Tag Archives: Virgil Van Camp

local news

Troubled times — and thunder — recall memory of old friends

My mind has this way of wandering vast distances at the strangest times.

Today it did that. I thought of two old friends as I was pondering the state of political play in this country, and the presidential transition we’re all about to witness.

Their names are Buddy Seewald and Virgil Van Camp. They died within days of each other in September 2013 here in the Texas Panhandle. They came to my mind for two vastly different reasons.

One of them is the hostility that exists between individuals and groups of opposing points of view. I’ll get to the second reason momentarily.

Buddy and Virgil were total opposites politically. Buddy was a flaming liberal political activist; Virgil was a staunch conservative who wasn’t politically active, but who had strong views on the world … as did Buddy.

They were partners in a feature we used to publish at the Amarillo Globe-News. We called it Point/Counterpoint. They would argue opposing points of view on subjects we would select in advance.

They also were friends. They harbored no ill will toward each other. We’d meet for lunch every few weeks to discuss upcoming topics. They got along famously.

I think of them as I compare that relationship with the non-relationships that exist these days between liberals and conservatives. I think of them when I hear politicians on one side refer to those on the side as the “enemy.”

Buddy and Virgil would rise up out of their respective graves — if only they could.

I wrote about them in an earlier blog post, paying tribute to their civility and their collegiality. I wish they were around today to share that sense of decency with you all.

https://highplainsblogger.com/2013/09/there-goes-another-good-man/

Near the end of that earlier blog post, I mentioned something else that makes me think of them today.

We heard lots of thunder around here over the weekend. My thought in this Sept 17, 2013 post was that I would think of Buddy and Virgil the next time I heard a clap of thunder, as it likely signaled an argument between them from on high.

I recalled that earlierĀ observation as I listened to the thunder roll across the High Plains.

That had to be Buddy and Virgil arguing — without a doubt — about the pros and cons of the upcoming presidential administration.

I am absolutely certain they threw their arms around each other whenĀ the storm passed.

I still miss these two friends terribly.

Uncategorized

There goes another good man

Just as I was trying to recover from the shocking death of a man I admired and for whom I had deep affection, another event hit me right in the face.

Buddy Seewald’s death this past weekend in an early-morning auto accident in Amarillo hit me hard. Buddy was a friend and a frequent contributor to the newspaper where I worked for nearly 18 years before leaving that job a year ago.

And for years Buddy would joust with another gentleman in a feature we called “Point/Counterpoint.” They would pick an issue on which to disagree; Buddy would write the liberal argument while his “opponent” would argue the conservative view.

The foe was Amarillo resident Virgil Van Camp, who died this past weekend at the age of 87.

First it was Buddy, then it was Virgil — another man I considered a friend — who would leave this world.

My goodness, what a profound coincidence.

Virgil was a dedicated World War II veteran who saw action in the South Pacific. He was immensely proud of his service in the Army Air Force and he continued his interest in aviation well into his senior years. He flew airplanes and gliders. Virgil became active in the Civil Air Patrol. He offered more than once to take me gliding. I accepted his offer, but sadly never collected on my friend’s generosity.

Virgil and Buddy could not have been more different in any conceivable way you can mention. Buddy was an unabashed liberal activist; Virgil was a rock-ribbed conservative. Buddy was openly gay; Virgil was married to the same woman for 50-plus years. Buddy was involved in political causes; Virgil didn’t pick up the bullhorn, choosing instead to go about his life more quietly.

Here, though, is the lesson both men taught me over my many years knowing them both: They could differ on issues of the day, but they remained friends and, as near as I can tell, they each had a mutual affection for each other.

We would meet every quarter or so for lunch. Virgil, Buddy, myself and my administrative assistant, Debbie Dudley, would go through topics they could debate in print. We’d settle on the issues, they might tussle a bit at lunch over why they were right and the other guy was wrong. We’d finish in about an hour; we’d stand up, shake hands and go our own ways.

Buddy and Virgil both were gentlemen and gentle men. They were wedded to their ideologies but their zeal never got in the way of their friendship.

Oh, how I wish we could have just a touch of that to soothe today’s poisonous political climate.

At this very moment, I am absolutely certain Buddy Seewald and Virgil Van Camp have ascended to the Great Beyond and are picking up right where they left off. I am likely to think of them both the next time I hear a clap of thunder.