David LeBlanc has left the forum

[peg_688]

I thought I'd post this here, as Dave LeBlanc posted to the 200 sqr. ft. thread.
 

 
David LeBlanc (Meerkat) Passes Feb 24

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David LeBlanc passed away a few minutes before 4am PST this morning, Feb 24. According to Mike, the nurse watching over David last night, there was no crisis -- he just stopped breathing. David was 55.

Sometime later today Lew or I will post information on final arrangements, and suggestions for charitable donations in lieu of flowers. Per his request, David's remains will be cremated and his ashes will be spread at sea. Lew and I haven't spoken yet this morning, but there will probably not be a public memorial service.

 Link to Wooden Boat Forum for any that are interested in posting  etc .

http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=62034&page=16

 It was very strange passing basiclly on a public forum , with a few freinds from the forum that happened to live in the Seattle area, Dave had no family or at least no close family, his forum friends the past year or so became "family" in a way.

 Fair winds and following seas Dave.  
 

Note:  I moved this here so those who knew David and those who didn't could more easily find it.  Thanks for posting this notice, PEG.

Glenn

[glenn-k]

I was afraid this was going to happen as we hadn't heard from him in a long time.  I e-mailed him a year or so ago and got a reply that he'd been busy.  I didn't expect him to last long in his condition.

I'm glad to have been able to call him a friend - sorry to see him go.

Thanks for the info, PEG.

[glenn-k]

David's postings in this (Buildings under 200 Sq Ft. thread start on the first page. http://www.countryplans.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1121008066/0#0

A few pertinent comments from farther down the thread.

Sep 13th, 2005, 8:26pm    
David LeBlanc said:

Have the critiques of the designs been posted yet?

I will say my thanks and pass on the bonus. I'm in the process, this week, of moving into a 225 sq. ft. "apartment" on my way to the 12 sq. ft. box. They tell me I have a year or two before that happens though.
BTW, I don't think any sane person could actually LIVE in a 200 sq. ft. "house"! It's just TOO SMALL (but the rent, meals and maid service are good!  



glenn kangiser
YaBB Administrator
*****


Re: Buildings under 200 sf
Reply #115 - Sep 13th, 2005, 11:05pm

Glad you're enjoying the designing, David.  Let us know what you think of living in 225 sq. ft. and don't be in a hurry to try 12 sq. ft.




DavidLeBlanc
Senior Member
****


Seattle, WA - the
Emerald City

Posts: 279
     
Re: Buildings under 200 sf
Reply #116 - Sep 13th, 2005,

Nope, I'm doing the "do not go gentle into that good night, rage, rage, scream against the dark" thing, when I'm not squeezing another drop out of the peach.  



Unfortunately he didn't miss his schedule at all.  Rest in peace, David.  It was an honor to have called you a friend.

[benevolance]

What illness took David?

I did not know him....But it is unfortunate that he has passed...Condolances to whatever family he has out there.

[glenn-k]

David had cancer.  I'm sure the boat forum has much more info as he was there a lot more.  I registered there but haven't rec'd my release to post yet.

Did you ever meet him in person, PEG?  He was Seattle area.

[jraabe]

Best wishes to David and to those who knew and worked with him. His input here was appreciated.

Thanks PEG for posting this thread.

You never know. We might hear from him yet again. Maybe they will get broadband where he's headed.  
and... 12 square feet probably doesn't feel too tight when you don't move around much.

Somehow I expect David would have gotten a smile out of that.

[peg_688]

Ya I meet him once at Port Townsend wooden boat show.  Nice guy in person , he was a little partisen in his politics on WBF , quite a pain in the arse really   They don't have shall we say as firm a hand at the helm as CP's   He could speak his peace and then some  

 He's being cremated and his ash's may , ah ,  :-[get swepted over the side   while on a short Puget sound cruise on this lil number;

 


A 1934 Ed Monk cruiser org. built in Seattle . Apparently the USN charges $300.00 to do the deed to form USN members, of which Dave was one. So it'll be a do it yer self job , perfect for CP's , eh,  DIY


 
   

[MountainDon]

I didn't know him but I truly hope he was able to "go" peacefully without any painful lingering.

