Sad Message From Bear

So sorry for your lose!

Bear,

 

My deepest condolences to you and your family at the passing of your wife.

 

Jim

WOW Bear - I never know the right words to say in these situations - ESPECIALLY since I've met Jophie at York.

 

I'm sad to hear about this.

 

- walt

My condolences to you and your family.

 

-Johan-

Bear,

I am sorry for your loss. My prayers are with you and your family.

 

Alan Graziano

Sorry for your loss Bear.
Jim D.

Bear,

 

Peg and I are very saddened to hear of Jophie's passing. We have fond memories of our rail trip from the Denver convention and the time spent in the company of your family. A glass of Tuaca will always remind me of Jophie's sparkling personality and may she rest in peace. Our condolences.

 

Eric Hofberg

 

 

Bear, my sincere condolences on your loss.

Please accept my deepest condolences!

Bear,

 

Please accept our sincerest condolences and deepest sympathies.  I know your life revolved around your beloved but she no longer has to face those daily mental and physical battles.  The Lord now has her in a very special and peaceful place.  You and your family remain in our prayers.

 

Bill and Freddy

Bear,

 

I am sorry to hear of Jophie's death. Please accept my condolences.

 

I have recently come to learn that pancreatic cancer is a very aggressive form of cancer that spreads quickly and is very difficult to cure. A coworker friend of my wife named Bill was diagnosed with it last year, and unfortunately died a few months ago. My wife Laura, myself and my kids participated in a pancreatic walk last November and helped raised thousands to help find a cure. We will also be participating in the next local walk on November 9, 2014.   

 

At least in some very small way, I feel I am doing my part to fight this horrible cancer.

 

I hope to see you in the future and will buy you a beer.

 

Erol Gurcan

Bear

I'm sorry for your loss , I my wife passed away 11-30-09 from Pancreatic Cancer to we were together for 21 year's it was second marriage for both of us it was great ,I know what you had to go through seeing what cancer and the treatment do to a person, God Bless you.

Guy

I thought I had no more tears to shed until I started reading all of your expressions of affection and support for Jophie and me here on the Forum.  "Cry me a river" and it ain't Envirotex, it's the real stuff puddling on the floor!  

 

I want so very much to respond to each and every one of you individually here on this thread, but there isn't time right now as you can understand.  Words cannot adequately express how much I appreciate your outpouring of sympathy and the heartfelt assurances about reunion in the life hereafter.  It is all profoundly comforting to me at this difficult time

 

My special thanks to our dear friend, Dave Hikel, for posting that wonderful photo of Jophie, our daughter Sharon, and me that was taken during one of our euphoric visits to your layout masterpiece, "The Northwest Short Line".  We had so much fun there with you and your crew and it was incredibly special to share that experience with Jophie.  Whatever we did that was enjoyable, it was always twice as much fun with Jophie there.

 

Jophie's service is scheduled for this coming Tuesday, the 21st.  For any of you who are in the area, it will be at 3:00 PM at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, 1700 W. 10th Avenue, Broomfield, CO 80020.  A catered supper will follow at a nearby events center.

 

Please don't send any more flowers, we're becoming inundated already.  Your expressions of condolence here on the Forum and by personal emails are more than sufficient and have been deeply moving to me and my family.  Nonetheless, if you feel compelled to do something in Jophie's name you can make a small donation to the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association, or just be especially nice to your spouse or other special person in your life and tell her/him it's from Jophie.

 

I confess that I was always so proud to have her at my side over our many years together.  I told her daily that I married the most beautiful woman I ever met, and I meant it.  I actually proposed to her in the first 10 minutes after we met.  Of course, she thought I was insane and told me so in just those words!

 

For those of you who knew her, you realized that she was not only gorgeous on the outside, she was incredibly warm and beautiful on the inside as well.  Few who met us ever suspected that she was significantly older than I was, by 17 years!  I told her many times when she would occasionally feel insecure about the difference in our ages, that when people first met us as a couple, they invariably thought, "Isn't that disgusting, that old man with his young trophy wife!"

 

We have so many wonderful friends we've met through the train hobby, but I never had any illusions about the fact that people befriended me to get next to Jophie, she was just that charismatic a personality, a genuinely magnetic human being.  I never experienced a moment's jealousy over that.  I just felt so totally proud and lucky that she consented to spend the last 43 years of her life with me.  I'm honored to think that so many others shared my abiding love for this very uniquely special woman.

 

Again, thanks so very much for your overwhelming expressions of kindness towards me and our family.

 

StillInMourningBear

Bear:  So sorry to hear about your terrible loss  right as I was leaving for York.  Jophie was a great lady and Linda and I fondly remember your visit to our home.  And she was always such a joy to visit  with at York too.  A warm smile always awaited all of us when Jophie attended train shows with you.  You are a lucky man to have had her by your side for so long.   She will be missed.  Linda and I extend our deepest sympathy.  Phil 

Bear,

 

Oh I am so sorry to hear this. It has been apparent to anyone who read your posts over the years how much you and Jophie meant to each other. My deepest condolences to you and your family.

