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Christopher Haines Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for Christopher Haines
Larry Mosley
November 19, 2024
As we come into another year of Thanksgiving, we find ourselves in the corner of our home where we keep a memorial of our dearly beloved friends and family. Chis's pictures and correspondences of his memory still remain and he is still remembered each year. A true brother and friend who left a mark of love and fond memories. He was always here when we needed a helping hand. When we have to strike up the generator, we're always reminded of the work he did for the transfer case and the power line to our shed. We will always appreciate his good heart and care he had for family and friends. God bless you brother as you rest. ~Larry & Betsy Mosley
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
January 9, 2012
MY PRECIOUS SON,
I MISSED YOU SO VERY MUCH TODAY, BUT THEN THAT'S NOT UNUSUAL AS I MISS YOU EVERY DAY.
YOUR SISTER CAME BY TODAY WITH RICK, BETHY AND BENJAMIN. THEY HAD DINNER WITH US AND YOU WERE MISSING!! NICHOLAS HAD SO MUCH HOMEWORK THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE. I MISSED HIM SO MUCH TOO! HE IS AN HONOR STUDENT AS YOU WERE AND HE IS NOW TAKING SOME COLLEGE CLASSES TO GET SOMEWHAT AHEAD BEFORE HE ACTUALLY STARTS COLLEGE. HE IS A WONDERFUL BASKETBALL PLAYER AND LOVES THE GAME. HE IS ALREADY SIX FEET TALL AND TALLER THAN RICK. YOU WOULD LOVE HIM, NOT TO MENTION BETH AND BEN. THEY SPEAK OF YOU OFTEN AND I AM SO GLAD THAT THEY HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN YOU. I SO WISH YOU WERE HERE TO BE A REAL UNCLE TO THEM. HOW THEY WOULD HAVE LOVED YOU.
YOU KNOW, IT IS SO HARD TO BELIEVE IN ANYTHING ANYMORE AND YET I KNOW THAT OUR GOD IS THE SAME EVERYDAY NO MATTER WHAT. I KNOW THAT THE GOD OF MY HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IS THE SAME GOD IN ALL MY VALLEYS, BUT IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE I HAVE BEEN ON TOP OF THAT MOUNTAIN THAT I WONDER IF GOD HAS FORGOTTEN HOW FAR DOWN IN THE VALLEY I ACTUALLY AM. I KNOW "HE" WALKS WITH ME, I JUST WISH I COULD FEEL "HIM" HOLDING MY HAND. MY LIFE HAS BEEN SO MEANINGLESS SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN GONE AND I DO WONDER WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT. I CAN'T FOR THE LIFE OF ME UNDERSTAND AND I KNOW I AM NOT SUPPOSE TO QUESTION THE WISDOM OF OUR GOD, BUT I CAN'T HELP BUT ASK AND QUESTION "WHY"!
YOU WERE MY BOY, MY SON, MY FIRSTBORN AND SO VERY MUCH LOVED. SO WHY WOULD HE TAKE YOU. I JUST DON'T KNOW. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND AND YES, I WANT ANSWERS. I KNOW IN TIME, I WILL KNOW THE ANSWERS WHEN OUR GOD DECIDES TO REVEAL THE TRUTH TO US, BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, I JUST WANT TO TALK TO YOU AND HAVE YOU TELL ME WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. WHY, WHY, WHY??? WHY CAN'T I LET THIS GO AND WHY CAN'T I GET PASSED ALL OF THIS, BUT I'M NOT DOING SO GOOD AND I DO HOPE THE LORD WILL LIFT THIS BURDEN FROM ME BECAUSE I CAN'T SEEM TO HELP MYSELF. PITIFUL, HUH??
OH WELL MY DARLING, I KNOW YOU HAVE BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS TO DO BESIDES LISTENING TO YOUR POOR, PATHETIC MOTHER, BUT NONETHELESS, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU!!
I THINK OF YOU EVERYDAY, ALL DAY AND YOU ARE ALWAYS AND FOREVER IN MY HEART.
LOVING YOU ETERNALLY,
MOM
Larry Mosley
January 4, 2012
Birth & Death
It's been forty six years today, Lord, since our brother was born
And still the pain I feel, my heart torn
As it was on the day when you called him home.
When, Oh Lord, will I cry no tears--
Not till I'm in Heaven for endless years?
I must stop and think of his happy state
And know that for me I just have to wait--
Until the day when all tears will cease
And you will have called me into your peace.
Oh, Lord, I miss him much more than words can say;
Give me strength to live each day
and face each tomorrow,
To know that ahead is joy unspeakable, with no more sorrow.
Help me to tell others the story
of Jesus and His great love
that caused Him to leave His home above
and come to this earth to teach us the way
that we should live to be with Him some day.
What did He give?
His own life for me,
He gave so free
All I can do is accept His grace
and live for Him until I see his face.
~Larry~
jacob haines
January 3, 2012
dad, today is your birthday and of all things im writing an essay about you and i couldnt stand but to try to speak to you, i know that your watching over me at all times and seeing what im doing and the essay is about who i would see if i could see and of the deceased.
i cant help but to choose you. i would ask you so many questions but to tell you the truth, if i saw you again i dont think i could come up with words to describe it. i would be speachless. just to hear your voice again is all i need.
but if you want to know the truth i think i would give yaya the choice to go and see you. she loves you a lot and cant bare to possibly get the thought in her head that your actually gone. i cant either. cant stand to think about what happened and how it seems like no one actually knows. yaya says that when she sees me and she hugs me its like hugging you and she can feel you inside me and that im you in another form.
your my role model my life. when i grow older i plan to fulfill and finish what you started and keep going till theres no end. happy birthday dad. i love you and always will. - jacob
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
January 3, 2012
JANUARY 3RD, 2012
MY PRECIOUS SON,
HERE IT IS YOUR BIRTHDAY, AND HERE I AM CELEBRATING YOUR BIRTH WITHOUT YOU. YOUR BIRTHDAY WAS ALWAYS SO SPECIAL AND I CAN STILL REMEMBER THE DRIVE TO THE HOSPITAL THE DAY I GAVE BIRTH TO YOU.
IT WAS A COLD DAY AND RATHER BREEZY. IT WAS A SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND YOU WEREN'T BORN FOR 18 HOURS LATER ON A MONDAY. NINE DOCTORS ASSISTED AT YOUR COMING INTO THIS WORLD AND YOU JUST DIDN'T WANT TO BUDGE!! YOU WERE IN THERE NICE AND WARM ALL SNUG AS A BUG IN A RUG AND YOU JUST WEREN'T DOING MUCH TO HELP!! COULDN'T BLAME YOU!! IT WAS COLD AND EVERY WEEKEND AFTER THAT, IT SNOWED OVER A FOOT OF SNOW ALL THROUGH THAT JANUARY OF '66!! IT WAS A JANUARY WE NEVER FORGOT!!
YOU TURNED OUT REAL HANDSOME, BUT LORD BOY, YOU WERE ONE UGLY BABY. EVEN BOOMPA SAID, "DO I REALLY HAVE TO SHOW THIS PICTURE TO PEOPLE I KNOW"?? WE ALL LAUGHED, BUT YOU SHOWED THEM. YOU TURNED OUT REAL GOOD WITH THOSE BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES AND CURLY BLOND HAIR!! NO ONE EVER KNEW YOU WERE MINE!! I HAD DARK EYES, BLACK HAIR AND VERY PETITE!! I KNEW THOUGH, I WAS THERE THROUGH EVERY MINUTE OF IT AND WATCHED YOU ENTER THIS WORLD! UNFORTUNATELY, I WATCHED YOU AND HELD YOU WHEN YOU LEFT THIS WORLD. I WAS SO BLESSED TO ALWAYS BE THERE. ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU, MY SWEET. ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU!!!
PLACED LAVENDER ROSES ON YOUR GRAVE TODAY AND THEY PALED IN COMPARISON TO ALL THE CHRISTMAS TREES THAT WERE DECORATED ALL OVER THE CEMETERY TODAY. IT WAS SO COLD AND VERY WINDY, BUT WE WENT QUITE EARLY SO AS NOT RUN INTO THE FUNERALS THAT DAD AND I KNEW WERE PLANNED FOR THE DAY, BUT WE STAYED FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND JUST WALKED AROUND AND TALKED TO YOU.
IF ONLY I COULD SEE YOU AGAIN; IF ONLY I COULD HOLD YOU AGAIN; IF ONLY I COULD WALK HAND IN HAND WITH YOU AGAIN; IF ONLY WE COULD SIT AND TALK AGAIN OVER A CUP OF HOT CHOCOLATE, IF ONLY!! TWO REALLY BIG WORDS!!! "IF ONLY"!!!
I SPOKE WITH OUR LITTLE JACOB LAST NIGHT, BUT MISSED SEEING HIM OVER THE HOLIDAYS. I DON'T WANT TO PUSH LYNN, BUT JUST SO LONG AS JACOB KNOWS HOW MUCH WE LOVE HIM AND MISS HIM, THEN THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS RIGHT NOW. HE IS SO DARLING AND I JUST WISH WE COULD SEE HIM MORE. MAYBE IN TIME, THINGS WILL CHANGE, BUT UNTIL THEN, TALKING WITH HIM WILL HAVE TO DO.
MY DARLING, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ONCE AGAIN FROM ME TO YOU. I LOVE YOU MORE THEN YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN WE WILL MEET AGAIN, IN A MORE PERFECT WORLD, WHERE TEARS AND SORROW ARE NO LONGER A PART OF LIFE AND WHERE I CAN ONCE AGAIN EMBRACE YOU FOREVER.
LOVING YOU FOREVER,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
January 2, 2012
JANUARY 1, 2012
MY SWEET BOY,
A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU IN THE ARMS OF THE LORD. THE DAY HAS BEEN LONG AND SAD WITHOUT YOU HERE WITH ME. ANOTHER NEW YEAR WITHOUT YOU AND ALMOST TIME FOR ANOTHER OF YOUR BIRTHDAYS. TODAY I WANTED TO GO TO THE GRAVE, BUT DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL THE 3RD TO VISIT YOU ON YOUR BIRTHDAY. I SHALL NEVER FORGET THE DAY YOU WERE BORN AND THE RIDE TO THE HOSPITAL. IT WAS COLD AND KIND OF DREARY AND YOUR BIRTH INTO THE WORLD TOOK FOREVER. NINE DOCTORS WERE IN ON YOUR DELIVERY AND 18 HOURS AFTER THE FACT, THEY BROUGHT YOU INTO THE WORLD. LITTLE DID I KNOW AT THE TIME, THE JOY YOU WOULD BRING INTO MY LIFE AND LITTLE DID I KNOW, THE GRIEF I WOULD FEEL WHEN YOU LEFT THIS LIFE.
YOU WERE MY TREASURE BEYOND COMPARE AND MY SORROW BEYOND MEANS. YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY KNOW THE ANGUISH THAT I FEEL. IT IS A HEARTWRENCHING PAIN WITHOUT END.
YOU WERE AND STILL ARE MY EVERYTHING.
I MISSED SEEING JACOB OVER CHRISTMAS AND MISSED HIM SO MUCH. I ONLY HOPE WE CAN SEE HIM SOON. WE NEVER SEEM TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME WITH HIM. MAYBE ONE DAY HE WILL BE ABLE TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH US, BUT I DON'T WANT TO INTRUDE ON LYNN'S AUTHORITY. I DON'T EVER WANT TO GIVE HER A REASON TO KEEP HIM FROM US. OUR DAY WILL COME WHEN HE IS OLDER. JUST SO LONG AS HE KNOWS HOW VERY MUCH WE ALL LOVE HIM IS ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME RIGHT NOW. I TELL HIM EVERY CHANCE I GET. HE IS A TREASURE. JUST AS YOU WERE, AND STILL ARE.
WELL MY DARLING, I LOVE YOU, MISS YOU AND WILL VISIT WITH YOU ON YOUR BIRTHDAY. SNOW, SLEET OR SUNSHINE, YOUR MOM WILL BE THERE.
LOVING YOU ETERNALLY,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
December 31, 2011
DECEMBER 31TH, 2011
MY PRECIOUS & BELOVED SON,
IT IS SUPPOSE TO BE THE NIGHT WE ALL SAY "HAPPY NEW YEAR" TO ONE ANOTHER, BUT I HAVE SUCH A DIFFICULT TIME THINKING ABOUT IT MUCH LESS SAYING IT. MY HEART IS NOT IN IT, AFTERALL, MY HEART IS WITH YOU. HOW CAN I GET THROUGH ANOTHER YEAR WITHOUT YOU. EACH AND EVERY PASSING DAY AND YEAR JUST SEEMS TO DRAG ON AND ON AND I FIND LITTLE HAPPINESS IN ANYTHING.
TONIGHT YOU WOULD HAVE CALLED ME AT MIDNIGHT AND WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TO WISH ME A HAPPY NEW YEAR EVEN IF IT MEANT WAKING ME UP. THEN YOU WOULD HAVE LAUGHED AT ME FOR SLEEPING AND TELLING ME HOW PATHETIC I WAS FOR NOT RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR AND WATCH THE BALL DROP FROM TIMES SQUARE. NOW, IT IS THE VERY LAST THING I FEEL LIKE DOING. I JUST WAIT FOR YOUR CALL NOW, BUT NOW, IT DOESN'T COME. OH MY, IF WE ONLY KNEW WHAT TOMORROW WOULD BRING. HOW COULD THE LORD TAKE YOU FROM ME. SOMEONE WHO DID SO MUCH GOOD FOR SO MANY PEOPLE. YOU GAVE PEOPLE SHELTER. YOU FED PEOPLE, CLOTHED THEIR CHILDREN, GAVE THEM YOUR GAS CARD FOR THEIR CARS, BOUGHT SHOES FOR THEIR CHILDREN, NOT TO MENTION THE CLOTHES YOU BOUGHT THEM AND I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER...DID THEY HAVE ANY IDEA HOW SPECIAL AND GENEROUS YOU WERE!! DO THEY HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT WAS TAKEN FROM ME?? OH MY ANGEL, YOU WERE ALWAYS TOO GOOD FOR THIS WORLD AND I KNEW IT, BUT I SO WANTED YOU TO STAY.
THE LORD KNEW HOW VERY GOOD YOU WERE. HE KNEW ALSO HOW VERY MUCH YOUR FAMILY LOVED YOU, BUT THE LORD LOVED YOU TOO, EVEN MORE PERFECTLY.
YOU WERE AND STILL ARE MY KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR AND YOU ALWAYS WILL BE. YOU ARE FOREVER IN MY HEART AND ALWAYS IN MY THOUGHTS. IF ONLY I COULD HOLD YOU. IF ONLY I COULD HOLD YOUR HAND. IF ONLY WE COULD TALK OVER A CUP OF HOT CHOCOLATE. IF ONLY I COULD SEE YOU ONCE AGAIN. IF ONLY!!! IF ONLY!!!
I MISS YOU MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY. I MISS YOU, MY HEART. I MISS YOU LIKE THE AIR I BREATHE. I MISS YOU WITH EVERY BEAT AND SKIPPED BEAT OF MY HEART. SOMEDAYS ARE JUST WORSE THAN OTHERS AND TODAY IS A PRETTY BAD ONE KNOWING YOU ARE NOT HERE WITH ME TO CELEBRATE ANOTHER NEW YEAR.
JUST ALWAYS KNOW HOW VERY MUCH I LOVE YOU AND ALWAYS KNOW THAT NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE THAT.
YOUR LOVING MOM FOREVER,
MOM
Larry Mosley
December 31, 2011
Brother, I went to your grave today
And as I was there, I tried to pray
But, though I know it is the thing to do to go now and then to visit you--
I also know that you are not there,
But abiding in Heaven so glorious and fair. The grief is still here and will be I fear Until the day the Lord calls me home His glories to share And reunites us over there.|
We miss you our brother. Each holiday passes with remembrance and grief. It is only by God's grace that we find strength knowing where you are and how we look forward to seeing you again in the wonderful place the Lord Jesus prepares for all of us who believe and find our hope. He is our comfort. And how comforting to still have the wonderful "good" memories of our times together. I hope everyone who knows you will remember those good times and all the good you did for so many. I am confident our Lord does.
~larry~
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
December 28, 2011
LATE ENTRY: DECEMBER 26, 2011
MY DARLING CHRISTOPHER, MY PRECIOUS SON,
HERE IT IS THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS, THE THIRD YEAR AND CHRISTMAS WITHOUT YOU. IT GETS HARDER EVERY YEAR, NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE SAY.
TODAY IS YOUR GRANNY'S 90TH BIRTHDAY AND NO MATTER WHAT WE DO OR TRY TO DO, SHE STILL MISSES THAT PHONE CALL FROM YOU, HER #1 AS SHE WOULD SAY!!
SHE HAS ALL HER FACULTIES AND CAN DO MORE THAN SHE THINKS SHE CAN AND MAY TELL YOU HOW SHE CAN'T SEE, BUT LET ME TELL YOU, SHE SEES DUST, DIRT AND BUGS CRAWLING ON A FLOOR!! UNBELIEVABLE!! SHE IS A HOOT!!
SHE IS DIFFICULT AT BEST, MOODY, AND CANTANKEROUS, BUT DELIGHTS IN SPEAKING OF YOU. SHE TEARS UP READILY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT YOU, BUT THEN, SO DO I. YOU HAVE LEFT SUCH A VOID IN ALL OUR HEARTS AND LIVES. IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO REMEMBER YOU WITHOUT OUR HEARTS BREAKING. IF ONLY YOU KNEW.
GRANNY SAYS IF YOU WERE HERE, SHE WOULD PROBABLY END UP WITH 90 BALLOONS ON HER FRONT DOORSTEP LIKE YOU HAD DONE FOR HER 80TH! SHE COULDN'T BELIEVE YOU HAD DONE THAT, BUT I COULD. THAT WAS SO "YOU"!! SUCH A NUT CASE WITH AN EVEN MORE ECCENTRIC SENSE OF HUMOR!! WE LAUGHED SO HARD!! IT WAS SO "YOU"!!