[peg_688]

Unfortunely there was a lot of linging and suffering, Damned cancer is a bigger , IMO the biggest boondoggle going ,  In fact I put it ahead of the war ,  how many trillions have been poured into the reshearch and not much has changed in 40 years. The crap eats a person up , I've had now 3 friends in the past two months die from it , Dave and two under 50 year old gal from town here , one of the two gals had it for 6 or7 years and went totally natorpathic , the reg Doc.s gave her a year maybe two she got 6 or 7 out of it as far as I could tell relitaviely pain free , or she was good at hiding it , the other gal like dave had every drug / treatment / radiation etc and both she and Dave had a pretty terrible time , in fact both Dave and Sharon , the other friend managed to climb out of , well FALL out of the hospital bed , Sharon was a mess, her Husband should sue the hospital she was suppose to be restrained , Bob her husband left , going by the nurse's station to tell them "I'm leaving now , Sharon needs to be taken care of!" Oh yes we'll do so , well they didn't , I'm not sure if Dave's fall was neglect or not but the drugs and crap they do to ya must make a ya whackiy as it seems to strange that two folks would do a "Uncommon " thing.

You nurse's can blast away , but you won't be seing this Hombrey in a cancer ward   It 's  waste of time and money , one of the few things I think big busness and drug companys , hospitals and govt are REALLY SREWING THE PUBLIC over with / on .    

[glenn-k]

I have too agree with you there, PEG as will my wife and her sister.  Seems many of them suffer more when modern medicine gets a hold of them.  Who knows - maybe I will convert you on the rest of my thinking too.

[glenn-k]

When my buddy went with leukemia, it took about 6 months and he wasn't too bad most of the time.  On his final trip to the hospital someone notified me he wasn't doing well.  I called him and asked him if he'd like me to fly up that afternoon.  He said "That would make me so happy I'd ---- I'd, I don't know what I'd do."

I jumped into the plane and was there in about 5 or 6 hours.  He was having a rough time so I told the nurse to give him another shot of morphine.  That was all she could do.  His wife had become a total alcoholic over the years and lost the upstairs too so I and a few freinds was about all he had left.  His daughters only showed up later to collect the property.  He provided pretty well for them.  Middle of the night he came around very well for a few hours.  We talked a lot about old times.

He had things he hadn't done and tried to hang on.  I told him not to worry about things - I would go tell his daughters -- It was OK for him to go.  So that seemed  to relieve him - and away he went.  I notified the nurse and left.  I looked up his daughters in LA as promised in the next few weeks.  

Sometimes things just sneak up on us when we least expect it.  We still had a lot of things we didn't get to do.

[MountainDon]

My Dad predeceased my Mom by some 12 years; heart failure. He was ill and debilitated for many years. My Mother developed cancer a couple years ago. It slowed her down a lot. For a variety of other health reasons surgery was out of the question. She rejected chemo as she knew others who had dragged out a couple more years, but they were no fun. . She managed to live on her own until she couldn't look after herself anymore. She didn't have too bad a time of it, bless her soul. But when she found herself waiting for a space in a "retirement home" she decided that was the end. We (me. sisters, in-laws) all knew she did not want any heroic measures and when she told us she didn't want to live in an old folks home, we fully backed her. She quit eating and passed away peacefully as the doctors did give her adequate medications for the pain. She dies at age 85 1/2 without the lingering. She'd had a full life and knew it.

I hope I get to go as peacefully and with as much dignity as she did.

On the other hand, due to a couple of relatives with guilt issues, my father-in-law hung on to life in a hopeless situation and spent agrueling 5 months confined to bed with a feeding tube, not being able to do a single thing for himself, etc. etc. It was not good at all.

[glenn-k]

That's why the VA pushes for the advance directives.  Without it they are obligated to keep doing whatever it takes to keep you hanging on.  With it- if you want to go you can go with no extraordinary measures.  

Reminds me of that thought for the day I posted earlier.

"When I die, I want to go peacefully like my grandfather did, in his sleep. Not screaming like the passengers in his car. "

No extraordinary measures for me.

[glenn-k]

PEG said

Nice guy in person , he was a little partisen in his politics on WBF , quite a pain in the arse really

I was kind of hoping you though the same of me here - at least the last part.  

[jraabe]

Living a life is like stepping onto a boat and heading out to sea. You never know who you will be traveling with, what exotic ports you will visit, or what storms you will have to face.

The only thing you know for certain is that the ship sinks.

So let's take care of this ship, and each other, and have a few laughs along the way 'cause none of us are getting out alive.

