My friend, my buddy, pal and father figure, one of my first friends here..

It is with sadness and regret that I must inform everyone that my friend and a friend to many here, has passed away.

As most of you know, he was in the hospital, and during his stay, a clot entered his brain, he died in the arms of his lovely wife Barb, known to many as Granny.

He leaves her behind as well as other family..

I sit her now, with tears in my eyes, for his family, for me, for those that knew him, I sadly never got the chance to see him.

He died quickly, with very little pain in the arms of his wife, he died knowing we all cared for him..

I am not sure what to think, as I just found out less than 10 minutes ago, so please forgive me if I am rambling on, but I thought you all should know as he told me many times, this was his second family. I know he missed us all, as the last year was hard for him to be on here.

He was going blind, and yet, he still had time to harrass me, put up his jokes and still be here from time to time.

We were close, sent gifts to him and his wife and he sent them to us. He will forever be a part of my life that I will miss dearly.

My God grant peace to him and his family, and may he rest in enternal peace and grace.

Ray, I am sorry to hear this news. Take comfort in knowing that God has a plan and His plan "will" happen - there is no stopping it. You apparently knew him well, as I am sure others had also...... in knowing him he affected your life in some way. He lives within your heart and there is comfort there, for you as well as for him.

AS ONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED LOSS OF TREASURED FAMILY...I CONTINUALLY AM REMINDED THAT THEY ARE IN A BETTER PLACE...

IT HELPS ME TO TRY AND LIVE THE KIND OF LIFE THAT WILL INSURE THAT A REUNION AWAITS...

SALUTE! PAPADUDE... R I P

Oh I am so, so sorry to hear that. TUV would you please tell Papawdude's wife that we really loved him. His contribution here was ONE OF A KIND, there is truly nobody like Papawdude, and we are gonna miss him SO MUCH.

Yes cat, I will, I am gonna ask someone that is more clear headed to bump all the older post of his, I want to get some of his better stuff together and send to his wife, I want her to know that through all the ragging he did on her, how much he trully loved her..

I would talk with him for hours on end, and as he would rag on her, I could hear her in the background laughing at us...

I will miss me buddy, I already miss the chawky cake remarks he would tease me with..

There will never be another Papaw...

I am saddened he is gone, and I cant seem to stop feeling so sad that I didnt talk to him lately, that I never made it down to visit, it was always maybe next year....

I feel like I let him down...

Don't feel bad TUV those things happen, you are just human. The day before my dad died, I was getting ready to leave to go home, we were standing on the patio, and as I started down the steps I remembered I forgot to kiss him goodbye. I thought to myself, oh never mind, I'll kiss him the next time. Never got a "next time". Don't worry, Papawdude KNEW you loved him.

SO SAD TO HAVE JUST LEARNED THE NEWS RAY.

I THINK SHERIDAN SAID IT BEST. SEE, I'M NOT, NOR HAVE I EVER BEEN, ONE TO SAY A LOT WHEN A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER DIES. I'M VERY SILENT, AS I ONLY LIKE TO REMEMBER THEM FOR THE WAY THEY LIVED.

LIKE RONCO SAID, PAPAWDUDE IS NOW IN A BETTER PLACE. YOU WILL GET TO MEET HIM ONE DAY RAY. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT. AND WHEN YOU TWO FINALLY DO MEET, I'LL BET HE WILL GIVE YOU THE BIGEST HUG YOU EVER HAD.

DON'T BE TOO SAD RAY. INSTEAD, BE HAPPY THAT HE MADE AN IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE. AND FOR THAT ALONE, HE STILL LIVES IN YOUR HEART....AND YOU, IN HIS..... FOREVER.

R.I.P. PAPAWDUDE.

I featured this here, it was done on the AFGD forum for a month, might be longer here, I want a place to remember him, and to show him he was loved.

I feel like a piece of my heart was ripped away last night.. I regret never meeting him now..

I know his pain is over, and even on his deathbed, he wrote me an email, and he was just as much an old codger as always..

he was making fun of the tests they did to him this past week, shoving things were the lord never intened things to go... LOL

Said he was glad he was asleep for that test. LOL

I loved that old man..


Goodbye Papaw, save me a peace of chawky cake..

Some of his serious stuff about planes.

I found this on the AFGD forum, it was a ways back when he made the Troll Hunter Squadron, we all had fun with that back then....

NOT forgotten..

I was re reading some of his post over in the AFGD on my old thread, man was he funny..

I used to love it when he would get off on a tear...

I sat down last night, thought of all the time we have ragged on each other, and some of the things he used to say, and I see now that there was a madness yet a purpose to it all...

