|
|
|
My Beloved Joe
Where to start with my
tribute to my beloved Joe is very
difficult....there is so much I would like
to share with all of you and with his
precious children and grandchildren. I have
known for some time that there has been a
"page" on the website....waiting for these
words and I've tried to write about Joe so
many times. I'm lost in trying to find the
perfect words that do Joe justice.
The first thing I
remember about Joe when I met him some 18
years ago, was his strong presence. He had
a way of entering a room, our home, a family
gathering or making an entrance anywhere
really, and changing the atmosphere. He
brought so much with him and I felt proud to
hold his hand and stand beside him.
So many of our dreams
came true with each other....When I think of
true love, I will always think of Joe. When
I think of family and togetherness, fun and
laughter, I will always think of Joe. When
I think of strength, honesty, sensibility
and sincerity, I will always think of Joe.
When I think of people that have made a
difference in my life and taught me so much,
I will always think of Joe. I will never
forget how it felt to have his eyes look at
me; how it felt to be held by him; how it
felt to share everything and anything with
him. I will always remember his eyes and
his incredible smile, his laughter and his
jokes. I will always remember his words of
encouragement to the kids and to me. I will
always remember his awesome physical and
emotional strength. He was everything I
imagined a man could be.
He was a man who put his
family first. In our conversations together
and in conversations with others, it was so
heart warming to see and hear how full Joe's
heart was of love and pride for all of his
children and grandchildren. It was always a
pleasure to watch him light up when he told
someone about his six kids. His children
and grandchildren were his pride and joy.
He was a man to survive
some very difficult times, disappointments,
heart aches , physical pain and more. He
never gave up, even if it was the easy way
out. He picked the right way even if it was
the hard way and he never turned away from a
difficult situation. Among so many other
things, he was persistent, loyal,
trustworthy, hard working, honest, good and
a fighter. He was about everything
"right." I will always keep this sense of
Joe with me. It is my faith in God and what
I learned from Joe's character that has
helped me to survive these past months and
will keep me going in the future.
Every part of me misses
him so much...he was the man of my dreams,
the love of my life, the motivating reason I
did so many things. He was always there for
me and I knew he depended on me to do the
same. We had a mutual love, respect and
trust for each other that was incredible.
It was a beautiful thing to love so much and
feel so secure, safe and grounded in a
marriage. I thank God that I had the chance
to experience that in my lifetime, in our
lifetime together.
I long for the phone
calls he made everyday just to see how the
kids and I were doing and to tell me that he
loved me. I long to soak up the sound of
his laugh, the sound of his voice and his
amazing smile. I long to feel those
butterflies and feelings of happiness inside
at the sound of his motorcycle coming down
the street, the garage door opening and
knowing he was safely home from work. I
loved Joe wholeheartedly. I am who I am
today in large part because of Joe and his
love. I know that my life will never be the
same and I, as a person, will never be the
same. I will always hold on to what Joe and
I had.
I am determined to carry
on for Daniel and Ray and for all of Joe's
children and grandchildren. I'm strong in
my convictions to carry out Joe's wishes ~
to provide our sons with the childhood
experiences and upbringing that Joe and I
had planned and to keep our family
together. I am and will continue to carry
on the best I know how.
Thank you to all of you
for your prayers, phone calls, gifts to our
family and your untiring support. I know
Joe is proud to have so many people standing
up in support of his family. I am touched
and forever grateful for your acts of
kindness.
Thank you and God bless
you!
|
|
|
