Author Topic: Thank you for this site and the people here. (Read 15780 times)

JeffK · « **on:** June 19, 2007, 07:16 AM »

I am here today asking for your understanding that someone might want to bring up a serious personal issue on a forum which is primarily about software.

I do this because this is my third most frequently visited internet place behind my email and emaildiscussions.com where I help moderate.

I do this because I have received a great deal of pleasure from this site.

I do this because contributing and receiving from this site has been a good part of my life.

I do this because this site and the people here have helped me through the last six, very difficult months for me, even though you did not know it.

I do this because even though this is just an internet site and I have received wonderful support from my "real" life friends, I none the less regard many of you I have contact with on this site as my good friends also.

So I just let you know that my dear wife of 30+ years, Dawn, passed away yesterday after a six month battle with cancer.

In between caring for her, my visits to the DonationCoder site have been welcome therapy and respite for me.

I know that the experience of this site and the wonderful people here will be part of my future, to which I look forward with some joy.

Regards and best wishes to each of you,

Vaya con Dios,

Jeff

pro3carp3 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 19, 2007, 07:28 AM »

Jeff,

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. Thank you for sharing. I pray that you will find comfort in God and that He will bless and strengthen you during your time of grief.

tinjaw · « **Reply #2 on:** June 19, 2007, 07:35 AM »

Please accept my sincere sympathy on the death of your wife. I am very sorry that she is no longer with you.

thomthowolf · « **Reply #3 on:** June 19, 2007, 08:01 AM »

IMHO reaching out to others is ALWAYS appropriate. Spider Robinson says that shared pain diminishes and shared joy increases. I sincerely hope that we as a community can help diminish your grief at this time, and that we will again be able to share your joys in the future. Share as little or as much as seems appropriate to you, and know that members of this community are holding you in our thoughts.

f0dder · « **Reply #4 on:** June 19, 2007, 09:33 AM »

I'm sorry to hear that - hope you're relatively okay.

DonationCoder is a pretty great community with some pretty great members, it's not just about software imho.

AbteriX · « **Reply #5 on:** June 19, 2007, 09:53 AM »

Veign · « **Reply #6 on:** June 19, 2007, 10:17 AM »

Sorry for your loss. Reaching out to others is a great way to deal with what you are going through.

kyrathaba · « **Reply #7 on:** June 19, 2007, 10:27 AM »

My sincere condolences, Jeff.

mouser · « **Reply #8 on:** June 19, 2007, 10:57 AM »

Jeff,

Thank you for that post. It means a lot to me. You will always have a place here.

-Jesse (mouser)

Deozaan · « **Reply #9 on:** June 19, 2007, 11:24 AM »

Jeff,

There really aren't any words adequate for a situation like this. But perhaps a few inadequate words of sympathy will be of infinite more worth than the seemingly apathetic absence of any words at all.

I'm sorry.

- Deozaan

urlwolf · « **Reply #10 on:** June 19, 2007, 11:47 AM »

My sincere condolences.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #11 on:** June 19, 2007, 11:57 AM »

Jeff,

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. No one can say anything to make you feel better at such a time, but just remember there are people here you can talk to if you need an ear (or eye I suppose).

Feel free to PM me if I can help in any way.

jgpaiva · « **Reply #12 on:** June 19, 2007, 12:02 PM »

I lack the verbality to express my feelings, but i wanted to give you my condolences, and a big thank you for your post.

João

Darwin · « **Reply #13 on:** June 19, 2007, 12:29 PM »

Ah, Jeff, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Thank you for sharing this with us and I hope that you are able to derive some comfort by continuing to this forum.

If there is anything that I can do, please do let me know via PM.

KenR · « **Reply #14 on:** June 19, 2007, 02:30 PM »

Hey Jeff,

My thoughts and prayers are with you. Please let me know if there is anything I can do. Like you, I too have found the site to be helpful at particularly difficult times. I hope it continues to be a source of friendship and support for you.

