Lost a friend this month

L

localboy

New member
I lost a good friend of mine and just returned from his service. Bill Johnson was an avid VW collector. He also collected antique toys and old bicycles. Bill was President of the Machinists Union in Seattle from 1992-2000 and was a journeyman machinist at Boeing Renton.

We met in 2005 at a VW Meet. I was looking for some rare lights for my '66 bus and he overheard me at the swaps. I was having no luck finding any. After introducing himself and talking/BSing for 15 minutes, Bill rushed home and returned w/ a set. He gave them to me and would not take any money. That was Bill. We became friends and I enjoyed seeing him and his wife.

He was an expert practical joker. He was also the smartest, kindest, funniest guy you'd ever meet. He was generous to a fault. We'd talk VWs, but more importantly we'd talk about life, family, career...Bill passed away after a 2+ yr battle w/ colon cancer. He never got screened, even after he turned 50. He knew something was wrong but was too stubborn to go get checked, I guess. By the time he did, it was too late. Bill put up a good fight and when I last saw him, he was in a wheel chair and had lost a lot of weight. But he was still laughing and smiling.

I will miss my friend...




PLEASE GET SCREENED FOR COLON CANCER!
 
I'm sorry for your loss. And, I agree you must get screened. I've lost two friends in the last eight years to colon cancer. It's a simple screening!
 
Yep, what Marty said. Sorry to hear you lost your friend, Mark. :cry: Our thoughts are with you. We'll make a toast to your friend Bill tonight.

Condolences,
Jim
 
What they all said, Mark! :love

Lets all take care of ourselves and the ones we love and/or care about! We've pretty much all got stories like this!

Charlie
 
Sorry about the passing of your friends. The best of friends are found when you are not looking. Susan demanded I get the whole scope treatment at 40. doc asked why I was wanting to get screened at my age. I said " to make the noise stop" and pointed at Susan.
 
So sorry for the loss, Mark. It is a tribute to your friendship with him that you share your loss with your friends here in the 'pub' and that you point out the importance of screening to catch problems (if they exist) early.

Early detection is so important, and many of us have tales to confirm that. I had a CT scan of arteries leading to my head last week (we have four main ones going from heart to brain, according to my neurologist - two carotids along the side of our neck and two smaller vertebrals, going up the back of our neck).

I only have one vertebral, other closed probably since birth. A blockage in that one operating vertebral back in '07 dropped me with a stroke. Quick help brought me back and a stent has kept it open since.

Now the CT scan shows severe blockage in one of my two carotids. Going in for a stent in that one in early April.

The screening caught it - hopefully the stent will correct it and perhaps have saved me from another possible stroke.

GET YOUR PHYSICAL EXAMS ONCE A YEAR, and do the appropriate screenings recommended. Our strong advice to all our Brat friends.
 
Mark,

Sorry with you, in the loss of your friend. It is really great to have a friend like that and to share the good times along with the rest. Sorry for your loss.

Thanks for sharing and for reminding us to do the right thing here. There are so many things we can do for our health. We must be proactive in that, and we should be there.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Thank you all for your kind words, thoughts, prayers...I feel for his wife, Diane. She took care of him all through this ordeal, at home, and that is where he passed. Seeing her yesterday, as she tried to put up a good front, made my heart break.

As to taking care of yourself, imagine being married to an R.N. as I am. Trust me, there is no bulls#*ting anything to her...but she is right; early detection, live w/ balance, excercise, try to eat right, get a physical once a year...yep, all good ideas.

Aloha....
 
Sorry

"Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy."
Author Unknown.
_________________
And good advice


Early detection saves lives
 
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