It never occurred to me that I would not see Earl again. We had talked on the phone a few times recently. He had not been well, but his voice was strong and warm. Earl Hamner, a dear and good man, friend, and, oh, a wonderful writer and storyteller, passed away last week. It was my good fortune to know Earl for over 40 years. There had seemed to be an instant connection… he was from the mountains of Virginia and I was born across the line in West Virginia. That connection and resulting friendship held steadfast for all these years. One day, Earl commenting on our mutual long marriages, his to the lovely Jane and mine to the equally lovely, Chip, he said “we both got lucky.” Indeed we did. It was my luck to have Earl in my life. It is hard to have him gone….there are no words… Like all who knew Earl….he will be missed.
Webmaster’s Note: Earl Hamner passed away on Thursday, March 24, 2016. Among his many credits, he was the creator, executive producer, and narrator of The Waltons as well as the creator and executive producer of Falcon Crest. David first worked with Earl Hamner as a guest star in an episode of The Waltons. He joined the cast of Falcon Crest as Richard Channing during the series’ second season and remained with the show until its end.
I am grateful to you all and thank you for supporting me through the years. . .
Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, and I want to wish all peace and joy and know you join me in praying for the families and friends of those murdered in Paris. We all feel a great sense of loss. We cannot let the murderers stop us — they must not stop us — from living our lives. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with those in Paris. It is a war we are facing.