of Rustin, Jake and Joseph. Husband of Teen.
USMC 1978 to 1987
And the best friend I ever had.
==============================================
This is the eulogy I delivered at his funeral:
First of all let me just say thank you to Teen for giving me a chance to say a few words about Bob. It is an honor to stand up here and speak on his behalf.
Since most of you don't know me, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Tony Middleton and I was Bob's best friend. I first met Bob in the summer of 1982 when we were both Marine Corporals in Kansas City. I knew by the end of the first day that he and I were going to be friends for life. Some folks just "click", and that's the way it was with Bob and me. I have an older brother that I am extremely close to, but I am no closer to him than I was to Bob. Bob and I were like brothers. When my oldest son was born, Bob was his Godfather. When my youngest son was born, I named him after Bob. There was nothing that Winston and I couldn't talk about. He and I shared our deepest thoughts about everything. To say that we were close would be a tremendous understatement.
There were two Bob Winstons. A public Bob, and a private Bob. I guess that's true of most of us really. The public Bob was bold and loud and apparently filled with self-confidence. His sharp tongue and quick wit was guaranteed to either make you howl with laughter or mad as hell. The public Bob didn't know the meaning of words like embarrassment or timidity. And the public Bob was the life of the party wherever he went. When that Bob strode into a room (he didn't just walk in!) everyone in that room knew he had arrived. That was the Bob that most people knew.
The private Bob was altogether different. So different in fact that you might not recognize whom I am talking about. He was humble and self effacing. He had pride in his service to the Marines and pride in his children. He had pride in his friends and in his work; but never did he take pride in himself. He was all too aware of his shortcomings. Bob knew he had problems, but he never hid it or in any way tried to excuse himself. Instead he chose to punish himself for it.
I am sorry that he felt that way. Because he had so many good qualities that it would be hard to list them all. But I will say this: Bob had more heart than anyone I ever knew. And he was completely without guile. You always knew exactly where you stood with Bob. I would have entrusted to Bob my money, my children, even my life. No one could ever have a more loyal friend than Bob Winston. He was my dearest friend and I will miss him terribly.
But the story of the Bob's life does not end here. The Apostle Paul wrote in I Thessalonians that we are not to grieve like those who have no hope. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus." Four thousand years ago the patriarch Job wrote: "For I know my redeemer lives and in the latter day shall stand upon the earth, and though worms have destroyed my body, yet in my flesh I shall see God." That is exactly what Bob believed, and I share his belief. So I don't grieve like those who have no hope.
Remember I spoke of the humbleness of private Bob? In Luke Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee stood in the temple and lifted his eyes as he prayed and thanked God that he was such an all-around great guy, and not like that old sinful tax collector. The tax collector on the other hand was unwilling to even lift his eyes to heaven. And he beat his breast as he prayed saying "God be merciful to me a sinner". Jesus said that this humble sinner was the one who went home justified. "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted." There's Bob right there. That humble soul is this very day being exalted on streets of gold.
I am going to take a little of public Bob's boldness and say this to you all: If you have a hope of ever seeing Bob Winston again, I advise you to get to know this same Jesus that Bob knew.
Semper Fi Marine. I'll be seeing you.
=================================================
Customer Service...Winston style
I followed my dear friend Bob Winston into Walmart one night. He was an alcoholic (God rest his soul) and this night, like every other, he was drunk as a skunk!
I forget the purpose of our visit. I forget the department we were in. (Yes, I was drinking too) But what I will never forget if I live to be a thousand, was Bob's approach to poor customer service. We had searched fruitlessly for whatever it was that two drunks needed that evening in Walmart. Then we searched equally in vain for assistance.
With no warning whatsoever, Bob stopped, threw back his head, and yelled at the top of his lungs:
HELP!!!
Considering that Bob was a Marine Corporal, that meant that every single person in that entire building heard it.
We got help pretty darn fast, let me tell you!
