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Post by rjhans53 on Aug 9, 2012 4:43:46 GMT -5
teresa, may god be with you and yours in this hour of need. May we all be so blessed as to pass with loved ones surrounding us, let alone a loved one holding us.
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Post by pposey on Aug 9, 2012 7:07:36 GMT -5
Rossman, sorry to hear of your loss as well
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Post by mike3132 on Aug 9, 2012 8:34:15 GMT -5
Ben will be missed by all. God bless your family. RIP Ben. Mike
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Post by 3ncboys on Aug 9, 2012 8:56:28 GMT -5
Ozark obviously touched all of us in some way. He also brightened my Mother's life. He wrote a post years ago dealing with Ozark Angel's cold hands. As I recall, he was looking for gloves or some way to help her keep her hands warm. My Mom had the same problem very late in life. As I read Ozark's words to her, I was thrilled with her reaction to the the post and the subsequent input from members. It was a true spark in her bright mind and aged body.
His posts and your posts have truly personified the meaning of 'family' and our small group of readers in eastern NC want to express our sorrow that he is gone.
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Post by ozarxoffspring on Aug 9, 2012 9:51:40 GMT -5
If Daddy could brighten anyone's day, he certainly made it his mission. Thank you for sharing your experience. Yes, our parents, in our eyes were saints, and once again, those hands hold one another, praise God! Teresa ozarxoffspring
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Post by rossman40 on Aug 9, 2012 9:56:35 GMT -5
It has been a great honor to have known Ben and to be able to call him friend. He will be missed but also remembered by many here.
There is a old Cherokee saying that never had much meaning or value when I was young. "When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."
Teresa, your family is in our prayers. Even though I think our families were prepared for the inevitable, it does not lessen the blow. We just go on knowing that they now are in a better place and in no pain with no suffering.
From my family, thank you all for the condolences offered here on the board, PMs, emails and phone calls. But we are Irish so Friday the wake begins and we will celebrate my dads life and I'll tell the story of Ben's and we'll celebrate his too!
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Post by dpoor65 on Aug 9, 2012 10:00:57 GMT -5
my thoughts and condolences to you and your family
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Post by Buckrub on Aug 9, 2012 15:03:42 GMT -5
Oh my.
I am in Colorado visiting my grandkids. Else, I would be at the funeral. A huge regret of mine is not just driving up there to Leslie and visiting Ben. I hate myself for that.
The good this man did is immeasurable. I doubt anyone can wildly guess at the reach of his positive influence.
My wife and I offer our deepest condolences. It is what we were all put on this earth to do.
God bless Ben, and all of you.
Bill
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Post by ozarxoffspring on Aug 17, 2012 13:05:40 GMT -5
Thank you all so very much. Ed, the poem IS comforting, and I thank you for posting it. The words ring so true. The part that "got" me was the part that mentioned the eyes that used to look at me now look upon Jesus. I loved it, and as always, cried.
You guys are all, as a group, and as individuals have lightened my burdens with your posts and telephone calls. You are all precious in my eyes. I feel blessed to "know" you.
Lifting you all up in my prayers, The offspring of our beloved Ozark, Teresa
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Post by mountainam on Aug 18, 2012 20:54:53 GMT -5
Ozark will be sorely missed. God Bless him and his family members.
Ken, My sincere condolenses for your losses. You are all in our prayers.
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Post by whyohe on Aug 19, 2012 10:18:44 GMT -5
the world has lost some very great men and im sorry to both families for their loss. im sorry i havent been on here much and im going to regret that i missed so much of Bens comments and insights into shooting and life. He has done so much for me and this board.
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Post by ozarxoffspring on Aug 20, 2012 21:10:43 GMT -5
No regrets, friend. His words live on, right here. He thought a lot of you. Teresa
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Post by orionsoracle on Aug 22, 2012 14:44:56 GMT -5
To the Ozark clan,I send my deepest condolences. Ozark and I had different opinions on some things, but I surely enjoyed and respected hearing his side. God bless your family!!!
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Post by beebopboyd on Aug 22, 2012 20:48:57 GMT -5
thanks. I appreciate that.
