Hi

My beloved husband Andres passed away peacefully in our home surrounded by his loved ones. It was all very magical and beautiful. These are some words he left for us...

Citlalli




My Last wishes

Dear family and friends,

The inevitable has occurred: I died. Please don’t be alarmed since I’ve been wishing and expecting this most precious and important event for many months. Although my ALS “disease” was an amazing blessing and the best teacher I ever had, it was an extremely arduous and difficult process. So, I’m really happy to finally be able to rest and most joyful to go home to my true nature. Therefore, this is in fact a very happy time for me and, since you were an important part in my life and touched my heart, I hope you can join me with a little celebration and prayer from wherever you are.

Please go to a silent place where you can feel calm and relaxed and sit comfortably. Light a candle and breath deeply a few times. Try not to think too much, just look at the flame, notice your breath and feel your body. Now think of some meaningful or happy time we spent together and do whatever feels right: pray, sing, cry, laugh, curse, or just stare at the candle. Please don’t suppress any emotion, just allow your heart to do what it needs. When you feel more released, please consider this:

1) Death is the most natural thing in life; it’s not our end, only the closing of a cycle.
2) Life cannot exist without death (just contemplate about the food we eat).
3) The only sure thing in life is death (all forms sooner or later disintegrate).
4) However the time of death is unknown. It could happen today, next month, or in 50 years. But one day, whether you are prepared or not, you’ll have to let go of your body, your loved ones and friends, all your money and possessions, all titles and achievements, all theories and concepts, all expectations and desires.
5) Have you lived the life that your heart wants?
6) Are you satisfied with the way your life is so that if you were to die tomorrow you could welcome death without regrets or remorse?
7) What things would you change, what would you do to be able to die tomorrow and feel satisfied and at peace?
8) What would you do to feel fulfilled and joyful with your life?

- Would you get married or divorced?
- Have a baby or adopt one?
- Spend more time with your family and less at the office?
- Heal the wounds from childhood or from past relationships?
- Reconcile yourself with your parents or other loved ones?
- Move to the city or the countryside?
- Go back to school or change careers?
- Ask for forgiveness or for an apology?
- Quit your job and go traveling?
- Buy a house or start your own business?
- Learn a new language or to play the piano?
- Learn to cook or to dance?
- Write a book or that important letter?
- Quit smoking or drinking?
- Begin to exercise or start eating healthier food?

What is it that you've been wanting to do but never have the time, courage or money to materialize it? Are you waiting for retirement, a raise or more time to do it? Please don’t waste more time wishing or complaining. Take action! Just do it.

In a nutshell, this is my “discovery” of what life is all about:

We are here, in this amazing planet, to learn from our experiences in order to open our hearts and minds so that we can grow in love and consciousness. To flow in the grace of God and become a conscious channel of Her/His divine love. The best way to do this is to try to live each moment as plentiful and aware as we can, to accept what IS and learn from what life -the NOW- is teaching us. To recognize that we and all beings are part of the ONE SACRED LIFE, part of God. Our true nature is perfect and eternal, is love, is divine. When our body disintegrates and gets recycled back to Mother Earth, the only thing we keep is the consciousness we gained and the love we gave and received while alive. So please don’t wait until you’re diagnosed with a fatal disease to start living. Live your life to the fullest and enjoy it. We are all involved in the most incredible and miraculous cosmic game; don’t take things too seriously!

You might wonder how can I know that only the body dies but our formless nature, our spirit, is immortal if I wrote this before dying? Well, as I experienced the degradation of my body and despite loosing my capacity to use my hands, legs and mouth, I always felt that I was the same. The sense of I AM was the same as when I was 3 years old; the same when I was 8, 13, 19, 25, 30, 34. Regardless of my age, health, physical strength, looks, titles, wealth, or experiences my spirit (consciousness, awareness, or whatever it is) remained pretty much the same. Maybe, as I grew older, this consciousness only got a bit more aware of itself and its interconnectedness with the rest of the creation and mesmerized by this awesome divine dance of forms and energies. However, this presence was unaffected by the sickness and disintegration of my body. So I just know that my real self, the silent watcher, is timeless.

