My Dad over the bar

[Rich VanValkenburg]

Last night of a severe stroke on Friday. He was unconcious through his birthday on Saturday.

It's been that kind of year.

[Thad]

Condolences. Keep afloat.

[mmd]

Very sorry to hear, Rich. My condolences to you and your family.

[The Bigfella]

Sorry to hear the Rich. Best wishes to you and all of your mob.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Sorry for your troubles Rich, my condolences to you and your family.

[Canoez]

Rich, so sorry for your loss.

[Russ Manheimer]

My sympathies Rich. Sorry to hear of your news.

[rbgarr]

Such a hard shock. Condolences.

[sv Lorelei]

Sorry to hear that, Rich.

[elf]

Sudden is really hard, but we can all be grateful for easy departures.

Be gentle with yourself and your family while you all get accustomed to the new way. It'll all be OK eventually.

[Robmill0605]

Thoughts and prayers from Florida......

[Mrleft8]

So sorry Rich.

[Concordia...41]

My sincere condolences and what everyone (especially elf) said.

- Margo

[bamamick]

I am so very sorry, Rich. I'll be thinking about you today.

Mickey Lake

[Lew Barrett]

From our family to yours, most sincere condolences and a wish for peace and resolution.

[Paul Pless]

My sympathy for your loss.

[paladin]

Condolences for the family....

[hokiefan]

Sorry Rich. Will be thinking of you and your family.

Bobby

[Nanoose]

Such a shock. So sorry, Rich.

[FSS172]

Thoughts and condolences to you and your family. Jim

[George Jung]

Condolences, Rich. Losing a parent is one of the roughest spots I've hit; take care of yourself, and hope you have a lot of support.

[htom]

Prayers and condolences, Rich, for your father, you, and your family. May he rest in peace, and you find comfort in the coming days.

[Claudia]

Condolences to you and your family.

[Taylor Tarvin]

Condolences

[Tar Devil]

I'm so sorry, Rich. Prayers...

[Captain Blight]

Sudden is really hard, but we can all be grateful for easy departures.

Be gentle with yourself and your family while you all get accustomed to the new way. It'll all be OK eventually.
Signed.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Really sorry Rich.... but at least he didn't suffer. I hope the same goes for all of us..

[S/V Laura Ellen]

Condolences for you and your family....

[skuthorp]

Sorry to hear that Ric, our thoughts are with you and your family
Jeff and Anne

[John Meachen]

Condolences on your loss.

[SaltyD from BC]

Best wishes and strength to you and yours Rich.

[garland reese]

I am sorry to hear of your loss. Prayers from here, for your family.

[J. Dillon]

Condolences to you and the family. I hope you and they recover swiftly from the loss. You'll have your memories to help you during the recovery period.

JD

[PatCassidy]

I found writing a eulogy to be very therapeutic in adjusting to the loss of a parent. Wishing you and your family the best during such difficult times.

[John B]

My condolences too Rich. Sorry to hear it.

[Rich VanValkenburg]

I'm just overwhelmed. just plain overwhelmed. Thank you. He never complained about not feeling well. Never. We knew something wasn't right but he insisted he was fine.

I thought of things to try to say at his service but I know I won't be able to stand there without losing it. Something that we did that I'll never forget was the Yankee Air Force air show that I took him to several years ago. He was Navy, and they had a few of the aircraft that he was trained to service, F4Us, an F6F, an F4F, and some trainers. The sun was hot and the walking was hard on him but he was excited to be around the old hardware again.

Weeks earlier I had the presence of mind to get tickets for the dinner after the show where some of Boyington's squadron were there to tell their stories. Later, a gentleman up front thanked us all, some 600 to 700 people, for contributing to the restoration fund and asked that any Desert Storm vets stand. There were a few and they got their applause. Next was Vietnam vets, maybe 25 of them stood and got their applause. He then asked for Korean vets to stand, and there were 7 or 8. They received their applause.

He asked if there were any WWII vets and only two old guys stood, one was a few tables away and the other was next to me, my Dad. And they got a standing ovation. Not just a polite ovation, but a lasting, thunderous one that brought tears. My Dad wasn't a pilot, or an officer, or aircrew of any kind, but he did his job. And for once in his life he felt like a hero. I think that was one of the best times I had with him.

[UCanoe_2]

Rich, I'm sorry for your loss. Those are great memories. It sounds like he gave you a lot you can be thankful for.

Reese

[Ed Harrow]

Sorry, Rich. There's times when there's nothing one can say. Thinking of you.

[pipefitter]

Sorry for your loss.

Speak often to and of those who have passed and pass their stories to your kids. It helps keep their souls alive and the essence of their true presence will never leave you.

[Robbie 2]

Condolences to you and all your family....
Wonderful memories to keep.

[rufustr]

My condolences to you and your family.

[Jay Greer]

Now is the time to gather happy memories of watches well stood with your father.
With compassion for your loss.
Jay

[Vince Brennan]

So sorry for your loss, Rich.

Prayers for you and family.

[PaulC]

Rich, we are saddened by the passing of your dad.

Hopefully this finds you are mending well. Take care.

[Duncan Gibbs]

Best thoughts for you and yours in this time of grief from the Tweed. That was a beautiful story too. What an exceptional memory to have of your dad right near the end!

[arcadiainc]

Ric---So very sorry---

[Dave Thibodeau]

Sorry for your loss

[Wild Dingo]

Sounds like your dad was "one of the best"... be at peace mate

Shane and nippers

[ishmael]

Condolences from here, too. Losing your pop is a tough one. It sounds like it happened quickly, and be thankful for that. There's little worse than lingering on the edge.

[David Tabor (sailordave)]

Rich: My condolences. I was also touched by your story about all the vets standing. My late FiL was a Navy Corsair mechanic; only ever served in San Diego IIRC.
Take some time to spend w/ your family, losing a parent does strange things to one's perceptions.

[Ian McColgin]

He may well have known or at least sensed and made a choise about the terms of his life. Losing a parent is hard but still, take the time with your family and try to speak at the service because your tears do honor to his love.

[Rich VanValkenburg]

I want to thank all of who expressed your condolences. My Dad was a quite, humble guy who would have been surprised at the outpouring over our loss.

As I mentioned to David offline, Dad was a Navy aviation machinists mate also, and he serviced many F4U's, F6F's TBF's, anything with that R2800 engine from 1942 through 1945.

It was a difficult day yesterday and I fell apart as I knew I would, but he had many friends and family that helped me through it.

In his honor I'll post a photo of him at age 25 when he had most of his life ahead of him. I'll miss him.

Ray VanValkenburg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n287/falcon5a/MyDadat25.jpg

[Bob Adams]

So sorry Rich. Prayers of support sent for you and your family.

[ishmael]

Rich,

A handsome fellow! Adjust a few things here and there and he reminds me of my pop at that age. Mom always said dad reminded her of Tyrone Power. I knew him when he was older, so that always seemed a bit of a stretch.:)

Have a good wake for him. I lost my father a long time ago, early 1980's, but it still rings with a clear toll. No matter what else is going on, find some time to be alone with it.

Heartfelt best from here in Maine.

Jack

[abe]

Tough to face the loss of your Dad. Sounds like you are proud of your hero!

Prayers for you.

abe

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

.
You have my thoughts too, Rich. It's not an easy thing to lose a loved one.

Mike

[nedL]

Rich, My thoughts will be with you and your family.

[Captain Blight]

"Who can call a man dead while his name is still spoken?"

Keep remembering him, pass the stories along.

Condolences on your loss. Sincerely.