UNCLE JIMMIE, YOUR SISTER AND RICK CAME OVER WITH THE CHILDREN AND WE HAD A NICE DINNER FOR HER BIRTHDAY, BUT SHE DIDN'T SEEM TOO PLEASED, BUT LORD KNOWS I TRIED!! OF COURSE, I'M NOT HER FAVORITE PERSON, I GUESS BECAUSE SHE LIVES WITH ME, BUT WHO KNOWS!! I TRY, I REALLY DO, BUT IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT ANGEL, I'M TIRED!! IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS AND I SURE THOUGHT YOU'D BE HERE TO HELP. YOU COULD ALWAYS GET HER TO DO THINGS, BUT NEITHER SHE NOR BOOMPA WILL DO ANYTHING FOR ME. LIFE IS ROUGH AND I AM SURE THEY WILL OUTLIVE ME, BUT THEN, THAT'S OKAY WITH ME, THEN I CAN SEE YOU SOONER AND THAT WOULD SUIT ME FINE AS I MISS YOU SO VERY MUCH.
WISH I COULD SEE YOU OR HEAR YOUR VOICE. WISH I COULD HOLD YOU IN MY ARMS AGAIN. WISH I COULD SEE YOU SMILE. I WISH, I WISH, I WISH!!
MY LIFE IS SO LONELY WITHOUT YOU, MY HEART IS SO BROKEN. I FEEL AS THOUGH I CAN'T BEAR TO GO ON. I JUST NEED YOU BACK WITH ME.
LOVING YOU WITH EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART AND EVERY BREATH THAT I TAKE,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
December 28, 2011
DECEMBER 25, 2011 LATE ENTRY
MY SWEET & PRECIOUS ANGEL,
MERRY CHRISTMAS, DARLING. CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE GONE FROM ME STILL.
I HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR DAYS TO GET YOUR LEGACY BOOK BACK UP ON-LINE, BUT HAVE HAD THE WORST TIME ENGAGING MY COMPUTER. YOU KNOW HOW COMPUTER ILLITERATE I AM, BUT FOR SOME REASON, IT IS NOT PULLING UP ON-LINE LIKE IT USE TO.
ANYWAY, ANOTHER CHRISTMAS HAS COME AND GONE WITHOUT YOU AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO GET ANY BETTER. THE HOLIDAYS ARE JUST NOT THE HOLIDAYS WITHOUT YOU. ALL DAY CHRISTMAS, I FELT SO BLUE JUST WAITING FOR YOU TO COME THROUGH THAT FRONT DOOR ALL DRESSED IN YOUR SUIT AND TIE AND THAT BIG SMILE OF YOURS, JUST WAITING FOR ONE OF THOSE HUGS. IT IS SO SAD WITHOUT YOU AND LIFE JUST ISN'T GETTING ANY BETTER.
YOU WERE ALWAYS SUCH A PART OF CHRISTMAS AND I NEVER HAD TO CELEBRATE ONE WITHOUT YOU. IT WAS ALWAYS SO SPECIAL TO ME, TO HAVE A SON THAT ALWAYS WANTED TO SPEND THE HOLIDAYS WITH HIS FAMILY. YOU SURE MADE ME FEEL LOVED, RESPECTED AND SO CLOSE TO YOU. IT WAS SO NICE TO KNOW HOW SPECIAL HOME WAS TO YOU.
I LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH AND MISS YOU EVEN MORE IF THAT IS POSSIBLE. I HATE THAT THINGS HAD TO CHANGE THE WAY THEY DID. IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN. YOU ARE MY EVERYTHING AND THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE.
I SO WISH YOU WERE HERE. I SO WISH YOU COULD SEE THE TREE. YOU WOULD BE TELLING ME WHAT I PUT IN THE WRONG PLACE THIS YEAR AND WE WOULD BE HAVING SUCH A LAUGH OVER IT. WE BOTH ALWAYS KNEW THOSE ORNAMENTS WENT IN THE SAME PLACE ON THE SAME LIMB EVERY YEAR!! HOW CRAZY WERE WE?? BUT WE KNEW WHERE THEY LOOKED BEST AND MOST SYMMETRICAL!! HOW SILLY, BUT FUN!
EVERY YEAR SINCE YOU WERE BORN, I BOUGHT A NEW ORNAMENT OR TWO FOR THE TREE. NOW, I BUY A NEW ORNAMENT IN YOUR HONOR. A REMEMBRANCE ORNAMENT. I WOULD NEVER HAVE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD BE DOING, BUT I AM!! HOW SAD IS THAT?? I NEVER FORGET. HOW COULD I FORGET YOU?? IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. YOU ARE MY HEART AND ALWAYS WILL BE. YOU ARE THE PART OF MY HEART, YOU TOOK WITH YOU. NO WONDER IT'S SO HARD TO BREATHE. A PART OF ME IS MISSING AND THAT PART OF ME IS YOU.
LOVING YOU ALWAYS & FOREVER,
MOM
jacob haines
December 14, 2011
dad,
i keep this link up all the time just to see and read about all the people that love you, another holiday season is here and yet your not here and the rest of the family.
i talked with grand pa jim yesterday and he always talks about you, wishes he could have done something different here or there. i feel the same way.
the other day i was talking to mema and she talked about how she had a voice mail of her father when he died that she was able to listen to for a year until it was deleted by her provider and i sat there thinking and wondering how amazing it would be to see you or to hear your voice at least. i wish i had something to remember you by with other than pictures, people say a picture is worth a thousand words, it wouldnt compare to 5 from you. just hearing you say "lucky duck" or "you rotten egg" or any of those things at all would just put me into the best mood to remember you, to think of you.
I sit here in my classes every day wondering and zoning out because of how much i miss you. im here and i can really tell that yaya loves you, and she loves me to come over not only because its me, but because theres a piece of you in me. my favorite class right now is economics mostly because whenever i look at the numbers of stocks or of the financials i know what they all mean while everyone else sees a writen code. it reminds me of you and makes me feel like your there by my side telling me what to look for and why.
as im sitting here looking and thinking about an end to this i notice that this will only be up until the 18 of january. thats only about 35 or so days away. i hope that i can find a way to keep this up for you and keep writing as if were talking to you. doing this makes me feel soothed like smoking a cigar. i just wish that you could have done something that i could have done something, that anyone could have done something to stop this from happening.
the holiday season is supposed to be happy everyone says, its supposed to be spent with family. i tell them i wish i could... walk off and just think about you.
theres a girl at school that has been complaining to me about how her father made her fat and how shes anarexic to me and i cant help to think what it would be like, to at least have you here. she may think that hes horrible but she doesnt know how much he actually does for her. thats how i feel for all the people my age. telling me how much they hate there parents, cant wait to get away from them etc... then theres the few people like me. who just wants you back. i want you back, the girl up the streets mother did the same thing as you about a month after you. i know her pain were the few people who actually understand the meaning of life. know what decisions do to others and were one of a kind. i dont talk to her much but i think i should. i hope that you have meet her wherever you are, and are looking down on both of us. i love you dad.
SHIRLEY PITCHER
November 27, 2011
MY BELOVED SON,
ANOTHER THANKSGIVING HAS COME AND GONE AND I MISSED YOU SO MUCH HELPING ME IN THE KITCHEN STUFFING THE TURKEY, MAKING PIES, MAKING A MESS, AS ONLY YOU COULD DO, BUT I MISSED IT ALL SO VERY MUCH.
IT WAS RICK'S FIRST THANKSGIVING HOME IN THREE YEARS SO WE FELT VERY BLESSED TO HAVE HIM. WE ARE ALL SO GRATEFUL HE CAME HOME FROM AFGHANISTAN UNSCATHED. WE ALL KNOW YOU WERE WATCHING OVER HIM. WE ARE SO HAPPY HE IS HERE WITH US.
ANOTHER VERY SPECIAL BLESSING WAS HAVING MY DEAR JACOB WITH US. YOUR SON IS SO GROWN-UP WITH MANY OF YOUR MANNERISMS AND HUGS HIS YIAYIA THE WAY YOU HUGGED YOUR MOTHER. IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES AS I FELT I WAS HOLDING YOU ONCE AGAIN. I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU THE AGONY I FEEL.
ONCE AGAIN WINTER WILL BE UPON US WITH THE SHORT DAYS AND LONG NIGHTS. THE FIRST SNOWFALL WHICH I ALWAYS LOVED TO SEE, BUT NOT ANYMORE AS I KNOW YOU ARE THERE WITH THE WINTER SNOW UPON YOU. OH MY BELOVED, MY PRECIOUS ANGEL, I HOPE THE LORD HAD A GOOD REASON FOR TAKING YOU FROM ME BECAUSE YOU WERE MY EVERYTHING.
LOVING YOU ETERNALLY,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
November 22, 2011
NOVEMBER 21, 2011
MY PRECIOUS SON,
IT IS THREE YEARS TODAY SINCE YOU WENT AWAY AND STILL FOR ME IT FEELS LIKE YESTERDAY.
MY HEART IS SO BROKEN I DOUBT IT WILL EVER HEAL. YOU WERE MY EVERYTHING AND I EXPECTED YOU WOULD BE HERE TO TAKE CARE OF ME.
LIFE HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT SINCE YOU LEFT. GRANNY AND BOOMPA ARE LIVING WITH US AND THEY ARE NOT HAPPY CAMPERS. BOOMPA JUST GOT OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AGAIN WITH PNEUMONIA AND NOW HAS OXYGEN AT HOME WITH HIM. GRANNY HAVING LOTS OF ACHES AND PAINS, BUT WOULDN'T THINK OF SEEING A DOCTOR. SAME OLE GRANNY. TYPICAL NEW ENGLANDER,
DAD NOT SO GOOD EITHER. HIS ALZHEIMER'S IS BEGINNING TO SHOW AND HE IS MISERABLE AND DIFFICULT MOST OF THE TIME.
WE ALL MISS YOU SO MUCH, ESPECIALLY ME. YOUR SISTER IS LOST WITHOUT YOU. AFTERALL, YOU WERE THE BOY SHE WANTED TO MARRY. SHE MISSES YOUR PHONE CALLS AND TEARS UP AT THE MENTION OF YOUR NAME. SHE LOVES YOU SO MUCH AND ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE THERE FOR HER. I CAN'T BEGIN TO IMAGINE WHY YOU HAD TO GO. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND AND I CAN'T HELP BUT ASK "WHY"!!
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH THAT MY HEART ACHES AND SKIPS A BEAT EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU.
WENT TO YOUR GRAVE TODAY AND PUT TWO DOZEN ROSES THERE. I STOOD THERE IN THE RAIN CRYING MY HEART OUT. I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING FOR ONE OF YOUR HUGS. I MISS THEM TOO. AFTERALL, YOU ARE MY KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR AND NOTHING CAN CHANGE THAT.
YOUR SON IS COMING HERE FOR THANKSGIVING AND I AM SO HAPPY ABOUT THAT. HE CALLED AND ASKED IF HE COULD COME HERE. I WAS SO SURPRISED AND SO DELIGHTED. I AM SURE THAT WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY TOO. HE IS JUST PRECIOUS AND LOST SO MUCH WHEN YOU DIED.
OH MY DARLING, I WISH YOU WERE BACK. I JUST WANT YOU BACK WHERE YOU BELONG WITH YOUR FAMILY WHO LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO MUCH. LIFE IS NOT THE SAME FOR ANYONE SINCE YOU LEFT.
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. MY LOVE FOR YOU IS FOREVER AND I MISS YOU SO MUCH. YOU MISSED MY BIRTHDAY ON THE 6TH!! I EXPECTED A PHONE CALL AT LEAST!! YOU NEED TO GET SOME VERIZON WIRELESS UP THERE SO YOU CAN CALL HOME.
LOVING YOU ALWAYS,
MOM
jacob haines
November 21, 2011
dad, todays the anniversary of your death. me and mom are sick and im remising in your absence... yaya went to your grave today and put on some amazing flowers. im sure you would have loved her for that. i want to go to your grave soon, hope too as soon as possible. im going to yayas for thanksgiving. i remember always going over there and eating some great food with you. we would all play in the back yard at the old house and play pool till it was time to go. one of my friends grandfathers recently passed away... i couldnt help but to feel like you will welcome him at the gates of heaven. i hope youll come and watch over us for thanksgiving and have half as good of a turkey as what yaya makes. love you. your one and only son. jacob.
jacob haines
October 6, 2011
dad i love you more than anything. foe the last 3 years i couldnt manage to possibly want to make a full blown memory of you, i want to see you now i do i want to remember every part of you, i can i can see your face, remember all the great times we had. just throwing the football i remember. i remember wanting and begging to go with you to your jobs. to want to do anything with you for the last months of your life. i still do, even more than ever. id do anything to have you back. just to see your face.just to possibly know your around me, a blow of wind, a leaf tumbling across the ground, me catching a football, just makes me feel like your here watching me. i love you dad and i want you here - jacob haines your son.
Anthony Lawrence
January 18, 2011
Dear Chris,
It's been over two years since your death, and yet for so many you are still a living presence. Just two days ago, in a conversation about asthma of all things, I was recalling your struggle with the disease and how as a child I looked up to you and found comfort in the way you bravely handled things. For all the times my asthma flared up, I would think of your rich laughter and seemingly boundless energy and knew that it would be okay.
Now that I have a child, I find myself in the role of comforter. Part of our responsibility as parents, and as families, is to impart all that we have learned to make it easier on those just beginning. In that regard, I wish that you could have met my son. If the greatest comfort is that your spirit is very much alive, then the hardest part is that you are not physically with us. And yet some memories, despite the years that have passed, are as a vivid as the present: climbing the great bones of that tree in the backyard of Granny and Boompa's house on Berkley Street; waiting for you to arrive for Granny's birthday and the other celebrations held in the basement of the house on Livingston Road; traveling with you to Uncle Tony's funeral and wondering, in a way that only adults can wonder, why it took a death in the family for everyone to get together.
Although we are all as imperfect as you left us, you continue to be an example of a good and decent way forward. Your life here was too brief, but burned so bright as to leave a beacon for those who still grieve. In our grief there is also happiness in the memory of our time together and comfort in the fact that those memories will live on.
May God continue to keep you and be a source of strength to those you left behind.
Tony
James Lawrence
January 17, 2011
To the family of Shirley & George Pitcher,
It has been over 2 years since our dear Chris' death. We lost so much. His memory remains deep within the hearts and minds of those that knew him best. His young life was taken too soon. His leaving has left deep feelings of sadness, regret, and loneliness. Many have moved on but there a few who think of him daily and ask themselves, will not the wound ever heal? Days are empty and nights are long. The holidays have lost its excitement. We look for the young to replace that which is lost but it is so different in so many ways. We still look for Chris to come walking through the door, especially on Thanksgiving and Christmas. We consider the words of Jesus who said, "Lazarus, come forth" and he came. We wish Jesus was here to do that for us. Our faith rests in Him who knows best, who acts best, and He who loves us with an everlasting love. We have nothing else but our faith, and one day that grain will move mountains and we will be healed and He will take away all our tears. Even so come, Lord Jesus.
January 13, 2011
Dear Family and Friends:
Just today we found out about the opportunity to make an entry in the guest book. It is our privilege. Chris was such a wonderful, kind, generous, and resouceful young man. He was a member of the Gang of Four at GBCS which included our son Bobby. They excelled academically and in practical jokes. Chris was alway so kind. After we asked him to come some electrical work at our inner-city ministry, he said, "I am now your electrician. Call me when you need anything." We never received a bill! He also helped our son and my sister acquire their homes through his real estate expertise. We all do miss this man of God. Our prayers are with all of you. Chris called us:
Brother Bob and Sister Sharon (Mathieu)
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
January 4, 2011
MY PRECIOUS SON,
IT WAS 45 YEARS AGO TODAY THAT I BROUGHT YOU INTO THIS WORLD AND BEGAN THE HAPPIEST JOURNEY OF MY LIFE. IT WAS A JOY BEYOND COMPREHENSION AND A LOVE THAT WOULD LAST A LIFETIME AND BEYOND. WHO WOULD HAVE EVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BE CELEBRATING THIS WONDERFUL DAY BY PLACING FLOWERS ON YOUR GRAVE. CERTAINLY NOT I! YOU WERE AND ARE THE LIGHT OF MY LIFE AND CERTAINLY MY GREATEST JOY. OH HOW I MISS YOU MY PRECIOUS SON.
MY HEART ACHES AT YOUR LOSS AND THE THOUGHT OF ANOTHER YEAR WITHOUT YOU IS MORE THAN I CAN BEAR. PEOPLE JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND, BUT THEN, THEY DIDN'T KNOW YOU AS I DID. A BOND THAT WILL NEVER BE BROKEN. I MISS YOU SO.
CHRISTMAS CAME AND WENT, BUT ALL I WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS WAS YOU AND THAT WAS NOT TO BE. SO MUCH FOR SANTA CLAUS!
YOU ARE REMEMBERED EVERYDAY MY DARLING AND I CARRY YOU IN MY HEART ALWAYS.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET. I LOVE YOU FOREVER,
MOM
Larry & Betsy Mosley
January 3, 2011
In memory of our dear brother, we remember his birthday today. We miss him and only wish we could celebrate with him as we had so many years. We hope to see him again in the wonderful place where celebrating is everyday.
