# Received Some Bad News



## oldman (Sep 27, 2014)

I just found out that a pilot friend of mine died last evening from the cancer he was battling. Unfortunately, he now lives in Texas, so I am unsure at this point if I will be attending the funeral. His claim to fame was that he had his picture planted somewhere on Google. I will have to go and see if I can find it. His wife had it blown up and put in the front yard of their home when he retired. His wife had a party for him at our headquarters in Denver and the picture was the first thing we all saw when we walked through the door. 

I am supposed to meet a friend of mine who owns his own small jet and is flying down from New York in a few hours and he wanted me to take it up. I was all excited and anxious, but now I may just go along for the ride. I am really in no mind or mood to be at the controls. This was another really fine person that his family and community will miss.  

Damn it anyway!!


----------



## AprilT (Sep 27, 2014)

My condolences, so sorry.


----------



## Lon (Sep 27, 2014)

Sorry about the bad news.


----------



## Falcon (Sep 27, 2014)

Too bad oldman.  Sorry.


----------



## Ina (Sep 27, 2014)

Oldman, I am so sorry you lost such a close friend.  As far as your possible flight, what would you friend want for you? Be safe most of all. :bighug:


----------



## hollydolly (Sep 27, 2014)

Damn it indeed Oldman...sincere condolences on the loss of your long time friend, and safe journey.

On tuesday my  adopted  19 year old grandaughter called her mother (who lived alone) several times during the day and getting no reply became very  concerned, so she caught the first train at 7am the following morning from her university town 2 hours away..and on arrival at home found her  mum (age only 55) had died from a massive stroke as she'd tried to get into bed on Monday night!! 

Very sad!!!


----------



## Shirley (Sep 27, 2014)

I'm sorry about your friend, oldman.


----------



## Vivjen (Sep 27, 2014)

Hugs...to all who are unhappy tonight...


----------



## Ina (Sep 27, 2014)

Vivjen, I'm not unhappy, just tired. I've been thinking about this letter since September the 5th.  It is always so taxing when the Parole Board informs me the person is up again for parole. He will get out in 2018.


----------



## Ina (Sep 27, 2014)

Oh Holly, my heart goes out to you. I wish I could hold the both of you.


----------



## SeaBreeze (Sep 27, 2014)

Oldman, my sympathy for your loss, tough when we lose old friends, as Ina said already, hope you stay safe.  Sorry to hear your news too Hollydolly, strokes are serious business at any age, my mother died from one at 77, at her bedside too.  Ina, glad you're doing what needs to be done so that murderer gets justice, it must be so hard for you...hugs.


----------



## chic (Sep 28, 2014)

Condolences to you, oldman on the lost of your friend. Friends are a treasure. I hope the memories of the good times you had will be with you and refresh you often in the future. It hurts to lose a good friend. Good luck on your journey. Be safe.


----------



## hollydolly (Sep 28, 2014)

Ina..thank you so much, and I wish you strength of mind and body to continue with your fight against that evil particle of society who thought it was their divine right to take the life of your beloved son ((hugs)) to you.


----------



## GeorgiaXplant (Sep 28, 2014)

I'm sorry for the loss of your friend, oldman, and to you, Hollydolly.

I don't know which is worse, a terminal illness or a sudden, unexpected death. Why can't we all just die peacefully in our sleep of old age?


----------



## oldman (Oct 2, 2014)

Thanks everyone for the nice thoughts and condolences. I flew down to Texas to attend the funeral and took the red eye home last evening. The Pastor gave anyone the opportunity that wanted to say a few words about the deceased, so I felt it necessary to tell my story of how my friend and I first met. I am not going to go into it here on the forum, but it was somewhat amusing and most did laugh, so it did lighten the moment. My friend's wife thanked me after the service and asked if I was going to the cemetery and of course, I was. I also stayed for the gathering afterwards. 

There was one thing that really bothered me. No one from the airline attended the service. By that I mean, no one in management. They sent flowers and made a donation to the church, which is all well and good, but is it expecting too much for someone from the company to show up and pay their respects to the Widow? He flew for this airline for almost 40 years and never had any write-ups or bent metal. I do remember his retirement party and they did do a good job with that. The airline does have an office in Dallas, so to send someone by for an hour should not have been an issue. I guess that maybe I have over-expectations.  

Also, I read the comments from hollydolly and I am sorry for their loss. It makes we wonder if the person was taking care of themselves by having regular check-ups and so on. I know sometimes these things just happen, but I am a firm believer in minimizing our risk by doing the things we need to do to stay healthy and live a long and enjoyable life. I hope all of you have regular check-ups, eat well and get a bit of exercise.


----------



## Vivjen (Oct 2, 2014)

I am afraid that companies just don't do that any more.
when my husband died, the company I worked for did nothing; even after I had been there for 30 years.
no time off, no card, no flowers, nothing.
Individuals were great though; it was good of you to go; much appreciated I am sure.


----------



## Denise1952 (Oct 3, 2014)

oldman said:


> I just found out that a pilot friend of mine died last evening from the cancer he was battling. Unfortunately, he now lives in Texas, so I am unsure at this point if I will be attending the funeral. His claim to fame was that he had his picture planted somewhere on Google. I will have to go and see if I can find it. His wife had it blown up and put in the front yard of their home when he retired. His wife had a party for him at our headquarters in Denver and the picture was the first thing we all saw when we walked through the door.
> 
> I am supposed to meet a friend of mine who owns his own small jet and is flying down from New York in a few hours and he wanted me to take it up. I was all excited and anxious, but now I may just go along for the ride. I am really in no mind or mood to be at the controls. This was another really fine person that his family and community will miss.
> 
> Damn it anyway!!



