On a warm summer night in September, 1938, one of Erbys' wishes came true. He always wished for a baby brother, but before he had a chance to know this little brother, he found that Uncle Sam had a job for him in the South Pacific called World War II. 

As I understand it, he was barely 18 years old when he left for the war. He joined the U.S. Navy. I was proud of him, as was his entire family. I even remember me being dressed up in a navy outfit, Pea coat and all, at the age of 7 or 8. He left behind that 5 yr. old brother he wished for. As time has a way of changing things, 4 years passed making him 22 and me 9, and coming home from service, finding home different and everybody older.

War took its toll, as it seems to do with so many people. Soon after that, Dad died in an accident making you know who the man of the house. As baby brothers so often do, I guess I did not agree with this new man in the house. You fill in the rest………………… 

Then, in no time at all, he got married and then he was gone again, and guess who the new man of the house was? But, at times, he was the weekender who came back, to take me to get haircuts, and who knows what else? One of my memories was getting a hamburger and coffee at a drug store, which, by the way, is still on White Bridge Road. 

From that time on, with a difference of 13 yrs between us, he had his world…. I had mine. Not until recently had we done things that brothers do together. We went for car rides, long talks sharing old memories of the train set he gave me at age10 and a passenger train he did not want to keep, talking about southern gospel music, of all things. I forgot about his love for that. Together we watched football games on television and really enjoyed each others company.  

But as fate would have it, heart attacks, strokes, and other illnesses meant our time was limited. Even with my busy schedule and his, I did try to contact him weekly to check up on him because I knew his health was his own worst enemy. We had heart to heart talks, just the two of us. I am so glad we did. I will always cherish the moments we had in time. 

Erby has friends everywhere, not just locally but around the world. He most recently was making reunion plans with his shipmates on the U.S.S. Norton Sound. 

With all of his physical problems, he still managed a to have a deep down love and respect for the people he came in contact with.

TO MICHELL, ASHLEY, BARRY, MELANIE ,MISSY AND DON, 
I got to know his love for you.

TO DIANA, the person who came into his life when he seemed to think his world had ended after Yolonde’s death, 

I got to know his love for you,
To MARK, MATT, MARIA, your spouses and all the grandchildren,
I got to know his love for you.

To MARY, MARGE, your spouses and family,
I got to know his love for you.

To MYRA my wife and our family,
I got to know his love for us.

To ALL HIS FRIENDS, who knew him,
He told me of his love for you,
You see, after all the years apart, we came to know each other, right from the heart. And with that…….My personal tribute to “Big Brother”…

MY MEMORIES ARE BEAUTIFUL, AND KEEPSAKES TO CUDDLE
THE LAUGHTER, THE PUNCHES, THE WRESTLING, THE TROUBLE
 
I KNOW YOU’RE AT PEACE NOW FROM THE PHYSICAL PAIN YOU KNEW
YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF ME, UNAFRAID OF THE FUTURE
I KNOW YOU’RE SAFE NOW, NO MORE PAIN FOR YOU TAKE CARE, MY BIG BROTHER I WON’T EVER, EVER KNOW ANOTHER BE HAPPY BIG BROTHER
YOU ARE UNLIKE ANY OTHER
 
GOOD BYE BIG BROTHER
WE LOVE YOU ALWAYS,
 
YOUR TWO SISTERS
AND 
“LITTLE BABY BROTHER”