Don and Charlotte Smoot
November 30, 2010
Don and I were so very saddened to hear about the very sudden death of Chris. We attened the same church as Debbie and Chris in northern Va. and I also helped plan their wedding and reception.....those two looked like a perfect and very happy couple...Our hearts go out to all concerned in the terrible loss of someone so very young...Don and Charlotte Smoot,963 Seven Lakes North, West End End ,N.C.27376
Larry Mosley
November 29, 2010
Each year that my birthday passes memories of our brother are remembered. It was on my own birthday that I attended his funeral. This past Thanksgiving I was blessed to have all the sons of my father together at one place and at the same time. This included our added family member (who is still in the oven)..."Christopher Keith Mosley". My son made it clear that our grandson would carry my brothers name and we would all continue to remember him for years to come. I count it as truly the Lord's blessing and wonderful gift to my family and I. His name and rememberance will carry on. It is God's will to do so. I look forward to seeing my brother again.
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
November 21, 2010
MY SWEET & PRECIOUS SON,
IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS TODAY SINCE YOU WENT AWAY, AND THEY HAVE BEEN TWO LONG & LONELY YEARS. IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE WE REMOVED YOUR LIFE SUPPORT. TWO YEARS SINCE I LAST HELD YOU IN MY ARMS, TWO YEARS SINCE I LAST KISSED YOU, TWO YEARS SINCE I LAST WHISPERED IN YOUR EAR HOW VERY MUCH I LOVE YOU, TWO YEARS MINE ANGEL, TWO LONG YEARS.
YOUR DAD AND I WENT TO YOUR GRAVE TODAY AS YOU WOULD EXPECT WE WOULD, AND YOUR SISTER WENT WITH US. BETHY AND BEN WERE THERE TOO, AND BROUGHT YOU THEIR ANNUAL BALLOONS. WE LEFT YOU LOVE NOTES EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT THERE, BUT SOMEHOW IT MAKES US FEEL BETTER AND GRANNY AND BOOMPA SENT BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS.
I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE GONE, BUT I FEEL SO BLESSED THAT I WAS THERE WHEN YOU TOOK YOUR LAST BREATH, AFTERALL MY PRINCE, I WAS THERE WHEN YOU TOOK YOUR FIRST. I WOULD NEVER HAVE WANTED YOU TO BE ALONE AND WHILE IT WAS HEART-WRENCHING FOR ME, I WANTED TO BE THERE FOR YOU AS I ALWAYS WAS.
HOW DOUBLY BLESSED I AM THAT THE LORD CHOSE ME TO BE YOUR MOM EVEN THOUGH I KNEW YOU WERE ALWAYS ON LOAN. I ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE A CHILD OF GOD AND I KNOW IN MY HEART OF HEARTS, THAT "HE" WAS PLEASED WITH THE YOUNG MAN "HE" CALLED HOME, ANGEL OF MINE.
YOU ARE AND ALWAYS WILL BE MY TREASURE.
I WILL LOVE YOU ALWAYS AND MISS YOU BEYOND COMPREHENSION,
MOM
Larry Mosley
May 10, 2010
These hands have rocked a cradle to soothe a little one.
They’ve cooked and cleaned and mended to get a day’s work done.
These hands have planted vegetables, fruits, and many kinds of flowers.
They’ve tended them from morning light until the twilight hours.
These hands have broadened a child’s mind.
They’ve taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, and always to be kind.
These hands have felt a fevered brow and given a gentle touch.
They’ve calmed our fears and dried our tears which always meant so much.
These hands have been sore from hard day’s work.
They’ve toasted toasts and popped the cork.
These hands have been creative with paper and a pen.
They’ve let us know how it was…even way back when.
These hands have served the family, so proud and so true.
They’ve always sworn their allegiance to the red, white and blue.
They’ve served their community with trust and respect,
With courage and mostly little pay and often no regret.
These hands have volunteered at churches, schools, and such.
They’ve received few rewards for giving us so much.
These hands have helped customers in electrical and more.
They’ve typed and filed and even mopped up the floors.
These hands are still anxious to do a kindly deed.
They’ll offer love and fold in prayer to help someone in need.
These hands have withstood the test of time, this, my friend, is true.
And when you put your hands in mind, I get my strength from you.
Jane Roland
January 16, 2010
I can't believe that it has been over a year since Chris died. I met him through Larry and Betsy and enjoyed his company when he and his family came to visit for the weekend. My daughter and I miss him and think about his family often. My thoughts and prayers are with his children because they have suffered such a terrible loss. I'm thankful to God for allowing me to know Chris.
My Loving Brother of heart and hand
Larry Mosley
January 16, 2010
My Dear brother,
Many memories we have to cherish. Thoughts of you will always come to us in many moments as we go about our lives. Remembering the helping hand that touched so many things in our lives...including our hearts. Everytime we turn on the generator; turning on the lights in the shed; For every moment we shared just being friend and the list goes on of how much we have to thank God for you. So much is taken for granted in friendship and you help many realize how valuable it really is. Your hand...your wonderful hand and heart working so much for us and others is to be cherished. Every birthday that passes me by celebrated or sitting on the porch swing or sitting in the kitchen watching the birds feed and so many other moments I have, I remember you and the pain of your absence can be so unbearable. I have only to thank Christ for the hope we have to acknowledge that we will see each other again. I hurt. For I have never had a brother who was so loving and generous. I feel that I failed you in so many ways and I have had to beg God for forgiveness knowing that I was not as giving as you were to me. Here in our home you will always be remembered and cherished. A toast will be given to you our brother who gave so much to our lives with his generous hand and heart. I do go through life trying to run from hurt...but my heart and tears will not let me. But its ok. My faith & hope of the promise given by Christ is that I will see you again.
We love you yesterday, today and tomorrow... forever more unto eternity.
Your brother,
Larry Mosley
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
January 3, 2010
MY SWEET & PRECIOUS FIRSTBORN,
TODAY YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN 44 YEARS OLD AND I WOULD LIKE TO THINK HOW MUCH MORE PRECIOUS YOU WOULD HAVE BECOME IF YOU LIVED LONGER, BUT SOMEHOW, I THINK YOUR BECOMING MORE PRECIOUS WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE. YOU WERE, TO ME, MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD, MORE PRECIOUS THAN RUBIES, EMERALDS OR PEARLS. YOU WERE MY SPECIAL BLESSING FROM HEAVEN AND I NEVER FORGOT THAT. YOU WERE JUST THAT, A VERY SPECIAL BLESSING FROM HEAVEN AND GIVEN TO ME ON LOAN FROM OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. I WAS SO BLESSED BECAUSE "HE" CHOSE "ME" TO BE YOUR MOTHER AND I WASN'T ABOUT TO LET "HIM" DOWN WHERE MOTHERING YOU WAS CONCERNED KNOWING THAT WAS WHAT "HE" WANTED ME TO DO.
I CHERISHED EVERY MOMENT WE HAD TOGETHER. THE NIGHTS I WALKED YOU AND ROCKED YOU TO SLEEP. THE MOMENTS I HELD YOU IN MY ARMS AS YOU SLEPT. I HATED TO PUT YOU DOWN. YOU FILLED MY HEART WITH SO MUCH JOY AND LOVE. MOTHERING YOU AND LOVING YOU WAS THE EASIEST JOB I EVER HAD. I TRULY LOVED BEING YOUR MOTHER. WE WERE SO BONDED THAT NOT EVEN DEATH COULD BREAK THAT BOND AND FOR THAT I AM GRATEFUL TO OUR LORD.
YOU WERE THE REASON I WANTED TO GET OUT OF BED EACH DAY. I COULDN'T WAIT TO GO INTO YOUR ROOM AND SEE YOU SMILE AND JUMP UP AND DOWN AND HEAR YOU SQUEAL AS I OPENED THE DOOR. OH MY, JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT MAKES ME SMILE EVEN THOUGH I HAVE TEARS IN MY EYES. I MISS YOU DARLING. I MISS YOU SO MUCH.
IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY AND I JUST HAD TO WRITE, BUT I DO WISH I COULD WRITE. YOUR UNCLE JIMMIE IS THE ONE WHO CAN WRITE, BUT I JUST NEVER HAD THAT TALENT. I JUST WISH I COULD WRITE LIKE "HALLMARK" BUT THAT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN SO YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO DO WITH MY HEART BEING PUT ON PAPER. NO CARD COULD TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU ANYWAY AND BESIDES YOU ALWAYS KNEW.
YOUR LEGACY BOOK WILL BE GOING OFF-LINE AND THIS WILL PROBABLY BE MY LAST ENTRY TO YOU, BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A DIARY WRITTEN IN MY HEART. IN MY HEART YOU WILL ALWAYS STAY FOR DEATH CANNOT TAKE YOU AWAY. YOU ARE MY FOREVER KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR, MY SPECIAL ANGEL AND BRIGHT AND SHINING STAR. NO SON WAS EVER LOVED MORE AND I FIND I LOVE YOU MORE EACH DAY AND YOUR MOM JUST WANTS TO WISH FOR YOU A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY WITH ALL THE HEAVENLY ANGELS AND OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. YOU ARE "HIS" NOW AND I KNOW YOU ARE SAFE AND SECURE IN HIS LOVING ARMS AND I THANK "HIM" FOR LOANING YOU TO ME.
MY LOVE FOR YOU IS EVERLASTING AND ETERNAL AND IN MY HEART YOU WILL ALWAYS BE AND THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST, I KNOW YOU ARE PROTECTED AND NO ONE CAN EVER HURT YOU AGAIN. YOU ARE BLESSED FOR YOU ARE NO LONGER PART OF THIS WORLD. YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER HAD TO TAKE OVER NOW AS "HE" CAN TAKE CARE OF YOU MUCH BETTER NOW THAN I, YOUR EARTHLY MOTHER.
LARRY AND BETSY KEEP IN TOUCH AND VISITED YOUR GRAVE YESTERDAY. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THEIR FRIENDSHIP AND YOU ARE NEVER FAR FROM THEIR THOUGHTS. LARRY TRULY LOVED YOU LIKE A BROTHER. WHAT A BLESSING YOU WERE TO EACH OTHER.
I HAD A LONG CONVERSATION WITH YOUR FATHER AROUND CHRISTMAS AND HE AND GLENDA ARE DOING WELL. I ENJOYED HEARING FROM HIM. YOU ARE MISSED BY SO MANY.
KEEP WATCH OVER US AND KNOW WE ARE DOING AS WELL AS CAN BE EXPECTED. BOOMPA STILL READING THE NEWSPAPER FROM COVER TO COVER. GRANNY STILL SITTING IN HER ROCKING CHAIR WAITING FOR THE RAPTURE! DAD SLEEPING MORE THAN USUAL AND YOUR SISTER WORKING TOO HARD AND STAYING TOO THIN AND MISSING YOU SO MUCH AND WELL, YOUR MOM IS YOUR MOM, JUST KEEPING THE PEACE.
I LOVE YOU WITH MY WHOLE HEART AND SOUL EVEN THOUGH PART OF MY HEART WENT WITH YOU.
LOVING YOU ETERNALLY,
MOM
January 2, 2010
I miss you. Most of all I miss your hugs. They made me lose my breath and I couldn't breathe because they were the tightest hugs anyone has ever given me. I miss our talks, usually when you were on your way to one of your many stops throughout your busy day. Just a chat, nothing really special to say, I guess just the ones where we would catch up to see how one another was doing. I never thought that you would be the one to go first. I figured we would catch up at some point, since we hadn't spoken for a while, I thought I would see you at some family function, or a wedding, maybe a funeral but just not your own. That's what I think about. I was playing in the snow with the kids and all I could think about is when we played in the snow together or when you would always seem to smack me in the face with one of your snowballs and Mom would make us hot chocolate. And when Christmas came around AGAIN, I thought about being the first one up and waiting and waiting for you to come downstairs so we could open our presents. We grew up and things weren't simple like they used to be. Things used to be fun and I guess as we get older things get harder.
Before this went off line, I just wanted to write and tell you that I do miss you so much. I wish I could have told you that before you left.
I miss your face, your smile, your big laugh, your hugs, but most of all, I miss just knowing that your there just to talk to once in a while.
Always,
Pam
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
December 29, 2009
DECEMBER 26, 2009
MY SWEET PRINCE,
WELL TODAY IS YOUR GRANNY'S 88TH BIRTHDAY AND ALREADY SHE IS TELLING EVERYONE SHE IS IN HER 89TH YEAR!! NOTHING LIKE RUSHING THINGS I ALWAYS SAY!! SHE IS A REAL STAUNCH NEW ENGLAND HOOT!! I DO DECLARE, SHE IS GOING TO OUTLIVE ME!! SHE'S HEALTHY, NOT SO HAPPY AND A WISE-CRACKING OLE GRANNY!! SHE HAS A WIT THAT WON'T QUIT AND GIVES YOUR POOR OLD DAD A RUN FOR HIS MONEY!! HE DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING AND MOST MEN WOULDN'T BE SO GRACIOUS, BUT THAT'S YOUR GRANNY!!
SHE WAS UP EARLY AS WE HAVE A HOUSEFUL COMING IN TODAY AND I AM FEELING VERY POORLY AND WISH WE COULD JUST CANCEL, BUT TONY AND EMILY ARE COMING AS IS MARK AND CADY AND YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE THEM. THEY ARE BOTH SUCH DARLING COUPLES AND I SO ENJOY THEIR COMPANY.
UNCLE JIMMIE AND HIS NEW BRIDE ARE COMING ALSO AS WELL AS GARY AND LINDA. IT IS SO STRANGE HOW THINGS TURN OUT!! BY THE TIME EVERYONE ARRIVED I WAS RUNNING A 104 TEMP AND COULDN'T HARDLY MOVE MY BODY. MY THROAT WAS SO SWOLLEN AND MY COUGH SOUNDED LIKE A BARKING DOG. SO I NEVER SAW ANYONE EXCEPT UNCLE JIMMIE WHO BROUGHT ME SOME COUGH MEDICINE AND TAAY WHO SAID I WAS BURNING UP. I FELT SO BAD THAT I COULDN'T EVEN GET UP AND GIVE ANYONE A HUG. LINDA BROUGHT ME A PLATE OF FOOD, BUT I COULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT IT SO DAD ATE IT. I NEVER GOT TO SEE YOUR COUSINS AND THEIR WIVES. I FELL SOUND ASLEEP AND AWAKENED WITH THE HORRIBLE CROUP AND WHEEZING. I AM SUCH A MESS!! DIDN'T GET A FLU SHOT THIS YEAR AND I GUESS IT'S SHOWING.
ANYWAY, I DIGRESS. GRANNY WAITED FOR THAT PHONE TO RING AND EXPECTED TO HEAR HER #1 ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE, BUT OF COURSE, THAT CALL NEVER CAME. WE WAIT ANXIOUSLY FOR YOU TO WALK THROUGH THE DOOR, BUT YOU NEVER COME. IF ONLY YOU KNEW HOW MUCH YOU WERE MISSED. YOU WERE THE ONE MISSING AT GRANNY'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AND EVERYONE KNEW THAT. YOU WERE THE BRIGHT AND SHINING STAR OF THIS FAMILY AND EVERYONE KNEW THAT NO ONE COULD TAKE YOUR PLACE.
I LOVE YOU MY PRINCE. I LOVE YOU FOR ALL ETERNITY. YOU WERE MY GIFT FROM HEAVEN AND I JUST HAD TO LET YOU GO BACK TOO SOON. I WASN'T READY TO LET YOU GO AND I SURELY WASN'T READY TO HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE.
LOVING YOU,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
December 26, 2009
DECEMBER 25, 2009
MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLING,
I MISS YOU SO MUCH. LAST YEAR I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, BUT THIS YEAR DAD PUT UP THE TREE AGAIN, BUT I REALLY DIDN'T FEEL UP TO IT, BUT HE WANTED TO AND FELT THAT WE SHOULD. REMEMBER HOW YOU WOULD COME OVER AND LOOK FOR EACH SPECIFIC ORNAMENT AND YOU WOULD LET ME KNOW IF I JUST HAPPEN TO PLACE AN ORNAMENT IN A DIFFERENT PLACE THAN USUAL. I HAD SUCH A HABIT OF PUTTING ALL THOSE ORNAMENTS IN THE SAME PLACE EVERY YEAR. EVERYTHING WAS SYMMETRICALLY AND PRECISELY PLACED ON THAT TREE. THE LIGHTS WERE BEAUTIFUL ONCE AGAIN NUMBERING A THOUSAND. DAD ALWAYS LOVED A LOT OF LIGHTS ON THE TREE, BUT ALL THE LIGHTS AND TRIM COULDN'T BRING YOU BACK TO ME AND FOR THE SECOND TIME IN MY LIFE I FELT NO JOY AT CHRISTMAS. IT USE TO BE MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY AND I DID SO MUCH FROM ALL THE SHOPPING, WRAPPING AND COOKING, NOT TO MENTION ALL THE DECORATING. OUR HOME LOOKED LIKE A FAIRYLAND. I LOVED DOING ALL THAT WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE AND PAMELA TOO. HOWEVER, I DON'T HAVE IT IN ME TO DO THAT ANYMORE. I JUST FEEL LIKE "WHAT'S THE USE?" ALL THAT MEANS NOTHING ANYMORE WITHOUT YOU. IF YOU HAD TOLD ME I WOULD FEEL THIS WAY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I WOULD NEVER HAVE BELIEVED YOU.
CHRISTMAS WAS SOMBER AND TEARS WERE SHED AND FIXING DINNER WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A CHORE. DAD IS SO VERY DEPRESSED AND I JUST CAN'T SEEM TO HELP HIM ANYMORE EITHER. WHEN YOU CHILDREN WERE SMALL, I HAD SO MUCH TO DO WITH TAKING CARE OF YOU AND YOUR SISTER. I WORKED, CARPOOLED EVERYDAY, COOKED, CLEANED AND TOOK YOU TO CUB SCOUTS, YOUR SISTER TO DANCE CLASSES, WEDNESDAY NIGHT CHURCH AND SUNDAY CHURCH TWICE A DAY, BUT NOW, I CAN'T GET OUT OF MY OWN WAY. YOUR DAD WAS ALWAYS DEPRESSED BUT I NEVER LET IT GET ME DOWN AS I HAD YOU AND PAMELA, BUT NOW I JUST DON'T CARE. I DON'T CARE ANYMORE. I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE AND WE HAD SO MUCH FUN AND TIME FOR EACH OTHER, BUT I KNOW THAT WILL NEVER BE. LIFE IS NOT WHAT WE EXPECT AT ANY GIVEN TIME, BUT AT LEAST WHEN YOUR CHILDREN ARE YOUNG AND YOU CAN PROTECT THEM TO A CERTAIN DEGREE AND MAKE THEIR HURTS ALL BETTER, LIFE JUST SEEMED HAPPIER AND CONTENT, BUT LIFE IS ANYTHING BUT HAPPY THESE DAYS.
