In Memory of Henry Ramirez

Henry Ramirez, my mother's youngest brother, held many titles in our family - father, son, grandfather, husband, and brother. But to me, he was simply Uncle Henry, and if I ever had a favorite uncle, it would undoubtedly be him.

Uncle Henry had a knack for silliness and teasing, especially with his nieces and nephews. Despite the distance between us and the rest of our family, whenever we visited, he made sure I felt included in his playful antics, as if we saw each other every day.

One thing that always stood out was his playful teasing about my ticklish elbows. No matter how long it had been since our last meeting - whether a year or a decade - he would greet me with a hug and immediately start tickling my elbows, making me burst into giggles. He had a unique talent for finding just the right spot to make me laugh.

This past week, Uncle Henry passed away, joining Grandma Ramirez, Aunt Gerry, and my mom. Amidst the sadness, my fondest memory of him remains those moments of laughter over my ticklish elbows.

A few years ago, during a visit to my hometown of Alturas, we reunited, and he met my grandchild for the first time. It was a special visit where, for the first time, he didn't tickle my elbows when we greeted each other. However, true to his playful nature, he surprised me by tickling them when we said goodbye.

To Uncle Henry, until we meet again and you tease me for my ticklish elbows, you will be dearly missed. But I'll cherish those moments forever, and my elbows will eagerly await our reunion.