On Monday (april fools) Rebecca & grandkids, Jaxson &
Mason, arrived to stay with us during school spring break. On Wednesday Rebecca departed back to
Bremerton for her job on Thur/Fri/Sat.
So we tried to keep the grandkids entertained with the usual – family fire
pit, videos, gardening w/oma, ninja line, swing, etc. Sunday it was back to the Edmonds/Kingston
ferry & mommy.
On Monday, 08APR, Dan headed into south Seattle for another
luncheon with some of his 1974 Coast Guard Academy classmates. There are about 15 of his classmates in or
within a few hours of Seattle. For the
last couple of years, they have had luncheons to reminisce about their time at
the Coast Guard Academy & their lives since. See below internet link for last luncheon.
The next day another classmate, Jim Garrett - aka Stumpy,
stopped by our house to visit. Jim had
driven up from San Fran for the luncheon, but completed the drive after the
luncheon occurred. So he decided to
visit three classmates in the Seattle area before driving back to the bay area –
we were one of the lucky onesJ! Great visit
but way too short.
After the rains stopped the middle of the month was spent assembling
a greenhouse kit Corrie had purchased at a deep discount. Instruction were pretty poor, but we only had
to disassemble it once. A few days later
Dan went to the Endodontist for the replacement root canal they started treatment of the infection of in March. Second “bad”
old root canal in less than a yearL?
The 18th of April was a sad/somber day for Dan. He & his classmate Jeff Garrett (aka not
stumpy) car pooled to Astoria, OR, for a memorial & celebration of life for
their classmate Dick Lang who passed away 09APR. (see 10/11AUG2018 BLOG for Dan’s visit with
Dick) Dick had made the last two class
luncheons in Seattle, but was suffering significant health issues resulting
from his lung cancer treatment fifteen years ago. We unfortunately learned on the 10th of April,
Dick had passed in hospice care due to lung failure. Jim & Dan were invited to represent the
Coast Guard & the CG Academy class of 1974 at a private memorial service
being held by Dick’s wife, Betsy, & the immediate family in Astoria on the
18th.
Very early Thursday morning Jeff Garret & Dan began their
carpool drive to Astoria, OR, for the memorial events in memory of Dick. Being well trained coasties they naturally
arrived early (very early). Dan
suggested they drive over to Hammond, OR, to see one of the last projects Dick
was working on. Being an avid fisherman
living in Astoria, sometime ago Dick started a search for a large
warehouse/storage building that was large enough that he could easily drive his
boat & trailer into; & very near to the Hammond boat launch.
Eventually he found the ideal building less than 1/2 mile from
the launch. Dick fixed up a sleeping
area upstairs with a small kitchenette; & washer & dryer
downstairs. This not only allowed him to
spend the night when fishing several days in a row without driving back to
Astoria; but provided a spot for poker games with friends from the Moose
Lodge. Dick’s last step was to install a
boat rinse facility to earn some income from the hundreds of boats that use the
Hammond boat launch. But since we are a
much more environmentally aware society (& this being Oregon) there were
many, many, hoops to jump through! First
off the facility was only for “rinsing” not “washing”, there would be no water
runoff, & water would be treated before entering the sewer system. The facility has been completed, but not sure
Dick ever got permit to operate?
From there, Jeff suggested they head to Fort Clatsop - one of 12
installations of the Lewis & Clark National & State Historical Parks
around the mouth of the Columbia River in Washington & Oregon. The park was created in 2004 & consists of
12 individual areas that ring the mouth of the Columbia River & stretches
some 40 miles along the rugged Pacific Coast.
It is joint venture between the National Park Service & the states
of Oregon & Washington.
After a quick change into their Service Dress Blue uniforms,
they drove to the Astoria Maritime Memorial immediately below the south end of
the Astoria-Megler Bridge. At 2PM a
small group of family & friends gathered for a Memorial Ceremony for
Dick. This was in keeping with Dick
& wife Betsy’s wishes. Their wishes
were for this intimate ceremony, followed by the installation of maritime
plague in Dick’s name on the walls of the Maritime Memorial; at a later date
Dick’s ashes will be buried at sea from a CG Cutter. Jeff & Dan were honored to be invited to
represent the Coast Guard & the USCGA Class of 1974 at the Memorial. Unfortunately the installations of the
memorial plagues occurs once a year, & the Lang family missed the due date
by two weeks.
At 3PM there was an open invitation to the “Celebration of Life
& Potluck” for Dick at the Astoria Moose Lodge. In addition to more family, there were people
who sailed with Dick on CG vessels; 911 personnel from the Astoria call center
that Dick was key in upgrading & modernizing; fellow volunteers from local
Disabled American Veterans office; Moose poker buddies; Relay for Life team
members; a lady whose first high school date that her parents allowed was Dick;
and lots of fishing buddies.
During the event there was a microphone at the front of the hall
that anyone could spontaneously use to reminisce about their memories of
Dick. Most of the recollections were
humorous, some were sad (mostly about opportunities missed). But the one that really caught Dan’s
attention was when Dick was 12, he and his 14 year old brother went on a
multi-day bicycle trip in the UK without any adult supervision!
All too soon, Jeff & Dan had to start their
drive back to the Seattle area. It was an emotional day, but
they were satisfied that their classmate had a fitting send-off by family &
the many friends who were touched by his life. Jeff & Dan were
honored to represent the Coast Guard & the Class of 1974 on this special
day in Dick's memory!
Easter Sunday, 21APR, Dan went to Stevens Pass for the last day
of the ski season. The conditions weren’t
the best & Dan only skied for two hours.
The most interesting part of the day, was all the people in costumes?
During the month, after the rains stopped, we finally got most
the fence & garden shed extension pretty much doneJ
