Author, Professor, and Great Father and Thinker
When death comes unexpectedly
Clogged up brain
Unable to shake what seems to be a decision to die
Did the third bout of Covid push him to the edge?
Weakened having eaten too little while sick
An IV drip is approved to bring back awareness
He revives, but allows the body to continue to starve
A seemingly conscious choice
At 100 years, he lived a full life
Served in WWII in the Pacific Ocean
Married a fellow student from Pomona College
Fathered two boys and raised them to be kind men
Valued serious thinkers
Enjoyed cocktail hours with lively discussions
Received guests graciously at their deck home in Lincoln, MA
Traveled Europe with a focus on Greece and Italy
Walked the streets where great philosophers had congregated
Spent sabbaticals in Bishop, CA
Walked the deserted fields around Buttermilk
Roamed the paths of the Ancient Bristlecone Pines
Gazed at Mt. Tom, the view of his childhood
Wrote eight books and a plethora of articles
A man of unusual intellectual and moral worth
Political Science founding faculty member, UMass Boston
Authored The Political Meaning of Christianity: An Interpretation
And a little textbook: Political Thinking: The Perennial Question
At 84, published: Liberty: Rethinking an Imperiled Ideal
Advocated for citizen responsibility and challenged societal norms
Believed in the American Experiment
Another election to determine America’s direction
Can my generation’s America embrace Dad’s teachings of over 50 years ago?
Is there hope that Dad’s ideals can prevail amid the great divide?
We shall be limitlessly respectful of human beings but wary of society
Are there independent thinkers to question or understand what he asks?
Where can one stand between cynicism and sentimentality, apathy and fanaticism?
I hope America chooses to survive, to nourish our minds
Thanks, Dad, for being a great father, thinker, and teacher!
Thank you for reading this tribute to my father-in-law, Glenn Tinder.