He seemed to know when I was down, and he always seemed to call or write at that exact moment I needed him...

After one of my hard missions for the PGR, he called me, hadnt talked to him in awhile, but he called, I was just sitting there, thinking of the little boy screaming at the casket for his brother to wake up..

That is and I think always will be my hardest funeral I have gone to, but he called, and I told him what happened, we sat there and for 5 minutes we didnt say a word, I thought after a bit I lost him, so I looked up and realized several minutes had gone by. I was like Andy?? did I lose connection??

He came back on, said no Ray, I am sitting here with you at your side as you go through this, I am there buddy, and you know you did a great thing today, you honored one of the fallen and his family will never forget now that he was loved by more than his family, now be quite and lets continue our vigil for him..

We sat there for a while, not saying a word, not even breathing hardly... After what seemed like several more minutes he said, Ray??

Yeah?? You okay now?? NO. but I will be, good, I need a piece of chawky cake, the old basturd hung up on me.

At first, I was like shocked, then just as fast, I was rolling in the floor...

He called about 4 hours later, he was still laughing at me.. He said he wanted so many times to call back, but he said he would have loved to see the look on my face when he hung up..

WE both laughed then, and spent the next 3 hours talking about everything and anything..

I miss him guys, and I dont know how else to say it.. I just miss him so much, I feel like I lost my dad, to me thats what he was..

Thanks all.

Ray, I only know PAPAW by name, but please accept my regrets.
RIP, Sir.

OH, gypsy, then you trully missed out my friend.

Anyone that knew him would could sit here for hours talking about all his antics here. How he loved to walk nakkid down the street, his dog.

Growing OKRA, riding his tractor. He...

I...... I......

Sorry guys, I just cant right now, its too hard.

I have a funeral Saturday for one of our friends son here, I just want the pain to stop, first my friend now a Sailor to lay to rest, he was one of them killed in the helicopter Crash in Texas.

I can only see all the times without Papaw, and I know he would be pizzed off right now if he knew I was causing so much trouble over him..

Thanks guys..

SOMETIMES RAY, LETING IT OUT IS THE BEST THING TO DO. I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE MINDS.

My friend is gone.

My friend is gone, so far away
I knew him only for a few days
We laughed and ragged me so bad
But he is gone, and now I am sad

I feel him with me all around
I hear his laughter, a funny sound
He was so much more than a friend
I will see him someday again

Until that time, I will roam
For my friend, he is not home
When I heard, my world did stop
More than a friend, like my Pop

See you Andy someday I know
As for now, my heart is low
I cry for you being gone
I know its not for very long

I am here, so far away
No Papaw, come out and play
No more ragging I must take
I will miss my chawky cake

Goodbye my father, old man
God must have a good plan
He took you way to fast
Are fun times now are past

PAPAWDUDE, your one of a kind
Gone way before it was time
My friend is gone, so far away
I knew him only for a few days

Ray L.
Jan, 08.

I have tryed to deal with this as best I can, but guys, I miss his much I a losing it.. I know things will get better, but I have a bond with him that I just cant explain..

I am trying to move on, he is up there pizzing on me I know it, cause he would hate me being this way, but I feel I am missing something like I need to do or say something to someone..

I have this nagging on me that I forgetting something somewhere..

I am trying Papaw, I am trying my friend. I dont know what it is, but I am trying to figure it out man..

I want to thank you all for kind words and for being there for me, this was hard, and still is, I hope someday I can be as good as he was..

I hope you all have been okay...... I will be honest, I have not even read any posts since Monday so I know I am behind, but I just dont think I can jump back in to fast.

I will try to start catching up later..

Thanks.

Ray, I am so terribly sorry. Judging from just the little bit he showed us here, he was a man of strong character and wonderful sense of humor. Count yourself blessed that he thought so much of you. My prayers are with his family; especially his wife.

Thanks Proud, He was a great guy, and I miss as much today as last week... I have started posting again, but only cause he would be mad if I didnt..

I am worried now about his wife, I have yet to hear from her since the first few days, I have written a few times but nothing, I am starting to get worried....

Thanks folks.

I have been told to un feature this, so I will so..

Sorry Papawdude, you are still missed dearly my friends more so now that I really need you around..

Seems since you passed, my whole world has become upside down, what I wouldnt give to talk to right now my friend..

I need you more than ever..

Ain't really got anything constructive to say, so I will just hold your hand.....

Thanks CAT, thats very nice of you..

I just, ahhh, HELL, I am just really down right now.. Thanks..