MY GRANDFATHER WHEN IN HIS NINETIES, TOLD ME THE BAD THING ABOUT GROWING OLD IS THAT YOU LOSE YOUR FRIENDS.  

THE PAST FEW DAYS I LOST TWO OLD FRIENDS.  CARL PRICE, A FORMER HOLLAND RESIDENT PASSED AWAY.  CARL AND I SHARED THE SAME BIRTH DATE AND THE INFANTRY EXPERIENCE.  HE WAS IN THE INFANTRY IN EUROPE INCLUDING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE AND I WAS IN THE INFANTRY IN THE PACIFIC.  CARL'S COMMANDING OFFICER WAS ANOTHER MAN FROM HOLLAND, COL MATT URBAN.  

YESTERDAY HAL FRANKEN DIED.  HAL AND I WORKED TOGETHER AT WHTC FOR FORTY YEARS.  HAL WAS THE PLAY BY PLAY VOICE ON MANY LOCAL BALL GAMES AND HE ALSO HANDLED SALES FOR THE STATION.  OF LATE WE TRIED TO HAVE LUNCH EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS, THOUGH HE HAD RETIRED.  MY SYMPATHIES GO OUT TO HIS WIFE AND FAMILY.  HAL WAS A FORMER MARINE AND HAD WITNESSED THE A-BOMB TESTING IN THE PACIFIC.  HE WAS ALSO ACTIVE IN HIS CHURCH AND HIS COMMUNITY.  AND I LOST ANOTHER FRIEND.