Jade Walker blogs without a shortage of topics (although I did read on her site that she actually had writer’s block recently!)   The Blog of Death

While emailing Jade, it occurred to me that maybe all of us should write our own obituaries long before we die.  Maybe it is death that makes people seem more interesting.  Or perhaps the fact that that particular being is not, now, contributes to our sense of having missed something, even though we are reading the obituary of someone unknown to us with accomplishments from the mundane to the extraordinary and where our only connection to the deceased is our own humanity. 

Imagine we began writing and reading Pre-Death Obituaries - we might garner a sense of that loss and gain a greater sense of appreciation prior to that proverbial point of no return. 

My Dad passed away New Year’s Eve, 2003.  It is a turning point, this loss, although I keep trying in the way he taught me, to see the silver lining in this cloud, to view his death as his “passing” and not as a “loss.”  Here is his Obituary: 

Lynn, Ronald L., Ph. D.   09/21/1940 - 12/31/2003

In celebration and memory of Ron Lynn, a strong, gentle, courageous soul who chose and stood by Zan, as her husband, best friend and life’s companion, who gently and selflessly guided Val as her father and teacher, who touched so many lives with his kindness, patience and empathy, he wrote for another what strengthens us today:

ETERNAL

RIVER

We are born of the

River of

Souls

 As we live, love and cherish the beauty of life 

upon the River’s abundant breast 

so do we surrender our tears 

from the depths of our heart to the

Eternal

River 

gently bearing our loved ones to

the majesty of Eternal Love and fulfillment.

© 2001 Ronald Lynn

He was preceded in death by his youngest daughter, Veronica Lee Lynn, and is survived by his wife of 32 years, Suzanne Hampe Lynn, his daughter,

Valerie Lynn Booth, his granddaughter, Hannah Lynn Coker, his mother, Louise Lechleitner, father, Val Lynn, and step-mother, Edye Lynn.

 Ron will be greatly missed by all who were touched by this gentle giant.  Smooth Sailing, Bono Dad, I love you.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations to support:

The Lymphoma Research Foundation  

111 Broadway 19th Floor 

NY, NY 

10006

A celebration of Ron’s life will be held at a later date. 

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 17th, 2004 at 8:31 am and is filed under Family. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.