Sincerely,
Ken

Grorgy · « **Reply #15 on:** June 19, 2007, 02:48 PM »

Sorry to hear that news Jeff, take it easy, look after yourself

allen · « **Reply #16 on:** June 19, 2007, 07:44 PM »

Lest I fall into the aforementioned seeming apathy of absence, I should say: Your presence exudes life, even in such a difficult time. Surely this was to her, before and during the worst of it, a great source of light. It's a shame you had to lose her sooner than you'd have liked, but it would be a shame for her to be lost by anyone who would not have loved her so much.

Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives. ~Lucan

JeffK · « **Reply #17 on:** June 20, 2007, 05:44 PM »

Thank you all for your wonderful expressions of support. I deeply appreciate each one and also the PM messages that some have sent.

I was writing Dawn's eulogy yesterday (the funeral is 2pm today Thursday AEST) and was feeling quite calm about the whole thing. Then I read your wonderful post, allen. Took me about an hour to recover my composure. Thank you allen, and everyone for your very kind words.

Tomorrow I'm going to Brisbane for a few days to be with family and then I will return hopefully to some kind of normality. I shall continue to read the forum and am enjoyng it, eg the posts about Windows Start Menu.

Best wishes,

Jeff

Edvard · « **Reply #18 on:** June 21, 2007, 03:38 PM »

Sorry to hear, Jeff.

Please forgive me for not having more to say...
I'm sure your name will be in the prayers of those of us who offer them.

Condolences,
-Edvard

tomos · « **Reply #19 on:** June 22, 2007, 03:08 AM »

Jeff,

I'm really really sorry to hear about your wife
- I've shed a tear reading your post & others here too.
Don't know what else to say - thanks for being there & if we can help ...

Tom

JoTo · « **Reply #20 on:** June 22, 2007, 03:46 AM »

Dear Jeff,

First take my excuse that i answer so late. Got notice of your post only now.

I agree with you that DC, with all his great members, can be (and for me, like you, IS) a vital part of life.

This results in, that i feel very deep with the success, failure, happiness and, as in your case, the condolement of regular and well known members, like you.

I'm not very good in saying such things. So i can only say that i'm really sorry to hear from your situation and i feel sorry myself too for what happened to you.

And it's getting worse when i have a look at the age of your loved one. It's so unfair when someone have to leave so young.

But, as you got now finally through all the cruel administrative things that must be done, until furneral is over, you now can and should look forward into your future life. Even if you don't can and shouldn't forget your life with Dawn of course, and you never can't get her out of your mind and heart. But please always remember the happy days spent together with her and not the last six months.

So i wish you, that your family and we here on DC can give you all the neccessary strength to get you back to normal life and help you over the upcoming hard times you still will have until your "wounds healed" and it won't hurt anymore as much as it do now.

With very sad greetings
JoTo

mouser · « **Reply #21 on:** June 22, 2007, 07:13 AM »

Joto's post reminded me of something -- a lot of us hang out in the irc channel and chat (via text not voice!) during the day as we work. Anyone is welcome to join if you need some company.

You can join the discussion via the web by clicking the "chat" button at the top of the forum, or better yet install a proper irc program (mirc, xchat, etc) and join the #donationcoder channel on efnet.

zridling · « **Reply #22 on:** June 25, 2007, 08:02 AM »

Jeff, my wife has been going through a series of surgeries this past year (4 and counting) and I understand how medical priorities and life gets in the way of tuning into the net. I appreciate your broad contributions to this site and to its personality. As others have said in various ways, we're grateful to know you and cherish your friendship here.

JeffK · « **Reply #23 on:** July 13, 2007, 05:10 PM »

I just revisited this thread and thank you all for your good wishes. Brought tears to my eyes once again.

Life has been hectic, reorienting myself, but I have still been keeping an eye on the forum.

I must have missed your last post, Zaine. I pray things are getting better for your wife and you.

Thanks everyone once again. If my dream comes true I will be able to visit the US sometime and meet some of you at a DC get together.

Yours,

Jeff