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PatrickSnow

Page history last edited by PBworks 16 years, 3 months ago
PatrickSnow

 


 

PatrickSnow Memorial

 

PatrickSnow was a friend of mine that I brought into OOOFC

from a support group.  He had been involved in the development

of a CIL (Center for Independent Living) in Winchester, VA and was

quick to show interest in something like a drop in center in this

area. I probably complained about the difficulties in dealing

with the project and some people, so I can't say he wasn't

aware of most of the issues involved and the risks before

even meeting the group...

 

As an elderly retired millitary gentleman, he was soft spoken

and had the patience of a saint in dealing with the politics

and personalities involved.  Over time and several trips to

various places with another buddy, we went to places and

he even crawled into the back of a van one time for a short

ride home with extremely limited space.  As usual, he was

good natured about it, and we all laughed at that, though

thinking on it now, remembering he was around 70 years

old, I would hope to be limber enough to accomplish

the gymnastics involved in that little trip.

 

He was fairly quickly accepted into a rather exclusive club

of the OOOFC organizing committee, in a way that

actually made me feel betrayed.  But that was his personality,

somehow liked by just about everyone.

 

So we had disagreements, and I had wandered to

another project OPFC and later CWC to avoid some

interpersonal conflicts that had gotten to unacceptable levels

with OOOFC.

 

We would occasionally talk on the phone to catch up and

even set up a few times to see one of my favorite

tv shows which aired on Friday nights, Joan of Arcadia.

as the broadcast time conflicted with Agape Reservoir,

the mental health ministry that met after Friday afternoon

OOOFC (dis)organizing committee and subcommittee meetings.

 

He had rented from Netflix several Joan of Arcadia DVDS and we sat

in his new place in River Towers with the dog and

ate a little and watched as much tv as one visit would comfortably

allow.  (The dog didn't eat much, but I think we did share what he

was allowed to eat...)

 

Later,  I took him to eat for his birthday (St. Patricks' day)

at a little Indian restaurant where we ended up discussing my life,

and catching up some, as I hadn't had any skill in trying

to celebrate or create events for others.

 

He talked to the local homeless people outside the restaurant,

and it impressed me how he could get someone to say, that they

wanted to kill everyone, while I countered, that I hoped they

didn't mean Patrick too, as I kind of liked Patrick, and he

had done nothing to anyone that I could think of...

 

Another visit, he showed his garden and we talked about

his walking early in the morning around the neighborhood.

His grandchildren were a favorite topic, and I had hoped to

someday have a cross family friendly competition...

 

He had gotten a new car during one of the spans of time

we didn't talk much, which caused some concern,

as in the support group, he had described an accident

which might have been a suicide attempt.  We talked

about his doctor clearing him to drive, and what limits

he had on himself about using the car.  He was proud

of the car, had 'saved his pennies' and accomplished

getting back to driving even at a later stage of life

when most would have had others drive for him.

 

Even more time went by, as I was  commuting to mid county

by public transportation, about 2 hours each way, so

we lost some contact with the schedules...

 

We talked about his driving, and while unsure of himself,

he would not venture out very far or in certain conditions,

even to get to a start pickup for the CWC trip to

On Our Own of Maryland conference in Cumberland, MD. 

While biking there, I called on a cell phone in some of the

most remote areas (really needed a satellite phone,

it was so rustic) trying to arrange a pickup for him to

attend his second OOOMD annual conference event,

having gone to the Ocean City beach with OOOFC while I went to

CSPNJ.

 

Another time, he met my father (who had a lot in common)

in the area and we had seen his car and dog in the back

on the way out.  The dog had been shaved for the summer

heat, but the tinted windows provided some protection

to allow the dog to stay in the car while eating on Beacon Hill.

 

Thinking back on who to call about a last minute

scholarship recommendation to AlternativesConference2007,

I called Patrick.  He was rushed and stressed with a car accident

he had had, and a rental car bill coming due.  Still we caught

up a little and I even asked if he wanted me to write

a recommendation for him to also apply for the conference

in St. Louis.  St. Louis didn't interest him much, so write it

yourself and send me a copy, he said and off

we went back to our lives.

 

A few days later at the Bridge event, I heard that Patrick

had died of a stroke on Memorial Day 2007.

 

He will be missed by everyone who knew him.

 

 

Links

external links only to memorabilia about PatrickSnow

(because we don't have file space on this pbwiki.)

 

 

Page History

20071206 Jerry

  • Jerry created this page after months of avoidance to remember a fallen friend, in the war that should not be fought...

 

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