It's hard to find the words to celebrate one's life when going through mourning. In 2016, I lost three special people in my life including my dad in May, my sister-in-law in November, and my Uncle John in December. Thinking of them and all they are missing just makes my heart ache.
But something has surfaced since Uncle John's passing that has given us all comfort. His words. He wrote poetry and short stories, and I never knew. Here I am, a writer myself, and we never shared thoughts on tapping into our own emotions or the emotions of others. I always knew Uncle John was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather, but I didn't know we shared a love for words. They've been surfacing on Facebook, though - posts from loved ones with photos of poems I've never read. How excited I've been to read these!
So, this is a tribute to you, Uncle John. I'm so happy I've been able to enjoy your writing. It's wonderful to have a personal part of you that we can hold so close to our hearts. What an incredible gift!
Here are a few of his poems.
Love you, Uncle John
But something has surfaced since Uncle John's passing that has given us all comfort. His words. He wrote poetry and short stories, and I never knew. Here I am, a writer myself, and we never shared thoughts on tapping into our own emotions or the emotions of others. I always knew Uncle John was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather, but I didn't know we shared a love for words. They've been surfacing on Facebook, though - posts from loved ones with photos of poems I've never read. How excited I've been to read these!
So, this is a tribute to you, Uncle John. I'm so happy I've been able to enjoy your writing. It's wonderful to have a personal part of you that we can hold so close to our hearts. What an incredible gift!
Here are a few of his poems.
Love you, Uncle John
Obituary of John Van Voorhis
John Vincent Van Voorhis, 73, passed away on December 13, 2016 surrounded by his family. Born in Wappingers Falls on January 19, 1943, he was the son of the late John “Jack” Van Voorhis and Virginia Hoyt Van Voorhis. On April 14, 1963, he married Gloria Jean Hauver, who survives at home. John served in the United States Army and was retired from IBM in Poughkeepsie after over 30 years of employment. He spent the last 20 years dedicating his services to the American Legion, fulfilling many different positions from treasurer to Commander of Post 1302. John was a wonderful storyteller who could always make you laugh. He had a story or joke for every situation and was quite the entertainer. He had a wealth of knowledge of just about everything. He enjoyed many sports throughout his life and was instrumental in founding the first Dutchess County Girls softball league. John was a loving and caring person who treasured his family and friends above all. He had a love of nature, gardening, music and reading, even writing short stories and poetry of his own.
John Vincent Van Voorhis, 73, passed away on December 13, 2016 surrounded by his family. Born in Wappingers Falls on January 19, 1943, he was the son of the late John “Jack” Van Voorhis and Virginia Hoyt Van Voorhis. On April 14, 1963, he married Gloria Jean Hauver, who survives at home. John served in the United States Army and was retired from IBM in Poughkeepsie after over 30 years of employment. He spent the last 20 years dedicating his services to the American Legion, fulfilling many different positions from treasurer to Commander of Post 1302. John was a wonderful storyteller who could always make you laugh. He had a story or joke for every situation and was quite the entertainer. He had a wealth of knowledge of just about everything. He enjoyed many sports throughout his life and was instrumental in founding the first Dutchess County Girls softball league. John was a loving and caring person who treasured his family and friends above all. He had a love of nature, gardening, music and reading, even writing short stories and poetry of his own.
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