Walt Welch's Daughter Ann's Words About Her Father

Vampire Gerbil

Vampire Gerbil

Gone, but not forgotten. RIP Dave
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Ann had emailed me a couple of days ago, but I wasn't sure if it would be appropriate to post here at General again.
After corresponding with David Baker, he basically told me, "Of COURSE it belongs here!" (But in a nicer way)
This is Ann's response to my request of the details surrounding Doc's passing:
I am very very sorry I did not get your email until today. Gone all last week and too busy to turn on my computer till now.

I do appreciate your starting the thread. It may seem like poor etiquette to some, but people had to be notified, and since these were people Dad met over the net, this was the only way to inform them. I appreciate how it was handled, and was deeply moved by the outpouring of loss and sharing of memories of a side of Dad that I had only glimpsed.

We flew out to California last Monday morning to make the arrangements and settle the estate. I used Dad's computer to follow the posts and was very touched at the recurring sentiment: generosity, wit and intelligence. The other members of the family asked for hardcopy, and several of the posts were used in the service, esp Dad's words at James Mattis' passing (Ah Death). I tried to email you several times to tell you the details, but Dad's operating system was unstable, blue screen of death, and I kept losing the email.

We attired Dad as he usually dressed, in jeans, T-shirt, and green Chamois shirt for warmth. In his hands was the paperback he'd been reading, and at his side was his trusty Mag-Lite (tricked out with Carley bulb and neoprene grip). He had his favorite folding knife in his front pants pocket (the funeral home would not allow us to place a gun in with him, nor a bottle of wine). The service was Saturday January 26. His friends spoke of the many memories they shared over the years. Afterwards we all went back to the house and raised several glasses of good California wine.

It still does not seem real to me. He was so strong and vibrant a
personality. Such a way with words. I had just spoken with him on the phone, just received my birthday package in the mail. It does not seem possible that he is gone, more like he's just stepped out of the room.

My thanks go to you and to all his friends who kept him company over the internet. I was in close contact with him these past few months and know that he was very happy. We will miss him dearly.

Ann
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After reading Ann's mail, I felt that everyone here would wish to read it as well, but I felt that I needed Ann's permission to post it here. The following is her response to my request for permission.
Dave,
Yes, you certainly may copy my email into the post. I appreciate how you opened the thread with my first email to you and added to it in your own words.

I very much want his friends to know that we read their posts, how MUCH they meant to us, and that some of their words were used in the service. Several of the posts mentioned Dad's kids, some by name, how much we'd miss him and how they felt so badly for us. So I want them to know that they were heard, that we read them and shared them with the rest of the family and those friends of his that could come. Again, hardcopy was made for each of Dad's kids and they will be treasured.

I also want everyone to know what I shared with you - that he had the best sendoff (as you put it - I agree). Not as 'proper' as Miss Manners would have liked; the funeral home thought we'd made a mistake in the clothing, but Dad would have looked silly in a suit and tie. He wore jeans and T-shirts every day and that was his style, in fact one whole closet was T-shirts on hangers. He had hundreds of them. It just wouldn't have been Dad if he was wearing anything else. Knives were a major part of his life as well, and so were mentioned in his obituary and I made sure he had his favorite folder in his pocket (I know it was his favorite carry, because when he drove out to meet Connor he had forgotten it, and insisted on borrowing mine, it's twin, and kept it until he made it back home when he mailed it back to me).

I'm nursing Connor as I type this. This may sound cliché, but I've learned how true it is: Love your friends and your family, tell them that you love them, enjoy the time you have with them, and delight in the simple things (meals, bath time, reading books, cuddling, pets, school, playing, working). Love what you do, if you don't then do something else. You never know when it will end - for you, or for someone you love.

Live each day. Really live it. Dad did, he had a T-shirt that said, "Life is too short to drink cheap wine". That was his philosophy. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing WELL. He lived his life, doing what he enjoyed with the people that he loved.

I am so glad that I had that time with him, because we didn't know it was going to end so soon. I am able to get through this only because I have my kids and was able to share them with Dad and saw how happy that made him. I can honestly look back and say I wouldn't have done anything differently. I think Dad would have said the same.

I just feel so bad that I didn't get your email until I got back, and therefore didn't get in touch with you while arrangements were being made. If you send me your land address, I'd like to mail you an announcement from the service.

