On Friday I attended the funeral of local architect and Boy Scouter Don Starr.

I knew Don best through Scouting. Several scouts from Pack 300 graduated into his Troop 344. Don was a strong advocate for scouting; the afternoon before his untimely death, Don and I exchanged a number of e-mail messages about how we might improve the interaction between Pack 300 and Troop 344, to make the transition from Cub Scouting to Boy Scouting easier for the boys.

Of course, we worked in some humor along the way. (I didn’t really think I could get the Boy Scouts to paint my house, really!)

Don’s death struck very close to home with me. Don was less than 10 years older than I am and we shared previous employers, professions, running an architecture firm, fatherhood, and interest in Scouting. The parallels make me grateful for all that I have.

My prayers go out to Don and his family, and I ask that you include them in yours, too.