MY UNCLE ALBERT WOULD BE 101 TODAY

Avuncular = uncle-like. Albert J. Poulin, mother's oldest brother, was a veteran of WWII. He trained in U.S. Army Panama for three years before going to Germany. Albert was a small arms instructor.While serving in Vietnam, Albert was my pen pal.

I think he had a tough life but seemed resilient in the trials & tribulation offered him. He tried everything in life from having a used car annex (Norbrook Motors) to selling real estate for Strout Realty. Al smoked 4 packs of Camels for 50 years and died of lung cancer at age 64! It was a horrible ending yet his wisdom was keen. On his deathbed Uncle Albert imparted his gambling habit.

I had bought a Mercedes Benz 240D. Al said to me.."if you can't afford it, Bob, get a mortgage on it. If you still can't afford it  get a second mortgage on the car... but most of all  Keep 'em guessing!"

Albert's final years were incorporated with my sons, Ben & Josh. We introduced him to coin collecting. Also, we took Al in our travels to coin shows. He was a wonderful supporter of my auctioneer cause and enjoyed what it offered him: clerking..

My uncles were many but Uncle Albert was special!