Joseph L. Nackson

From junior high school on, Darryl was my best friend in high school.  He worked a year after HS and then went to Hope Collge in Holland, Michigan.  After 2 years there, he transferred to the University of Michigan, from which he graduated with a degree in Philosophy.  One fall, I drove him out to UM and saw the "big house." (The largest college football stadium).  Thereafter, he wne to UCLA to pursue a Masters in Philosophy.  When I graduated from Law School in 1971, I was a law clerk for a Bergen County Judge.  After the clerkship ended and before my job began, I took 2 months off and drove cross-country.  I spent most of that time with Darryl in LA.  (Although I also had many opportunities to visit with Steve Johnson there).  Darryl decided that he would go to law school.  Upon his graduation, he spent most of his career working for an insurance company.  He maintained contact with me, altough sometimes on an intermittent basis.  I did have the pleasure of attending his wedding to his beautiful Barbara.  The priest had an accent and I had some difficulty understanding why he kept referring to "Darling Barbara" without referencing the groom.  Eventuakly, I understood that he was saying "darryl and Barbara."  Darryl and I could go months, if not longer, without speaking, but when we spoke, it was as if there had been no interruption.  I always anticipated that we would have the opportunity to spend more time together in our later years.  Life is sometimes cruel that way.  We all think we have lots of time.  Darryl's wife was also a lawyer and in 2015 he drive her to visit with a client some distnce from their Pasadena home.  After he dropped her off, he was stopped at a light when another driver smashed into his car, killing him.  I miss my friend.