Thank you for offering your assistance, if there ever is anything you can do I'll let you know. It's nice to know that there are people that Dad has touched that are willing to offer such help after he has gone. It's been quite a comfort just to correspond with you.

Ann
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I know that I'm notorious for never being able to keep my mouth shut, but my feelings about Ann losing her father hit too close to home for me to even vaguely get any of my feelings across. Her strength and dignity are awe inspiring and I'm incapable of responding here in a deserving manner.

The last email I received from Ann had some personal information that she'd asked me to use my judgement in posting publicly. In short, Doc had passed while in bed, apparently it was cardiac related. There's one thing that I thought might be appreciated by the members (maybe it's just my weird sense of humor, but I don't think Doc'd mind)
{The Sheriff's Deputy and Liz} broke in, she deactivated the alarm, he instructed her to wait at the front door while they looked through the house. They found him in bed, along with knives, Maglites, and two loaded guns. They immediately declared it a crime scene - though you and I know that that was just the way Dad was.
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Leave it to Doc to confuse the authorities just by doing what he does!

Doc, I miss ya. You're one of the luckiest guys that ever lived to have a daughter like that. They say that "the apple don't fall far from the tree", so anyone who reads this, but didn't have the pleasure of having contact with Doc should get a glimpse of him in his daughter's words.

Thank you for sharing, Ann.... and Doc, I'll catch ya later, for sure.
Dave Gittelman
 
Dave, Thanks so much for posting this. Sometimes I forget that the purpose of these forums is fellowship, not to be a contest of who is smarter than the other.You are to be commended for being the link between all of us on the forums and Walt's family. It is of great benefit to both us and them. When my Mom died, the outpouring of support from forumites greatly lightened the load. I am sure Walt's family is getting that same benefit. As this place has gotten a little bit colder and edgier over time, the loss of people like Walt, Jim Mattis,Mel Sorg,etc,really has an effect. I rededicate my effort to conduct myself more in their great spirit than in my own hard , selfish way. Darn, I wish there was a smilie that showed tears being shed!
david
 
Dave, my thanks to you and most especially to Ann for having allowed us the privilege of sharing her thoughts about her dad's passing. I am especially touched by the fact that Ann and the family actually used at the services some of the words we all posted in homage to her dad.

It may be inappropriate although I certainly hope not, but it appears that many have missed some of the significant content in this thread:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=188308

The thread's title is somewhat misleading given where it has gone. Suffice it to say that ol' Doc has inspired Tom Walz and that is but another tribute to what Doc was all about.
 
Thanks Vampy for posting this. I appreciate what you did and am thankful that Ann would allow us to get even a closer glimpse of a very important man. I also chuckled about Doc being in bed with his "toyz" and the Police declaring it a crime scene. Glad doc got the last laugh.

Thanks Dave, glad you're in Vegas 'cause you're all aces.
 
Thanks, Dave, for sharing that with us.

I will always have fond memories of Doc Walt's humor, wit, and generosity.
 
Thanks Dave, and especially Ann. The thread brought a huge smile to my face. The man was truly loved by a lot of people. That speaks volumes about who he was.:)

Jim McCullough
 
I appreciate the thanks guys, but they aren't necessary. Any one of you, or the myriad of other friends that Doc had here, would have done the same thing and not wanted any thanks in return. This is here to let his friends know, from Ann, what Doc would have wanted us to know... then again, knowing Doc, he would've told us all to shuddup and get back to something "interesting".
Thanks for the thanks just the same, but no thanks.
(Man, he must be cracking up watching me squirm!)
Dave
 
Thanks Dave.
His family still remains in my prayers. Funny how a man that many of us never met in person can have such an influence on the people he touched over the net. By his interactions he left behind a legacy many of us can aspire to and emmulate.
 
I am deeply touched by all that has been said.

Doc Walt's great zest for life and his marvellous personal philosophy are wonderful lessons for all of us.
 
Thanks Ann for sharing, and VG also for helping.

I lost my father suddenly not to long ago and can understand the surreal feeling of them "not being gone, just out of the room".

"They found him in bed, along with knives, Maglites, and two loaded guns" :) That's just the way I would like to move on. God bless him!

Our prayers and thought will always be with his family!
Joe
 
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