Passing of a couple of giants

A prominant member of our Church died, who was widely respected in the community. He was a self-made man, in his heyday, had a streak of flamboyancy about him that was referred to during his funeral service. He died from mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer of the lungs associated with exposure to asbestos at the workplace. His great qualities, particularly relating to his employment in the oil industry, included absolute loyalty and integrity, strong sense of fairness, encouraging those starting out in the companies he worked for, and not speaking ill of anyone. It made me stop and think what people might say of me, and whether any of these labels would fit me very well. He will be greatly missed.

Another giant, far better known, who passed on was Al Copeland, founder of Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits restaurants, Copeland's restaurants, and other ventures. He too was self-made, and had a flamboyant lifestyle, with a his bevy of speedboats, race cars, flashy motorcycles, and a home in the New Orleans area that at Christmas, was lit up with more than a million lights. He too, died from a rare form of cancer, tumor of the salivary glands. One can only speculate as to whether his cancer was associated with his restaurant business. His compelling story can be found at Wikipedia, among other places.