I was saddened to learn that my former father-in-law, Doyle Taylor, died Monday morning from lung failure. He was in his 80's I believe. Doyle spent 22 years in the U.S. Navy as a Seabee. He spent four years in Vietnam. Like most veterans, he didn't talk much about his Vietnam War experiences. He told me he spent most of his time building a pontoon bridge across some river only to have the North Vietnamese come and blow it up. So his team would just build it again, and again, and again...

So Monday afternoon I rode my bike down to Huntington Beach in memory of Doyle. I sat at the ocean's edge and rehashed memories of Doyle. He was like a second father to me. He took me into his house, after I had gotten his young daughter pregnant, and treated me like his third son. He got me a job at the ship yard where he worked and picked me up every morning and drove me to work. What little I know about cars, I learned from Doyle.

Doyle used to love to go to the old Ascot Park and watch the figure 8 races and the demolition derby. He would just laugh and laugh and laugh.

The last time I saw Doyle he gave me a big hug and then cried. I will always remember Doyle from that day and all the "life" we shared together. He was a great man. He served his country. He loved his family. He touched the hearts of many. What more can we ask out of life.