Archive for the ‘In Memorium’ Category

for my friend Amanda. Her abuela died this morning.

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On September 11, 2002, I had the privilege, as a member of the Bach Festival Choir, to sing Mozart’s Requiem twice. We joined in the international Rolling Requiem. We sang the Requiem in the morning, at the time terrorists had flown planes into the Twin Towers. Then, we joined with two other Orlando-based choirs to sing the Requiem that evening in down town Orlando, at Lake Eola, for the City’s official memorial service.

Never before or since has it been so difficult for me to sing Mozart’s Requiem; tears flowed freely. It is, by far, one of my favorite pieces of classical music.

Singing the Requiem remains my, for lack of a better term, favorite way to remember that horrible day in 2001.

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Day By Day

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September 11, 2001, our innocence was brutally murdered. We must never forget the victims and heroes of that horrible day.

There is nothing more I can add.

Read this account from a high school classmate in WTC-7.

I was honored to write about Joseph LaFalce.

And, the heartbreaking account of what Michele heard as her friends died.

I’m sorry I’m not more eloquent this year. Please don’t mistake my brevity for anything other than brevity.

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Steven Curtis Chapman and his family are coping with the accidental death of their youngest daughter. Five year old Maria Sue was struck and killed by an SUV in their driveway driven by the oldest son. Folks, this is a double tragedy. Obviously losing a child in a senseless accident is heart breaking. But then to have another child be the cause of that death. Wow. That poor kid is going to have to live with that guilt the rest of his life.

It’s very sad for all of them.

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Apparently MIL changed churches, so the mass for sherlock’s father, who died on or about this date in 2000, I think, was at a different church this morning. Apparently this church houses a Catholic school, as the sanctuary was packed with children ages K through 8th grade, and the children were very active in the service itself, which made it more interesting to watch.

Can someone tell me how long a soul must be prayed for before it has a chance of escaping purgatory?

Also, why is it that sherlock and I have to go to mass every year on the anniversary (and apparently also on Antonio’s birthday), but sherlock’s brother and evil SIL do not have to attend? I can understand the evil SIL not attending, fear of lightening and all, but shouldn’t sherlock’s brother be there for his mother?

Oh well, at least in this regard sherlock is the good son, and I’m the good DIL.

RIP Antonio. I hope you’re soul is not stuck in whatever the hell purgatory is to Catholics.

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Oh, I’m so sad to hear that Abigail Taylor, 6, died yesterday. This is the little girl I mentioned last July who was disemboweled in a swimming pool by the suction of the pool’s drain. How horrible to hear all the complications she endured in the past eight months. Poor sweet heart. I am so sad for both Abigail and her family.

It’s just one of those freak situations that is an absolute nightmare.

I hope Abigail is in a better place.

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OMG, I hate hearing news like this. A football player for the University of Central Florida (right here in Orlando) died after a work out today. This is horrible. Absolutely horrible.

But, I wouldn’t be me if my mind didn’t find a way to twist this into an inappropriate comment.

Ereck Plancher of Naples, a freshman and redshirt wide receiver for the UCF Knights, died Tuesday around noon.

Red shirt? Sounds like he was doomed. Doesn’t the red shirt always die?

I’m sorry, that was wrong.

I’m so sorry for Ereck’s family, friends, and team mates.

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Every year I post a little In Memorium post for Dick and Patricia Puskas. I constantly think about the three orphaned boys my parents wanted to adopt. In case you wonder why I think so much about an event that happened when I was four years old, it’s because I was raised hearing the story. I’m glad my dad finally wrote down his thoughts on the matter.

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It’s February 25th again. You kids be careful.

RIP Dick and Patricia Puskas 1982
RIP April Corning 1985

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Michele just sent me a message on myspace that Matt Navin, a guy I would have graduated from high school with (had I not finished HS in three years, and not moved to Auburn) in Skaneateles, NY died.

Matthew L. Navin
February 9, 2008 Matthew L. Navin, 31, of Marcellus, passed away Saturday at Upstate Medical Center. A life resident of Marcellus, he was a 1994 graduate of Skaneateles High School. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved to hunt and fish. Matt is survived by his parents, John and Diane Navin Jr. of Marcellus; sisters, Patricia (Douglas) Miller of White Plains, MD, and Rebecca (John) Spronk of Newport News, VA; maternal grandparents, Earnest Lee and Gladys Milstead of Pennellville; and several nieces and nephews. Services will be 10 a.m. Friday at Grace Chapel, Skaneateles. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Marcellus. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Plis Funeral Home, 33 North St., Marcellus. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Grace Chapel, 1647 Genesee Street Road, Skaneateles, NY 13152. PLIS FUNERAL HOME INC. MARCELLUS
Published in the Syracuse Post Standard on 2/12/2008.

You know, it certainly seems like Skaneateles has more than it’s fair share of young deaths.

I moved there in eighth grade. Shortly after moving there, an elementary school twin died of meningitis. My friend, Alison Davis, died her senior year of cancer (Feb 19, 1994), a year after her father died of cancer. Jason’s high school best friend’s mother, Rose Pepe, died of brain cancer while we were in high school (Feb 5). I cannot recall the name of the kid who died the summer between tenth and eleventh grade in a drunk driving accident. I remember Tricia was in the car, but time has erased the name of the boy who died.

More recently, Walter Blackler and John Kelly both died.

It’s all very sad.

RIP Matt.

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Wow, it’s hard to believe it was five years ago. Hmmm… we’ll have to make a trip out to the space center. We usually go around this time of year to spend some time at the memorial mirror wall. So many tragic anniversaries happen so close together.

I remember that morning. We were waiting to hear the sonic booms that never came. We went that day to KSC and purchased annual passes so we could participate in the memorial.

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After reading this yesterday before I left work, and again when I got home from school last night, I told sherlock I wanted to buy the book referenced. Apparently it is out of print, as neither of my local book stores could order it for me when I called them (you know I want something if I’m willing to utilize the phone to get it!). Sherlock found it for me here, for ninety-nine cents. I ordered two copies, one for my dad. But that was still only a $1.98 order, so I also ordered this book that sherlock once saw in the bookstore and coveted.

I’m looking forward to receiving my books.

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In case you have forgotten, the 2,996 people who perished on September 11, 2001; the act of war waged on our soil; the senseless violence by a hateful religious sect that wants to kill all infidels; these are the reasons we must never give up, never surrender.

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