Robert Gottschall
Born 9/15/1915
Died 1/03/2005
Robert Gottschall was my dear father. He lived a long full life, a life most men would have loved to have lived. He was born in Dallas, Tx. My dad was the batboy for the Texas League Baseball team. He got to meet and play catch with Babe Ruth.
Babe signed a Texas League ball for him along with Lou Gehrig and two other hall of famers, plus the whole 1927 Yankees players. He toured Europe as a young man. While in Germany in the 40's he heard Adolph Hitler give a pre-war speech. My dad told me he did not understand German, but that man was extremely powerful. Later he made his way to Hollywood to become a famous movie star of the 40's. He was in many films with the likes of Rita Hayworth, Randolph Scott, Henry Fonda, just to name a few stars. He was engaged to Betty Grable and also had many lovely lady stars in love with him, like Judy Garland, Linda Darnell and Sonja Henie. He joined the Army during the war and became a Lt Col. after serving 26 yrs. We lived all over the world. I was born in Japan. We lived in Tiawan in the 50's and my dad built the very first little league field there. He was also a published writer as well. My mother died less than two months before my dad passed away. He was 89 and she was 86. He missed her because they had been married for over 62 yrs. He will have a full military honors burial at Fort Sam Houston's national cemetry next week. I will be receiving his flag from the honor guard and will saluted.
I wanted to posted something special here in honor of my dad. This writing is from the book the Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.
On Death
Would you know the secret of death. But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life? The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light. If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life. For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one. In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond; and like seeds dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring. Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity. Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honour. Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king? Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling? For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun? And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered? Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing. And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb. And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.
I know my mom and dad are dancing on heavenly clouds right now or maybe taking a moonlight surreal stroll along a beautiful deep blue ocean beach with the sand in their toes...
Rest in peace dad and mom...
We have created a very interesting website on the internet to memorialize my dad.
robert-gottschall.memory-of.com
just go to the toolbar and you don't have to type www just that link
God bless richly every soul that reads this memorial for my father.
www.nancy-heartmusic.com
