November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month (from Elaine)
Dear Family and friends,
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the month long “international” Pancreatic Cancer Purple Lights Campaign. Yes, the Campaign has crossed the border into Canada this year. Please take a moment to put up purple lights and shed light on this devastating disease.
When I turn on my purple lights this November, I will be honoring my darling brother; and thinking of all those who are battling pancreatic cancer and hoping they have family and friends like yourselves whose support and love gave Richard such strength and comfort, and helped him live everyday of his life.
Love it up!
Elaine
Happy Birthday Richard!
Today marks another of the “firsts” for us – Richard would have been 55 today and while it seems odd to celebrate since he is no longer with us, we do celebrate a life lived well, loved by many, missed by friends and family alike.
Our friends arranged to have Prairie View plant a red maple (very fitting for a Canadian) on the eighth hole with a plaque commemorating Richard. There was a group of 30 or 40 who walked out to see the tree last Saturday night. Our heartfelt thanks go out to Jim Porter for arranging all this, as well as the Cimino’s for hosting the gang afterward and each and every person who participated in this kind and thoughtful remembrance of Richard.
We live in a very special neighborhood where friends have become a second family to us and we are profoundly blessed.
Jane
June 13, 2010
I thought it might be a good time to provide one more update on the blog so we could let everyone know that we’re doing all right. I’m not sure what we’ll do with this blog in the future – it has served its purpose well and perhaps we will make it private for family updates going forward. We’re just not sure yet.
Our trip to Canada in May for Richard’s Memorial was wonderful in so many ways. It began with a celebration for our next door neighbour from Burlington named Andy who just celebrated his 100th birthday. Andy still manages to get out and walk every day and he is truly an inspiration! It was so wonderful to see the Donna Court gang and such a gift to have time with them to remember Richard and the many funny antics he initiated on Donna Court. His trademark trick of cutting lawns in the middle of the night and creating “designs” was fondly remembered.
The Memorial weekend in Montreal was wonderful! It was so great to see family and friends who travelled from many places to be with us at Royal Montreal. The sun was shining and Richard would have been so happy to be there on such a beautiful day! Richard’s cousin Diane arranged for golf on the Saturday for those willing to brave the rains and she and her husband Greg very kindly hosted a barbeque at their house that evening which was just a great opportunity to visit with all the cousins.
Our children are moving forward with their lives and we often joke that Richard is working overtime in heaven pulling strings and influencing their next steps. Chris was officially admitted to the Masters in Library Science program at IU and should finish in August of 2011, Meg landed a job that seems to be a perfect next step for her and will begin her MBA in the fall at the University of Denver and Mike will attend Bishops University in Lennoxville, Quebec in September. I actually returned to work on June 1st. I hadn’t planned to go back until the fall, thinking the children might need me to be available for them, but somehow the time seemed right and I am happy to be back.
I realize now that one of the greatest gifts Richard gave us was his passion for music. When the children were younger and involved with me in Suzuki piano, their teacher would comment that music is the language of the soul. In the last month, we have had several experiences where just the “right song” is played at a most unusual time and we would feel Richard’s presence. One recent experience for me was a Saturday morning when I woke early and thought I would run on the Monon and then go to the Carmel Farmer’s Market. Just as I arrived and parked the car, a James Taylor Song was being played at the market by a live artist. The song was “Something in the Way She Moves” and the first words I heard were ” I feel fine”. We do feel comfort from these “signs”.
Last weekend we again participated in the Relay for Life. Our good friend Mar was our fearless Captain once more and her enthusiasm for this event was contagious! It was good to be with so many who had participated last year while Richard was still with us.
And so life moves on whether we wish it or not. I have included a slideshow below which includes Andy’s party in Burlington, another picture of the tree planted in Richard’s memory at Royal Montreal and a few pictures from the Relay. We continue to be humbled by the kindness of others as we have been throughout this journey.
Thank you all for sharing your memories and your words of support with us!