WE ARE APART THAT'S FOR SURE, BUT I THINK OF YOU EVERYDAY AND NIGHT AND PRAY UNCEASINGLY FOR YOU. FOR EVERY TEAR THAT FALLS, I SAY ANOTHER PRAYER FOR YOU. I DON'T DOUBT THAT FOR EVERY TEAR I SHED THAT YOU AREN'T HOLDING ME IN YOUR ARMS AND WIPING THOSE TEARS AWAY, I JUST WISH I COULD FEEL YOU.
LOVING YOU ALWAYS,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
December 26, 2009
DECEMBER 21, 2009
MY DARLING,
WE ARE HAVING A TERRIBLE SNOWSTORM WHICH IS BEING CONSIDERED ONE OF OUR WORST. WEATHER PEOPLE ARE CALLING IT A BLIZZARD, BUT I CALL IT BEAUTIFUL. WE HAVE 21 INCHES AND I THINK OF HOW MUCH YOU WOULD LOVE IT. I REMEMBER HOW MUCH YOU LOVED TO GO SKIING. JUST GETTING YOU READY FOR THOSE TRIPS WAS SO MUCH FUN. I COULDN'T BELIEVE ALL THE PARAPHERNALIA THAT WAS REQUIRED TO GO SNOW SKIING. PERSONALLY, YOUR MOM WAS THE WARM WEATHER WATER-BABY AND THAT WAS IT!! NO SNOW, NO COLD WEATHER AND NO CAMPING!! THE CLOSEST I EVER WANTED TO THAT CAMPSITE WAS THE HILTON!! OH HOW WE LAUGHED ABOUT THAT! I MISS THOSE LAUGHS AND CHATS.
IT HAS BEEN 13 MONTHS TODAY SINCE YOU LEFT ME AND IT IS ALSO THE ANNIVERSARY OF YOUR GREAT-MOTHER'S DEATH MANY, MANY YEARS AGO. BOOMPA ALWAYS FEELS THAT SENSE OF LOSS AND NEVER FORGETS EVEN THOUGH HE WAS A YOUNG BOY WHEN SHE DIED. CHRISTMASTIME HAS ALWAYS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR HIM AND NOW IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME.
IT IS SO COLD AND SNOWY AND I CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL HOW COLD YOUR BODY MUST BE. THE GROUND IS SO COLD AND I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO WARM IT FOR YOU. I HATE THE THOUGHT OF YOUR BODY BEING IN THAT COLD, HARD AND DARK GROUND. MY FAITH TELLS ME THAT YOU'RE NOT THERE, BUT MY HEAD SAYS I SAW THEM PUT YOU THERE. I KNOW YOU WERE RISEN UP WITH THE LORD, BUT MY HEART STILL ACHES.
I WISH YOU WERE HERE. IT'S BEEN YEARS SINCE WE BUILT A SNOWMAN AND CAME IN FOR HOT CHOCOLATE. REMEMBER HOW YOU LIKED OVALTINE? I SURE DO. I REMEMBER EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU AND YOU WERE TO GOOD TO LOSE.
I LOVE YOU MY DARLING, I LOVE YOU.
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
December 19, 2009
MY DEAR & PRECIOUS SON,
THE YEAR HAS PASSED OH SO QUICKLY AND THE LOSS OF YOU IS STILL SO NEW AND CLOSE TO MY HEART. THE HOLIDAYS ARE ONCE CLOSING IN AND I MUST SAY THAT LAST YEAR WAS BETTER THAN THIS ONE AS DEATH SEEMS TO CAUSE A NUMBNESS AND A FOG IN THAT YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND YOU JUST GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS. I DON'T HARDLY RECOLLECT WHAT I DID LAST YEAR. I JUST KNOW THAT I DIDN'T HAVE YOU. I SUPPOSE NUMBNESS IS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE AND IT IS SOMETHING WHICH GOD BLESSES US WITH UNTIL WE HAVE MORE TIME TO COME TO TERMS WITH WHAT HAS HAPPENED. HOWEVER, I HAVEN'T COME TO TERMS WITH ANYTHING. I MISS YOU MORE THIS YEAR THAN I DID LAST. WHY MY DARLING, WHY?? IF ONLY I HAD SOME ANSWERS. YOUR DEATH IS EATING AWAY AT ME LIKE A CANCER AND I CAN'T SEEM TO CONTROL IT. I FEEL CONSUMED BY A RAGING WILDFIRE AND ALL I NEED ARE ANSWERS TO HELP CONTROL THE RAGE I FEEL. I MISS YOU WITH EVERY LIVING CELL AND BREATH IN MY BODY AND STILL CAN'T BEAR THIS LOSS.
YOU WERE MY EVERYTHING AND I LOVE YOU SO. I FEEL AS THOUGH THE LORD HAS PUSHED ME BEYOND MY LIMITS AND THAT MY PRAYERS ARE FALLING ON DEAF EARS. I KNOW "HE" KNOWS HOW HURT I AM. I KNOW "HE" KNOWS HOW VERY MUCH I LOVED YOU AND I KNOW AND BELIEVE "HE" KNOWS MY HEART, BUT I JUST CAN'T SEEM TO GET THROUGH THIS. I KNOW YOU'RE IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE AND I KNOW YOU ARE RESTING IN OUR SAVIOUR'S ARMS, BUT I AM SO SELFISH, I WANT YOU RESTING IN MY ARMS. MY HEART IS BROKEN IN MORE PIECES THAN CAN BE MENDED AND I JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND. I KNOW GOD CHANGES THINGS, BUT "HE" HAS CHANGED THEM TOO FAST AND TOO SOON FOR ME TO CATCH UP.
I NEED "HIM" TO CHANGE ME. HAVE "HIM" GIVE ME STRENGTH TO ENDURE THIS BECAUSE IT IS LIFE-CHANGING FOR ME AND I CAN'T SEEM TO ACCEPT IT OR ENDURE IT.
LOVE YOU FOREVER,
MOM
Judy Webb
December 19, 2009
Late Entry: August 12, 2009
Mrs. Pitcher,
Marc and I just heard last night of Chris' passing and we are deeply saddened. I am so glad that he was a part of our lives and will always remember the great times we had when I visited in Maryland.
We are so glad that he was a part of our special day and in our wedding.
Love,
Judy
Marc Webb
December 19, 2009
Late Entry: August 11, 2009
Dear Shirley,
I just heard that Chris passed away. I was shocked, am shocked. I just found the Obit and your entries. I have thought of Chris and you all many times over the last 22 years or so.
Judy tried to contact Chris 4 years ago about my 40th birthday, but had no luck. Jackie @ Keaney's said it had been awhile since seeing him.
We had some great times and memories. I have always missed him. You need to know that I have not had what I call many best friends over the years, but Chris would be one of the 5 or so I have had.
Contact me if you want, I am here. Tell Pam that I said hi. I see she is married. Hope you get this.
Marc Webb
Jennifer Robinson
December 9, 2009
Dear Mrs. Haines-Pitcher,
I just heard today of Chris' passing. My heart sank. I did not know Chris very well, but I could tell a few things about him from just the short time I knew him. You see, Chris became our electrician about 6 years ago. He was recommended by Burton Gray at Town and Country Pools. Chris was very different than most contractors. He listened carefully to our needs, took his work personally (he gave his best!)and had a very personal touch. I knew right away he was a Christian. He never said it, it was just in his demeanor and presence. That is a testament to you, his loving Mother. Although he was taken much too soon, you raised him right by showing him the way to the Savior. You fulfilled your commitment as a parent and more! Chris had fulfilled all of God's plans for his life. That is a testament to Chris, who really seemed to have the love of God in his heart. I know it seems strange that one of Chris' customers got such an impression from him in such a little time, but I am a Christian, too, and I recognized the power of kinship in our heavenly family. I cannot even begin to feel what you bear each day of Chris' absence, but because we have a Loving Father, you will see Chris again. As each day may seem to drag on under the wait of deep anguish, try to remember that this life is temporary. Heaven is eternal and you will have Chris again, this time forever. My thoughts and prayers are truly with you and Chris' wife and children. May God bless you and enrich you. Your words on the internet are so touching and I can palpibly feel your pain. I have kids, too, and I worry about them as children growing up in this world. You've taught me something I thought I already knew. That your babies will always be your babies. You must have been an incredible Mom. Stay strong for your family. I will also be praying for your son, the soldier. Stay strong. God is your Father, and He will bless you according riches. That means you have all the blessing the Heavenly Father has at His disposal--infinite! Take Care and Know that you are in my prayers.
Jen Robinson
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
December 9, 2009
NOVEMBER 27, 2009
MY PRECIOUS ANGEL,
HERE IT IS THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING AND I AM MISSING YOU SO MUCH. YESTERDAY FOR AS NICE AS IT WAS, JUST WASN'T THE SAME WITHOUT YOU. I COULDN'T PUT INTO WORDS HOW VERY MUCH I MISSED YOU.
I MUST TELL YOU THE NEWS ABOUT OUR LITTLE NANCY, SHE IS ENGAGED AND GETTING MARRIED IN JANUARY. SHE CAME OVER TODAY WITH HER INTENDED. HIS NAME IS STEVE AND HE SEEMED VERY NICE, HOWEVER, QUIET AND RESERVED. THIS JUST SEEMS TO BE GOING TOO FAST AND I HOPE HE IS TRULY THE ONE FOR HER. SHE IS SO PRECIOUS TO ME AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE HER DISILLUSIONED. BETSY AND JENNIFER CAME WITH AUNT DONNA AND MATTHEW. HE IS GROWING UP INTO SUCH A NICE YOUNG MAN AND OUR DARLING MARK AND CADIE CAME ALSO. THEY ARE SUCH A SWEET COUPLE AND I AM SO SORRY YOU MISSED THEIR WEDDING. SHE IS JUST A DARLING AND YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED HER A LOT. SHE HAS A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR! WE ARE ALL GOING TO YOUR COUSIN'S WEDDING SHOWER IN DECEMBER AND I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. I DON'T GO TOO MANY PLACES THESE DAYS. I JUST DON'T SEEM TO HAVE IT IN ME, BUT I INTEND TO GO FOR THAT. YOUR LITTLE NIECE BETHY IS GOING TO BE HER FLOWER GIRL AND THAT SHOULD BE FUN! I SO WISH YOU WERE HERE TO GO WITH US.
THE DAY WAS MADE VERY SPECIAL WHEN NANCY PRESENTED ME WITH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COLLAGE OF PICTURES IN AN ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS FRAME, ALL PICTURES OF YOU AND SOME FAMILY MEMBERS AT VARIOUS TIMES IN YOUR LIFE. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I JUST SOBBED. IT WAS SUCH A TOUCHING LABOR OF LOVE AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO IT. AUNT DONNA HAD BOUGHT THE FRAME WHILE ON A SHOPPING TRIP TO LANCASTER WITH THE GIRLS. IT WAS SO LOVELY AND I HOPE YOU CAN SEE IT.
OH MY SWEETHEART, I WISH I COULD JUST REACH OUT AND TOUCH YOU. I WISH I COULD SEE YOU SMILE AGAIN. I WISH I COULD HEAR YOUR VOICE AND THE SOUND OF YOUR LAUGHTER. I WISH, I WISH, I WISH AND I PRAY, I PRAY AND I PRAY.
I PRAY THAT THE LORD WILL LIFT THIS PAIN AND EMPTINESS FROM MY HEART, BUT NOTHING SEEMS TO BE WORKING. MY HEART IS JUST SO BROKEN THAT I FEEL IT IS BEYOND REPAIR. YOUR ARE MY HEART AND YOU WERE MY JOY, BUT THAT JOY HAS TURNED TO SADNESS AND I WANT YOU BACK WITH ME. HOW I LOVED BEING YOUR MOTHER, YOUR MOM, YOUR SOMETIMES PAL, AND YOUR CONFIDANT. YOU WERE SUCH A TREASURE TO BEHOLD AND I MISS YOU.
LOVE YOU FOREVER,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
December 3, 2009
NOVEMBER 26, 2009
MY DARLING CHRISTOPHER,
WISHING YOU WERE HERE WITH ME ON THIS THANKSGIVING DAY. I HOPE YOUR DAY IS A GLORIOUS DAY AT THE TABLE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND ALL THE ANGELS. HOW HAPPY IT MUST BE FOR YOU TO BE AT THE BEST THANKSGIVING TABLE OF ALL.
I COULDN'T HELP BUT CRY TODAY AS I WAS UP UNTIL 4:30 IN THE MORNING PREPARING EVERYTHING AS I DO, BUT SOMETHING WAS MISSING AND THAT SOMETHING WAS YOU. I FIND SUCH SADNESS IN THESE DAYS.
YOUR UNCLE JIMMIE CAME OVER AND BY THE WAY, HE HAS REMARRIED. SHE IS A LOVELY GIRL FROM THAILAND AND SHE IS SO SWEET AND QUITE CUTE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON SO DON'T ASK. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU, BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER ASIAN GIRL IN THE FAMILY. YOUR DEBBIE WAS OUR FIRST AND YOUR LITTLE SAMANTHA BECAME OUR SECOND. I SHOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM.
YOUR SISTER WAS HERE WITH YOUR NIECE AND NEPHEWS AND SHE WAS SUCH A HELP. WE BOTH MISSED YOU AND RICK. YOU TWO ALWAYS CLEANED UP FOR US AND SERVED THE PIE AND COFFEE IN THE LIVING ROOM. NOW THIS YEAR BOTH OF MY BOYS WERE GONE. THERE WAS SUCH A VOID AND I TRUST YOU ARE LOOKING AFTER RICK FOR US. HE IS BEING SENT TO KABUL AND I AM AFRAID THAT IS QUITE THE HOT ZONE RIGHT NOW. I DON'T NEED TO LOSE ANOTHER ONE OF MY BOYS. SO PLEASE LOOK AFTER HIM FOR US.
WE HAD A NICE TIME AND DINNER WAS GOOD, BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH BETTER HAD YOU BEEN HERE TO HELP. I TRULY MISSED YOUR PRESCENCE IN THE KITCHEN AND I MISSED YOUR SAYING GRACE. OH MY ANGEL, NO MATTER WHAT I DO, I MISS YOU.
I KNOW IN MY HEART YOU ARE JUST BEYOND THE STARS AND IN MY HEART YOU HAVE MADE THE STARS BRIGHTER...I KNOW IN MY HEART THE LORD HAS TAKEN AWAY ALL THE PAIN YOU MAY HAVE HAD AND THAT YOU ARE NOW RESTING IN HIS ARMS. THOUGH I CANNOT SEE YOUR SMILE OR HEAR YOUR LAUGHTER, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS NEAR...YOU ARE MY SON FOREVER EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE GONE, BUT I KNOW IN MY HEART, YOU ARE JUST ABOVE THE STARS.
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND MISS YOU MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER KNOW.
LOVING YOU,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
December 1, 2009
NOVEMBER 25, 2009
MY PRECIOUS SON,
IT HAS BEEN ONE YEAR TO THE DAY THAT WE BURIED YOU. IT WAS A COLD, CLOUDY AND BREEZY DAY. THE CLOUDS IN THE SKY ONLY SHOWED WHAT WE ALL WERE FEELING. A LINGERING SADNESS AND DISBELIEF. IT IS AMAZING HOW YOU JUST GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS WITH EVERYONE LEADING YOU ALONG THE WAY. GO HERE, NO THERE, SIGN THIS PAPER AND THAT PAPER, JUST SIGN ON THIS LINE AND YOU HAVEN'T A CLUE AS TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING. WHAT MAKES IT WORSE..IT STILL FEELS THAT WAY TODAY AS IF I AM GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS. TODAY IS THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING AND I NEVER COOKED LAST YEAR AS I JUST COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU AND THIS YEAR I AM GOING TO TRY, BUT THE EMPTINESS OF NOT HAVING YOU WITH ME IS STILL MORE THAN I CAN BEAR.
THE HOLIDAYS ARE ONCE AGAIN AROUND THE CORNER AND WHILE EVERYTHING WAS SO FRESH LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE THE LORD GIVES A SENSE OF NUMBNESS SO YOU JUST DON'T FEEL AS MUCH AS YOU COULD. HOWEVER, THIS YEAR IS DIFFERENT. THE NUMBNESS HAS SUBSIDED AND THE REALNESS HAS SET IN. THERE IS NO NUMBNESS AND THERE IS SADNESS ALL AROUND. THE LONELINESS AND EMPTINESS IS THERE AND REAL AND IT HURTS AS MUCH TODAY AS IT DID A YEAR AGO AND IN SOME WAYS IT HURTS WORSE. THE PAIN OF YOUR LOSS IS OVERWHELMING TO ME AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE GETTING ANY BETTER.
