Sad news to report

P

PennRailRoads

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Apr 4, 2002
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My fellow gaugers,

I regret to inform you that my grand father passed away yesterday (Dec. 22nd). He was not alone when he died at the hopital and he went peacefully and quietly. He was 79 years old. Also my 2nd cousin got killed in a car accident in North Carolina on Dec 20th.

I wish to thank any condolences and sympathy you might have in this time of sorrow and heartache

:( :( :( :(
 
N

N Gauger

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Penn

So Sorry for your losses.... I know how it goes......

I lost an Uncle 2 yrs ago in Sept. My Aunt "died of a broken heart" Dec 26th.. The Holidays are the Worst time to lose someone... :(

Keep the faith, They are in a better place :)

make the best out of the Holidays - It's what they would have asked of you!! -- to keep on keeping on!!

~~ Mikey
 
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Dave Flinn

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Thank you for your posting. Know that the members of The Gauge will be with you in thought and prayer. I know, from my own recent experience in the hospital, that you will find friends out in cyberspace you didn't even know you had.

As someone else has noted, your lost loved ones would want you to "keep on keeping on", so take heart and make the best of a sad situation.
 
D

Dave Flinn

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Sad News

Thank you for your posting. Know that the members of The Gauge will be with you in thought and prayer. I know, from my own recent experience in the hospital, that you will find friends out in cyberspace you didn't even know you had.

As someone else has noted, your lost loved ones would want you to "keep on keeping on", so take heart and make the best of a sad situation.
 
K

kettlestack

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My sincerest condolences go to you and your family Penn.
Your grandfathers passing marks the end of an era for you in particular. It is good he was not alone, some are not so fortunate to have someone who cares close at hand.
As Mickey said, do keep on going, for time is a great healer.
Christmas is a time for remembering all the good things in life and no doubt you have many good times to remember about your grandfather.

Don't let it dampen your Christmas too much he would not have wished that on you.

Errol
 
M

Matt Probst

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Penn--So sorry to hear this news. My prayers are with you and your family. We had a similar situation a few weeks ago as my wife's grandfather passed away as well. Also 79 yrs. old. Definately know how tough it will be this season. Keep your chin up! The members of Tom Brokaw's "Greatest Generation" are leaving us at a rate of a 1000 a day. Let's not let their memories fade.

Matt--Hershey, Pa.
 
spitfire

spitfire

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Jul 28, 2002
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My heartfelt condolences to you and your family. Someday the hurt and loss will pass into happy memories of these two family members, and they will live on in your heart.

You will embark on a fair sea,
and at times there will be fair weather, but not always.
You will meet storms and overcome them.
You will take it in turns to steer your boat through fair weather and foul. Never lose courage.
Save harbour awaits you...in the end.
- Daphne Du Maurer

my thoughts are with you friend
Val
 
S

shamus

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Dec 17, 2000
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Hello Penn,

So sorry to hear this, my thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.

Shamus
 
P

pcentral

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Penn and Matt,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your families in this difficult time. Try not to dwelle on the sadness of your loved ones passing but embrace the joy they have left in your hearts. Steve
 
P

PennRailRoads

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Thank you all so much. Mark, Eightyeightfan and Matt, sorry to hear of your loss too. The road is a difficult one but soon time will heal all wounds and we will have to keep on making things the best we can. I only have 2 grand mothers left on both sides of the family. My mothers mom isn't doing so good but hanging in there, my fathers mom is doing ok for now since the loss of her husband on the 22nd.

This Christmas might be bleak and lonely with out my grand father and my 2nd cousin. But my grand fahters last wishes were to every one to have a Christmas no matter what happens. At the end my grand father was unselfish, he cared about alot of people, he loved every one (especially his great grand children, my cousins kids).

I wish that all of your Christmas's will be a better one.

Here is a letter that was written to a Mrs. Bixby in Boston:

"Dear Madam.

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine that would attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our heavenly father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours very sincerely and respectfully, Abraham Lincoln."

Even though my grand father never served in the military I think that the letter to Mrs. Bixby is still a powerful message about a great loss.

Thank you all for your condolences and sympathy. You all are truely friends!
 
T

Tyson Rayles

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Penn sounds like your grandfather was first class all the way! You were lucky to have known him. By the the time I was old enough to remember all my grandfathers and all but one grandmother had already passed away, cherish the time you had/have with em'.
 
P

PennRailRoads

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Tyson,

Yup, he was first class all the way :) he was the nicest person you could ever have met. Yes I was lucky to have known him, my parents told me that when I was born and when they named me after my grand father and my dad (I'm the third generation of the same name) my grand father loved it. He adored all of his grand children and he also adored his great grand children.

It was a pleasure being with him at the hospital when he passed away, my aunt took care of him all the time and 1 week before he died he wanted me to come down and help move him around. I tried to get down there as much as possible but I had to help with Christmas decorations with my parents.

For three days I kept it in and comforted every one then when we were there at the funeral home I snapped. I just couldn't contain it. :(

The funeral was yesterday (1:00 PM), all of us went and said our last goodbyes and that we love you. My father just about collasped when he broke down and cried. I held him up and told him "It's ok dad." I cried there with him like I'm doing right now just thinking about it.

I'll remember all the good times we had and cherish him in my heart. The only thing that won't die is his name, my father and I have it.

Our full name:
Wilbert Earl Clark Sr., Jr. , & III

The weirdest thing about us was that our birthdays were 1 week apart. My fathers is on Sept. 5th, mine on the 12th and my grand fathers on the 19th. So my birthday was in the middle . :)

When we went down to my grand mothers house after the funeral we started wrapping gifts. My grand father died at 1:40 PM on Sunday the 22nd and just got done wrapping my grand mothers and aunts gifts at 1:40 AM early Christmas morning. Totally weird? Yes I know!

Well since it's Christmas I'd like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and may you cherish it through out next year. :) :) :) :)
 
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