I am Scott Zellem’s former father-in-law, I am sending this in the event I met any of you at either the Memorial NAS, North Island or the funeral at Arlington and did not have your current e-mail address to forward a copy of the e-mail below to you personally. If the person receiving this is an administrator of the web-site, would you be kind enough to pass it on to the squad (if that is possible). Thank you and God bless, Gary Hunt

 

 

 

From: "Gary Hunt”

 

To: Distribution List

 

Subject: Scott Zellem

 

Date: Aug 10, 2005

 

Dear All,

 

Over the past 365 days I have come to accept that Scott's memory will enter

my mind when I least expect; a song, an aging Delta 88, walking into Costco,

during Finding Neverland when I unexpectedly broke into tears (those moments

really irritate me), seeing a "Beat Army" bumper sticker...........the list

is a very long one. As I look back now those few weeks seem more dream-like

than reality.

 

 For me this morning began at the local time when the Stennis lost contact

with Blue Wolf 704 (3:45 a.m. PDT if I calculated correctly). As I sat alone in

the backyard I recited the Lord's Prayer and thanked God for my many

blessings. Included in those blessings was my time with Scott (albeit way

too short), a grandson who is the spitting image of his dad both in looks

and personality, I thanked God for Jennifer's strength of purpose,

I gave thanks for having been introduced to the extended Zellem family;

wonderful people, I gave thanks for men and women still brave enough and

committed enough to put on a uniform and defend a way of life for people

(most of whom they will never even meet). Then I thanked God for each of

you who, knowingly or not, helped my family and me through a time so sad

it is hard for me to recall just how painful it was. For each of you

I am grateful beyond words.

 

And then I repeated the words spoken by Scott's brother Commander Ed Zellem at the funeral at Arlington National Cemetery's Ft. Meyers Chapel. Words that, of

all the words spoken by the good and decent people who stood and spoke on behalf of Scott are the six I take the most comfort in and the ones I will never forget: Goodbye Scott, we will meet again.

 

And of that I have no doubt.

 

May each of your lives continue to be blessed with happiness and love.

 

 

Gary Hunt

 

 

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