In his 59 years on Earth, he was so universally known and loved that — like Oprah or Elvis or LeBron — he did not need a full name in order to be recognized. Whether it was at work or on the golf course or in social circles in and around Springboro and Franklin, my friend “Silk” was the kind of guy who simply got along with everyone.
“I don’t know of anyone who didn’t like him,” our friend Danny Griffith (“Griff”), who is the pastor at Horizon Pointe Church in Springboro, said at his emotional memorial service this morning. “He left this Earth on May 5, but his spirit and his life made a difference, and it will live on in the hearts of all those who hold memories of him.”
Silk passed away last Sunday when he suffered a massive heart attack while playing golf at the Yankee Trace Golf Club. He is survived by his wife Holly and three stepchildren, Lindsay (Jon) Miller, Kristen, and Trey, and his older sister, Joyce.
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| Steve Griffith, Kirb, Silk...and Danny Griffith's legs. |
It is still such a shock. To say the least, it has been an extremely sad week for Holly and the children and all of those who knew Silk.
I was among the countless people who packed Anderson Funeral Home last night and this morning to pay tribute to Silk. It was interesting to see all the people he impacted in the many different facets on his life, in addition to his family — first at Franklin High School (Class of ’78), then at the Pepsi plant in Hamilton (where he worked for 35 years), and then most recently as an excellent golfer at Yankee Trace.
Time and time again I heard the same things:
“He was such a good guy.”
“I’m really going to miss him.”
Griff told the story of how Silk got his nickname. In November 1975, when we were sophomores playing basketball at Franklin, we had a preseason scrimmage at home. Early in the game, Silk found himself open for some jump shots. And all of them connected — seven in all, giving him 14 points in the first quarter alone.
Griff’s older brother Mike, who was watching, likened Silk’s performance to Keith “Silk” Wilkes, who had recently played for national champion UCLA before moving on to the NBA Los Angeles Lakers. And so all afternoon, the talk was about Silk, Silk, Silk. And the nickname stuck.
Many who knew Silk for years never knew his real full name, David R. Back, but then again, they didn’t need to.
His nickname was among many things that made Silk one of a kind.
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IN THE LAST 45 YEARS, I have done a thousand things with Silk — attend class, go to concerts, play golf, go on vacation, play basketball, go to parties, play baseball, share a townhouse, play football, have a drink, and be his best man a few years before he became mine.
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| Kirb, Janine, and Silk...in 1987 |
While I always found him to be equal parts intelligent and goofy (what are friends for?), he was above all else an encourager, someone who always encouraged me to keep moving in the right direction even when I was being equal parts smart and stupid.
“Man, you’ve worked hard to get where you are,” he’d say. “I admire that.”
“Kim is such a sweetheart,” he’d also say. “I’m glad you two found one another.”
Silk and I had a circle of friends dating back to high school who have remained close ever since. I’m biased, without a doubt, but I think our class was one of the finest to ever pass through Franklin High School. Silk and I often talked about how difficult it would be to go through life without them.
We have all been there for one another. Like the rest of them, I have always known throughout the years that one thing was true despite whatever challenge I faced or circumstance I had to overcome — Silk had my back.
I’ll always love him for that.
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THE IMAGE OF SILK THAT WILL stay with me forever is what you see in the top picture, which was taken by my sister Julie probably in 1979 or 1980. My family lived on Elaine Avenue in Franklin and Silk was a frequent visitor. Like all of our friends, he did not need an invitation to come over.
The photograph embodies what Silk was to so many people — open, engaging, and friendly. It says, quite simply, “It’s so glad to see you.”
Last Sunday morning, St. Peter was given an intake sheet to be on the lookout for “BACK, DAVID R.” But the name did not ring a bell with St. Peter.
But a few hours later, he recognized the guy who showed up at the Pearly Gates with his arms open wide, much like in the photo.
“Silk!” St. Peter shouted. “We’ve heard so much about you.”
Like I said, one of kind. So loved and known by so many.
See you, Silk. Until we meet again…
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