MY HEART IS ACHING FOR YOU WITH THE MEMORIES OF TODAY A YEAR AGO. I CAN'T SEEM TO LET YOU GO AND I KNOW I MUST, BUT YOUR MOM ALWAYS LOVED YOU TOO MUCH, BUT IT IS SOMETHING I WILL NEVER REGRET. I KNOW YOU ARE HEAR WITH ME. I TALK WITH YOU ALL THE TIME. IT'S JUST THAT I CAN'T SEE YOU, TOUCH YOU, HOLD YOU OR HEAR YOUR VOICE, BUT I KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING OVER ME 'CAUSE THAT'S JUST SOMETHING YOU WOULD DO AND I KNOW WHEN MY TIME COMES TO MEET WITH YOU AGAIN YOU'LL BE THERE WITH YOUR ARMS OUTSTRETCHED PULLING ME UP TO YOU.
I TRUST YOUR THANKSGIVING AT YOUR SAVIOR'S BANQUET TABLE WILL BE UNLIKE ANYTHING YOU HAD ON EARTH AND I SUSPECT YOU'LL BE CARVING THE TURKEY. I SHALL MISS YOU SAYING GRACE AT OUR TABLE BUT WHEN WE GO AROUND THE TABLE AND SAY WHAT WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR, I SHALL BE TELLING EVERYONE HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO HAVE HAD A SON LIKE YOU AND HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR THE WONDERFUL, LOVING YEARS WE HAD TOGETHER.
I LOVE YOU,
MOM
Mark Lawrence
November 24, 2009
Uncle George, Aunt Shirley and Pam,
I just want you all to know that my prayers are with you this week.
It's hard to believe its been slightly over a year since Chris passed away. I remember hearing the news like it was yesterday. I've often thought about Chris this past year and the times I was able to spend with him. It's never easy to lose a loved one and the memories of holidays shared only stir up the grief and emotion we try to hide away. One joyful thought though, is this: I believe Chris, along with my Grandfather now, are up in Heaven, singing praises to God and waiting for the day when their loved ones join them. They're both finally at peace, no longer troubled by the sins of this world.
I know it hurts to remember and think about who we have lost but we were so blessed to have them in our lives... And that makes me smile.
I pray you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! If there is ever anything I can do, please don't hesitate to ask.
Always with love,
Mark
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
November 23, 2009
NOVEMBER 21, 2009
MY DEAR SWEETHEART,
WELL, TODAY IS THE DAY I'VE DREADED ALL YEAR. THE ANNIVERSARY OF YOUR DEATH. IT IS AS THOUGH IT JUST HAPPENED. I REMEMBER THE DAY SO VIVIDLY AND I TRULY WISH I DIDN'T. I NEVER THOUGHT I'D LIVE TO SAY GOODBYE TO YOU AND TELL YOU FOR THE LAST TIME HOW VERY MUCH I LOVED YOU. WHAT AN ANGEL YOU WERE ALL OUR LIVES. YOU WERE ONE OF THE ANGELS WHO WALKED AMONG US AND NO ONE EVER KNEW, BUT I ALWAYS SUSPECTED AND ALWAYS SAID YOU WERE TOO GOOD FOR THIS WORLD.
I WROTE TO YOU BEFORE ON THIS DAY, BUT SOMEHOW IT DIDN'T GET PUT INTO AN ENTRY INTO YOUR LEGACY BOOK AND NOW I AM TRYING TO REMEMBER ALL THE THINGS I SAID.
YOUR AUNT LESLIE AND I WERE GOING TO THE CEMETERY THIS MORNING BUT I NEEDED TO STAY WITH THE LITTLE ONES AS PAMELA WAS WORKING, BUT SHE AND I WENT TO THE GRAVE MUCH LATER IN THE DAY. WE BROUGHT A DOZEN WHITE ROSES WITH DARK PURPLE LARKSPUR AND FANNED THEM OUT OVER YOUR GRAVE. THEY WERE SO BEAUTIFUL AND YOUR LITTLE NIECE AND NEPHEW BROUGHT BALLOONS AND LEFT THEM THERE. BETHY HAD A BUTTERFLY BALLOON AND WAS SURE IT WOULD FLY UP TO MEET YOU AND LITTLE BEN LEFT A LIGHTENING McQUEEN CAR SHAPED BALLOON BECAUSE IT WAS A REALLY FAST CAR. THEY WERE SO PROUD AT WHAT THEY HAD LEFT AND THEY PICKED THEM OUT THEMSELVES. I WAS SO PROUD OF THEM.
THIS IS SUCH A SAD TIME FOR US. I NEVER KNEW THAT IN ONE BREATH WE WERE LOVING YOU AND KISSING YOU AND THE NEXT THEY WERE ANNOUNCING YOUR TIME OF DEATH. MY LORD CHRISTOPHER, I NEVER EVEN HEARD WHAT THEY SAID. I WAS SO SOMEPLACE ELSE. HOW I WANTED TO BE SOMEPLACE ELSE. I CALLED YOUR FATHER JIM AND GLENDA AND JUST SOBBED. HE KNEW HOW MUCH I ADORED YOU. OH MY SWEET PRINCE, WHAT I WOULDN'T GIVE TO HAVE YOU BACK.
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU NOW AND FOREVER. YOU ARE AND ALWAYS WILL BE MY VERY PRECIOUS SON.
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
November 18, 2009
NOVEMBER 17, 2009
MY DEAR ANGEL BABY,
THIS IS SUCH A SAD AND DIFFICULT TIME FOR ME. I AM SO WEEPY AND DESPONDENT. IT WAS ONE YEAR AGO TODAY AT NOONTIME THAT I RECEIVED THE CALL TELLING ME OF THE ACCIDENT IN THE HOT TUB. WALTER HAD CALLED ME AND TOLD ME YOU WERE ON LIFE SUPPORT AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO COME. MY HEART WAS POUNDING OUT OF MY CHEST AND I COULD HARDLY BREATHE. I DROPPED EVERYTHING I WAS DOING AND RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL TO BE BY YOUR SIDE. AS YOU KNOW THAT WAS A TWO HOUR TREK. MY MIND AND THOUGHTS WERE RACING KNOWING WHAT I WOULD SEE. MY HEART WAS ACHING SO. THERE YOU WERE HOOKED UP TO MONITORS AND TUBES SO MANY TUBES AND I ONLY PRAYED THAT YOU COULD HEAR ME TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOVED YOU. I CAN'T HELP BUT RELIVE THAT MEMORY IN MY MIND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I WISH THAT WASN'T A MEMORY I HAD, BUT IT IS AND NOTHING CAN CHANGE THAT.
YOU CAN'T IMAGINE HOW DIFFICULT THIS YEAR HAS BEEN FOR ME WITHOUT YOU. IF ONLY I HAD YOU BACK WITH ME SO THAT I MIGHT FEEL ONE OF THOSE ALL ENCOMPASSING HUGS OF YOURS AND FEEL YOUR HEART BEATING CLOSE TO MINE. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND FIND IT SO HARD TO LET YOU GO. YOU ARE MY EVERYTHING AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT MY LIFE HAS TO GO ON WITHOUT YOU. I OFTEN FEEL A PAIN PIERCING MY HEART AS THOUGH MY HEART MIGHT STOP BUT I AM SURE WITH ALL THAT IS GOING ON IT IS JUST ANXIETY. THE THOUGHT OF GOING THROUGH THIS WEEK AGAIN IS OVERWHELMING. I JUST CAN'T FORGET.
LOVE YOU FOREVER,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
November 13, 2009
MY DARLING,
THIS IS A TERRIBLE MONTH FOR ME. EACH DAY THERE IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS THAT REMINDS ME OF YOU.
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM PICKING UP YOUR NEICE AND NEPHEW FROM SCHOOL YESTERDAY AND IT WAS WEDNESDAY. I WAS LISTENING TO OUR CHRISTIAN STATION AND THE COMMENTATOR MENTIONED ABOUT HOW GRATEFUL WE SHOULD BE FOR BEING ABLE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY BECAUSE WE MAY NOT HAVE ANOTHER WEDNESDAY. WELL, I IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO CRY THINKING OF YOU BECAUSE AS OF THAT DATE YOU NEVER SAW THE NEXT WEDNESDAY. EACH DAY BRINGS ANOTHER SORROWFUL MEMORY. IT WAS THE FOLLOWING MONDAY YOU SUPPOSEDLY DROWN AND YOU WERE TRULY DEAD THAT DAY, BUT LIFE SUPPORT KEPT YOU GOING UNTIL THAT FRIDAY WHEN WE HAD ALL THE TUBES AND MACHINES REMOVED.
I REMEMBER THE DAYS AND NIGHTS WE DROVE TWO HOURS EACH WAY TO STAY BY YOUR SIDE AND KEEP THAT AWFUL VIGIL, KNOWING THE FINAL OUTCOME. I JUST WANTED TO CRAWL IN THAT BED WITH YOU AND HOLD YOU TIGHT LIKE WE DID WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE AND TELL YOU EVERYTHING WOULD BE ALRIGHT, BUT THAT JUST WASN'T MEANT TO BE.
THE WEATHER WAS COLD AND DREARY AND A DAMP CHILL WOULD PIERCE YOUR BONES. THE DRIVE WAS LONG AND SILENT WITH VERY FEW WORDS SPOKEN BUT TEARS FLOWING FREELY KNOWING THE INEVITABLE.
A NUMBNESS CAME OVER ME THAT STILL HAS NOT LEFT ME AND A PIECE OF MY HEART HAS GONE FOREVER.
THE CEMETERY STAFF CALLED ME TO TELL ME YOUR BRONZE PLAQUE WAS READY TO BE SHIPPED AND THAT WHEN IT CAME IN THEY WOULD CALL ME SO THAT I MIGHT BE THERE WHEN IT IS PLACED AT YOUR GRAVE AND AS ALWAYS I WILL BE THERE BY YOUR SIDE.
SO YOU SEE SWEETHEART, I TOLD YOU I WOULD ALWAYS BE HERE FOR YOU AND I STILL AM EVEN IN DEATH. I'VE KEPT MY WORD THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE AND WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THICK AND THIN. GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES, HAPPY AND SAD TIMES, MANY SICKNESSES AND HEALTH. ONE THING YOU COULD ALWAYS COUNT ON WAS YOUR MOTHER AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU COULD. YOU WERE MY GIFT FROM THE LORD AND I TREASURED YOU. I FEEL SO BLESSED THAT THE LORD GAVE ME YOU AND I KNEW YOU WERE ONLY ON LOAN. THAT YOU TRULY BELONGED TO "HIM", BUT TAKING YOU FROM ME WAS SOMETHING I HADN'T BARGAINED FOR. I MISS YOU TERRIBLY AND WANT YOU BACK HOME. THERE SEEMS TO BE A KNEW HEARTACHE EACH DAY AS I REMEMBER LAST NOVEMBER.
I LOVE YOU WITH EVERY BREATH I TAKE,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
November 9, 2009
NOVEMBER 6, 2009
MY PRECIOUS ANGEL,
TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY AND I HAVE WAITED FOR YOUR CALL, BUT NONE CAME. I WAITED TO HEAR YOU SING "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" TO ME ONCE MORE. YOU WERE ALWAYS THE FIRST TO CALL EVEN IF IT WAS TO JUST WAKE ME UP OR YOU WERE THE VERY LAST TO CALL JUST KNOWING I WOULDN'T GO TO BED WITHOUT FIRST HEARING FROM YOU. ALL THESE YEARS HAVE GONE BY AND YOU NEVER MISSED A ONE. REMEMBER WHEN I WAS IN LAS VEGAS FOR MY 50TH? I WAS THERE FOR A NURSING CONFERENCE AND YOU CALLED FIRST THING AND THEN LATER SENT CHAMPAGNE AND CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES TO MY ROOM. I SHALL NEVER FORGET THAT ONE. WHAT A LOVELY SURPRISE!! JUST THINKING OF IT NOW MAKES ME SMILE.
LAST YEAR WE WENT TO EL DORADO'S HERE IN LA PLATA FOR LUNCH. DAD, GRANNY AND BOOMPA WENT WITH US. HAD I KNOWN THAT JUST TWO WEEKS LATER YOU WOULD BE GONE, I WOULD NEVER HAVE LET YOU GO. I CAN STILL SEE YOUR SMILE AND HEAR YOUR LAUGHTER OVER LUNCH AND CAN STILL HEAR YOU MAKING PLANS TO GO TO THE MARINE CORPS MEMORIAL MUSEUM WITH ALL OF US JUST THE WEEK YOU DIED. KNOWING WE HAD THESE PLANS GAVE ME SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO -- SEEING YOU AGAIN. LITTLE DID I KNOW, THE NEXT TIME I WOULD SEE YOU THAT YOU WOULD BE ON LIFE SUPPORT. OH MY SWEET BOY, WHAT CRUEL TRICKS LIFE PLAYS ON US. WE MORTALS ARE SUCH FOOLS AS TO THINK WE CAN MAKE PLANS. ONLY THE LORD MAKES PLANS, NOT US BEINGS. WELL, THAT WAS MY LAST BIRTHDAY WITH YOU AND NOW THIS MONTH JUST DRAGS ON TO THE ULTIMATE ENDING, THAT HEART-WRENCHING ENDING THAT I SPENT WITH YOU. THOSE DAYS AND NIGHTS ARE NEVER AWAY FROM ME. I CARRY THOSE NOVEMBER DAYS AND NIGHTS WITH ME LIKE THEY WERE YESTERDAY. THERE IS SUCH A YEARNING IN MY SOUL TO HOLD YOU AGAIN AND TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU. I TRULY WANT YOU BACK TO SPEND MY OLD AGE WITH ME. I SO NEED TO HEAR YOU LAUGH AGAIN AND I SO NEED TO SEE YOUR SMILE.
EVERYONE WANTS ME TO HAVE THANKSGIVING HERE THIS YEAR, BUT I STILL DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO IT WITHOUT YOU. WE WERE SUCH A TEAM!! WITH YOU GONE AND RICK IN AFGHANISTAN I DONT KNOW THAT I WANT TO BE BOTHERED. YOU TWO WERE MY CLEAN UP CREW!! WHAT WOULD I DO WITHOUT YOU??
I KNOW LIFE MUST GO ON, BUT I SURE WISH IT DIDN'T HAVE TO GO ON WITHOUT YOU. I COULDN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW VERY MUCH I MISS YOU OR HOW VERY MUCH YOU ARE AND ALWAYS WILL BE LOVED.
ALWAYS LOVING YOU,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
October 22, 2009
MY DARLING BOY,
ANOTHER MONTH HAS PASSED US BY AND YOU ARE NO LONGER WITH US. IT IS 11 MONTHS TODAY SINCE YOU LEFT MY ARMS, SINCE YOU LEFT MY SIGHT. MY ARMS ARE EMPTY WITHOUT YOU TO HUG AND MY EYES ARE FILLED WITH TEARS KNOWING I CAN NO LONGER SEE YOU. YOUR DEATH STILL HAUNTS ME AND I NEVER FORGET THE DAY YOU DIED. THE 21ST OF EVERY MONTH IS ENGRAINED IN MY MEMORY FOREVER. THE DAY OF THE WEEK YOU DIED IS THOUGHT OF EACH FRIDAY. THE TIME OF NIGHT YOU DIED IS FOREVER IN MY THOUGHTS AS IT COMES AND GOES EACH DAY. THE TIME, THE DAY, THE DATE CAN NOT GO BY WITHOUT MY THOUGHTS WANDERING TO YOU, MY PRECIOUS BOY.
I WENT WITH GRANNY AND BOOMPA AND PICKED OUT YOUR GRAVE MARKER AND CRIED SO HARD EVEN THE WOMAN THERE WHO WAS TRYING TO HELP US TOLD ME IF I DIDN'T STOP I WOULD MAKE HER CRY TOO...IT WAS SO HARD FOR ME TO DO. IT MADE EVERYTHING SO FINAL. I COULDN'T BEAR TO DO THIS AS IT WOULD MAKE ME HAVE TO ADMIT YOU WEREN'T COMING BACK AND OH MY SWEETHEART, I SO WANTED TO BELIEVE YOU WERE COMING BACK. I KNOW THE DAY THE PLAQUE IS LAID IT WILL JUST BRING EVERYTHING BACK TO ME AGAIN AND I STILL HAVE TROUBLE DEALING WITH IT ALL. I SO WISH THE LORD HADN'T TAKEN YOU AND HAD TAKEN ME INSTEAD BECAUSE THE PAIN OF LOSING YOU IS UNBEARABLE FOR ME.
LAST NIGHT I ENDED UP CALLING THE AMBULANCE TO TAKE YOUR GRANDFATHER TO THE HOSPITAL. I KEPT TELLING HIM HE NEEDED TO GO TO THE DOCTORS OR THE HOSPITAL THAT I WAS SURE HE HAD PNEUMONIA. DO YOU THINK HE WOULD LISTEN?? YOUR GRANDMOTHER WAS NO HELP BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE HOW SICK HE WAS. YOU KNOW ALL I HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT SOMEONE AND I CAN TELL WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE PNEUMONIA. LORD KNOWS I CERTAINLY SAW ENOUGH OF IT WITH YOU. DAD AND I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL WITH HIM AND WE WERE THERE UNTIL AFTER ONE IN THE MORNING. OF COURSE THEY ADMITTED HIM WHICH I KNEW THEY WOULD AND OF COURSE, HE NOT ONLY HAS PNEUMONIA, BUT HE HAS A VERY BAD CASE OF IT IN BOTH LUNGS!! HE IS VERY TIRED AND WEARY. YOU KNOW HOW EXHAUSTING JUST BREATHING IS WHEN YOU HAVE PNEUMONIA. HE HAS VERY LITTLE APPETITE AND IS DOING POORLY AT PRESENT, BUT I EXPECT HIM TO START TO RALLY IN ANOTHER COUPLE OF DAYS. HE JUST REFUSES TO LISTEN AS DOES GRANNY. MAKES ME WONDER WHY THEY CAME HERE IF THEY WON'T LET US HELP. AFTERALL, THAT IS WHY WE BROUGHT THEM HERE, BUT THEY ARE STUBBORN!! YOU KNOW SWEETIE, AS I SAT THERE AND WATCHED YOUR GRANDFATHER LABOR AND LOOKING SO ASHEN, IT BROUGHT BACK ALL THOSE TIMES I SPENT WITH YOU IN THE HOSPITAL. THE DAYS AND NIGHTS AND ALL I COULD THINK OF WAS HOW SAD IT IS WHEN WE ARE YOUNGER WE SPEND TIME IN HOSPITAL ROOMS WITH OUR CHILDREN AND AS WE GROW OLDER, WE SPEND TIME IN THE HOSPITAL WITH OUR PARENTS. LIFE IS CRUEL AND IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN CRUEL TO ME OVER THE YEARS. YOU KNOW DARLIN', I AM TIRED AND WEARY TOO. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME, NOT YOU. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. I MISS YOU SO MUCH AND I NEED YOU.
