R. "John" V. Kidwell

Ralph Vernon Kidwell “John” of Fairfax Virginia passed away August 24, 2014. John was born and raised in Fairfax County. He was a painting contractor and was well known in the Falls Church area. He is survived by his wife, Shirley two sons Ralph Kidwell of Florida and Larry Kidwell of Manassas, Va. three grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He is also survived by one sister Norine Phillips. He is preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, one grandchild and many nieces and nephews.

I am standing by the seashore.

A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze

and starts for the blue ocean.

She is an object of beauty and strength,

and I stand and watch

until at last she hangs like a speck of white cloud

just where the sun and sky come down to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says, 'There she is gone!

Gone where? Gone from my sight - that is all.

She is just as large in mast and hull and spar

as she was when she left my side

and just as able to bear her load of living freight

to the place of destination.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her.

And just at the moment when someone at my side says,

'There! She is gone! ' ,

there are other eyes watching her coming,

and other voices ready to take up the glad shout :

'There! She comes!'

- and that is Dying.