My job is over as Andres A. Buenfil Friedman. I don’t know what my next job will be or what form my spirit will take to continue its growth and unification with God. I leave this beautiful body that was loaned to me with a feeling of completion, peace and satisfaction. I am very grateful for the extraordinary life that was given to me and for the privilege of knowing and interacting with all of you. Thank you very much for touching my life and walking next to me along my path. I feel especially grateful to the marvelous Shambhalacalli community, The Garuda community and The Sacred Fire Community, to my dear brothers David and Jacinto, to my wonderful dad Alberto, and to my beloved and amazing wife Citlalli for all their help, support and love during the most difficult, yet enlightening years of my life.

My last three wishes are these:

First, that you can do the candle contemplation/meditation I described above in order to help us both with this transition with acceptance. To let go with peace and gratitude, to say aDios (to-God).

Second, that my death can remind you -deep inside- that one day you too will die and motivate you to take the necessary actions to live a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

And third, and most important, that you may find yourself, that you may find the peace and love of God. This is actually much easier than you think since it is already inside you wherever you go, whatever you do.

Thank you very much! With all my love and blessings,
Andres



Andres Antonio Buenfil Friedman (10/23/1971 - 10/04/07 )
Male, 35 years
Tepoztlan, Mexico

Obituary: John A. Armstrong / Computer expert, former Bell Acres councilman
Oct. 28, 1928-Oct.11, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
By Elwin Green, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


John A. Armstrong, whose career paralleled the growth in the use of computers in business, died Thursday of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was 78 and lived in Bell Acres.

Born in Newark, N.J., Mr. Armstrong graduated from the University of Dubuque in Iowa with a degree in accounting. Shortly after graduating in 1951, he married Geraldine Wolfe, of Jersey City, N.J., and landed a job with Johnson & Johnson that took him back to the Garden State. But on his very first day with the company he was immediately given an assignment that went beyond simple accounting, said son Jay Armstrong of Leet -- namely, to see if the new calculating machines that were being invented then could be of any use to the company.

"They had no idea they could even use these things called computers in the business," the younger Mr. Armstrong said. "He was the first systems analyst for Johnson & Johnson."

While at Johnson & Johnson, he earned a master's degree in business from Rutgers University. From there he advanced to increasing levels of responsibility in a series of major corporations, including Scott Paper Co., General Dynamics and Xerox, until he moved to Pittsburgh in 1978 to become vice president of information technology for Consolidated Natural Gas, the predecessor to Dominion Peoples.

He took up the mantle of civic life by serving on the Bell Acres Borough Council from 1983 through 2001, where he distinguished himself as a "very dedicated, hardworking" councilman who "looked out for the interests of the general population of the borough," although being a Republican always made him a distinct minority, said neighbor and fellow councilman Larry Pryor.

"He loved to get into heated political debates at 2 a.m. in the Edgeworth Club," said his son.

Known for his sense of humor, Mr. Armstrong also enjoyed golfing, gardening and tennis.

In addition to his wife and son, he is survived by a second son, Scot of Medina, Ohio; and a daughter, Jennifer Hallett of Vienna, Va.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Presbyterian Church of Sewickley, followed by an open reception at the Edgeworth Club, 511 East Drive, Sewickley.

Memorial contributions may be made to the ALS Association, 100 W. Station Square Drive, #550, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

First published on October 16, 2007 at 12:00 am
Elwin Green can be reached at egreen@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1969.

Danville founder dies at 56
By Lea Blevins, STAFF WRITER
Article Last Updated: 10/17/2007 02:36:18 AM PDT


DANVILLE — John S. Wright, one of the founders of the Town of Danville when it incorporated in 1982, died Friday, Oct. 12, 2007.
Wright, 56, died due to complications of ALS, often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Born July 30, 1951, Wright grew up in Danville, where he always made his home. He was a graduate of Monte Vista High School.