Jane, Chris, Meg and Mike
Directions for Montreal Memorial
Hi all,
I’ve been asked to include some links to guide you as you navigate to Corpus Christi Church in Ste. Anne de Bellevue for the Saturday 5PM Mass. The link is here for directions:
Corpus Christi
Directions to Royal Montreal Golf Club follow:
RMGC
Look forward to seeing you there!
Jane
Richard – Memorial Service in Montreal
Hi all,
I apologize for how long it has taken to finalize arrangements in Montreal, but I believe we have finally managed to get the pieces pulled together. Please feel free to forward the information to family members who may not see this on the blog.
Royal Montreal Golf Club
Good morning all,
Richard’s cousin Diane has kindly sent along some pictures: the flag at Royal Montreal is at half mast and the notice of his passing is posted in the club house. Richard maintained his membership at Royal ever since he graduated from McGill in 1977 and moved away from Montreal. The highlight of the year for him was returning to play in the Centennial Match each July and reconnecting with friends and family.
Meg and I were just remarking last night that it feels as though Richard’s away for business and will return soon….
Jane
Richard – Arrangements
Hello everyone,
Richard’s obituary is printed in today’s paper copy of the Indy Star but has not yet appeared in the online edition. If you would like to see his obituary, you can access it using the following link:
http://www.flanner-buchanan.com/ObituariesGuestBooks/tabid/56/Default.aspx
I believe that pictures will be added to his page at the funeral site as well.
Thank you all for your expressions of support.
Jane
Richard
Hi all,
We have tried calling as many people as possible, but did want to let you know that Richard died a peaceful death last night at home, surrounded by family and love. His obituary will appear in the Indy Star on Monday (as well as the Toronto Globe & Mail and Montreal Gazette, I hope!). Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday (4-8) at Flanner & Buchanan in Carmel followed by a funeral Mass at St. Elizabeth Seton in Carmel on Thursday at 10:30AM.
We are truly indebted to all of you who supported our family over the last two years since Richard’s diagnosis. Quite simply, you carried us through the challenges we faced and we will be forever grateful.
Jane, Chris, Meg and Mike
7 holes!
Hello from Meg! It has been a wonderful few days here in Indiana. How blessed are we to have this spring-like weather already by the middle of March? We have taken advantage of this sunshine and 70-degree weather, spending as much time on walks and sitting in the sun as possible.
Today was an especially great day. Dad, Mike, and Aunt Elaine made it out to Prairie View and played 7 holes. Everyone played well and Mike even made a birdie. Dad drained some long puts and Elaine got some great shots in as well.
You may or may not be interested in making a green smoothie. If I have learned anything from my mom, though, the best way to help someone become interested in something is to force them to do it. Hence, I have forced almost every friend and family member who has been here to try my green smoothies. There is no secret to making the perfect green smoothie. The only rule in this house is the ratio of vegetables to fruit is 3 to 1. So here is just a sample recipe of what our morning breakfast looks like:
-1/4 cup of raw almonds
-1/2 cup of water
-4-5 cups of spinach
-1 banana (good for thickening the smoothie)
-1 orange
It is best to grind the almonds first and then add water, which will make an almond milk of sorts. Then, go ahead and add your fruits and vegetables. Depending on the fruit you most enjoy, you can switch out the ingredients. Sometimes, I prefer raspberries and strawberries. Other days the fruit of my choice is blueberries. Spinach is one of the best vegetables to use as it blends down to almost nothing, is full of vitamins and nutrients, and does not have a strong taste. Kale is another great addition, though you have to have a good blender to not end up with a chewy smoothie.
My dad’s illness has been a huge motivating factor for me in prioritizing my health. If you are interested in more resources, two of our favorite sites for healthy recipes are:
Happy Birthday Elaine!!!
Any of you who read Debbie’s comment will realize that today we celebrate Elaine’s birthday. She is Richard’s only sister and I consider her a sister to me as well. A nurse by profession, she epitomizes love and care for other people so we are blessed not only to have her in our lives, but to have her here with us in Indiana now.
Getting ready for another birthday!!!
Life, Love, Golf. 
