My good friend, John Harty, died this past March 31. He was 69 years old. I have known John since 1977 when we taught at St Wenceslaus School and worked at Ted’s Liquor store in New Prague. John and his wife, Elaine, lived in the upstairs apartment in a house two doors down from Ruthie and I. We remained very close to each other until 1986, when I began working at St Hubert Parish, 25 miles away, and Ruth began working full-time nights as a nurse. After many years, during which I ministered where the Archbishop wanted me (that pesky order of obedience to the bishop and his successors taken at ordination), I was assigned back at St Wenceslaus. And, though I was busy with ministry 24/7, Ruthie and I picked up our relationship with John and Elaine, again.
When Ruthie and I were living in poverty, trying to raise our children Andy, Luke, and Meg, on the measly church salary I was making, John and Elaine, gave Ruthie and I a respite from our poverty. I remember going to see the show, Beatlemania, at the Orpheum theater in Minneapolis, in which a really good tribute band played the music of the Beatles. John and Elaine treated us to that magical day. Their was the MEA holiday in which John and Elaine, Ruthie and I stayed at the Holiday Inn John’s dad owned. It was the first time Ruth and I had slept in a kingsize bed. I remember Ruthie and I “double dating” with John and Elaine and seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark. I related this story in a letter to Elaine this week.
“When Luke was a toddler, he loved his Fischer-Price toys. He was especially attached to one of the people that came with his Fischer-Price barn. He called the figure the “green man.” Of course, he dropped his green man in the backyard of the house you and John owned on Lyndale Ave, but didn’t notice it till we got home. Of course, Luke got upset. I remember combing your backyard at 8:30 at night with a flashlight looking for the green man in the green lawn of your backyard. When John saw me out in his yard he wanted to know what the hell I was doing. When I told him, he laughed his ass off. I never did find that green man, but fortunately, there was more than one green man that came with the Fischer-Price toy … Luke was never the wiser.”
John taught German and religion at St Wenceslaus School. After serving as principal of St Wenceslaus, John got a good paying job and taught German at New Prague High School. John has a good ear for languages, and his German was so flawless that native speakers didn’t know he was an American. He worked extra jobs to earn money to travel many times throughout Europe.
For as long as I have known John, his health has been fragile. He has had his share of surgeries and trouble with his heart. However, his health never prevented him from living life fully. When I was told of John’s death this past Wednesday, I was grief-stricken. My faith informs me that John has not died. His body just finally wore out, but John is alive and better than ever. Still, I will miss bullshitting with John and Elaine at the Fishtale Grill on Friday afternoons. He is and will always remain a good friend.
I composed this song for John and Elaine, yesterday, Friday, April 2nd. I composed it as a Waltz. John loved all things German, and while the music sounds perhaps more Viennese, ala John Strauss Jr, than Bavarian, I think there is enough um-pah-pah to pass as German.
Till we share a beer again, John, in heaven, know that you will always remain a good friend.
