Ed, How do you say good bye to your best friend. I don’t know, I’ve never had to do this before. Well here goes. I could write a book about the 12 years we have known each other, but most of those memories are mine to keep. You lived your life like you built our deck and porch, using your own words, “h_ll bent for stout”. I always knew you were tough, but you taught me the truest meaning of toughness by always keeping a positive attitude and never slowing down, even in the face of a rough diagnosis. You have given me the greatest gift in life, someone to call my best friend. A lot of tears have been shed by Monica and I since hearing the news. I'll never forget the first day I met you. I walked into Ski and Bow rack in Pagosa. You were the first person to say hello and show me the ropes of indoor tournament shooting. Instant friendship. A few days later we stayed up till 3:00 am talking archery, hunting and planning the upcoming elk season. That fall we signed up for a pack trip into the Chalks, and there we were in the middle of elk country. A couple weeks later I shot my first bull and you were there to help pack it out. I may have shot it but I always considered it “our” bull. I think you were as excited as I was about it. There is something about hunting together that bonds men for life. Over the years, life has taken both of us on our share of ups and downs. You moving to Greeley and me moving to Texas. You however, never let that get in the way of our friendship. Every year right before it was time to put in for our hunting unit, you would call and tell me how many points you had and were hoping to draw 76. “Just one more year” you used to say. Well, time ran out for our last chance at one more adventure. I know the mountains were getting steeper for both of us, but you don’t have to worry about climbing them anymore. You can just fly over them and do your scouting from up above. Do me a favor and send me a sign next elk season and let me know where that big bull is. Maybe I’ll get one more for “us”. Finally, lets talk construction. Everything you built for us was in your words “h_ll bent for stout”. One massive multi level deck in Pagosa and a huge covered porch here in Texas a couple years ago. Words can’t describe how happy I was to spend a few weeks with you here. All the while you were battling cancer and yet still never complained. Whenever I sit out under the porch you built with a whiskey in hand, I think of you. You will always be, in my mind, just like the things you built, ….“H_LL BENT FOR STOUT”. We love you and will never forget you, Mike, Monica, Mackenzie and Max PS.- I will try to make the service on the 9th, but Max and I have a 3rd season tag. I know you would understand.