He was appointed to the town's first Planning Commission in January 1983 and served for 10 years.

Kimberly Wright, his wife of 16 years, said he was "absolutely" proud of his service to Danville and maintained friendships with a number of town leaders.

Former Contra Costa County Supervisor Millie Greenberg joined Wright as an original member of the Danville Planning Commission.

"John was smart, articulate and spoke straight to the point," Greenberg said.

Town Councilman Newell Arnerich also described Wright as articulate and talked about his knowledge of land use issues. The original commission Wright served on helped create a number of town ordinances regarding open space and ridgeline preservation, Arnerich said.

"Making Danville a unique, wonderful small town was part of his vision, and he was willing to stand up for that," he said.

A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, Wright was a successful real estate broker and developer for more than 30 years.

Town Manager Joe Calabrigo said he knew Wright for more than 20 years and worked with Wright's real estate

company as a consultant before acquiring a position with the town.
"He was always a person of the highest integrity and someone I considered a friend and a contemporary," Calabrigo said.

Outside of his professional life, Kimberly Wright described her husband as a modest family man, something agreed upon by friends and colleagues.

He coached CYO basketball for his daughter's team and helped his sons in various sports.

"He was a very humble and private man, and he was always willing to help others," Kimberly Wright said.

In his spare time, Wright enjoyed hunting and fly-fishing, typically in Redding. He loved to tinker with his two vintage Ferraris from the late 1960s.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, John Clayton, Casey Joseph, Samuel Thomas, Erin Marie and William Nelson; his siblings, Jim and Linda Wright; and his niece, Tricia.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Isidore Church, 440 La Gonda Way, Danville. The Wrights were members of the parish.

Donations may be made to the ALS Association online or mailed to 27001 Agoura Road, Suite 150, Calabasas Hills 91301.


Lea Blevins covers Danville, Alamo, Blackhawk and Diablo. Contact her at 925-847-2141 or

lblevins@bayareanewsgroup.com.

Priest Remembered As Gentle, Kind
By MAGDALENE PEREZ | Courant Staff Writer
October 17, 2007

Friends and family Tuesday remembered the Rev. Dr. Chrysostom Maniudakis, who served about a decade as dean of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Hartford, as a gentle man with overwhelming kindness.

Maniudakis died Oct. 14 at Richard Rosenthal Hospice in Stamford following a yearlong battle with Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 70.

"He was just a very sweet man," said Elaine Melonopoulos, his former secretary at St. George. "He tried to meet all the needs of his parishioners."




Maniudakis was born in Crete in 1937. He was ordained a Greek Orthodox priest in 1960, the year after marrying his wife, Vasilea. Together they moved to Buffalo, N.Y.

Throughout his life Maniudakis devoted himself to learning, according to an obituary prepared by the church. In 1970, he received a master's degree in education at Canisius College in Buffalo.

Four years later, he earned a doctorate of philosophy in educational administration from the University of New York in Buffalo.

And in 1988 he earned a doctorate in theology from the University of Thessalonika in Greece. Most recently he studied for a master's in gerontology at St. Joseph College in West Hartford.

He served at St. George in Hartford through 2004.

The priest faced illness with dignity and courage, his wife and friends said. Shortly before his death, a doctor called together staff and said Maniudakis' faith should serve as an example to others, his wife and a close friend said. He passed away just as he was receiving communion, they said.

"They could see the love in his face even to the end," said Angeliki Vardoulakis, a friend of Maniudakis who was present when he died.

A ceremony and vigil will take place at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Norwalk today at 5 p.m. He will be buried Thursday at St. John Cemetery, following a liturgy at 10:30 a.m.

Maniudakis is survived by his wife, his son Nicholas, and a brother and granddaughter.

I knew Bruce and Susie 30 years ago.
Very sad to hear that Bruce has passed away.