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Post by cfvickers on Aug 26, 2012 1:32:18 GMT -5
It has been over two weeks, and I have seen this post nearly every day, but I just still can't find the words. This has saddened me as though I lost a family member of my own. I have prayed numerous times for your family. Thank you for sharing him. His advice, wisdom, and the example he set has been invaluable to me. A couple of times he has been like the voice of my own grandfathers who are no longer with me. His words and sayings and the obvious abundance of goodness in his heart will not be forgotten by me, or by many of the rest of us here I know. To his family, I am sure you know, but you are blessed family to have had him. I am sure he would not want anyone to mourn his death, so celebrate his life and the fact that you had him. I have said before that if my girls look at me with half the adoration that Ozarxoffspring shows for her dad, I will see it as the greatest success in my life. It helped show me that I am not fighting my battles for nothing, and reaffirmed my feelings that my own girls are worth any cost.
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Post by ozarxoffspring on Aug 26, 2012 17:26:22 GMT -5
It has been over two weeks, and I have seen this post nearly every day, but I just still can't find the words. This has saddened me as though I lost a family member of my own. I have prayed numerous times for your family. Thank you for sharing him. His advice, wisdom, and the example he set has been invaluable to me. A couple of times he has been like the voice of my own grandfathers who are no longer with me. His words and sayings and the obvious abundance of goodness in his heart will not be forgotten by me, or by many of the rest of us here I know. To his family, I am sure you know, but you are blessed family to have had him. I am sure he would not want anyone to mourn his death, so celebrate his life and the fact that you had him. I have said before that if my girls look at me with half the adoration that Ozarxoffspring shows for her dad, I will see it as the greatest success in my life. It helped show me that I am not fighting my battles for nothing, and reaffirmed my feelings that my own girls are worth any cost. What love you have shared with us through your post. Very touching and for me, very emotional. Yes, I agree with you on your summation that should your daughters respect and revere you during your last chapter, you have no doubt done what was expected of you and your life lessons, you have done what any child, adult child or not, stores away in their hearts and memories most. And to me, that is what matters most. I consider it an honor to have had two and one-half years to devote exclusively with my parents in the end of their lives. Nothing could I be more thankful for. As a maturing child and in the "prime" of my life, many, if not all of their stories, advice, and experiences they had, I have to be honest here, mostly fell to the wayside and onto deaf ears. I had too many of "life's little lessons happening at the exact times they were trying to teach me how best to get through those times with wisdom, honor, and peace of mind. Had I not only listened, but put their wisdom to use, I would have that peace of mind right now. Though it has not been that long since each of them has passed away, I now am able to remember conversations, pick up a book, read some of their writings, I am able to not only feel the pain of their absence, but feel the joy of living with them, intimately. I thank God I was chosen to carry this loving task out, for I learned so much, and was there for each of them to have the un-rushed opportunity to share their stories, the way they wanted them told. I have been so blessed. I see and understand that now. I was the chosen one, and I am honored to be there for them in their time of need. Those needs varied from listening as they spoke, laugh at their jokes, stroking their silver hair, holding their chilled hands, applying Ben Gay to aching joints, driving them to places they had been, writing words when they no longer could, rubbing cold feet which seemingly could never be warmed, and giving a manicure which donned pretty little jewels and dainty little flowers which she had never before had been done, and kept and groomed a mustache and beard he had never had until the age of 82. I loved stretching their boundaries. In the beginning, they would tell others they were just apeasing me and that it was just easier to give in than to fight about it. In truth, they were a little embarrassed about whatever the new experiment of the week was, which by the end of two weeks, they were proudly bringing to the attention to their friends, therapists, doctors, etc. "Look what Teresa did to me," is usually how it began, a genuine smile spanning across the face of the "victim." I do remember--vividly--giving Daddy a pedicure which he thouroughly enjoyed and from time-to-time nodding off during the procedure. Just imagine, first soaking in warm water, then a nice, long massage, followed by the polish of the client's preference. Well, Daddy woke up just about the time I was done polishing his toenails with "Blue Skies." He was asleep, and not wanting to wake him, I chose the color. When he saw them, the first words out of his mouth were "Now you watch, I'll end up going to the hospital or to the doctor's office, and what am I going to say about THIS?!" Sure enough, about four days after that, off to the ER he went. When the ER nurse was doing her assessment, following, heart, lungs, neurological, skin assessment, came circulation, which included