MY DARLING, I LOVE YOU SO AND MISS YOU. JUST KNOW YOU ARE NEVER OUT OF MY THOUGHTS AND ALWAYS IN MY HEART. YOU ARE MY KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR, AND THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER YOU FOR ME.
YOUR LOVING MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
September 22, 2009
SEPTEMBER 21, 2009
MY PRECIOUS ANGEL,
WELL, HERE IT IS TEN MONTHS AND I SIMPLY CAN'T GET YOU OFF MY MIND. I CAN'T LET THE CIRCUMSTANCES GO AND LEFT UNNOTICED. I WENT BY YOUR HOUSE YESTERDAY AND LOOKED IN THE WINDOWS, WALKED AROUND BACK AND SAW THE CHILDREN'S TOYS AND SKATES THAT WERE LEFT BEHIND AND FINALLY WALKED UP THE STEPS TO SEE THE HOT TUB WHERE YOU DROWNED. IT WAS A HORRIBLE FEELING KNOWING YOU HAD DIED ON THAT SPOT AND WHAT CHAOS MUST HAVE GONE ON THAT NIGHT A YOUR HOME WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, EMS, DETECTIVES AND POLICE ALL SWARMING AROUND YOUR HOUSE. HOW HORRIBLE FOR THE CHILDREN TO SEE YOU LIKE THAT BEING TAKEN OUT BY STRETCHER TO THE WAITING AMBULANCE. MY HEART ACHES SO KNOWING THESE THINGS. THIS IS NO WAY FOR YOUR LIFE TO HAVE ENDED. NOT TO SOMEONE WHO WAS SO GOOD TO SO MANY PEOPLE. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND MISS YOU.
LOOKING AT THAT HOUSE AND KNOWING HOW YOU HAD PUT YOUR WHOLE HEART AND SOUL INTO IT AND KNOWING THAT ONCE YOU HAD FINALLY FINISHED IT AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS THAT YOU WERE NEVER ABLE TO ENJOY IT. IT TRULY SICKENS ME AND CONTINUES TO BREAK MY HEART.
DAD SEES ANOTHER ONCOLOGIST ON THURSDAY AND THE THOUGHT OF ANYTHING MORE HAPPENING TO YOUR DAD JUST HURTS ME SO.
GRANNY AND BOOMPA ARE GOING TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE A MEMORIAL PLAQUE PLACED ON YOUR GRAVESITE FOR THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF YOUR DEATH. YOUR DEATH HAS THEM SO HEARTBROKEN. IT WAS JUST A YEAR AGO THIS MONTH THAT WE WENT TO FLORIDA AND BROUGHT THEM UP HERE TO LIVE WITH US. THEY HARDLY HAD TIME WITH YOU AND THEY SO LOOKED FORWARD TO SPENDING TIME WITH YOU ONCE THEY MOVED UP HERE. OH HOW CRUEL LIFE CAN BE!
OH MY DARLING, I LOVE YOU AND I ALWAYS WILL. YOU ARE MY EVERYTHING.
LOVING YOU FOREVER,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
September 18, 2009
SEPTEMBER 12, 2009
MY SWEETHEART, MY PRECIOUS BOY,
IF ONLY YOU KNEW HOW MUCH YOU ARE MISSED AND NEEDED. I MISS YOU SO VERY MUCH AND STILL FIND IT HARD GETTING THROUGH ANY GIVEN DAY. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT COMES UP THAT BREAKS MY HEART JUST A LITTLE MORE.
TODAY IS OUR LITTLE SAMANTHA'S BIRTHDAY. YOUR DARLING LITTLE PRINCESS WHOM YOU LOVED SO VERY MUCH. YOU WERE EVERYTHING TO HER AND SHE SURELY WAS EVERYTHING TO YOU.
I MISS YOU SO MUCH, CHRISTOPHER AND I DO WANT YOU BACK WITH ME. I WANT ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR HUGS. I WANT TO HEAR YOUR VOICE AND I WANT TO SEE YOUR SMILE. MY HEART IS SHATTERED AND THINGS ARE NOT GOING WELL FOR YOUR DAD. IT NOW SEEMS HE MAY HAVE A METASTATIC TUMOR GROWING IN HIS FACE. WE HAVE TO GO TO AN ONCOLOGIST AND HOPEFULLY AT HOPKINS. I NEED YOU HERE WITH ME. YOU HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN ME STRENGTH AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE FOR ME. I CAN'T BEAR THE THOUGHT OF LOSING DAD. ALL THAT IS GOING ON HAS BEEN CONSTANT SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE AND MY HEART JUST CAN'T BEAR MUCH MORE. SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED MY DARLING, AND I CAN'T SEEM TO CATCH MY BREATH. I CAN'T STOP GRIEVING FOR YOU. A VERY LARGE PIECE OF MY HEART WAS BURIED WITH YOU AND MY LIFE WAS CHANGED FOREVER.
I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS AS YOU ARE WITH ME. I LOVE YOU DEARLY, BUT STILL CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WERE TAKEN FROM ME. MY LOVE FOR YOU IS CONSTANT AND ETERNAL, A LOVE WITHOUT END.
LOVING YOU,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
August 21, 2009
MY DARLING BOY,
WELL HERE IT IS NINE MONTHS SINCE WE SAID GOODBYE AND I HELD YOU IN MY ARMS FOR THE LAST TIME. THIS NINE MONTHS MARKS A MILESTONE SO UNLIKE THE FIRST NINE MONTHS I SPENT WITH YOU CARRYING YOU AND ENJOYING FEELING YOU MOVE INSIDE OF ME ALL THOSE LONG ANTICIPATED MONTHS. THE BIG DIFFERENCE WAS THAT I HELD YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME NOT THE LAST. THE FIRST TIME I COUNTED TEN PERFECT LITTLE FINGERS AND TEN PERFECT LITTLE TOES. THE FIRST TIME I GAZED INTO THOSE BIG BEAUTIFUL DANCING BLUE EYES NOT THE LAST WHEN THE BLUE HAD BECOME FADED AND THE GAZE BECAME VACANT. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT AFTER ALL THOSE WONDERFUL YEARS I ENJOYED YOU AS A BABY, A TODDLER, A LITTLE BOY, A TEENAGER AND FINALLY A CARING AND SENSITIVE YOUNG MAN, THAT IT WOULD ALL END SO TRAGICALLY? MY HEART STILL GRIEVES YOUR LOSS AND THE EMPTINESS OF MY ARMS KNOWING I SHALL NEVER HOLD YOU AGAIN. YOU WERE SO PRECIOUS AND SO LOVING AND I SO ENJOYED EVERY MOMENT I SPENT WITH YOU AND SO ENJOYED BEING YOUR MOM. NO OTHER MOTHER COULD HAVE LOVED YOU MORE.
I WROTE TO YOU ABOUT MY VISIT TO YOUR GRAVE ON JULY 4TH, BUT FOR SOME REASON IT NEVER GOT PRINTED, BUT DAD AND I SPENT MUCH OF THE DAY WITH YOU REMEMBERING HOW WE WERE SUPPOSE TO BE AT YOUR HOUSE FOR A COOK-OUT. WE WOULD HAVE YOU DOING ALL THE COOKING WHICH YOU LOVED TO DO AND YOU WOULD HAVE DONE IT ALL. I HAD PROMISED TO MAKE MY SPECIAL POTATO SALAD FOR YOU, BUT THERE WAS NO COOKOUT, NO RIBS, STEAK OR CHICKEN, NO POTATO SALAD.....NO YOU. I LAY UPON YOUR GRAVE AND JUST TALK WITH YOU. I JUST WANTED TO FEEL EXTRA CLOSE TO YOU SO I JUST LAY MY BODY ABOVE YOUR GRAVE AND CRIED. I WANTED SO MUCH TO SEE YOU, HEAR YOUR VOICE, TALK WITH YOU AND FEEL ONE OF THOSE WONDERFUL HUGS JUST ONE LAST TIME, BUT IT WASN'T MEANT TO BE AND FOR SOME REASON, I STILL CAN'T UNDERSTAND. I LOVE YOU MY BOY AND I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU.
LOVING YOU NOW AND FOREVER,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
July 21, 2009
MY PRECIOUS SON,
WELL, IT HAS BEEN EIGHT MONTHS TODAY SINCE YOU LEFT US. IT IS A DAY I WILL NEVER GET OUT OF MY MIND. I LIVE WITH IT EACH AND EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE. I LIVE WITH THE VISUAL OF YOU BEING ATTACHED TO SO MANY TUBES AND OTHER APPARATUS. IT IS SUCH A SAD THING FOR ANYONE TO HAVE TO SEE, BUT EVEN MORE HEART-WRENCHING FOR A MOTHER. ESPECIALLY FOR A MOTHER WHO HAS LOVED A CHILD AS DEEPLY AS I LOVE YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW VERY MUCH I LOVE YOU OR HOW VERY MUCH I MISS YOU?? MY HEART ACHES SO MUCH FOR YOU. I FEEL SO LOST WITHOUT YOU AND ONLY WISH YOU WERE HERE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW I THINK OF YOU EVERY WAKING MOMENT OF EVERY WAKING DAY?? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW MUCH YOU MEANT TO ME OR HOW IMPORTANT YOU WERE TO ME??
YOU ARE IN MY THOUGHTS, MY DREAMS AND MY PRAYERS. YOU ARE EVERYTHING TO ME. I THANK MY GOD FOR YOU EVERYDAY. I THANK HIM EVERYDAY FOR BLESSING ME WITH YOU..FOR THE GIFT OF YOU....FOR THE LOVE OF YOU. WE WERE PARTNERS, BUDDIES AND PALS. YOU WERE MY STRENGTH WHEN I NEEDED UPLIFTING AND YOU WERE ALWAYS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.
I AM SO VERY BLESSED TO CALL YOU MY SON, MY TREASURE AND MY VERY SPECIAL ANGEL SENT FROM HEAVEN.
I WILL LOVE YOU ALWAYS,
MOM
Jennifer Lawrence
July 4, 2009
My Dear Cousin,
My most treasured memory of you Chris is the time we spent the night at Aunt Shirleys. I remember getting up early the next morning, I can still hear your voice "Hey Sweet Pea". I sat at the kitchen table while you made french toast. I remeber getting really excited because you let me set the table, but you said that I was to young to put out the knives. I was the first one up so you said that I got the first piece of french toast.
I miss you Chris but I'll never forget all the wonderful memories that I have of you. I love you.
Your Cousin,
Jennifer
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
June 22, 2009
MY SWEETHEART,
A VERY HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO YOU!! TODAY AS USUAL IS SO VERY BITTER-SWEET. IT HAS BEEN SEVEN MONTHS TODAY SINCE YOU DIED AND LEFT US TO CARRY-ON WITHOUT YOU AND YOU CAN'T IMAGINE HOW DIFFICULT THAT HAS BEEN. LIFE HAS BEEN SO SAD AND LONELY WITH YOU GONE AND YOUR CHILDREN MISS YOU SO MUCH. SAMANTHA STILL CRIES HERSELF TO SLEEP EACH NIGHT AND JACOB JUST SEEMS SO SAD AND LONELY. HE MISSES YOU TERRIBLY AS DO I, YOUR DAD AND YOUR SISTER.
WE VISITED YOUR GRAVE TODAY AND PLACED A DOZEN WHITE ROSES THERE AND YOUR SISTER LEFT A CARD. DAD ARRANGED THE FLOWERS JUST SO AND THEY LOOKED SO BEAUTIFUL. IT GETS MORE DIFFICULT EACH TIME I GO THERE.
YOU KNOW MY PRECIOUS SON, THIS IS NOT HOW IT IS SUPPOSE TO BE. YOU SHOULD BE VISITING MY GRAVE. I SHOULD NOT BE VISITING YOURS. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND WISH YOU WERE HERE.
TIMES ARE SAD FOR SO MANY. YOUR SISTER MISSES YOU AND ALL YOUR CHATS. DAD MISSES YOU AND ALL YOUR COLLABORATION ON JOBS TOGETHER AND I JUST MISS YOU BECAUSE I AM YOUR MOM.
YOUR GRANDPARENTS MISS YOU TERRIBLY AND CAN'T MENTION YOUR NAME WITHOUT TEARING UP AND GRANNY JUST SAYS OVER AND OVER AGAIN HOW YOU WERE SUPPOSE TO BE HERE TO SING "HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW" AT HER FUNERAL. YOU ARE STILL THEIR #1 AND ALWAYS WILL BE AND NOTHING OR ANYONE WILL EVER TAKE YOUR PLACE.
DAD IS FAILING RAPIDLY AND I AM WORRIED TO SAY THE LEAST..I EVEN FEEL A LITTLE SCARED WHEN I SEE HOW FORGETFUL HE IS AND HOW HIS PERSONALITY IS CHANGING. LIFE ISN'T FAIR MY DARLING BUT THEN, NO ONE SAID IT WOULD BE. I MISS YOU SO MUCH AND SO WANT YOU HERE WITH ME AND YET I KNOW THAT CAN NEVER BE.
YOUR DAD AND I WERE ALWAYS SO PROUD OF THE YOUNG MAN YOU WERE AND THE KIND OF MAN AND FATHER YOU TURNED OUT TO BE. YOU WERE ALWAYS SO GIVING OF YOUR TIME, ENERGY AND LOVE. YOU WERE THE MOST UNSELFISH CHILD AND THE MOST SELFLESS MAN I BELIEVE I EVER KNEW. YOU ALWAYS GAVE SO MUCH OF YOURSELF TO EVERYONE AND I BELIEVE THAT HELP TO DO YOU IN. YOU NEVER SAID "NO" TO ANYONE AND YOU ALWAYS HAD TIME, MONEY, FOOD AND ROOM FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDED IT. YOU GREETED EVERYONE WITH OPEN ARMS, FAITH AND TRUST. YOU WERE TOO TRUSTING FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, BUT YOU WOULDN'T LISTEN TO ANYONE WHO DIDN'T SHARE YOUR CONVICTIONS. YOU WERE YOUR OWN MAN AND I WAS SO PROUD OF YOU, BUT FOR AS GOOD AS YOU WERE, I CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL THINGS SHOULD HAVE TURNED OUT SO MUCH BETTER FOR YOU.
WELL SWEETHEART, UNTIL NEXT TIME JUST ALWAYS KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU AND ALWAYS WILL. NOTHING CAN OR EVER WILL CHANGE MY LOVE FOR YOU.
LOVE YOU FOREVER,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
May 26, 2009
MY DARLING PRECIOUS BOY,
IT'S JUST ME AGAIN THINKING OF YOU AS USUAL, BUT THIS WAS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AND I VISITED YOUR GRAVE YESTERDAY. RESURRECTION IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL, SERENE PLACE. I OFTEN THINK I SHOULD LIKE TO GO AND JUST SIT THERE BY YOUR SIDE AND READ TO YOU. HOW DUMB IS THAT? I MIGHT IMAGINE THOUGH IT MIGHT BE COMFORTING FOR ME TO DO THAT, BUT YOUR DAD KEEPS ME SO BUSY I AM SURE THAT IT IS TO KEEP ME FROM BEING WITH YOU, BUT NO MATTER WHAT, I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU. RAIN, SHINE, SLEET OR SNOW NO ONE WILL KEEP ME AWAY FROM YOU.
WE HAVE SHARED SO MANY THINGS AND HAVE SO MANY MEMORIES. WE HAVE SHARED LAUGHTER AND TEARS IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES, BUT WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR EACH OTHER.
I SENSE YOUR SPIRIT IN A COOL BREEZE AND YOUR ESSENCE WITH A FRAGRANT SMELL OF HONEYSUCKLE AND YOU ARE FULL IN MY HEART ALWAYS IN ALL WAYS.
YOU ARE MY TREASURE ALWAYS AND FOREVER.
YOU WILL ALWAYS BE TO ME THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE. THE ONE I TRUSTED, THE ONE I COUNTED ON ALWAYS IN ALL WAYS.
NOW THAT YOU ARE NOT HERE, YOU CAN COUNT ON ME TO WATCH OVER YOUR JACOB. YOUR SISTER AND I WILL DO OUR BEST TO KEEP HIM CLOSE TO US. WE SAW HIM OVER THE WEEKEND AND HE HAS GROWN TWO INCHES SINCE YOU WENT AWAY AND HE NOW SPORTS A NEW SET OF BRACES. REMINDS ME OF YOU WHEN YOU HAD YOURS. HE IS SO ADORABLE. HE LOVED BEING WITH ALL OF US AND SO ENJOYED HIS COUSINS. MAYBE HE WILL SPEND THE NIGHT NEXT TIME. I DON'T THINK HE WAS READY TO GO HOME. HE HUGGED YOUR SISTER SO TIGHT AND DIDN'T WANT TO LET HER GO, BUT THEN, SHE IS HIS DADDY'S SISTER AND HE HAS ALWAYS LOVED HIS AUNT PAM.
MY HEART ACHED WHEN I SAW HIM AND ALL I COULD THINK OF WAS HOW MUCH HE WAS MISSING IN NOT HAVING YOU AND HOW MUCH YOU WERE MISSING BY NOT BEING HERE TO WATCH HIM GROW. ALL IN ALL WE WERE FILLED WITH QUIET, BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES.