Timothy S. Schneider
October 19th, 2007
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Timothy Scott Schneider, 59, died on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007, after a courageous four-year battle with Lou Gehrig's Disease. A celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20, The Episcopal Church of Our Saviour, located at 5147 Show Low Lake Road.
He was born in Milwaukee, Wis., on Jan. 30, 1948, to Marie and Dana Schneider.
Tim grew up in Oconomowoc, Wis., and sailed a Class C boat on Oconomowoc Lake with his brother, Dana.
He graduated from Oconomowoc High School in 1966 and from Arizona State University in Tempe in 1970 with a degree in agriculture.
After graduation, he owned and operated a farm in Hustisford, Wis., until he moved to Arizona, living first in Paradise Valley and then in Pinetop.
Tim was a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves.
Tim was known for his love of the outdoors. He enjoyed snowmobiling, skiing, hunting, boating, golf and four-wheeling.
He was the owner of a successful Pinetop, White Mountain Grading, and was a friend to everyone he met.
He will be remembered for his smile, his gracious personality, his willingness to help anyone who needed his help and for his ability to fix anything. His quick wit and his kindness will be missed.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Dana J. Schneider, on Feb. 11, 2007, and by his father, Dana J. Schneider Sr., on Feb. 27, 1979.
Survivors include his mother, Marie Schneider; his sister, Christie Kienast; eight nieces and nephews; and his beloved German shepherd, Heidi.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make contributions to the ALS Foundation for Research.
Owens Mortuary of Show Low was in charge of the arrangements.



Timothy S. Schneider

Tommy Finnegan, former coach, dies at 65
Led Flaget, Moore basketball teams

The Courier-Journal



Tommy J. Finnegan, who led Flaget High School to the state basketball title in 1960 and coached Moore High School to three Sweet Sixteen appearances, died Thursday after a battle with Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 65.

Finnegan, known for his energy and love of athletics, continued to follow sports and attend Ascension Catholic Church through the course of his battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, which attacks the body's muscular systems.



"He enjoyed every day, and he loved sports," said his brother, Jack Finnegan. "We would still talk and argue about the games.

"He couldn't move a muscle at the end. His wife (Susan) took him around in a wheelchair and in the van everywhere. They didn't miss a day at church."

Finnegan played basketball for the University of Louisville and was a coach for 20 years at Flaget and Moore. He also was an assistant coach at Bellarmine and Indiana University Southeast.

He continued to assist at Shawnee and Seneca high schools after his retirement.

Rick Bozich wrote a column for The Courier-Journal in December that highlighted Finnegan's positive approach to ALS.

"My faith has always been strong, and it's only gotten stronger," Finnegan said in December. "I pray a lot. I read a lot of prayers. A lot. I can still talk. I can still breathe. I guess things aren't so bad. I still get excited about a lot of things."

Visitation will be 3-8 p.m. tomorrow and Sunday at Ratterman and Sons Funeral Home, 3800 Bardstown Road. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Ascension Catholic Church, 4600 Lynnbrook Drive, with burial in Calvary Cemetery.

In addition to his wife and brother, survivors include a daughter, Tess; his mother, Dorothy; and a sister, Mary Walker.

The family requests that memorial gifts be made to the ALS Association of Kentucky, 2375 Fortune Drive., Lexington, KY, 40509 or Hospice and Palliative Care of Louisville, 3532 Ephraim McDowell Drive, Louisville, KY, 40205.

