Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:38:18 -0700
Reply-To: Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: [Syncro] We lost an icon last night.
In-Reply-To: <276110F986754FDBBCEF08F5CFE28C37@daryl01>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Having read Daryl's post yesterday afternoon, I was a bit caught off-guard
by this turn of events for the past 24 hours.
I was fortunate to meet Bob at the Litchefield VW show in 1999 while I was
on my several month long "Gypsy Tour" sabbatical seeing the USA in "Ole
Putt". We spent the good part of the show discussing parts and procedures
regarding the venerable Wasserboxer and the air cooled 2.0. I came away
with an enormous amount of appreciation of his knowledge.
Over the years we sporadically touched base by phone or email about this and
that.
This is the kind of guy Bob was....
Couple years ago he contacted me to see if I was interested in the European
2.1 Digijet ECU to gain a bit more power from my machine and said I
certainly was, but I was tight on funds at the time, that I would have to
wait a month or so before I could take advantage of it and I would get back
to him. After putting the conversation out of my immediate mindset, a week
later I received a package from him with the ECU in it along with a note to
send him a check as soon as my funds would be available. Wow - never
expected that and you can be sure a check was on it's way to him as soon as
the funds were available (which was a few weeks later).
Although I've never been to his shop and he never set a wrench or
screwdriver to my ride, he was one of only 4 mechanics in this country I
would trust implicity to work on my Vanagons if the need would arise in the
New England area.
Bob will be sorely missed by a great many people of not just the Vanagon
world, but by the Volkswagen Community as a whole.
--
Jim Thompson
84 GL 1.9 "Gloria"
84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
oldvolkshome@gmail.com
http://www.oldvolkshome.com
jim@airheadparts.com
***********************************
On Thu, Oct 23, 2008 at 2:02 PM, aatransaxle <daryl@aatransaxle.com> wrote:
> I am truly saddened and sorry to say that Boston Bob Donalds died last
> night
> at 2am.
> Those of you who just knew him from the list posts likely have only an
> inkling of the true Boston Bob.
> I was fortunate to meet and become friends with him over the last few
> years.
> He was a true individual that found his niche and pursued it with
> perfection and gusto, both professionally and personally, thru most of his
> life.
> He had beaten cancer twice, once as a young man and again a few years ago,
> and the 3rd time finally got him, despite the pure stubbornness and energy
> with which he fought.
> He never complained about his life or any of the things that would have
> beaten a lesser person down.
> We would talk about our businesses and customers and the issues that small
> business deal with.
> We would reminisce about the good old days when life was simpler.
> We would laugh and complain about the things we had no control over,
> just
> to have a laugh or two and make the day go a little smoother.
> He helped me thru my sons cancer with words of caring and wisdom and tried
> to downplay the bad with his typical cranky old fart sense of humor... Just
> what I needed at the time.
> I will make a toast tonight, from the bottle of 20 yr old Bourbon I have
> been saving, and shed some more tears to the good friend that has gone to a
> better place and will suffer no more.
>
> Below is from his lifelong friend Shaun ...
> Subject: Shine on You Crazy Diamond
> >
> > Come down, come down, Red Molly, called Sergeant McRae
> > For they've taken young James Adie for armed robbery
> > Shotgun blast hit his chest, left nothing inside
> > Oh, come down, Red Molly to his dying bedside
> > When she came to the hospital, there wasn't much left
> > He was running out of road, he was running out of breath
> > But he smiled to see her cry
> > And said I'll give you my Vincent to ride
> > --------------------------------------------
> >
> > I was very lucky to have spent most of yesterday with Bob Donald's
> > at his bedside in Mass General Hospital. For three hours it was
> > just the two of us, which was a gift. He was not conscious, but I
> > feel he knew I was there and when his daughter Julia touched his
> > hand later that night, he opened his eyes for one brief moment and
> > smiled. He died at AM. I was praying that things would go quickly
> > as he was not comfortable but now, is. Beyond his humor
> > and irreverence, not to mention his intolerance for authority
> > (gee, why were we friends?) I admired the way that he lived without
> > complaint. From financial challenges to a 24/7 special needs
> > daughter I never heard a "woe is me."
> >
> > Here's to Robert, I assume he and Charlie Valley are working up a
> > new routine.
>
>
> Daryl of AA Transaxle
> (425) 788-4070
> aatransaxle.com
> 86 Syncro Westy..Happy the Camper
> Zetec in the trunk
>
| 
