Friends gone

Crosley.In.AZ · March 20, 2005, 02:48:17 PM

I do not intend to depress folks here.

this week on wed a long time buddy Paul (30+ years) died suddenly. I did not see much of him since he moved to Yuma many years ago. We chatted now & then.

So the past few days I was trying to locate a few old friends we both knew and I was sure they did not know Paul had passed away.

This morning I stumble upon an obit in yesterdays paper. I call the mortuary and it is a mutual buddy of Paul's and mine. I just hooked back up with Louis about 6 months ago. He disappeared near 20 years ago after divorcing his wife ( no kids). I drove to his house, it was vacant, dead yard, nobody knew where he went.

Louis drove local truck and delivered into Hughes Performance one day. Shocked the crap outta both of us as we looked at each other. He had been in CA for many years

2 buddys in one week, both 51 yr old.

I'm 51 .

sheeesh!

enjenjo · March 20, 2005, 03:20:52 PM

I know the feeling. I have lost way too many buddies over the years. I have one in the process of going the hard way right now.

phat46 · March 20, 2005, 05:50:17 PM

2 buddys in one week, both 51 yr old.

Man that's rough. Makes ya stop and think....

kb426 · March 20, 2005, 06:47:13 PM

I had someone ask me if I exercised a few years ago. I said, nah, been getting to much exercise being a pall bearer at funerals. I lost 9 people within 45 days. Fortunately, that has slowed up. It takes me about 15 years to develop a real friendship. At my age, there probably won't be anymore. I sure understand.

parklane · March 20, 2005, 09:40:30 PM

Yes, it sure does make you think of your immortality. Had two brothers die within 8 months of each other. One was 40, other 42. Now you do what you want, when you want, cause you're not passing this way again.

John

purplepickup · March 20, 2005, 10:37:06 PM

I lost most of my close friends around the age of 50. I haven't really got friends as close as they were anymore. It takes a lifetime to build those kinds of frienships. Thanks to the RRT I'm working on some * good ones tho.

Charlie Chops 1940 · March 21, 2005, 01:52:42 PM

Kinda scary when they go so young. At 62 and in good health, other than the normal aches and pains, I'm thankful every day when I go out in the workshop and get to work on one of the cars. Have lost a few pals over the years but mostly they're still here and we're still enjoying each others company.

And, as George says, the RRT has brought a lot of new friendships. I'm always amazed at how many more people I've met since I first ran across the RRT and later the HAMB to some extent. I was active in the NSRA safety program for a number of years, worked registration at the Nats, and went to a lot of shows but things really expanded with the web.

Charlie

SKR8PN · March 21, 2005, 04:48:38 PM

Quote from: "phat46"2 buddys in one week, both 51 yr old. .

I just got word,that one my best friends died in his sleep yesterday evening..............51 years old ALSO! And I am 51 as well..............

40 · March 21, 2005, 06:28:32 PM

Wow! Sorry to hear about the loss of so many friends at such an early age! I'm getting awfully close to 50 myself! I guess I have been very fortunate....I have only lost 1 close friend...he was 41 and left us way to early. I am on a crusade to lose a ton of weight and improve my eating habits/general overall health....it's Tuff!!

Crosley.In.AZ · March 21, 2005, 10:44:42 PM

Janice & I attended a " life celebration " for Paul today in Yuma AZ. A large turn out of folks, plenty of folks from Phoenix. We chatted with his widow for a bit and got the complete story of what happened to Paul. We knew Paul had heart troubles for several years. I was the best man at their wedding in 1981.

On the way to Yuma Louie's mom called me. She explained what happened to Louie. Poor guy developed a bad heart, something I had not known since he had disappeared for near 20 years. After surgery for a pace maker his weak heart failed and would not restart .

I am mentally wiped out.

OldSub · March 21, 2005, 11:58:01 PM

Sorry to hear of your loss.

I'm a LOT younger (only 48) and have been loosing a friend or acquaintance every few months lately. Some have been people I've not seen in years, another was someone I saw for the first time in 30 years just a month before he died.

Mortality is a little too real these days.

Do you have a living will?

jeffa · March 22, 2005, 12:30:21 AM

Geez! I suppose it's a feature of forums (fora), that on the one hand, you get to associate with a lot of like-minded people, which is a good thing, but you also get to hear a lot of sad news like this, which is not so good.
Sorry to hear of all your losses, guys, and as one of you said; you only get one shot at this life. Make it a good one!