The

Beautiful Life of

Eddy Navarro

Spring 1947 - Winter 2021

I’m not gonna spend too much time talking about how much my dad loved music, golf and his family. Or how good he was at music, golf and loving his family. Those are things we already know. I’m proud of those things and have always been proud of my dad, but losing him has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to endure. It has really made me look at what his life meant as a whole and THAT is how I want to honor him today.

But first, a eulogy wouldn’t be a eulogy without sharing some memories so here it goes.

Thanks to my dad I’ll forever be able to entertain my kids at a restaurant with the balancing salt shaker trick and the magic straw wrapper snake that grows with a single drop of water. I’ll always hold on to those special times when he would randomly surprise me by picking me up from school on his day off to take me to my favorite candy store ‘cause he knew that sweets were the key to my heart. I’ll miss him calling me bebop and the way he would sing “bebop beluga she’s my baby”. I’ll even miss the way he would say “eat it! eat it! eat it!” while waving the tissue in my face that contained the guts of the spider that he just saved me from.

I’ll never forget all the times when he would slam on the brakes while driving and I would go flying off my seat because I wasn’t wearing my seatbelt. Or the time he had to take the house phones to work with him because I was grounded and hiding them in his room wasn’t enough to keep me from using them while he wasn’t home. I was that kid. The strong willed pain in the butt that my dad said he had to pray the hardest for because I’m just that hard headed (We all know I got it from him). These are the moments I’ll cherish the most. The ones which looking back on them now, let me know that despite all the ways I fell short of his expectations, he loved me anyway and was teaching me a valuable lesson.

Eventually he stopped grounding me and instead started giving me those Mr Miyagi kind of talks full of wise words that were meant to teach me something that I wouldn’t understand until I did. If there’s one thing he was good at, it was being a great teacher. He was just tough enough to scare you into doing what he says, but turns out to be so effective that there's no way you could question the madness behind his methods.

Whether it was something as simple as using a gentle tapping technique to pick the perfect watermelon or something as intricate as playing a guitar, swinging a golf club, or using a sewing machine; he taught it well. He taught us really important stuff like, in all things you must work hard to be successful and that blue painters tape is the ultimate life hack necessity. No matter what it was, he taught it with a sort of passion that let you know that he knew what he was talking about and learned from his own experience.

So I say all of that to say, my dad's life, was meant for us to learn from. What we learn could be different for each of us. Maybe it was the smile he always had on his face despite his own hardships, that taught us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. Or maybe it was the way he always made sure we blessed the food before we ate so we would learn that we should always be thankful to God and never take even the smallest blessings for granted. It could be the way he always took out his guitar at family gatherings and sang songs that brought us together to teach us that even though we might not have much, we’re rich in God’s love and always have each other. Or it could be those moments of uncertainty where his advice would always turn our focus back to seeking the peace of God to use as a gauge and a compass for life’s toughest decisions.

Whatever it may be, I know for sure that my dad was the amazing man that he was because he learned from Christ and led by his example. Even through the times in his life where one could say that God failed him, my dad knew that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. He was a true disciple who understood that his life was not for himself but for the purpose of God’s glory. Even if that meant he had to walk through a valley of longsuffering to find God’s mercy and grace at the other end.

He didn’t become a world famous musician or PGA tour legend, but his life was full of meaning and purpose. He was a loving son, a caring brother, a wise uncle, the best of all his cousins, a kind and compassionate friend, and a patient husband of few words who let the wives do all the talking.

He was the kind of parent that never let a day go by that he didn’t pray for his children, our spouses, and even our friends. And the kind of grandfather that not only made his grandkids give him bear hugs, but he made sure he gave them back because he knew they were the best kind of hugs and only ever wanted the best things for his grandkids. He was the GOAT of all dads and papas out there and words just cannot express how perfect he was for each one of us in our own unique ways.

He was a regular guy in a golf polo with a vest or a hawaiian shirt that was always a little too big for his liking. A regular guy who simply loved God and made sure everyone knew it. And when you look back at who he was, you will surely see a beautiful reflection of Jesus.

No matter what season he was in. Whether joy or sadness, surrounded or alone, through sunshine or storms, loss or love, comfort or pain, even in death; He loved everyone. He prayed about everything. He forgave. He was humble. He was kind. He was strong. He had hope. He persevered. He lived. He served. And more importantly he died… still faithfully and confidently trusting in the Lords will and purpose in all of it.

It always irritated me so bad the way my dad would walk through the house early in the mornings opening all the blinds and saying “Get up! You’re wasting the day away!” But I finally understand why he did it. Life is short and tomorrow is never promised. So let his life and his death be a lesson of that tough but realistic truth and live every moment of your life with purpose in all that you do.

In closing, and leading by my dads very example, I am honoring his life well lived by leaving you with this powerful scripture of few words that sums up his whole life:

From the book of Philippians‬ ‭1 verse 21‬, amplified version-

“For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity].”

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My loving dad, your life was a blessing to us all. Thank you for fully understanding that WE were your purpose. You worked hard to be successful and you mastered your assignment. You loved us selflessly, unconditionally and beyond measure. You were our glimpse of heaven on earth and your legacy will forever live on in our hearts and through our lives. You retired to the heavenly fairways and that’s a reason to celebrate!

So everyone please raise your shakas to the sky and send your love up high! Love you so much dad, see you on the other side.