The last day of winter…

My father passed away today on this last day of winter, March 19th, 2010.  He was 69 years old.  For as long as I can remember, my father dreaded the shorter days of winter, when the cold weather kept him away from his gardens and his open-air marble workshop.  He was a warm-weather man who, like his beloved bromeliads, flourished in the speckled sunshine beneath the maple tree just behind the Woodbridge Inn.  He would often walk through the Inn wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, suspenders, and a thick layer of white marble dust.  This year’s extreme winter weather took its toll on my father and he was never able to recover from a deep, impenetrable bout of pneumonia.  At 2:00 this afternoon, Jochem “Joe” Rueffert passed away.

My father was larger than life and there’s no way I can pay him proper tribute in so few words.  I could live twice as long and still not be half the man my father was.  Where my wit is quick, his was quicker.  Where my words are sometimes wise, his were wiser.  Where my heart is big, his was bigger.  He was a father figure to so many and expected nothing shy of perfection from all of his “children”, be they sired or surrogate.  If my children love me half as much as his children loved him, I would be a happy man.  This town, our family, and the world will be a lesser place in his absence.

For those of you who knew, loved, and respected my father, we are having a memorial service on Sunday, March 28th at the First Baptist Church in Jasper at 2:00.  We will also have family visitation on Saturday the 27th from 5:00 – 7:00 at Cagle Funeral Home in Jasper.  In lieu of flowers, we’re asking that friends make a donation in his honor to Life Link.

The LifeLink Legacy Fund
409 Bayshore BoulevardTampa, FL 33606
800-262-5775

For those who would like to make a gift online, they have a secure website where you can make a donation on Joe’s behalf at: http://www.lifelinkfound.org/legacy.cfm Without Life Link, we would’ve lost Joe years ago…

I will share more stories of my father’s time with us in the future, and there are enough stories and anecdotes to fill volumes.  I encourage you to do the same here as  you see fit.

Much love and respect…gesundheit,

Hans

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