Hope, Jane Lenora*


LEAVENWORTH, Kan. - Jane Lenora (Attaway) Hope went to her heavenly home on October 17, 2007, after an eighteen month battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Jane was born in Augusta, GA on December 26, 1936 to Robert Fitz and Geneva Deere Attaway. She attended Mt. St. Joseph Academy in Augusta from Kindergarten through 12th grade and then attended St. Joseph's Infirmary School of Nursing in Atlanta, GA graduating in 1957. Jane joined Fred H. Hope in marriage June 14, 1958 in Augusta, GA. She was preceded in death by her parents and her son Michael Lee Hope on July 16, 2007. Jane is survived by her husband of 49 years, Fred; daughter, Sharon (Harold) Smith, Bonner Springs, KS; daughter-in-law, Peggy Hope, St Louis, MO.; brother, Robert T. (Ann) Attaway, Augusta, GA; grandchildren, Ashley, Mark (Rachelle), and Robert Smith and Michael, Brandon , Samuel, and Mollie Hope and great-grandson, Logan Smith. The family will receive friends from 1:30 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. on October 21, 2007 at the Davis Funeral Chapel 531 Shawnee St., Leavenworth, KS 66048. A memorial service will follow at 3:00 P.M. Private inurnment service for the family will be at a later time. The Family requests memorial contributions be made to the ALS Association or Shriner's Children's Hospital in care of Davis Funeral Chapel. Sign the guestbook at AugustaChronicle.com
Published in The Augusta Chronicle on 10/19/2007.

PATRICIA JANE YOUNG ERWIN

Patricia Jane Young Erwin died at her home on October 16, 2007, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. She will be remembered for her devotion to her family and friends and for her many acts of kindness, charity and sense of humor. Laughter came easy for her and those around her and not a day passed without her performing a kind act for another person. Pat was born on July 18, 1924 in Chicago, IL to Dr. Charles E. Young and Renew Elizabeth (Minshall) Young. In 1930 the family moved to Hartford, MI where Pat lived until her 1943 graduation from Hartford High School. A graduate of Argubright Business College of Battle Creek, MI, she worked for Clarage Fan Company in Kalamazoo, MO during WWII. At her parents' home in Hartford, MI on April 15, 1946, she married her high school sweetheart and returning Marine John Winton Erwin of Keeler, MI. They resided at Houghton, MI while John completed his Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics from Michigan Technological University in 1949. After graduation, they moved to Golden, CO where John earned a Masters in Geophysics from the Colorado School of Mines. With two small sons, they moved back to Michigan where John worked for Dow Chemical in Midland. In 1954, after adding another son and a new daughter to the family, they drove across the country to Salt Lake City with the three little boys in the backseat of the car and their new baby sister along for the ride in a laundry basket. A fifth child joined the family and in 1964, they moved further west to Reno with their children when John became Professor of Geophysics at the University of Nevada, Reno. He was also affiliated with the Nevada Bureau of Mines. Pat was proud of her service as a member of the inaugural staff of Hug High School when it opened in 1968. As administrators of the school library, Pat and her late friend Sally Bonham guided a generation of students. Pat retired from the Washoe County School District in 1985. John retired from UNR in 1986. Pat and John spent many years traveling to all of the states but Hawaii while visiting relatives, searching through courthouse records for genealogical information, and attending the graduations and weddings of their grandchildren. In Salt Lake City, Pat was active with Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Holladay Community Church and clerked at the University of Utah Law Library. In Reno, Pat worked at the UNR Agriculture Library before joining the staff at Hug High School. She was a Life member in the Benevolence Chapter #265 OES, Lawrence, MI., of the Van Buren County Historical Society, Hartford, MI., and of the Van Buren Regional Genealogical Society, Decatur, MI. She was a member of St. John's Presbyterian Church and First Congregational Church in Reno, National Federation of Republican Women, Nevada Federation of Republican Women, 20th Century Club, First Families of Morrow Co, Ohio, a former member of Morrow County Historical Society, Ohio, the Nevada State Genealogy Society, Nevada Sagebrush Chapter of the NSDAR, the Thomas Holcomb Chapter of the National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century, the Sons & Daughters of the Pilgrims, The John Howland, William Brewster Societies & Nevada Branch of The General Society of the Mayflower Descendants. Pat was descended from four Mayflower families and recently became a member of the Jamestown Society. Pat is loved and survived by her husband of 61 years, John Winton Erwin and their children, James Winton Erwin of Reno and his children, Jeffrey Winton (Dawn) Erwin, Patrick James (Nikki) Erwin with great-grandson Hunter James; Camille Alexandra Erwin and Elizabeth Nicole (Brian W.) Johansen, of Nampa, ID with great-grandchildren Makayla Nicole; Trenton William and Tate Winton Johansen; son, Thomas Patric and (Molly Spencer) Erwin and his son, Philip Robert Erwin of Las Vegas, NV and Molly's children, Paul Kerschen of Berkeley, CA and Ann Kerschen, Tucson, AZ; son, John Alexander (Sheryl “Sherri“ McConnell) Erwin of Sparks and their children, Rebecca Ann (Jesse) Adams with great-grandson Aidan James, Marie Alice (Shawn D.) Lear and great-grandson Jordan Nathan Lear, Scott Andrew Erwin of San Clemente, CA and Kathryn Alise Erwin of Reno; daughter, Susan Marie Erwin (Brian Joseph) Buckley, and their children, Anne Elizabeth, Katherine Mary, and John Michael Buckley of Las Vegas, NV; and, daughter, Debra Ann Erwin (Pete L.) Padgett, of Reno, NV and their children, Melissa Ann Padgett of San Diego, CA and David Christopher Padgett of Louisville, KY. She very much loved her former daughters-in-law, Cheryl L. Ehrke of Reno, NV and Michelle F. Hall of Nampa, ID and her dear friend and “other daughter" Stephanie Hughes of Kauai, HI. Pat and her family are very grateful to all of her caregivers from Homewatch, Circle of Life Hospice, and The Seasons for their loving care and friendships. In lieu of flowers, please send a gift to ALS of Nevada, 6370 W. Flamingo #3, Las Vegas, NV 89103 or to the Reno Family History Center, 1075 Maplewood Drive, Reno, NV 89509 in the name of the Nevada Sagebrush Chapter, NSDAR, Reno, NV. A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 20, 2007 at 3:30 p.m. at Mountain View Mortuary, 425 Stoker Ave., Reno, NV. Internment at Mountain View Cemetery will be private. “Mothers and Grandmothers hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever"

