Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 19:53:55 -0800
Reply-To: Anthony Egeln <regnsuzanne@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Anthony Egeln <regnsuzanne@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Sad day for our family, LVC.
In-Reply-To: <BAY132-W281EDCBD32CFDF629B36E4A0E20@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Dennis,
I am very sorry for the loss of your Dad.......
Funny how clear it becomes looking in the rear-view mirror when life grabs a hold of you and makes you stop whatever you're doing to mourn the loss of a loved one.
May his memory be eternal......
Anthony
'89 Syncro GL (Hidalgo)
--- On Fri, 1/2/09, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Sad day for our family, LVC.
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Friday, January 2, 2009, 12:31 PM
My dad passed away this past Monday. As I reflect my thoughts I have realized
that he made the decisions that shaped much of my life. most important is that
he was the reason for my VW involvement, especially Busses and Vans.
During my younger years my family had limited means and at time both my parents
worked two jobs. I am the oldest of 5 children born in 1960. September of 1970,
My mom while pregnant with my brother Daniel, (child 4) she got into an accident
totaling the only family car, the Ford Torino Station Wagon. As my dad had zero
mechanical skills they believed new was the only option. The new car was a
powder Blue 1970 Standard Beetle.
Now a Family of 6, we took a vacation to Lake George the following year. Yes 6
of us in a Beetle. Shortly after that trip, my dad decided we needed a Bus. Soon
came the 1967 Splittie.
Starting at 13 I began doing some repairs on those vehicles. I spent 3 days
doing a generator in the bus and then it wouldn't run. I swapped the green
wires for the ignition points and the field coil. At 15 I rebuilt the engine in
that Bus. Over the next two years I learned the hard way about bolt torque and
other mistakes I made. I learned much working on those two cars. The Bus became
mine in 1978 and I had it until 1981. It was replaced with a '69. That was
later replaced with a '72. The Beetle went to my sister and she had until
1985 or so.
Thanks to those 2 VWs I honed skills that got me started in Industrial
Maintenance. Been doing that since 1980. In 1983 I started working for Estee
lauder as a Production mechanic. Now I am the engineering manager for their
automated warehouse. All this because my dad decided to buy the 2 VW's.
My brother Daniel, also decided to go the mechanical route. He stuck with cars
and is really a Ford fan. He has his own shop and towing company now. By the
way, Dan and I have the same birthday, 10 years apart.
Kathy and married in 1983, our honeymoon bus was the 1972 converted camper. My
third Bus, the first FUN BUS. In 1985 we aquired a 1984 passenger Vanagon. The
Vanagon love began. It was replaced in 1988 with the '87 Syncro westy, still
the current FUN BUS. even though we joined the RV and Mercedes world, there will
probably always be a Vanagon in our driveway.
My life shaped by my father's decision to buy a VW.
While we didn't speak often since my parents moved to Florida, I knew he
was there.
I'll miss him and I know he is ridding in my Bus, (Vanagon).
Thanks for listening,
Dennis