And, I have to say, the grog on this tub is alot better than I expected!   ...and the crew, while colorful and sometimes a bit unruly, is generally willing to pitch in when a sailor needs a hand. We could do a lot worse!

[glenn-k]

Aye, Captain.  ARrrrgh - ye reckon ifn' I get too unruly ye'll av ta make me walk the plank?  :-/

All this sailer talk reminds me of the Pirate who walked into the bar with a steering wheel between his legs.

Bartender looked at im an' says, "Hey, what's that ya got between yer legs?...."

Pirate looks back at 'im and says " ARrrrrgh, I don't know but ...............


Did I already tell this one? --- old age setting in ...

[benevolance]

heard it before....Brother told me..

Argh.It's driving me nuts

[Amanda_931]

My dad and I had the talk on "heroic measures" a year or so before he died.  I'd said "not for me" but he thought that they would be good--so, yes, do them!  Of course they didn't--it would have meant air-lifting him to another island, probably to another "country" (not really, but you do get to go through customs).  And he did go fast.  After a few of years of what was probably Alzheimers.

[glenn-k]

You got it, Peter.

Amanda, that was in Hawaii?

[kenhill]

Just a different perspective...
My mother was given a 30% chance of surviving after cancer in 1963 at age 50.  She lived 29 years longer and finished raising 3 children and a husband!  At age 83, she was diagnosed with bone cancer.  It stopped with hormone treatment.  Later she had a tumor show up in her chest.  She did chemo with the doctors hoping to slow growth.  The tumor actually disappeared.

My Father had lymphoma at age 70.  He had chemo and said that he would never do it again.  After 10 years of additional life and seeing 7 grandchildren get a good start, he changed his mind and said it was worth it and would do it again.

They viewed every day as one more gift.  I guess the moment you give up trying and hoping there is no hope.  Just don't give up too soon.  We all touch more lives than we know.

[glenn-k]

Thanks for a look at the other side, kenhill - I guess sometimes it works.  Many of the people I remember didn't have it that good but then again I can think of some who made it.

[Homesick_Gypsy]

So sorry to hear it, even though I knew it was coming.  I always liked the cottage he designed for me (Epiphany's Cottage).  God speed, my friend.

[Vince_Brennan]

Wanted to thank everyone for their kind words about David... he will be missed greatly.

If anyone knows of other forums where he was a member, I'd appreciate a PM or an email so we can let them know as well.

There are two pages for David...
a picture of him and a lovely sketch at
http://www.frayedknotarts.com/meerkat.html  and the Wooden Boat page at http://www.woodenboat.com/Meer/

[Wild_Dingo]

Gidday all from that great land way downunder  

First thanks Glenn for the open invite to your forums on the WBF  8-)


I knew David for somewhere around 6 years through the WBF we had a fair whack of contact over those years by way of pm's email and in his last week by phone, due to logistics in geographics we never met in person but we shared an immense common interest in boats and through that I learned the depth of ecclectic interests he had.

I got along well with him partially due to his having served with your navy here in West Aus at at the Harold Holt base in Exmouth {in the northwest of the state} this is the area of the state I was born raised and spent much of my life in and around so again there was some commonality that I dont find so often on this internet

He was a truely interesting charector  8-) And I for one dont mind admitting I shed more than one tear as I realized that his end was near... I rang while he was in the hospice and we had a good if confused conversation... he at that time was fighting acceptance this was about a week before he set the sails hoisted the anchor and quietly caught the wind for the far horizon

David had no family as such that he had any contat with over many years and so in his final months weeks days and hours we became his family... from places around the world we his mates held our hands and hearts out to him and to the Seattle mob of heros {Lew, Rick and Bob along wiuth their missus's} and the staff from several sources over their who did their best to ease his passing

I didnt to be honest know you mob existed till Glenn posted at the WBF... I actually thought the WBF was the only forum he spent time on.. but I see I was wrong and there is a larger family out there than we thought possible

All the best thank you for letting me ramble I will now go into lurk mode and see what the forum is about
Cheers

[jraabe]

Thanks for your kind thoughts and words Wild Dingo.

Though we are mostly landlubbers here we share the love of wood butchering with the WBF.

We also get a touch of much needed Australian salt from folks such as jonsey/downunder and look forward to you stopping in once in awhile to trim the sails.