I think a common desire amongst most people is that we are remembered by those who will proceed us.  Forgive me, but this in on my mind as my grandpa has just recently passed away.  My grandpa was adopted and so he never knew his real parents.  My grandpa worked hard his whole life creating a good life for his six children and beautiful wife.  My dad, the second oldest, was given a home, warm bed, and food to eat.  My dad continued to build off of that foundation a legacy for me, he gained an education reaching into the deep halls of schooling and study to earn a PhD.  His diligence has brought him to the highest positions and greatest opportunities and has afforded me the greatest experiences–my grandpa and my dad have created a wonderful legacy for me that I want to live up to and pass on to my own children.  Louie M. Xifaras has also created a legacy.  Louis, despite suffering from Parkinson’s was able to accomplish much in his 69 years.

I quote partially from his obituary Louis was a well-known businessman in New Bedford, Massachussets.  He owned and operated the firm of Xifaras & Kestenbaum and subsequently owned the Louis M. Xifaras Insurance Agency Inc.  He was an active church member where he served as trustee and president of the parish council.  Louis believed in education, he was involved with different colleges and universities.  He graduated from Boston College.  Upon graduation, he served two years in the Army in Korea before returning to New Bedford.

Louis was also an active runner where he was a member of the New Bedford Track Club.  He passed away on July 21, 2004 from Parkinson’s Disease.  His legacy is carried on in many ways including a race in his name benefiting Parkinson’s disease.  The race has raised $45,000 since its inception and continues to receive good support.  The race also includes a 100-yard dash for the children, an event that I feel should be incorporated in all running events to make them more family oriented. 

Reading about the life of Louis M. Xifaras is empowering, especially in light of my Grandpa’s death.  A legacy is important to earn and to on to those around you.  I hope that we can all follow the example of Louis and live our lives, whether we are suffering from Parkinson’s or not, so that our legacy can be passed on to better the world around us.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 21st, 2007 at 5:46 pm and is filed under Events, General, Inspirational, Motivational. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.