With the blessing of the Netti family, Cayuga County Legislator George Fearon has submitted for publication his eulogy for former Legislator Steven Netti at Netti's funeral last weekend:

The English poet John Masefield wrote a poem titled “Sea Fever.” It begins, “I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, and all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.” He was talking about how a sailor found his way at night in the vast seas of the world before we had GPS.

In life you must find the right stars to guide your way or you will drift with no direction, or, worse yet, go in the wrong direction. At some time early in Steve's life, he found his stars. Once he found them he never got off from his path.

The stars may have been found when he was a student at St. Francis School between kindergarten and fifth grade.

What were the stars and where did he find them? He found them in the 1,188 chapters in the Bible. In some Bibles, the words of Jesus are in red. Many of the words of Jesus should be in silver and some should be in gold. Steve found both the silver and the gold.

Steve adopted the golden rule as his silver star: “Do for others what you would like them to do for you.” (Matthew 7:12)

Steve's cherished gold star became the response Jesus gave when asked, “Teacher, which is the most important commandment of Moses?” Jesus answered, “You must love the Lord your god with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:36-39)

The silver and gold stars that Steve held close to his heart guided him as he lived his life with us from day to day.

Steve's love for Rose and his children remind me of the poem written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning titled, “How Do I Love Thee?” It begins, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach. It ends, “If God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.”

In 1994 Steve and Frank attended a Cursillo Retreat.

Steve was given a rosary at that retreat that became his favorite rosary for more than 13 years. Steve made the daily use of that rosary a regular part of his life.

A few days ago I discovered that there was a missing Hail Mary bead in that rosary. I believe that Steve may not have been aware that the rosary was missing one Hail Mary bead. Over the years about 4,700 Hail Mary's may have been missed.

Steve, if you can hear us, we know that the Lord is with you and we love you. We ask you now and over time to pray with each of us any missed Hail Mary's, asking our Lord to help each of us to keep the same gold and silver stars in our hearts that guided your life of love for others and forever guide and assist the lives of your family:

• Rose;

• Tom, 18;

• John, 16;

• Alaina, 14;

• Mary, 13;

• Bob, 11;

• Stephanie, 8;

• Teresa, 6.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

The Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.