capillary nail bed refill test. Hands/fingers first, and then, feet/ankles (looking for edema, or retaining fluid) and, you guessed it..........toes. From the beginning, Daddy was fretting concerning what he would say or how he would attempt explaining the fact that his toenails were polished "Blue Skies." He tried the "You don't need to take off my socks, my toes look just like my fingers." Well, that didn't fly. Then he simply told him that he would let them take his socks off, but only AFTER he heard his explanation about how his daughter was in Cosmetology school and she wanted to give me a pedicure--and since I was asleep, I skipped out on "pick your polish," so she picked out this color. They are blue, but it is NOT because my circulation is bad! Now you can take off my sock." Both of them had a very good laugh. Oh heck, so did I!" LOL So, you see, I count it a privilige and an honor to be able to stay with them and take care of every need they had to the best of my ability. It is at this point, I feel it is ony befitting that I give my husband a great big THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU because you see, when all this came about, we had been married a very short period of time. I doubt any man would be tickled to be married that length of time and be hoping, "Gee, I hope we get to move in with my in-laws soon." When I brought up this potentially hazardous subject, his answer to the questions brought to him like a true gentleman that ANY woman would wish to here. His answer was, "I promised God that I wanted to be married to YOU, and that means where you are, I will be there also." He broke down the flood gate, again. What a MAN! I love and respect him more than he will ever know. Thanks for allowing me to vent. At $99.00 a week, this is more cathartic than talking to him every week! Teresa
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Post by cfvickers on Aug 27, 2012 9:33:09 GMT -5
Teresa, I'm terribly disappointed in you. I would really like to have known about the blue toenails while we had him here... I am sure that is something only a man with 1 or more daughters can understand, and I have seen some of the manliest men I have known walking around with sometimes even pink finger and toenails. But I would still have loved to read his reaction to the ribbing he would get here over that!!! Thanks for sharing. I don't have a son, but from my observations, a son will bring out what is expected of a man, daughters though, bring out our true character and we show a side that otherwise would have remained locked up forever. I was the odd ball, I always wanted daughters and I have been blessed with two and no boys. What made me want a little girl is the bond that I saw between my godfather and his two daughters. He didn't have a son either so he basically adopted me as his own and "borrowed me" from my dad at will. That is to say absolutely nothing negative of my own father. He was as good as I could imagine having growing up. But being exposed to that side of a man who had daughters helped prepare me to have my own. I have seen through experience that God does everything and puts exactly the right people in our life to prepare us for what is to come.
Your husband I have noticed before is a saint in his own right, and I believe you are as blessed to have him as well. It is easy to keep a promise made to god when things are easy, it takes strength that can only come from god to keep that promise when the times get hard. He obviously has passed this test. You are a blessed lady.
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Post by petev on Aug 27, 2012 19:11:02 GMT -5
It occurs to me that probably one of the strengths of knowing Ben, is that in talking to him, I am sure that he made each one of us feel that he was talking to US individually. Anyhow, it's still an adjustment, not having his witicisms to look forward to reading, and his well-balanced opinions. I guess I vented here some too. And I know I speak for many here. Pete
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2012 22:42:17 GMT -5
I just came across this post and I truly sorry to hear about your loss. It seems like just yesterday I was reading and posting on his post he started in the Christian forum. Your father seemed like a really nice guy and would have been nice to meet him. May you be comforted during this time and always remember the good times.
You and your family will be in my prayers.
River Rat
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Post by 12ptdroptine on Oct 31, 2012 18:46:00 GMT -5
I miss Mr.Ozark....
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Post by ourway77 on Dec 17, 2012 6:56:45 GMT -5
A person is only gone when forgotten there will always be those memories while with us for such a short time living to be 100 is still too short so we must make every day count, I didn't know the gentleman but I am sure he had great wisdom from what I have read about him. He is with our Lord now and looking down on us. When I go I hope people will look upon me as a good person Lou
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Post by Buckrub on Dec 25, 2012 17:09:56 GMT -5
I miss Ben a lot today.
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Post by petev on Jan 6, 2013 0:37:25 GMT -5
The void has yet to be filled for sure.
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Post by muzzleman 54 on Apr 29, 2013 13:11:09 GMT -5
sorry for your loss. may he rest in peace.
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Post by 12ptdroptine on Nov 27, 2013 12:51:50 GMT -5
I still miss Ozark......
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