Jesse Glover Eulogy

Delivered by Tom DeFelice on July 14th 2012 at Jesse's Memorial Service

Today we mourn the passing, and celebrate the life of Jesse Glover, who represents to us collectively; a dear friend, a mentor, a father and grandfather.

Throughout life, if we are fortunate, there are people along the way who lift us up, who guide us, and support us in our most difficult times; family and friends. Even more rare are the individuals we meet by chance or perhaps fate, who change our lives in profound ways that permanently alter our course, change our thinking, and guide our actions. Jesse Glover was such an individual. The people here today, who have come to pay their respects and honor his memory, are testament to this fact.

Jesse had a gift; and that gift, quite simply, was his ability to improve the lives of others. Not only did he improve others physically through his teachings and instruction, but mentally and spiritually, through his friendship and kindness.

Most people knew Jesse as a great martial artist; the man who was Bruce Lee's friend and first student, a pioneer in his own right, who quietly developed his own method, in his own way, and on his own terms. However, he represented much more than that. It would be difficult to count the stories I've heard throughout the years from people who've expressed how their lives were changed for the positive, simply by meeting Jesse. They all have their own, unique stories and experiences.

For me personally there are 4 things I learned from Jesse that I feel particularly strong about, and I would like to share those with everyone. The first is patience; because nothing worth having comes easily or quickly. The second is consistent-determination. Only through repeating the process over and over can one achieve greatness, in anything. Third is humility. Simply put; don’t be arrogant, you only stand to make a fool of yourself. And fourth, and perhaps most importantly; kindness. Be kind to others and you will receive kindness in return. One cannot help but become a better person through kindness, and in turn, make those around you better people.

This was exactly how Jessie carried himself, because he had learned, through his own trial and error in life, how to become the person we came to know, the person who changed so many lives.

Thank you Jesse for all you gave, and for forging such an exquisite path for us all.

We honor your memory