 07-26-2008, 10:53 AM
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burkett
Joined on 11-03-2005
SW Missouri
Posts 17
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My friend - Paul Lazarski
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Paul M. Lazarski USAF major (ret.)
Vanguard French horn 1960 -1962
Died on (or about) 6/14/2008. Buried, with full military honors at Catholic Cemetery La Luz, NM.
Paul and I traded emails infrequently. He was excited by the Vanguard Reunion of 2004, and was really glad to see everyone. After the reunion, he made copies of the CDs distributed to attendees and sent them to me. He was afraid that I wouldn't get to hear them. I last spoke to him on the phone about a year ago. We had a lot of laughs as we tripped down memory lane together.
I have known Paul since we were eleven years old. We lived only a block apart in Park Ridge. We got into a lot of mischief together back then. Paul's father once built him a beautiful little go-kart type car. He let me drive it. I was envious both of his having the cool car, and having such a great relationship with his father. Paul attended Catholic grade and high schools, and was a good student and an excellent athlete. He was sincere about his religion, and worked at it. He was also an Explorer Scout, and spent one summer on staff at the Philmont Scout Ranch. He even brought me a cowboy hat from there.
I dragged and nagged him into the Vanguard, and he loved it. As busy as he was in those days, he was a good member and could always be counted on to give his best effort. He was a solid, reliable, friendly guy with a good sense of humor.
I was in close contact with Paul until he had completed his Air Force flight training. After that he was busy winning the war from his Phantom II F-4C aircraft. Unlike so many of us, Paul, at age thirteen, was able to clearly state his academic and career plans. Not only did he state them, he followed them precisely. His head was definitely screwed on better than most of his peers.
I'm glad that we were able to hook up for a couple of years as old geezers.
I'll miss Paul a lot. He was a first class guy.
Dave Burkett
1957 - 1964
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