Bowling, The Wright Way - September 1, 1998 by Don Wright
Pardner

To many of my readers I know that this column will be about someone you know nothing about. To some of my readers I know you knew this man. It doesn't really matter. What's important is the man.

One of the advantages of being in the military is that we make life long friendships. The disadvantage is the heartbreak we feel when we lose that friend. Such is the case with my friend and "pardner" Bert Fukuda. Bert passed away this past weekend after a long struggle with cancer.

Bert and I became friends through bowling. When I met Bert he was busy coaching and watching his kids at three centers on Fort Hood. The American Junior Bowling Congress (AJBC) was very big during the 1970s and Bert had kids bowling in every division. He would be at one center and his wife Rae would be at another and Bert would drive back and forth between the centers to watch all the kids. My kids were bowling and it was a natural thing that we became friends. We watched our children grow up and eventually became spectators for our children's children.

Over the years Bert and I bowled together on leagues and in the Texas State tournament and the ABC Nationals. He loved to travel and he loved bowling on my teams. One of our very first tournaments together was in San Angelo. Bert and Fred Bruni traveled together in a Volkswagen Beetle. After the first day of competition we went to a restaurant named Kung Fu. Bert made a big production out of trying to teach me how to eat with chop sticks and jokingly said "Kung Fu Cowboy, I like that." For many years that was what we called him and what he wore on his bowling shirts.

Bert was a quality bowler long before technology took over the sport. He was a member of the All Army Team, served on the Killeen-Fort Hood Bowling Association and was a fixture in the bowling family for many years. When he retired he went to work for Albee Lanes and attended many of AMF's schools. He assisted in the installation of the automatic scoring machines at Fort Hood and was hired by AMF to help install equipment in many centers throughout the United States. He retired as the chief mechanic for Hallmark Lanes.

Syndicated columnist Andy Rooney wrote, "From day to day, you're tied up with your own little world of things to do and people to see. As your things-to-do change, the people you see change. It doesn't have much to do with how much you like them." Such could have been the case with my family and the Fukuda#39;s, but we took steps to ensure it didn#39;t happen.

Bert and Rae bowled for many years with Bob and Hilde Guinther, and they, too, are friends of ours. G.G. and I have bowled for many years with Dee and Jerry Northrop and when we decided that we wanted to bowl in another league we chose the league solely because of the Fukuda's and Guinther#39;s. Every Thursday night when we walked into the lanes Rae would welcome us with "Hi Oma and Opa," and Bert would ask if our standard bet was still on. It always was, and I lost more than I won.

I couldn#39;t walk into a center if Bert was there that he didn't yell, "Hey pardner, how you doing?" We would stand at the counter and talk and rarely was it about bowling it was usually about the kids. He always had to tell me how "Junior" was doing. When Rachael and Sharon were out of the area he always kept me posted on their activities. He always asked about my kids and was sincerely interested in their activities. We shared memories.

In all the years I knew Bert, I never heard him say anything inappropriate. I don't ever recall hearing him raise his voice, or say anything derogative about anyone. I don't think you could engage Bert in an argument, and I can usually get an argument started with little, or no effort.

The Thursday before Bert passed away I called Rae at home and asked how he was doing. Rae seemed in good spirits and said Bert was doing okay and she planned to have him at Hallmark Lanes, Friday evening. Dee and Jerry and G.G. and I arrived at the lanes and learned that three of the Fukuda girls bowled in that league, Sherry, Rachael, and Sandy. When Sherry arrived she said that Bert was tired and wouldn't make it to the center. On Sunday he was gone.

It doesn't matter how people perceive success. Many who don't have it think it's based on luck. The truth of the matter is that success is earned through hard work and dedication and Bert Fukuda was a very successful man. A career soldier who loved his role as Non-commissioned Officer. A man who overcame physical disabilities to return to the sport he loved after an automobile accident nearly left him unable to walk. A loving father and grandfather, who along with Rae raised children with the family values we desire in our youth.

I didn't spend as much time with Bert as I could have, but the time I spent was quality time. I know I am a better man having known my pardner. I know his legacy lives on in all his children and grandchildren, and I know that everyone who knew Bert will miss him dearly. For Rae, Cliff, Bert, Jr., Rachael, Sherry, Sharon and Sandy remember that time heals all wounds.

See you on the lanes.