USMC 1978 to 1987
And the best friend I ever had.
==============================================
This is the eulogy I delivered at his funeral:
First of all let me just say thank you to Teen for giving me a chance to say a few words about Bob. It is an honor to stand up here and speak on his behalf.
Since most of you don't know me, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Tony Middleton and I was Bob's best friend. I first met Bob in the summer of 1982 when we were both Marine Corporals in Kansas City. I knew by the end of the first day that he and I were going to be friends for life. Some folks just "click", and that's the way it was with Bob and me. I have an older brother that I am extremely close to, but I am no closer to him than I was to Bob. Bob and I were like brothers. When my oldest son was born, Bob was his Godfather. When my youngest son was born, I named him after Bob. There was nothing that Winston and I couldn't talk about. He and I shared our deepest thoughts about everything. To say that we were close would be a tremendous understatement.
There were two Bob Winstons. A public Bob, and a private Bob. I guess that's true of most of us really. The public Bob was bold and loud and apparently filled with self-confidence. His sharp tongue and quick wit was guaranteed to either make you howl with laughter or mad as hell. The public Bob didn't know the meaning of words like embarrassment or timidity. And the public Bob was the life of the party wherever he went. When that Bob strode into a room (he didn't just walk in!) everyone in that room knew he had arrived. That was the Bob that most people knew.
The private Bob was altogether different. So different in fact that you might not recognize whom I am talking about. He was humble and self effacing. He had pride in his service to the Marines and pride in his children. He had pride in his friends and in his work; but never did he take pride in himself. He was all too aware of his shortcomings. Bob knew he had problems, but he never hid it or in any way tried to excuse himself. Instead he chose to punish himself for it.
I am sorry that he felt that way. Because he had so many good qualities that it would be hard to list them all. But I will say this: Bob had more heart than anyone I ever knew. And he was completely without guile. You always knew exactly where you stood with Bob. I would have entrusted to Bob my money, my children, even my life. No one could ever have a more loyal friend than Bob Winston. He was my dearest friend and I will miss him terribly.
But the story of the Bob's life does not end here. The Apostle Paul wrote in I Thessalonians that we are not to grieve like those who have no hope. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus." Four thousand years ago the patriarch Job wrote: "For I know my redeemer lives and in the latter day shall stand upon the earth, and though worms have destroyed my body, yet in my flesh I shall see God." That is exactly what Bob believed, and I share his belief. So I don't grieve like those who have no hope.
Remember I spoke of the humbleness of private Bob? In Luke Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee stood in the temple and lifted his eyes as he prayed and thanked God that he was such an all-around great guy, and not like that old sinful tax collector. The tax collector on the other hand was unwilling to even lift his eyes to heaven. And he beat his breast as he prayed saying "God be merciful to me a sinner". Jesus said that this humble sinner was the one who went home justified. "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted." There's Bob right there. That humble soul is this very day being exalted on streets of gold.
I am going to take a little of public Bob's boldness and say this to you all: If you have a hope of ever seeing Bob Winston again, I advise you to get to know this same Jesus that Bob knew.
Semper Fi Marine. I'll be seeing you.
=================================================
Customer Service...Winston style
I followed my dear friend Bob Winston into Walmart one night. He was an alcoholic (God rest his soul) and this night, like every other, he was drunk as a skunk!
I forget the purpose of our visit. I forget the department we were in. (Yes, I was drinking too) But what I will never forget if I live to be a thousand, was Bob's approach to poor customer service. We had searched fruitlessly for whatever it was that two drunks needed that evening in Walmart. Then we searched equally in vain for assistance.
With no warning whatsoever, Bob stopped, threw back his head, and yelled at the top of his lungs:
HELP!!!
Considering that Bob was a Marine Corporal, that meant that every single person in that entire building heard it.
We got help pretty darn fast, let me tell you!
Inscription
Sgt US Marine Corps
