There are a handful of people that one is blessed to meet in a lifetime that profoundly change the way you see and experience the world. For me, Bob was at the top of the list. I suspect that any commentary on my friendship might be indistinguishable from the observations of others…..And that seems a fitting epitaph for one who made you feel as if you were his only friend in the world. But we all know that this is not the case. C.S. Lewis notes in his work The Four Loves, that when it comes to friendship "two friends delight to be joined by a third, and three by a fourth..." . This was how I knew Bob Maskulyak. You don’t spend a decade walking beside a person, day in and day out, and not know their true heart. Bob loved people. Most of all, he loved Fran fiercely. His love of music was evident by the playlists he created and shared. I doubt I can ever listen to Depeche Mode again without remembering him. He was a gifted business colleague whom I entrusted the care of a company. He was a trusted advisor whom I relied on daily for insight and truth. He was a mentor to many and a respected leader whose qualities were marked by unimpeachable integrity and character. Above all, he was a dear friend and one of the sweetest, kindest, and generous souls I have ever had the honor of knowing. I will miss my brother greatly, as my heart aches in the void remaining.

It is in weeping that we learn to contemplate the goodness of God. It is in mourning that we discover the peace of God that passes understanding.