Good-Bye to a dear friend.

I received a phone call on Monday that a friend had passed suddenly over the weekend. It was shocking news. Fortunately, the call came before I sat down to read the newspaper. It was almost odd actually, I go online everyday and read news and obituaries, and for whatever reason I had not done that on Monday. I picked up the newspaper at the mini-mart that evening after picking my youngest son from an after school activity. Normally, I will hop in the truck and scan the paper quickly before going home, but, for whatever reason I didn't. I came home and tossed the paper into my chair and continued into the kitchen and got dinner on the table. We all sat down to a nice meal together.

After dinner the boys went outside to play and while I was still cleaning up I got the phone call notifying me of my friend's passing. It was shocking news. Several phone calls later I was told he was scheduled to go in for a catherization this week, but Saturday evening he went to the kitchen to get a glass of water and just fell over. He died instantly.

Last fall I believe I related a story about him on another blog that I saw him one evening in the drugstore and he had just found out his wife was in an advanced stage of multiple mylomea (bone cancer), and he was devastated. He related how she had never been sick a day in her life and suddenly she was terminally ill. Having lost both of my grandparents to the same disease, I told him I understood and I would keep him and his wife in my prayers. And I have. Honestly, almost each day I have expected to read her obituary in the newspaper. And more honestly, I expect her to pass very quickly now also. This couple had been married over 50 years and did everything together. He worshiped her. I was always amazed to listen to him talk of her so lovingly after so many years of marriage.

I am still in shock over this news. He appeared to be the picture of health. Sharp and tuned in to everything around him. He was part of my business networking group. One of the things I liked best about him was that everytime he ran into my parents out and about he told them how much he thought of me. (When you are the blacksheep of the family you need all of the cheerleaders you can get!) I am very saddened by this news and even more saddened by his funeral arrangements. There are none. As I understand it, an associate of his died a few years ago in a car accident and the funeral was very dramatic and emotional. He decided then and there he wanted none of that at his. So he opted to not have one. I understand what he was thinking. But many of us who have spent the last 3-4 years having breakfast with him every Thursday morning are feeling a major loss that we have no closure for. I guess all I can say is rest in peace my friend, I hold your family in my prayers.