I hear you OM, I just wanted to say I am so sorry for your loss.  I think of the folks I know, and realize as we age, more and more will be leaving this life.  I don't know how much of it is missing them, and how much of it is ''when is my turn coming".  But it's one of those facts of life isn't it.  My sister-in-law has been doing almost full-time care for 9 years since my brother was severely crippled/paralyzed and bed-ridden 90% of the time.  They are both about 74 now, to me that's young, but nevertheless.  I am so in awe of their maintaining their sense-of-humors, and he has been writing & and being published on his memoirs of being a cop all his life.

Well, my sil, Peggy, had a mini stroke about 3 days ago now.  But she made it through ok, and is home.  They now know though, that they have to move from their little dream house, into assisted living.

I'm sorry if I got off your topic, maybe I just needed to talk about that, I haven't at all.  Anyway, I guess it's just I realize we have to go on, and go on until we can't anymore.  I think of my sister, who I am closest to.  We bump heads a lot, but I can't imagine her not being in the world.  I know there are plenty of folks here that have experienced loss of loved ones though, and I can only hope I do as well as they are in carrying on with life.


----------



## oldman (Oct 3, 2014)

nwlady said:


> I hear you OM, I just wanted to say I am so sorry for your loss.  I think of the folks I know, and realize as we age, more and more will be leaving this life.  I don't know how much of it is missing them, and how much of it is ''when is my turn coming".  But it's one of those facts of life isn't it.  My sister-in-law has been doing almost full-time care for 9 years since my brother was severely crippled/paralyzed and bed-ridden 90% of the time.  They are both about 74 now, to me that's young, but nevertheless.  I am so in awe of their maintaining their sense-of-humors, and he has been writing & and being published on his memoirs of being a cop all his life.
> 
> Well, my sil, Peggy, had a mini stroke about 3 days ago now.  But she made it through ok, and is home.  They now know though, that they have to move from their little dream house, into assisted living.
> 
> I'm sorry if I got off your topic, maybe I just needed to talk about that, I haven't at all.  Anyway, I guess it's just I realize we have to go on, and go on until we can't anymore.  I think of my sister, who I am closest to.  We bump heads a lot, but I can't imagine her not being in the world.  I know there are plenty of folks here that have experienced loss of loved ones though, and I can only hope I do as well as they are in carrying on with life.



Yes, I have said many times that life can be challenging at times. Life is wonderful when we are healthy and have enough food and money for us to live on and get by with. It's when we or someone in our family that becomes very ill and dependent on others in the family that can make life a bit of a challenge, so having a good sense of humor is definitely a plus. I knew of a couple many years ago that divorced because her Mother came to live with them and had a stroke and the wife had to put a lot of time and energy into taking care of her Mother that it put a strain on their relationship and he finally told his wife to either put her Mom in a nursing home or he was leaving. Well, they have been divorced for probably 20 years or more. He said he just got tired of the fact that every time they wanted to go out to eat or go to visit someone or go on a vacation, they had to take her Mother along. My wife asked why they didn't just put her in a home for the time they'd be gone for a vacation. He said that they tried that once and she would keep messing herself and yelling at the nurses and just became unable for the staff to handle and was told not to return. 

So, yeah, life is full of challenges.


----------



## hollydolly (Oct 3, 2014)

oldman said:


> Thanks everyone for the nice thoughts and condolences. I flew down to Texas to attend the funeral and took the red eye home last evening. The Pastor gave anyone the opportunity that wanted to say a few words about the deceased, so I felt it necessary to tell my story of how my friend and I first met. I am not going to go into it here on the forum, but it was somewhat amusing and most did laugh, so it did lighten the moment. My friend's wife thanked me after the service and asked if I was going to the cemetery and of course, I was. I also stayed for the gathering afterwards.
> 
> There was one thing that really bothered me. No one from the airline attended the service. By that I mean, no one in management. They sent flowers and made a donation to the church, which is all well and good, but is it expecting too much for someone from the company to show up and pay their respects to the Widow? He flew for this airline for almost 40 years and never had any write-ups or bent metal. I do remember his retirement party and they did do a good job with that. The airline does have an office in Dallas, so to send someone by for an hour should not have been an issue. I guess that maybe I have over-expectations.
> 
> *Also, I read the comments from hollydolly and I am sorry for their loss. It makes we wonder if the person was taking care of themselves by having regular check-ups and so on. I know sometimes these things just happen, but I am a firm believer in minimizing our risk by doing the things we need to do to stay healthy and live a long and enjoyable life. I hope all of you have regular check-ups, eat well and get a bit of exercise.*



My adopted grand-daughters' mother suffered from crippling  arthritis and Multiple sclerosis  ,


----------



## oldman (Oct 4, 2014)

hollydolly, I am sorry to hear that. This is a disease that just can't be helped much. I knew a fellow that came down with the most serious type of arthritis and he was getting shots that cost like $3000.00. He really suffered and I just felt so bad for him. They moved to New Mexico to help him, but then had to go to Arizona and he did get a bit of relief there, but he still suffered really bad. He just passed away a few years ago from cancer. I was just diagnosed with osteoarthritis last week. It is not debilitating yet and I hope it never becomes that way. Mornings are the worse.


----------

