The Remembrance Thread

[JD10367]

Mods can Sticky if they want.

Just thought it would be nice to have a place for us to memorialize a few people in our lives.

Rock on, people.

[Muse]

Thanks JD for starting this thread

[JD10367]

I'll step up to the plate first.

My uncle died on Memorial Day after a bout with colon cancer. He was around 66 IIRC.

A lot of people say stuff like, "When he was born, they broke the mold". In this case, it's utterly true. When he was born, they didn't just break the mold, they stomped on it and scattered the pieces so another would never be made again, LOL.

My uncle was like a teenager trapped in an adult body. He spent most of his life as a painter and paperhanger, also doing pizza delivery and Chinese food delivery. Late in life he worked at Suffolk Downs on security. His main hobbies were fishing, playing cards, and when he was younger he liked firearms quite a bit. If anyone lived in the East Boston area from the late 70s to the early 00s, chances are he delivered you a pizza or some Chinese food. If anyone has a house in East Boston or the northern suburbs (e.g. Revere, Medford, Everett, etc.,.), chances are he painted or wallpapered a house on your street.

His name was John, but everyone knew him as "Junior". His other nicknames were "Muttonhead", "Goonior", and my personal favorite was "Fugly". His typical outfit was a pair of cutoff jeans and a tank top, and an ugly ballcap.

He wasn't a mean person, just a bit clueless. Childlike, childish... debatable. But, like my cat--who is always getting herself into trouble because she doesn't know any better--I don't think he was purposefully malicious. He might have been occasionally selfish or self-serving, but IMO it was simply because he didn't know any better. But he was a good guy. Long before we Sox fans heard of "Manny being Manny", most of his friends knew it was "Junior being Junior".

I have a lot of great childhood memories with my uncle. Delivering pizzas (I'd ride shotgun in the car, grabbing the doorframe and fearing for my life). Fishing (getting picked up at 5 in the morning to hit an all-night Dunkie's before setting up shop at Crystal Cove in Winthrop, or on the Cape Cod Canal or the beaches of Mashpee, or the rocks at the edge of one of the cities around Logan Airport where the planes would fly so close overhead you could wave to the people in the windows). Playing cards (we had a weekly Whist ritual in the late 80s to mid 90s... me, my dad, my uncle, and either my dad's friend or my uncle's friend... some nights we spent more nights laughing so hard we cried, or throwing the cards at each other in anger, LOL). We took some road trips to Disney a couple of times. He was sort of like a big brother, if you had a big brother who was kind of irresponsible, LOL. He was a hard guy not to like because of his easygoing, goofy personality.

When I visited him in the hospital, I didn't even recognize him. He was always a heavy guy, but the cancer had turned him into a swizzle stick. He looked like a concentration camp victim, couldn't have weighed 75 pounds; he looked like Frank Perdue on a starvation diet. I brought him a few home-printed pictures of East Boston, and some other of his favorite places (Disney World, Foxwoods, John's Pass near St. Pete). I also brought him some pr0n mags and scratchies. He was very happy to see those. Most people want flowers, or something like that; but I knew he'd want a pr0n mag and some scratchies. That pretty much sums him up.

I walked in, and he whispered, "Boy, are YOU ugly." I said, "Yeah, we'll you're Fugly... and now you're REALLY fugly." He shrugged and said, "Well... Some people go easy, some people go hard."

My aunt--his wife--died of lung cancer a few years back. RIP, John Rindone Jr. If there's a Heaven, you went there. On the other hand, if there's a Heaven, and my aunt is there, then you went someplace else, LOL.

[Muse]

Wow this made me tear up, excellent dedication JD excellent

[sleepyjean]

I will forever miss my Dad who passed away in 1970.

[Muse]

I lost my dad when I was 5, never forgotten :(

[JD10367]

Anniversary RIPs, Jan and Jay.

[Whaler53]

Today was the funeral. A tough, tough day overall, but its the first step of a long journey.

RIP Kiddo, I love you and miss you, and you will always be in my heart. Thank you for making my life that much better in the time we had together. I hope to see you on the other side when it's my time.

There hasn't been a day since I've known you that we haven't spoken about you, or just thought about you. And I can tell you right now, there never will be day when I don't think of you.

We love you so much, and while we have to move on, you will always be a big part of our lives.

Afterall, it may not have been by blood, or even official...but you were...no, you are my sister. And I love you.

Hope to see you again Baby Girl,

Love,

Your Brother

[TBrownslady]

Well, my grandma passed away last night. I am just glad that she is no longer in any pain. I will always remember her stories that she told me. She was the strongest person I have ever known and am so happy to have had her in my life and sharing her name. She will be missed

Sagapo yiayia :heart:

[RavenZ]

Originally Posted by TBrownslady

Well, my grandma passed away last night. I am just glad that she is no longer in any pain. I will always remember her stories that she told me. She was the strongest person I have ever known and am so happy to have had her in my life and sharing her name. She will be missed

Sagapo yiayia :heart:

Condolences on the loss of your grandma, you were close to her, weren't you?

:(

[JD10367]

Originally Posted by TBrownslady

Well, my grandma passed away last night. I am just glad that she is no longer in any pain. I will always remember her stories that she told me. She was the strongest person I have ever known and am so happy to have had her in my life and sharing her name. She will be missed

Sagapo yiayia :heart:

:(

[xpatriotpatsfan]

Originally Posted by TBrownslady

Well, my grandma passed away last night. I am just glad that she is no longer in any pain. I will always remember her stories that she told me. She was the strongest person I have ever known and am so happy to have had her in my life and sharing her name. She will be missed

Sagapo yiayia :heart:

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[Whaler53]

I'm sorry to hear that TBL. My heart goes out to you

[tommysgirl]

Originally Posted by TBrownslady

Well, my grandma passed away last night. I am just glad that she is no longer in any pain. I will always remember her stories that she told me. She was the strongest person I have ever known and am so happy to have had her in my life and sharing her name. She will be missed

Sagapo yiayia :heart:

So sorry to hear of your loss TBL. Grandma's are always very special, aren't they? Big hugs to you. May all your memories bring you comfort.

[mikiemo83]

TBL my condolences to you, it is tough to lose the ones we love..my thoughts and prayers for you and your family