In writing this column, I usually write it using my own words, but while attending Cliff Telasky’s funeral on Wednesday, Sept. 14. Cliff’s oldest grandson, Ethan Wright, presented an excellent eulogy on behalf of the family and the attendees. Very few of us had known very much about Cliff. I tried many times in the years I’ve known him, but he would not give me his story to write about him for this column.
In writing this column, I usually write it using my own words, but while attending Cliff Telasky’s funeral on Wednesday, Sept. 14. Cliff’s oldest grandson, Ethan Wright, presented an excellent eulogy on behalf of the family and the attendees. Very few of us had known very much about Cliff. I tried many times in the years I’ve known him, but he would not give me his story to write about him for this column.
I have edited Ethan’s eulogy to focus more on Cliff’s adventurous long life from May 6, 1922 to September 19, 2016 – his 94 years.
September 14 was a very special day for everyone to honor and pay their respects to this great man. In addition to his family and numerous friends were also many members of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Cliff would be most proud that everyone came together for this auspicious occasion.
Cliff was husband to Carmen; “Dad” to his children, and “Poppie” to his grandchildren who all had the pleasure of knowing him and, all being a loving part of his family. When anyone in the family asked, “How are you doing?” he always replied, “Tremendous!” and always with a broad smile. (And they always left it to Poppie (Grandfather) to still be the best-dressed man in the room.
Ethan gave “Special Thanks” to Monsignor Mike for directing the service. Everyone really liked and admired him and appreciated him being there as we celebrated the life of a “one-of-a kind” gentleman. We all know we lost such an amazing person, but he lived a long and extraordinary life and has left behind a great legacy with Abuela, our “Grandmother” in Spanish) four children, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, as well as countless friends and extended family. (Maybe, his lucky number was “4?”)
In his home, he has a world map in his den that is a thing of beauty – it has colored pins for all the places he and his family have visited and it’s so full of pins. He had seen and flown to all corners of the world.
Fortunately, one of those locations was Spain where he met a beautiful young lady, Carmen, who became the love of his life and would share the rest of their memories and adventures together for the next 58 years. December of this year would have been 59th.
Ethan also stated, “Our grandfather, “Poppie” kept us fascinated with the many stories he told us. He had served under numerous generals. He greatly admired them all. What Cliff never talked about was just how much these generals respected and trusted Sgt. Telasky.
Cliff had a very distinguished military career that spanned from 1942 to 1973. He served in wartime and peacetime, and was stationed all over the world. While serving in the Air Force, Cliff became “Chief Master Sergeant,” which is the highest position for an enlisted person.
Cliff was the first enlisted person in the entire Army Air Force to receive a blue Air Force uniform back in 1947. Prior to that, the servicemen wore brown Army Air Force uniforms. The officers were supposed to get the new uniforms first, and then the enlisted personnel got theirs. When General Ramey went to the tailor to get fitted for a new uniform, he asked, “Do you have enough material to make another uniform for my first sergeant?” Of course, the answer was “yessir!”
He really looked great in his uniform which he proudly wore in all parades. He also looked good in his civilian suits.
Incidentally, that was also about the time the U. S. Air Force name was changed from Army Air Force.
Cliff never spoke about the Roswell and Area 51 project. It was “top secret.” This proves Cliff’s testament, dedication, and the respect he held for the Air Force, and the oaths he took.
His home den is preserved like a museum. There are more stories in there than you can image, and Cliff knew the history behind every trinket in there. One item could be a lamp from Morocco that looks like Aladdin is going to come out if you rub it. Or it could be a deck of cards with the presidential seal on it which involves President JFK playing with the cards on Air Force One.
There are many items from and about John Wayne and hundreds of movie actors and politicians that Cliff knew.
But that’s not what our Poppie (Cliff) ever thought about. He just cared about treating people with respect no matter who they were.
Ethan continued, “I remember watching the movie, “ Men of Honor “ with Poppie. That’s the movie with Cuba Gooding Jr. as the first black diver in the Navy and with Robert deNiro as his Master Chief. There’s a scene in the movie where they are on an aircraft carrier working to retrieve a nuclear bomb near the coast of Spain.
