From Rick Davis:
Christine:
Christine:
Do
as you wish. I am proud to have been Lou’s friend. I imagine many
people will feel the same as I expressed. I wish you could show it to
Lou he would punch me on the shoulder and call me a sentimental asshole.
But he would be smiling.
Rick Davis
From: Christine Faught
Sent: Friday, April 26, 2013 11:46 AM
To: Rick Davis
Subject: Re: our loss
Sent: Friday, April 26, 2013 11:46 AM
To: Rick Davis
Subject: Re: our loss
Do
you mind if I share this letter with other people who cared about Lou?
Or would it be better to keep it private? I sure do appreciate you.
On 4/25/2013 8:15 PM, Rick Davis wrote:
Christine:
I
have tried to write this email so many times in the last 24 hours. I
have nothing to say to you that can assuage the pain you feel for
yourself and for your children. How can I presume to offer comfort when I
sit here in my life and simply have to mourn a man I loved and admired
for almost 20 years. That is trivial to what you are dealing with so I
will not presume to speak to your suffering and that which is worse: the
present and future suffering of your children.
Tell your children these things:
Their
father was admired, respected and sometimes envied by the people with
whom he worked. Universally Lou was considered the best of the best. In a
world where we fire people on the first mistake he never came close; he
set the standard for operations engineering. That is a field that is
little known and understood. Lou was the best when I hired him at 24 and
he just got better. He was honorable, generous and a truly wonderful
co-worker. I never heard a single complaint about Lou at work in 18+
years. That is remarkable. When something simply had to work Lou was who
we called. I know, we worked together at five firms. I did not bring
him along everywhere out of generosity or charity (he would have hated
that) I brought him because he was better than me; not many are; I knew
it; I was happy about it and I respected him for it. He liked that I
think.
Lou
would give you anything you needed. Tell his children their father was
so generous to his friends he would leave himself destitute if a friend
was in trouble. He did not wait to be asked. Ring ring there is Lou.
Things going OK? I have been thinking about that active directory issue
you have and I have a workaround. Hey you need a grand? I can send you
money if you need it.
Your
children’s father was a wonderful friend. He was supportive and honest
and derisive and many other things. He was in all respects a true
friend. In the last day I have been reminded, as I made dozens of calls
and told people of our mutual loss, how deeply Lou was loved. Tell them!
He was loved for who he was. He was loved because he had a good and
generous heart. I am not stupid I probably know Lou’s faults as well as
anyone but in the balance of good and bad Lou came out on the upside.
Big time.
Luis
Velez is one of the very few people I have ever called friend. Tell
your children that ‘uncle Rick’ (as you called me in Puerto Rico) loved
their father as a brother. Uncle Rick knows that somewhere in the last
year he failed their Dad and Uncle Rick is sorry about that. You tell
your children if they ever need anything my number is below. If you need
anything call. I would love to help lay my friend to rest so let me
know if I may be of assistance.
Please Christine call me if you need me.
My world is significantly reduced.
Oh my Cousin Lou, where do I even begin! Out of all my cousins Lou and I were the tightest, when Lou wanted some Rest and Relaxation from the Big Apple he would always head north to Western Massachusetts. Oh the Bon fires and cold Sam Adams, we had many of them. And with all this came endless rib breaking laughs! When Lou would come over we had our rituals. Friday night was bon fire, Sam Adams and catch up on current events, oh and lots of laughs! Saturday morning was New England style breakfast made by cousin "Eric"(that's me, Eddie, a name our uncle Tal gave me, so Lou and the other cousins would call me that too) then a power nap. After a power nap a run to the Package store to stock up Sam Adams for the evening, come back and watch some comedy, some of our favorites included Chris Rock, Andrew Dice Clay, George Carlin etc.. As when the sun would begin to go down we would start gathering wood for the nights bon-fire and more Sam Adams and more rib breaking laughs. Some of our favorites lines and songs around the bon fire would be "Cheers Big Ears”, and after several beers we would sing, " There's a tear in my Beer and I'm crying over you dear, cause I love you" and "All my ex's live in Texas that's why I hang my hat in Tennessee"!! On Sunday, a run to nearby Southwick, MA to pick up Mrs. Murphy's donuts. The rest of Sunday afternoon and into the evening was always reserved for spaghetti westerns, our favorites were the Clint Eastwood ones "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly", "Hang em High" and "A fist full of Dollars". I am going to miss my dear cousin Lou, but we will meet again! And always remember when you have a beverage raise up that bottle or glass a yell "Hey Lou, CHEERS BIG EARS"!!!!! PEACE, LOVE AND HAPPINESS FROM COUSIN Ed in Massachusetts.
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