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, A WEEKEND FOR REMEMBERING OUR LOVED ONES AND OUR MILITARY WHO HAVE FOUGHT FOR US AND WHO ARE STILL FIGHTING FOR US. REMEMBERING
ALL THE FEW GOOD MEN IN THE ARMY OF THE LORD.
YOU MY SWEET ARE RANKED HIGH IN THAT ARMY OF A FEW GOOD MEN AND I LOVE YOU.
LOVING YOU ALWAYS IN ALL WAYS,
MOM
SHIRLEY PITCHER
May 21, 2009
MY DEAR SWEET ANGEL,
TODAY IS THE SIXTH MONTH ANNIVERSARY OF YOUR DEATH. IT HAS BEEN A VERY WEEPY AND EMOTIONAL DAY FOR ME. FOR SOME REASON TODAY HAS BEEN MORE DIFFICULT THEN OTHER ANNIVERSARIES OF YOUR HOMECOMING TO OUR LORD. THE HURT FEELS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY, BUT THE TIME SEEMS SO LONG.
AS YOUR MOTHER, I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER AND NEVER FORGET. I WAS THERE WHEN YOU CAME INTO THIS WORLD AND I WAS THERE WHEN YOU LEFT THIS EARTH AND I WILL ALWAYS BE HERE FOR YOU AND THE EVER AFTER.
YOU ARE HERE WITH ME WITH EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART AND YOU ARE HERE WITH ME IN EVERY BREATH THAT I TAKE AND YOU ARE ALWAYS HERE WITH ME IN EVERYTHING I DO.
I FEEL YOUR PRESENCE WHEN I CRY AND KNOW YOU ARE CATCHING EACH TEAR THAT FALLS. I KNOW YOU HEAR EACH WHISPER, YOU HEAR MY SOFTEST SIGH AND YOU KNOW HOW I SIGH!! I BELIEVE YOU KNOW MY EVERY THOUGHT AS I KNEW YOURS.
I ALSO BELIEVE IN MY HEART THAT OUR LORD AND SAVIOR WILL TAKE AWAY MY PAIN AND ALL MY SORROW, BUT ASK HIM TO HUSTLE HIS BUSTLE JUST FOR YOUR MOM. I KNOW YOU'RE IN GOOD WITH HIM. YOU'RE THE BEST OF THE BEST!
MY PRECIOUS BOY, I AM HERE FOR YOU ALWAYS AND FOREVER AND I LOVE YOU SO. MY HEART STILL ACHES FOR YOU AND NO MATTER WHAT, I WANT YOU BACK.
LOVING YOU ALWAYS,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
May 18, 2009
MY SWEETHEART,
TODAY IS YOUR SON'S 12TH BIRTHDAY AND I SPOKE WITH HIM EARLIER AND ALSO SPOKE WITH LYNNIE. ALL OF US SANG "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" TO HIM AND HE STARTED TO LAUGH. HE MISSES YOU AND I MISS YOU, TOO! IT HAS BEEN A VERY LONG FIVE MONTHS. YOU WILL BE HAPPY TO KNOW THAT HE IS ON THE HONOR ROLL AT SCHOOL AND I LET HIM KNOW HOW PROUD I WAS OF HIM AND HOW PROUD YOU WOULD BE. HE CONTINUES TO PLAY THE PIANO AND IS DOING SO WELL. WE ARE HOPING TO SEE HIM SOON. YOUR SISTER IS THINKING OF HAVING A COOK-OUT AND DRIVING TO VIRGINIA TO PICK HIM UP. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO STAY CONNECTED WITH US SO THAT HE CAN KNOW HOW MUCH WE LOVE HIM AND CARE FOR HIM. WE HAVE NOT SEEN HIM SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE. EVERYTHING IS SAD WITHOUT YOU AND EACH SPECIAL DAY DOESN'T FEEL SO SPECIAL ANYMORE. I JUST WISH WE COULD HELP TO FILL THAT VOID IN JACOB'S LIFE, BUT WE ARE NOT "YOU" AND NOTHING IS THE SAME.
I WISH YOU COULD BE HERE TO WATCH YOUR SON GROW AND HELP TO GUIDE HIM INTO MAN-HOOD. IF HE GROWS UP TO BE HALF THE MAN HIS DADDY WAS HE WILL BE A VERY SPECIAL AND GOOD MAN.
HE HASN'T SEEN HIS SISTER, SAMANTHA SINCE YOUR FUNERAL OR CHEYENNE OR DEVON. HE HAS LOST A LOT!! HIS DAD, HIS SISTER, HIS STEP-MOM AND HIS STEP- BROTHER AND SISTER. HE HAS BEEN THE ONE WHO HAS LOST THE MOST AND HIS LIFE AS HE KNEW IT HAS CHANGED DRASTICALLY. MY HEART ACHES FOR HIM AND I HOPE YOUR FATHER, JIM WILL KEEP CLOSE TO HIM. THINGS ARE NOT GOOD HERE AND YOU CAN'T IMAGINE HOW YOUR DEATH HAS IMPACTED ALL OF US, BUT NO ONE MISSES YOU LIKE I DO AND SOMETIMES I EVEN WONDER IF SOME PEOPLE MISS YOU AT ALL, BUT MY LIFE IS NOT THE SAME AND NEITHER IS YOUR SON'S. I JUST WISH YOU BACK!!
I LOVE YOU FOREVER,
MOM
Joyce Gering
May 14, 2009
May 14, 2009
I have had such a difficult time putting any of my thoughts and feelings into print because the tears just keep flowing. All my thoughts and memories of you,dear Chris ,are such good ones. It all started New Years Eve 1965, when your Mom was wishing you out of her womb, she just couldn,t wait to see the child that had made her blossom so! The surrealness of your tiny heart laboring in that mist of the O2 tent @ Childrens Hospital.You looked so angelic through such difficulties. God had His purpose. I watched your eagerness to learn about God through the early grade school years and how I felt when they tried to squelch such spirituality and godliness in your pure soul. I was so proud to see you pick-up your love of God and everything good and march on to where your beliefs and your God brought happiness to you and every soul you touched. I am honored to have so many more good memories of you ,Chris, but not enough breath,paper,or website to contain it all. Your name "Christopher" says it all. How proud God must be of you. May you continue to shine upon me, and give me the good grace to help your family find joy,peace,and comfort from your life. Love and Miss you, Aunt Joyce.
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
May 11, 2009
MY SWEET PRINCE,
WELL HERE IT IS, MOTHER'S DAY, AND I AM HERE WITHOUT YOU. IT HAS BEEN A HEART-WRENCHING DAY FOR ME AND I HAVE FOUND GREAT DIFFICULTY KEEPING MY COMPOSURE. IT IS MY FIRST MOTHER'S DAY WITHOUT YOU AND YOU WERE THE REASON FOR MY VERY "FIRST" MOTHER'S DAY. IT WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE AND I FELT AS THOUGH I WAS THE ONLY MOTHER IN THE WORLD. WHAT A TREASURE YOU WERE AND I LOVED YOU SO. TODAY I WAS LOST AND MISSED YOU SO MUCH. I MISSED OUR TIME TOGETHER AS YOU WOULD COOK CORNISH HENS FOR ME ON THE GRILL. YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO TAKE ME OUT TO DINNER AND I WOULD JUST SAY "NO WAY" AND INSIST THAT I COULDN'T STAND BEING IN THOSE NOISEY RESTAURANTS WITH ALL THOSE SCREAMING CRYING KIDS, SO YOU WOULD FIX ME DINNER AT HOME. THAT WAS MY FAVORITE DINNER AFTERALL, AND YOU AND YOUR SISTER WOULD JUST BEAR WITH ME AND EAT THOSE HENS. THOSE WERE SUCH WONDERFUL DAYS WHEN LIFE SEEMED SO MUCH SIMPLER. I MISS THOSE DAYS AND I MISS YOU.
YOU KNOW, I TALK TO YOU AND GOD SO OFTEN, BUT NEITHER OF YOU RESPOND. I REALLY THINK THIS IS ALL JUST A VERY BAD DREAM AND I AM GOING TO WAKE UP FROM ALL THIS SADNESS AND MISERY AND FIND YOU CALLING ME ON THE PHONE OR WALKING IN MY FRONT DOOR, BUT WHICH EVER IT IS I JUST WISH IT WOULD ALL END AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO. I AM BEGINNING TO THINK OUR LORD HAS MADE A "BIG" MISTAKE, "HUGE" IN FACT, BECAUSE HE REALLY CAN'T HAVE TAKEN YOU FROM ME AND MEANT TO DO THAT. HE KNEW HOW MUCH I LOVED YOU AND HOW MUCH YOU MEANT TO ME AND THIS FAMILY. AFTERALL, YOU ARE THE ONE WHO KEPT US ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW. YOU WERE THE ONE WHO WAS SAVING OUR SOULS. YOU WERE THE ONE WE ALL LOOKED UP TO. YOU WERE THE ONE WHO COULD ALWAYS MAKE US SMILE. YOU WERE THE ONE MY PRECIOUS BOY, YOU WERE THE ONE WE RELIED ON. YOU WERE THE ONE I CALLED "SON". THE ONE I ROCKED , HELD IN MY ARMS AND SANG LULLABIES TO. YOU WERE THE ONE MY ANGEL PRINCE. YOU WERE THE ONE AND I MISS YOU SO. INSTEAD OF HAVING YOU WITH ME I HAVE RESORTED TO WEARING A LOCKET AROUND MY NECK WITH A PICTURE OF YOU IN IT. IT IS A LOCKET THAT I HOLD CLOSE TO MY BROKEN HEART... THAT WAY I CAN CARRY YOU WITH ME WHEREVER I GO. YOU ARE NEVER OUT OF MY THOUGHTS AND YOU ARE ALWAYS IN MY HEART AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT TIME WILL NEVER CHANGE.
I LOVE YOU WITH A MOTHER'S LOVE. A LOVE THAT IS PURE, GENTLE AND EVERLASTING. A LOVE SO STRONG AND UNCONDITIONAL THAT THE STING OF DEATH CAN NEVER DESTROY.
HOW COULD I EVER THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME THE KIND OF MOTHER MOST MOTHERS ONLY HOPE TO BE, BUT YOU AND YOUR SISTER HAVE DONE JUST THAT. YOU MADE ME PROUD TO BE YOUR MOTHER. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A "CHRISTOPHER" THEN THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT.
YOU ARE MY HEART AND SOUL AND I LOVE YOU DEEPLY. YOU WERE THE ONE THAT CAPTURED MY HEART...........YOU WERE THE ONE!!
YOUR LOVING MOM
Gary Puffenbarger
May 4, 2009
Shirley, George and Pam,
I was deeply saddened to hear that Chris had passed. He was a stellar man. He helped me set my feet on a firm path towards success by bringing me in to see George. Through them both I was taught well and given the tools to succeed in life. I will miss him and I will keep you all in my prayers. My love and thanks to you all.
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
April 22, 2009
MY PRECIOUS SON,
WELL HERE I AM AGAIN THINKING OF YOU AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW. IT HAS BEEN FIVE MONTHS TODAY SINCE YOU WENT TO BE WITH OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. FIVE MONTHS SINCE YOU WENT TO SLEEP IN THE ARMS OF GOD. I MISS YOU TERRIBLY AND CAN'T GET PASSED THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU ARE GONE FROM ME FOREVER. I LOOK FORWARD TO LEAVING THIS EARTHLY BODY SO THAT I CAN BE WITH YOU AGAIN. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND MISS YOU EVEN MORE.
YESTERDAY YOUR NEPHEW, NICHOLAS TURNED THIRTEEN. YOUR LITTLE NEICE, GRACE ASKS FOR YOU A LOT AND LITTLE BENJAMIN WILL NEVER REALLY KNOW YOU. YOUR SISTER MISSES YOU SO VERY MUCH AND NEEDS YOU. SHE IS HAVING A ROUGH TIME AND MISSES HER TALKS WITH YOU. SHE COULD ALWAYS CONFIDE IN HER BIG BROTHER AS YOU COULD ALWAYS CONFIDE IN HER. YOU CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MUCH SHE MISSES YOU.
DAD IS NOT DOING WELL AND YOU CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT YOUR DEATH HAS DONE TO HIM. IT HAS TAKEN SUCH A TOLL ON HIM AND I AM AFRAID THAT IT HAS HASTENED HIS ALZHEIMER'S. MY DARLING, I JUST CAN'T DEAL WITH ALL OF THIS. I NEED YOU SO MUCH AND I WANT YOU BACK.
EACH AND EVERY DAY I COUNT HOW LONG YOU HAVE BEEN GONE AND EACH DAY JUST SEEMS TO MELT INTO ANOTHER. I CAN'T VISIT YOUR GRAVE OFTEN ENOUGH AND I JUST WANT TO SIT AND TALK WITH YOU BUT YOU NEVER ANSWER BACK AND I JUST WANT TO HEAR YOUR VOICE AGAIN AND SEE THOSE BIG BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND WANT YOU BACK. WE ALL NEED YOU.
THE ONLY SENSE I CAN MAKE OF ALL THIS IS WHEN I THINK OF ALL THE MEN THE LORD TOOK HOME WITH HIM THIS PAST YEAR. HE TOOK YOU MY BLUE EYED BLONDE. HE TOOK CHARLTON HESTON AND PAUL NEWMAN BOTH WITH THEIR BLUE EYES. HE MUST HAVE NEEDED A FEW GOOD MEN FOR HIS ARMY IN HEAVEN BECAUSE HE TOOK THE BEST.
WELL MY DARLING, MY KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR, I SHALL WRITE AGAIN SOON AND MAYBE IN TIME I WILL BE ABLE TO SAY, "IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL" BUT I JUST CAN'T DO THAT YET, BUT I DO KNOW AND ACCEPT IT IS GOD'S WILL NOT MINE.
I LOVE YOU DEEPLY, MY PRECIOUS BOY.
LOVE,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
March 21, 2009
MY DARLING PRECIOUS SON,
TODAY MARKS THE FOUR MONTH ANNIVERSARY OF YOUR DEATH AND TO ME IT IS AN ETERNITY. MY TEARS STILL FLOW, BUT NOW IN SECRET AND MY BROKEN HEART STILL ACHES WITH SADNESS. YOU WERE GONE FROM ME ALL TOO SOON AND NO ONE COULD BEGIN TO IMAGINE WHAT IT HAS MEANT FOR ME TO LOSE YOU.
MY MEMORIES ARE OVERSHADOWED BY MY PAIN OF YOUR LOSS AND THE FEELINGS THAT I ONLY WANTED TO SHARE MORE MEMORIES WITH YOU.
THERE WAS NO TIME LEFT FOR ONE OF OUR HEART TO HEART TALKS. NO TIME LEFT FOR ANOTHER PICTURE. NO TIME LEFT TO SAY GOODBYE OR ONE LAST TIME TO SAY HOW MUCH I LOVED YOU, AND ONLY GOD KNOWS WHY.
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND AND I WANT TO KNOW WHY. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND I WANT TO FEEL LESS HELPLESS. I MISS YOU WITH EVERY BREATH I TAKE AND I MISS YOU WITH EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART AND OH MY PRECIOUS BOY, I JUST WANT YOU BACK.
YOUR WERE ALWAYS THE GOLDEN ANGEL IN MY LIFE AND NOW YOU ARE MY GOLDEN ANGEL IN HEAVEN WITH STARS IN YOUR BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES, HEAVEN IN YOUR HEART AND STARLIGHT IN YOUR SOUL.
YOU ARE TODAY, FOREVER AND ALWAYS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE AND NOW THE ANGEL OF MY SOUL.
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU,
MOM
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
February 15, 2009
MY SWEET & PRECIOUS ANGEL, MY SWEETHEART, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY. I MISS YOU, YOUR PHONE CALL TODAY AND THE BOX OF CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES YOU ALWAYS GAVE ME ON VALENTINE'S DAY. NO DAY HAS EVER BEEN THE SAME WITHOUT YOU AND I DOUBT IT WILL EVER BE AGAIN. EVERY HEART I SEE TODAY ONLY REMINDS ME OF MY BROKEN ONE. MY HEART IS SO BROKEN CHRISTOPHER AND I DOUBT ANYTHING WILL EVER REPAIR IT. I MISS YOU SO AND NOTHING IS THE SAME WITHOUT YOU. IF ONLY I COULD HAVE YOU HERE WITH ME LYING AT THE BOTTOM OF MY BED JUST CHIT-CHATTING AWAY UNTIL ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT. I MISS THOSE NIGHTS AND THE NIGHTS WE USE TO STAY UP UNTIL TWO OR THREE IN THE MORNING CLEANING HOUSE!! OH MY, WE HAD FUN EVEN THOUGH YOU THOUGHT YOUR MOTHER TO BE A BIT OF A NUT CASE FOR CLEANING ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT, BUT REMEMBER HOW NICE EVERYTHING LOOKED WHEN WE GOT UP IN THE MORNING. WE DID HAVE OUR OWN KIND OF FUN!! PEOPLE JUST WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND, BUT WE DID!! WE WERE JUST EACH OTHERS' BEST FRIEND AND YOU WERE ALWAYS SUCH A TREASURE TO ME, BUT ALL THAT IS GONE NOW AND WILL NEVER BE AGAIN. YOU COULDN'T BEGIN TO IMAGINE HOW HARD IT IS TO GO ON. IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN THREE MONTHS SINCE YOU LEFT ME AND IT FEELS MORE LIKE THREE YEARS. I STILL DON'T KNOW WHY THE LORD TOOK YOU FROM ME. HE KNEW HOW VERY MUCH I LOVED YOU. I HATE MYSELF FOR BEING SO SELFISH, BUT I WISH HE HAD TAKEN SOMEONE ELSE THAT NO ONE CARED ABOUT INSTEAD OF YOU. HOW YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SO LOVED AND CARED FOR. I DOUBT ANYONE REALLY UNDERSTANDS, BUT I KNOW YOU DO. WE ALWAYS HAD SUCH A CLOSE BOND AND I STILL FEEL IT. DEATH WILL NEVER TAKE THAT BOND AWAY. I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU.
