One of Diane’s former co-workers has been a friend of ours for a long time. We went on volksmarches with him; he even helped put together an outdoor play structure for Jeff, and that was no small task.
His health hasn’t been good for the last few years, and he’s been in and out of convalescent facilities several times, so I wasn’t completely surprised when his caregiver called us a few weeks ago to let us know that John had passed away.
He’d married a Russian who already had a son; the marriage only lasted a few years, but the relationship with the son continued, even after the son’s career took him back to Russia (where he’s founded a couple of businesses).
Today, we attended John’s memorial – his son had flown in to arrange it and take care of all of the things that need to be done after a death. The service was short and meaningful – the pastor asked us to think about ways in which John had touched our lives. The attendees included John’s family, neighbors, and co-workers, and we all chatted for a while after the formal service ended.
It was sad to think that we won’t be able to talk with John any more, but it’s good that his suffering has ended.
Rest In Peace, John; your memory is a blessing.