 

RM

I was able to locate a couple of pictures that I took of you and Jophie at the April 2013 Thursday at Friday's OGR dinner Bear.

 

I hope that these photos help you remember the good times that you and Jophie shared and enjoyed when you were with your many friends, in this case Jean and Pat Marinari.

 

Steve Tapper 

   Bear, 

 

I offer you my prays. 

Thanks so much, Steve, for posting those photos which bring back such pleasant memories.  That was Joe and Sharon, son and daughter with us on that wonderful trip to York.

 

Phil, I was deeply touched by your heartfelt words.  When we get more time on this end, I would like to talk more with you.

 

DeeplyGratifiedBear

 

 

Bear, I am so sorry to read about your lost of Jophie. All my love and prayers buddy.

 

Your old toy train friend,

Mario Evangelista

(gg1man).

And I was just thinking "Whatever happened to Bear?"....And then there's this.  Let her loose, Bear, loose to rejoice in being with The Lord.  Let her enjoy the joy and excitement of renewing old acquaintances with long lost loved ones and friends.  Don't tie her down with your tears and just let her joyously prepare a path and welcome for you someday. The happy memories and grateful friends.....and your love are the treasures she has stored up in heaven.......And aren't you glad she no longer has to battle the pain of pancreatic cancer?     Odd-d

Sympathies abounding, sir.   I don't know you, but I can feel at least a part of what you feel right now.  I'll leave you with this.... "For by Thee, I have run through a troop, and by my God, I have leapt over a wall"  Ps. 18:29.  Our Heavenly Father has Big Shoulders....with Him you will make it.  Search the Scriptures.... you will see your wife again !  

 

Marty and I extend our deepest sympathies, Bear. All who met her were aware of what a wonderful person she was and what a special relationship you two had. She will be missed, but we have great memories of her and her zest for life.

(I was tested at Dana Farber and discovered I carry the malignant gene for pancreatic cancer. I joined their study in hopes that eventually there will be more effective screenings, treatments, and hopefully, a cure. My mother and aunt both died of this terrible disease.  On September 28, 2014, a press release from Dana Farber stated that they found an increase in certain amino acids that occur before symptoms occur. This is the first step in creating new tests that will detect pancreatic cancer in it's early, more treatable stages. I was one of the 1,500 people in that study. We continue to pray and hope for a cure.)

Dotty,

Thanks for your kind thoughts and for the good news about the development of early detection tools for pancreatic cancer.  Good luck with that.  I don't want to see you go through what Jophie did, so stay on top of that one and keep us all posted.  Many others on the Forum may be able to benefit from such information.

About Jophie, you hit the nail right on the head!  She indeed had an incredible zest for life.  I think that's one of the reasons so many people were drawn to her.  It was the center of her personal magnetism.  I just thank God that I was lucky enough to have her next to me for 43 years!

HangingInThereBear

Bear

  I wish there were words that could take away the hurt.  I am so sorry to hear of your loss.  Cancer is horrible. 

I watched my daughter (now 35 years old and has given us twin girls) when she was a toddler fighting cancer and chemo!  Now I watch my bride of 43 years fighting the horrible effects of MS.  Life can be both bad and good but it must go on.  It is our family and friends that get us thru both the good and bad. 

God bless you.

 

So sorry to hear of your wife's passing, Bear. I offer my and my family's sincerest condolences. We will keep you in our prayers.

 

Chris

Bear, I'm very sorry to hear of your wife's passing. My sincerest condolences to you and your famliy. I wish I could have met her.

 

Phil Gatto

Again, thanks to each and every one of you who posted your kind and supportive thoughts here and in the cards and flowers that poured in from many quarters, including from fellow train enthusiasts that we'd met on the Forum over the years.

 

A week ago Tuesday, we gave Jophie a wonderful sendoff.  The church was packed, a wonderful tribute to the charismatic and loving soul that Jophie was.  The reception was a celebration of friendship and loving feelings expressed to me and our family and from us to the many friends and family members who came to break bread with us.

 

It will take a long while for things around here to get back to "normal".  I know I will never really "get over it".  I miss her profoundly, but I know that she would want me to get back to the living and loving of life.  I'm confident that she's waiting for me to be reunited with her.  

 

AppreciativeBear

Bear,

 

Cora and i were with Pat and Jean at York when we heard of Jophie's passing. I cannot imagine your grief at this time.

 

I trust that you will hold on to all of the wonderful memories that the two of you made together and that you will keep her always in your heart.

 

Our prayers are with you and your family.

Thanks so much, Barry.  I really appreciate it.

 

See you at April York if not sooner.

 

Bear