OT: In Memorium

[Prometheus]

Greetings,

I know the chances of any of you knowing this man are slim to none, but he deserves the any memorial that man can provide, and I would be remiss in my human obligations not to speak his name.

Michael Everitt Durch was the best man I have ever known. He may not have been a woodworker, but he was a devoted family man and one of the most decent and upright human beings I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. He died on April 27th, 2005ev at the age of 52 of systemic cancer, and left behind a son and a daughter by blood, and several sons in spirit, of which I can only hope to number myself one. In the fourteen years in which I knew him, he was more a father to me than my biological father ever has been. He was there when ever I needed him, providing all the support- both emotional and material- that my father could not or would not provide. While we differed in many opinions, many spiritual, he never waivered in his unceasing devotion and attention to either my well-being, or the well-being of any person in his wide circle of friends and relations.

When I needed him, he was there- even when no one, not even myself, thought I was worth the air I breathed. I was a junkyard dog- born of bad blood, and turned mean by design- and he was the only one who took the time to give me a pat on the head, and a fresh bowl of water from time to time. His kindness gave me the knowledge and desire needed to live a human life. I fall short of that kindness in many, many ways, but I will never cease in my desire to improve myself because of the faith he had in me. If it was not for the safe haven he provided me as a child, I would not be alive today, and I cannot thank him enough for that.

Few people on alive today deserve the kind of praise that this man did (and does) and I wanted to share it with as many people as possible. Since this is the only internet forum I regularly visit, this is my only outlet- and it is a testiment to the regulars on this group that I feel that you are intelligent and caring enough to understand the importance of such a memorial.

Thank you for your time, even when the post is entirely off-topic.

Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

[Upscale]

Condolences for your loss.

[charlie b]

Folks like that have a tendency to live on in the people whose lives they touched. Far better to leave behind good memories and good values than money or stuff. Obviously a good bit of who you are demonstrates this view of things.

We're here to do something and normally move on. Then there are those special people who got their job done early but stick around to show the rest of us how it can be done. By their deeds so shall you know them. These people are fairly rare. Being blessed with having encountered one is something to be thankful for - which you obviously are.

So some of him lives on in you. Pass it along when you can and don't grieve the loss of the man, but rather celebrate his life. Though I'm sure it will embarass him a little, i suspect it will also make him smile.

charlie b

[Hax Planx]

Very nice, and very sad. A man like that should have lived to be 100.

[Larry Jaques]

On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 04:44:57 -0500, the inscrutable Prometheus spake:

Well spoken. Bravo. RIP, Michael.

--== May The Angst Be With You! ==-- -Yoda, on a bad day --

Ending Your Web Page Angst.

[Robatoy]

Wow. Very well said. I think he was lucky to have you around as well. You can carry on with his magic touch and change a few lives yourself as you have been given a fine example to go by.

I feel for your loss, but can't help smiling. I know you understand.

Rob.

[TeamCasa]

Thank you for proving once again, that there is hope for those in trouble if we would only that the time and make the emotional investment in them.

Now it's your turn.

Dave

Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services

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[Leon]

Than God that you recognized this man and had him to guide you.

[mike hide]

I was very touched by you heartfelt eulogy, and feel your pain. Not having parents that have nurtured you he must have been your guardian angel.. It is many years since my own parent passed away ,but of late I have been involved in some family history and every time their name comes up I feel the tears welling up only to realize how lucky I have been . My only suggestion other than time will somewhat heal the sorrow,is to do to others as Michael did to you .There is a deep satisfaction in that which he no doubt felt.

... mjh

[Morris Dovey]

Prometheus...

It's a privilege to have such a person touch one's life -- and I offer both condolences and congratulations. Condolences because he's no longer present in the flesh; and congratulations because he was there for you when you needed him most to show the way,

Charlie said it well. Mr. Durch will live on in the hearts of those he touched -- and beyond if those people really learned the important lessons he had to teach and pass them on.

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto, Iowa USA

[jo4hn]

As Shakespeare once wrote: "The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones." I rejoice each time someone proves him wrong. Thank you for your letter. mahalo, jo4hn

[Vic Baron]

Prometheus -

It's ok to grieve. You obviously loved this man deeply. But the grief is for your loss. Now you can celebrate his life. Give to someone else what he gave to you.

FWIW, what you have posted here says to me that you are certainly no longer that 'junkyard dog' - you are a caring human being - a tribute to your friend and credit to yourself.

My very best wishes -

Vic

[Lobby Dosser]

Because they saw something you could not see. They saw the man who posted the eulogy this morning for his friend and father. They saw who you could be, not who you were. They saw you touching other lives just as Michael did.

LD

[Patrick Conroy]

Prometheus wrote in news: [e-mail]:

[ Let's keep quoting this one so it's inscribed in Usenet, forever! ]

God pulls plenty of Good Ones home early. I'm not sure why.

Keep the circle going. Find a Junkyard Dog of your own to adopt maybe?

[Duane Bozarth]

Or, in some cases, they simply had faith, not clairvoyance...

[DonkeyHody]

I hope when I'm gone someone will have loved me half as much; or will have half as many good things to say about me; or that I will have deserved it half as much. Well spoken. Thanks.

DonkeyHody

[Bill C.]

Really? Satan rules the earth. See 1 John 1:19

From the beginning, Gods intention was that mankind should live forever on a paradise earth. That intention remains unaltered. When you get a moment, look up Revelations 21:4.

My wife just buried her grandmother. While that is a serious situation for us, it isn't the end of the world. We are confident that we will be seeing Grandma Jennie again. She was a wonderful old gal. I'm looking forward to chatting with her again ... and this time talking her out of a jar of her pear preserves. :-)

It sounds like M. E. Durch was quite a guy. I look forward to meeting him, too. The big obstacle to that is making certain that I am present in that future. It sounds like he exited holding a ticket.

Bill

[Mark & Juanita]

Sure hope so; from Prometheus' description he was definitely living his faith.

Prometheus, so sorry to hear of your loss. This man sounds like he was the right person put into your life at the right time.

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ A wheelbarrow! Why didn't you say we had a wheelbarrow; you should have included that in our list of assets! Westley -- Princess Bride +------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[Prometheus]

Thank you all. It's been a rough weekend, and I appreciate your taking the time to notice the man.

Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

[mac davis]

I've lost a son, both parents, and several good friends... what keeps me going is the belief that they're still here if they're alive in my memory, both the good and bad times..

mac

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