April blog responses

There have been a lot of things that I remember about your dad that I wanted to tell your mom.........Of course everyone is saying this, but he helped us so much. I was so glad that my last 5th step was with him before he died.  Also that we went to church almost every day of the week before he died. That was because he had made that announcement at the meeting the Sunday before. We were there at the last mass he celebrated. I'll never forget the look he gave me when I shook his hand that morning. I remember he just sort of patted William's head and I'm so glad that we were there.

Love, Martha

The thing I remember most about Bob was his truthfulness and caring for other people. You just always knew he was rooting for you. One day he told me, "I can't think of anybody who would want your life right now, but God will help you. Come talk to me if you need to, and send me the boys!"

Another time I was talking about procrastinating :) He said he understood: "For me, it's Sudoku!"

The first time I ever drove a stick shift was in his orange Nissan pickup, with Jacob navigating. Somehow I didn't have it in mind that Bob wasn't aware we were "borrowing" it until I came lurching back into the parking lot and saw him standing in the doorway. He never said anything as I screeched to a stop, the truck suddenly stalling, but I'll never forget that; he probably didn't either!

Last Christmas morning after church I got our car stuck on the ice going down towards the Upper House. I left the car stuck on the ice, and walked back up the hill and made it to North House with the boys when Bob and Ruth came by in their car. They told me to get in the car; they would drive us home. That was the last time I drove with him.

He was my godfather, and he will be missed every day until "that Better Day is dawning and we'll be there!" -- Joanie

Bob was our math teacher, and though math wasn't ever my favorite subject, thanks to Bob it was often the subject I did best in.  I was always motivated to succeed for him.  He called us his "Olympic Team" when he was prepping us for the Regents exam in 10th grade, and he could explain the most difficult problems in ways that made them comprehensible.  Nevertheless, I sometimes had trouble keeping my eyes open during those warm, sunny, afternoon math periods.  I'd let loose a yawn, and he would ask in a loud voice, "Ah, Amy?  We keeping you awake here?" 

 

And then there was the time he stood Isaac in the corner for burping loudly in someone else's face...actually, I think that happened more than once.

 

He also taught an economics course.  The text was Thomas Sowell's Applied Economics, and we had some awesome discussions on it.  However, he was not tolerant of sloppily-written essays:  "Tim's paper says, 'Many politician'.  What's 'Many politician'?  Are we speaking Japanese here?"

 

I miss Bob in the school, in the band, at sings and Basket Landing concerts ("Whooooa!"), celebrating in church, and especially hearing my confession.  But most of all I miss him walking into church and giving me that funny little bow, with his palms pressed together.

 

Love, Amy