Albert "Buddy" Zuckerbrow

My Uncle Buddy passed away this weekend. Friday about 6:30 p.m. in Arizona. I didn't know he was so ill until late Thursday.

Uncle Buddy was a good guy, father to four of my cousins, Trudy, Kirk, Jill and Mindy, and grandfather to their children. As a kid, I remember Uncle Buddy always enjoying himself and his family and pastimes. He loved golf, loved the Yankees and loved his wife, my Aunt Irene "Ida," who preceded him in death, also in Arizona.

I remember him shooting wiffle ball golf balls from the backyard of the house on Avenue N in Brooklyn and rooting with Kirk for the Yanks. That was a pastime I never got into, since I was a Mets fan. I understood his passion, no matter how misplaced it was.

Later in life, after retirement to Arizona, Uncle Buddy became an avid volunteer with local schools and youth groups. He was honored as volunteer of the year a few years ago. That's the kind of guy he was. Always looking forward, always happy.

Here's what he told The Arizona Republic last year: "Teachers tell me that the students have improved a lot in reading and the parents thank me. That makes me feel good."

I'll miss Uncle Buddy and I'm sad I won't be able to attend his funeral Tuesday. I'm sure that after the past couple weeks of medical issues, he is at rest and once again is reunited with Aunt Ida.