As we walked out of the theater, Poppie casually mentioned that he (Cliff) was on that exact carrier for this mission, and flew numerous generals over the retrieval site. It was just a normal day for Cliff Telasky.
Another time Poppie took me the movies was to see “Desperado” with Antonio Banderas and Selma Hayak. That was the first time I ever saw a topless woman in a movie, but more important is for me is to quote some of the words in the three “Letters of Commendation” about Sgt. Telasky as written by some of the generals he served with, (Unfortunately, the copies were too small and illegible to copy.)
Our family all knew that he lived for his family. It didn’t matter if he was going to church, out to dinner, the movies, or to the grocery store – he always looked impeccable in his suit. Poppie took enormous pride in his appearance. And not for him to be vain; he did it because he believed that people should present and carry themselves with class.
Poppie loved to go hunting. He was as comfortable holding his rifle in a blind as he was sitting at the dinner table. He loved going out with his sons and grandson, Justin, on hunting trips.
He always called Justin “old eagle eye.” I remember the smile on Justin’s face when he described his first big game takedown.
Poppie was always taking videos at our family events. There is probably a vault somewhere in his house with thousands of hours of film of us in the pool, film of us sitting around, film of us dressed up; one example was when Abuela dressed me up many times in hula skirts and mariachi dresses. I’m hoping not all of the film is still viewable. He also filmed most of our holiday meals together, so rest assured there is footage somewhere of most of us chewing or with food stuck in your teeth.
Is it odd that he was never on the other side of the camera to get caught in any embarrassing situations.
I can’t count the number of hours that Poppie spent following Abuela around shopping malls while she shopped for things to spoil us grandkids with. He would patiently wait for hours at a time, sitting on benches in front of the various stores… and looking back I think I finally understand why – that was the perfect vantage point to check out all the pretty women walking around the malls.
Poppie was a so smooth with the ladies, and loved kissing every one of them as they walked into church where we was an usher. I envy his style because if I tried to do the same thing I’d seem so creepy. But he had such an air of class around him that he was just perceived as a perfect gentleman. And most importantly it was perfectly clear that his heart was always at home with Abuela. He regularly brought her flowers, or those giant three-foot tall Hallmark cards.
When he snored it sounded like a saw mill. The entire house shook when he was asleep.
Abuela was s a wonderful Spanish cook. And as with any Spanish cook, you eat the meal as it’s served. But that didn’t stop Poppie from adding a pound of hot pepper to every meal. He could eat things that were so spicy they’d melt your eyes.
Poppie was also extremely mechanically-gifted. He started working with his hands on cars at a young age, and that trait grew through his time in the Air Force where there where many Generals who refused to fly unless he had personally inspected and signed off on their planes.
The whole family used to come to him with broken items for him to fix. He would stay up all night to disassemble and repair whatever was brought to him. He did it with patience and with great pride to know that he was helping out his family. I never could figure out was how he managed to hold tiny little screwdrivers and replace the screws in things like eyeglasses considering how enormous his fingers were.
The family went through a “bowling phase” about fifteen years ago. We each got our own shoes and custom-sized bowling balls. The balls were measured to fit our own fingers, but we had to go to three different bowling alleys to find one that had a drill large enough to fit his “sausage-size” fingers.
Poppie was a grandfather who would do whatever it took to make his grandkids happy. That could he playing Restaurant with Brandi and Natalie, who he called the “apple of my eye”. Or if we wanted a set of toys from McDonalds, he’d go every single week until he completed the set for us. That’s just the kind of man he was.
“Love, Honor, Dignity, Pride” are the words of how Poppie approached every day and every interaction within these traits.
Ethan’s closing comments were: I hope my journey in life will always allow me to look back and say that I lived as full and wonderful a life as he did.
Poppie, you were deeply loved, you will be fiercely missed, but you will never be forgotten.
