Thursday, April 4, 2013
Donald Levesque was the father of my very close friends, I write this as a fond and loving nephew/son/friend/admirer.
Donald dated and married his sweetheart Florence DeRosa (an accomplishment so great it that can stop this writing here) .
This bond between Don and Flo was a beautiful sight although at many times was a source for constant humor, I believe Donald was the original person to specifically say or warn us to beware of Flo's coffee, a phase of jest that would continue to be used to this day with Big Flo, creating smiles at her expense..........................................................................................................................................................................____________
People may remember that Don:
worked as a Printer, before every one had one at home.
worked as a concierge on Park Avenue.
worked with the MTA as a bus driver.
While sickness would plague Donald and drastically effect his ways of interacting with people for the last 17 years.
I myself will hold both near and dear the images of a strong, humorous, generous and loving American family man that was able to provide for and make the lives of his children and friends much better for knowing him.
He took the family to Disney and Epcot in Florida and provided his four children with those memories and me with many wonderful conversations of the families visit there in the 70's.
I remember Donald's fondness for that new 1972 Ford Grand Tourino Sport that he bought way back in 1972. This would be THE car that Clint Eastwood featured in his movie Grand Tourino, who knew that Don's eye for a car could be and would become famous.
I remember Donald and my dad driving to the Poconos on Friday nights after work to come and see the families marooned there for the week without transportation. How many people will remember that he rented a cottage for the entire summer while still working as a printer. These years with the Levesque family will live on in my memory as one of my all time favorite summers. Through Don's generosity to his family that year he unwittingly allowed a life-long friendship to flourish between Thomas and myself. This was the year of the flood or flood of '72 that ravaged the Susquehanna & Lehigh Rivers all through the Poconos and other areas. Tom and I will remember slumber "parties" in the 70's and 80's where we would laugh our asses off before going to sleep and our moms letting us, without interrupting or telling us to hush or go to sleep. We could never do that back home because neither of us had the space. While I could attribute our sleepovers to Big Flo letting Tom come or to my mom inviting him over instead I give the nod to Donald. If he had not rented that paper thin walled shack of a cabin connected to ours in 1972 Tom and I may never have bonded so affectionately and deeply.
Donald and Flo were able to put their 4 children through parochial school at a time when New York City was experiencing bankruptcy where there was no comparison in education at public schools. Today we struggle to do the same with one, Don made it look easy but I know now it wasn't.
Back home I can remember doing lots and lots of hanging out at the Levesque's house and watching TV and talking. This was before the cell phone, cable TV and online connectedness of today. Somehow I would eat a lot of dinners there and help Don/Tom in moving the kitchen table into the living room so the plates could be set. Don always, always made me feel welcome. No matter how much satirical or stabbing humor he could throw out at people he never made me feel uncomfortable just welcome. He was like the close uncle that I wished I had.
John Mellencamp sang a song about "Jack and Diane" two American kids that grew up together like Donald and Florence. When I hear this song I smile and think of the love between Flo and Don. This same song has a lyric line that repeats "Ohh Yeah Life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone. Ohh Yeah they say that life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone."
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I ask that everyone who has their own fond story of Donald share that with each other so that our memories of Don's life goes on as a loving and cherished thing. The Levesque's have a gift from Donald, each other, called family please nuture and build upon it...................................................................................................................................................______________.......................
With Love and Affection to Don's family your friend
Michael Jr.
4/04/2013
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+ + GLAD YOU'RE IN MY DASH + +_
I watched an Army friend who stood to speak at the funeral of his father in Dec 2001
and discussed the following in great detail to his family and friends who attended.
He referred to the dates on his tombstone from the beginning...to the end.
He noted that first came his date of birth and spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most was the dash between those years (1947-2013)
For that dash represents all the time that he spent alive on earth...
And now only those who loved him know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own; the cars...the house...the cash,
What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard... Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough to consider what's true and real,
And always try to understand the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile..
Remembering that this special dash might only last a little while!
So, when your eulogy's being read with your life's actions to rehash...
Would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?