YOUR LOVING MOM
Robert and Bert Pitcher
February 4, 2009
Dear Shirley, George, Pam, Rick and family, Eleanor and Jim
Words cannot express the love and sympathy we feel for all of you. We did not get to see Chris very often--mostly at holidays and weddings, but we always knew he would be there if we needed anything. It was nice to hear all the wonderful things said about him at the wake. He was blessed with many friends. Chris helped Robert put the electricity in the work shop out back many years ago and it made Robert's life very happy. I hope you all know we are here to help in any way we can anytime. With love, Robert and Bert
Karen Tanenberg
January 29, 2009
My dear sweet Shirley, George, and Pamela,
My heart is breaking for you and the tears continue to flow each time I think of your precious Christopher and you. Shirley, I know how much
he meant to you.. he was your world, your joy, your love. I pray daily God gives you the grace to go
on, although the hole in your heart and your life, will never be filled. I remember our many talks about our "boys" and how you always referred to him as "my Christopher".
And he was yours... so sweet, so loving, so caring.. just like his mom.
He will always be yours and you will see him again in the better world.
With all my love and deepest sympathy, Karen
Johnathan Mosley
January 26, 2009
Friend, brother, or mentor; when I search for words to describe our relationship. I always appreciated how you would have patience with me to teach me how to build an impressive fire, or even when we would go fishing and I would catch something but of course couldn't take it off the hook. I am just glad you finally get to rest longer than 2 hours or when I come out to join you in our little office you are not passed out in the chair. I miss being able to share a good drink with you while we would either hang out or just shake our heads at all the things going on around us. I do want to thank you for everything you have done for me as an individual and for my family as a whole, when really I consider you family. Shirley you raised a wonderful man that everyday thought more of what he could do for everyone else before he thought of himself. One of the few men I have met in my life that you could honestly say was a selfless person to the ones he cared about. Whether it be those at Capital Baptist or the many strangers he so graciously let into his life.
I still look at the e-mails we had go back and forth and I will sign this like those.
Your brother from another mother!
Linda Marie Ford
January 5, 2009
Chris will always be remembered for his beautiful smile, kind words, giving spirit, and his love of family and friends. He touched the lives of so many people and is missed so very much. My heartfelt prayer is that the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, will heal the broken hearts of this very special family. May He keep you all in His loving care.
ELEANOR LAWRENCE
January 3, 2009
Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday Dear Christopher, our #1 Grandson, so loving, so tender, so caring and kind.
We will never, ever forget you. You will live forever in our hearts and minds.
We remember vividly, you as the young man that we introduced into air travel when we took you to Eleuthera and Exuma Islands. You gazed out the window in wonderment at the patchwork earth
below. You were a treasure to behold. You loved everything from the food, especially the conch fritters, to diving to the glassy bottom of the waters at Stocking Island to retrieve a starfish, which was of course, a gift for your dear mother. How excited you were!!
We have so many precious memories of you and will never forget any of them or you.
As the song we know goes, "In the sweet bye and bye, we will meet on that beautiful shore."
Until then - much love,
Your Loving Grandparents,
Granny & Boompa
SHIRLEY PITCHER
January 3, 2009
MY DEAR SWEET DARLING BOY,
TODAY, AGAIN, I VISITED YOUR GRAVE AND KNELT ABOVE YOUR BURIAL SITE AND CRIED LIKE A BABY. YOU SEE MY SWEETHEART, TODAY IS YOUR 43RD BIRTHDAY, AND THE ONLY BIRTHDAY I HAVE NEVER HAD WITH YOU HERE WITH ME. I COULD NEVER IMAGINE THIS DAY BEING SO SAD AND LONELY FOR ME WHILE REMEMBERING SO MANY YEARS AGO THE DAY YOU WERE BORN AND THE SHEER JOY AND HAPPINESS I FELT HOLDING YOU IN MY ARMS FOR THE FIRST TIME.
YOU WERE MY SPECIAL ANGEL FROM HEAVEN AND I WAS SO GRATEFUL AND SO DELIGHTED TO BE YOUR MOMMIE. I JUST KNEW THAT NO OTHER MOTHER IN THE WORLD COULD LOVE HER CHILD MORE THAN I LOVED YOU.
YOUR WHOLE LIFE WAS LIKE THAT WITH ME. WE HAD FUN TOGETHER WHETHER COLORING, BUILDING SNOWMEN, BUILDING BLOCKS TO PLAYING SCRABBLE AS YOU GOT OLDER, WE HAD FUN AND ALWAYS ENJOYED EACH OTHERS' COMPANY.
OH HOW I LOVE YOU MY PRECIOUS SON. I WISH FOR YOU A HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
I CAN'T BEAR THAT YOU ARE GONE FROM ME AND CAN'T WAIT UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN BECAUSE I KNOW WE WILL ONE DAY.
I STILL CAN'T HELP BUT ASK "WHY",
"WHAT HAPPENED."
OH MY DARLING, I MISS YOU MORE THEN I CAN DEAL WITH AND I HOPE YOU KNOW HOW VERY MUCH YOU WERE AND ARE STILL LOVED.
WE WERE ALWAYS SO CLOSE AND I MISS THAT. I MISS YOUR SMILES. I MISS YOUR HUGS. I MISS YOUR LAUGH. I JUST MISS YOUR SOUND.
WELL, YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT I DID!! I SAVED ALL YOUR TEXT MESSAGES TO ME THE DAY OF MY BIRTHDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH. I DECIDED THOSE WERE GOING TO BE MY LAST MESSAGES FROM YOU SO I KEPT THEM. I KNOW YOU'RE UP THERE TELLING ME HOW PATHETIC I AM, BUT YOU KNOW HOW US OLD PEOPLE GET.
WELL PRECIOUS ANGEL, HOLD MY PLACE UP THERE IN LINE AND EVERY TIME I HEAR A HAPPY WHISTLING BIRD OUTSIDE MY WINDOW, I WILL ALMOST KNOW IT'S YOU, AND IF SOME BIG BREEZE OR WIND GOES BY AND MESSES MY HAIR, I WILL DEFINITELY KNOW IT'S YOU.
I LOVE YOU MY LITTLE SWEETHEART. JUST TAKE MY HAND ANYTIME AND HOLD IT.
YOUR LOVING MOM
James Lawrence
December 22, 2008
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS NAME THEM ONE BY ONE
My memories of my nephew are numerous, joyful, and considered by me to be one of the many blessings I have received in my life.
The excitement of my sister's pregnancy with Chris's father Jimmy Haines was nothing short of pure happiness on my becoming an Uncle Jimi. You see I was there when Christopher Robert Haines was born.
As the Catholic tradition would dictate, I was chosen to be his godfather along with my first cousin, Gerri Lawrence, to be his godmother. It was an honor that I would never have again.
Christopher was not a well child. I can remember my family walking him through the night to help ease the stress on his little body from asthma so he could fall off to sleep. I was there for the many sicknesses and hospital stays. My dear sister would hold all night vigils for her only son. Many prayers went up to the mercy seat of God for the welfare of this infant boy.
As time moved on, this young lad displayed a certain giftedness beyond his years. He thought he could do anything and was not afraid to try everything. His creative abilities shined in school. He excelled and put on lavish experiments for his science class. I believe Chris could have done anything he put his mind to do.
He became a master electrician under the tutelage of his step father, George Pitcher. Chris became the man he was destined to become. He was a giver and gave his talents unreservedly by teaching numerous electrical classes at the community college.
Chris gave his time, his money, jobs, and his expertise to everyone. I guess the question is "Did Chris ever say No"? He never said no to me. When I needed electrical work done on my family's addition, I turned to Chris and George to wire and design my house. Yes, I was also there to benefit from his kindness and generosity.
Christopher continued throughout his adult life giving unto others. He modeled himself after the God/man, Christ Jesus. Chris knew his imperfections, and he knew that he needed someone larger than himself to redeem him from sin and its consequences. He chose the only one who declared Himself to be one with the Father. Chris knew and believed that without the shedding of blood there was no forgiveness of sin. Christopher yoked himself to the person and work of Jesus Christ.
And now Christopher Robert Haines is in a place where death is swallowed up in victory and the Lord God will wipe away all his tears.
For Chris believed in his heart Christ's words, "I am the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live".
Psalm 116:15 says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints".
Yes, I was also there when my only beloved nephew died.
Vicky and Charlie Alevrofas
December 21, 2008
Dear Shirley, George, Pam, and family,
I don't know if there are any words that can help you get through this sad time. Chris was a very special person. His kindness, humor, faith, and generosity to family and friends are what will remain here in our hearts and minds. He was truly a child of God. How lucky we all were to have him touch our lives.
Petranda Alevrofas
December 21, 2008
My memories of Chris go back to the Grace Brethren days, when I was always at the Pitcher's house hanging out with Pam. Chris always seemed so much older than us back then, her "older" brother...but now it doesn't seem so and he was lost at such a young age. Chris was always smiling back then and was just a happy and warm guy. I remember thanking him whenever he could drop off Pam in his Ford truck at my house when it was snowing. Chris, you'll be missed. This is obvious by all the kind words people are writing on here and the sorrow at your funeral. You are in a better place for sure and heaven is brighter place because of you.
Mark Lawrence
December 21, 2008
My cousin was a good man. Kind and generous to a fault. Always ready to offer assistance if needed. I remember helping him run wire through our crawl space when my parents built an addition on their house many years ago. I remember hoping he'd be at Aunt Shirley's house on Christmas Day because he was my older cousin and it was more fun when he was there, slicing ham (or whatever Aunt Shirley had cooked) and helping hand out presents. As I grew up we didn't stay in touch and I do regret this. Sometimes life can get so busy that you forget what's really important and I admit that happened to me. I'm thankful to have had a cousin like Chris and for the testimony he was to me growing up. We will miss you Chris. Love, Mark
Leslie Blosse
December 20, 2008
What I remember is a frail little boy, mature beyond his years. Chris was asthmatic and suffered a great deal during his childhood. But I never heard him complain and never heard him whimper.
I can also attest to his generosity. Chris knew, as did everyone in the Lawrence clan, that his Aunt Leslie could smell sweets a mile away. Well, every Easter Chris' grandmother Haines would bake him the most beautiful, most delicious cookies that ever graced the earth. Chris, I think, enjoyed watching me eat his cookies, more than he enjoyed eating them himself.
He always greeted me with a smile when I walked through the door of the home of his grandparents, Eleanor and Jim Lawrence. Boompa and Granny, as they are affectionately known, dearly loved Chris. He was their number one grandchild. But no one ever challenged his title; there was neither bitterness nor jealously, for everyone knew that he was well deserving of that distinction. If any child could be described as "angelic", it would be Chris. I agree with his mother, Chris was indeed too good for his world.
SHIRLEY HAINES-PITCHER
December 19, 2008
MY DEAR & PRECIOUS ANGEL,
NO MOTHER HAS LOVED A CHILD MORE THAN I HAVE LOVED YOU. HOW LOVING AND DARLING YOU WERE YOUR WHOLE LIFE THROUGH. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SEE THE DAY YOU TOOK YOUR LAST BREATH. I ONLY WANTED TO HOLD YOU IN MY ARMS ONE LAST TIME AND GOD KNEW THAT AND ALLOWED ME THE HONOR OF DOING JUST THAT. I ALWAYS SAID THAT YOU WERE ONE OF THOSE SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO WAS TOO GOOD FOR THIS WORLD, AND MY DARLING YOU WERE. YOU CAN'T IMAGINE HOW BROKEN MY HEART IS OR HOW VERY MUCH I MISS YOU. NO MATTER WHAT, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE THE LOVE AND LIGHT OF MY LIFE AND MY KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR. PART OF MY HEART AND SOUL HAS BEEN BURIED WITH YOU AND MY LOVE FOR YOU WILL NEVER END. WHEN MY TIME COMES TO LEAVE THIS EARTHLY LIFE I EXPECT TO BE RAISED UP ON ANGELS WINGS WHERE I WILL FIND YOU THERE WITH YOUR ARMS OUTSTRETCHED TO HUG ME ONCE AGAIN. I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU AS ONLY A MOTHER CAN LOVE, MY PRECIOUS FIRSTBORN, MY PRECIOUS CHRISTOPHER, MY HEART. YOU WERE MY GREATEST GIFT FROM THE LORD AND I NEVER FORGOT THAT YOU WERE ONLY ON LOAN, THAT YOU BELONGED TO HIM, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND I KNOW YOU ARE BACK WITH HIM NOW. I ONLY PRAYED I WOULD HAVE YOU LONGER, BUT ROMANS 8:28 IS A VERSE I KNOW AND LIVE BY. SO WHILE I MAY BE TERRIBLY SADDENED AND LOST WITHOUT YOU, I KNOW THE LORD HAS A SPECIAL REASON FOR DOING THINGS IN HIS TIME AND NOT OURS. HOWEVER, I JUST WANT TO KNOW "WHY"! I LOVE YOU WITH EVERY LIVING BREATH IN ME AND WITH EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART. AS ALWAYS, YOUR LOVING MOM
- Berf
December 13, 2008
Chris-We all miss you so much. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to see you and hug you one last time.
I love you.
Brooke Rivera
November 30, 2008
Dear Debbie and children,
We are so sorry to hear about Chris's passing. I know he was a blessed husband and father. Our hearts go out to you and we are praying for you.
In Christ,
Brooke and Robert Rivera and children
Dawn Alexander
November 26, 2008
Henry just told me today, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you.
Gina Henry
November 26, 2008
Debbie,
I am sorry for your loss. I have you and your family in my prayers.
God Bless.
Marsha Carpenter
November 25, 2008
Chris was a wonderful person and he will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family.
Marsha Carpenter
Tom Torok
Mortgage Concepts
Sandy and Lisa Larion
November 25, 2008
The loss of someone so close is difficult to bear. We share your grief.
Janet Harris
November 25, 2008
Dear Debbie, Mr. & Mrs. Pitcher & Pam,
I remember Chris in jr/sr high school at GBCS and the many pranks he and Bobby Mathieu pulled on me and other teachers. Watching him grow and mature over the years not only physically but spiritually, was a joy. I know that he was a blessing to everyone he came in contact with. My prayers are with you.
Bobby Mathieu
November 24, 2008
Debbie and family,
Chris was a kind, caring, and generous man of God. In junior high and high school, he was my partner in crime. I don't know how we got away with some of the practical jokes we played. In our adult lives, we didn't have constant contact, but when we did reconnect, our friendship was the type where we just picked up where we left off. I have a feeling that the Lord had a mansion in progress (John 14.1) but needed some electrical work, so he called Chris home.
You and your family will be in our prayers.
Cynthia Fillio
November 24, 2008
Debbie,
I'm so sorry to about your loss. You and the kids will be in my families prayers.
Peg Hasker
November 24, 2008
I was the 3rd grade teacher at Grace Brethren in the late 70's and early 80's, and knew Chris very well. He was always a pleasant and happy kid, very willing to help out wherever needed. It is very sad to me that his life has ended at such a young age. I am very sorry for your family.
Peg Amlin Hasker
Marsha Carpenter
November 24, 2008
I was so sorry to hear of your loss. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help at this time.
Erica McKinney
November 24, 2008
It was a pleasure knowing your husband/father. I am grateful for him being a part of our Lemon Road family. We will always hold his memory dear to our hearts.
Erica McKinney, Counselor
Lemon Road Elementary School
Falls Church, VA
Mr. Joseph Rosi
November 24, 2008
On behalf of everyone at Lemon Road Elementary, you and your family have our sympathies.
Renee Worley
November 24, 2008
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Pitcher and Pamela-
I was so sorry to hear of Chris' passing. My prayers are with you during this difficult time.
Anne Cooper
November 24, 2008
Debbie and Family
You and your family are in my deepest prayers and thoughts. Chris was a wonderful man and will be truly missed. Please let me know if there is anything I can do. God Bless you all-
Kristen Guy
November 24, 2008
Dear Shirley, George, Pamela, Rick and Nick Grace and Ben. I am saddened to learn Of Chris's passing. Please know that you are all in my heart and prayers even though so far away in Australia. With love Kristen xx
Crystal Campbell
November 23, 2008
Debbie & family,
We are very sorry to hear of your loss. Chris will be truly missed. If there is anything that we can do to help you and your family is this, please do not hestitate to contact us. Our prayers are with you and your family.
Joanne Hyder
November 23, 2008
To Debbie and Family.
I was shocked to have learned about the passing of Chris. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this sad and heart breaking time. As many of you know Chris and Debbie held a reception for my loved one Roger Vaught who passed in 2005, at a time when you arent thinking about cooking or eating ,Chris made sure that there was food and drinks for the whole family and friends who had attened. Saying thank you wasnt enough. There were ppl who tried to give Chris money to help cover the cost of the food and drinks that he paid for out of his own pocket but Chris being Chris would not except it. He always thought about others and he would also take the time even when he was tried to help others out in their time of need. I will miss Chris very much.
John, Linda, & Joshua Chandler
November 23, 2008
Debbie & Family,
We are so sorry to hear about Chris. We are keeping you and your family in our hearts and prayers. Please call us if there is anything we can do for you.
Jimmie and Ann Duncan
November 23, 2008
Debbie and Family,
we wee so sorry to hear of your loss. We loved Chris and love your family. We are praying for you all.
Kevin and Joy Kutt and Family
November 23, 2008
Debbie, Cheyenne, DeVin, Jacob, and Samantha,
We were so sorry to hear of your loss. Chris (your Dad) was a really special man. Thank you for sharing him with us.
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