Harry Raupp, Dad Icon

I recently lost a dear family friend. Harry Raupp was a poet, an engineer, a gifted musician, a Beatles interpreter, a sing-along purveyor, wonderful dad to Aimee and Harry Jr. and devoted husband to his high school sweetheart, Kathy. He was also a great friend to me, even though I was about 30 years his junior. A huge supporter of this blog (and anything I ever wrote) he put up with countless frantic emails I'd send him asking for hi-res scans of his gorgeous wife for the book.
Today, I discovered an email from Harry I'd never opened. He'd sent it to me two months before he died after a visit to New York, where I was lucky enough to spend the day with him and show him around my neighborhood. Attached were three pictures of himself through the years. The photos show a strong, handsome, old-school-type virile man. The kind that's pretty rare these days. But the email he sent with the pictures reminded me of another side of Harry, and a quality he possessed that's even rarer. No matter what, he was always the first to say I love you.

From: Harry Raupp
Date: Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 2:35 PM
Subject: Da shots
To: piperweiss@gmail.com

Hey Pipe

Your dad suggested the picture of me and my buddy, someday to become brother-in-law, in front of a 1938 Cadillac with Weehawken High in background. Easter Sunday 1965 . I am holding a pink spaldeen.

The other shot is with my weight lifting buddy Alex Suvino. We lifted together in the basement of my parents house. Looking good me thinks.

Last one I call "psycho dad". We are living in one bedroom lakefront apt at Sullivan's marina. Easter Sunday, Kathy trying to get dad ready to go to Hoboken to visit her granny - me being the kid.

Love you

P.S. Had a blast with you in Brooklyn

We miss you, Harry.