Rarey, Donald R.


Donald R. Rarey 2/8/1931 to 10/15/2007 After a courageous 11-month battle with Lou Gehrig's Disease, Don passed away on October 15 at home. He was surrounded by his wife Bev, stepchildren Teri and Bernie, and Dr. David Kennel, his wife Peggy, and their daughter Kristen. Don was born in Tillamook, Oregon, He attended Tillamook High School, where he was captain of the basketball team and Student Body President. He graduated from Oregon State University and began his teaching career in Orting in 1954. He joined the Clover Park District in 1959, where he taught and coached at Mann Junior High. He helped open Lakes High School in 1962 and remained there, teaching, coaching, and, eventually, head of the counseling department until his retirement in 1992. He loved going to school every day and working with students! After retirement, Don enjoyed playing the stock market on his computer, traveling to see the Mariners at spring training, exercising every day, doing yard work, and playing bridge. Don was preceded in death by his parents Russell and Charollotte Rarey, twin brothers who died at birth, and daughter Janet Rarey. He is survived by his wife Bev, brother David Rarey of Bothell, daughters Dyan Simmons, Judy Gilmore (Scott)Eand son Scott Rarey (Patti), all of Arizona, stepdaughter Teri Kindsfather and stepson Bernie Williamson (Kendra) of Spanaway, grandchildren Gavin and Jocelyn of Arizona, and Cody, Tayler, Baylie and Brooks of Spanaway. He was a kind and gentle man who loved his family unconditionally and was a loyal friend to many. Funeral services will be at Fir Lane Funeral Home in Spanaway on Saturday, October 20, 2007 at 10am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Retired Women in Education, 719 N. 3rd St., Apt 201, Tacoma, WA 98403, or a charity of your choice.


Published in the News Tribune (Tacoma) on 10/18/2007