Happy Birthday Robert! (Yesterday)  Today you would be 73 yrs old and you would still be the sweetest member of our family. You were so non-judgemental and kind - and the absence of malice in your heart was a wonderful wonderful thing to experience.

I thought of you yesterday when I had Isaacs three girls here playing and having a blast. The baby, Amelia, has started taking baby steps on her own. She is one year old and she wants to run after her sisters! She is such a joy. 

You always thought kids were such a delight and when my three were little they loved it when you came over. You played with them like a child would and they loved you for it! So innocent and loving you were. 

I know you had some very rough times in your life but the last 15 yrs of your life with Joy and her family brought out the kindness and fun in you. Joy often mentioned how you played and joked with her grandkids and they made you part of the family.
I know this brought some joy to your heart -and you were very generous to Joys kids and grandkids. Thats who you were.

Here is your ❤️happy birthday hug -give one to Mom and Dad too will ya? Love you forever. Sista J

Happy Valentines Day, Robert.. Today is the anniversary of your death, and how I wish I had been there to say goodbye.
My heart has been heavy because I didn't get to help you on your way to a new adventure. I know you have forgiven me and know that I think of you often and love you so much.

today I was looking at the website for "Ja Fa Fa Hots" (hot dog stand and candy store in our neighborhood in Cheektowaga NY, which closed some time ago) and it reminded me of us and our neighborhood friends running down there in summer with our dimes in our hands.

I can recall standing in front of that huge candy counter (it was big then-we were smaller) and I used to wish I had much more money than I did so I could buy a larger assortment of candy. Most of the candies were a penny, and I had a dime. Who knows Never enough for me! My nature...
I usually got one or two of those red hot Fireballs because they lasted a long time, even though my fingertips would be red from taking that hot glowing fire ball out of my mouth every two seconds for a cool down. Breathe in -out-in-out.
Ok again....And I liked the tootsie roll suckers for the same reason. I loved those little sugar pastel colored dots on a long piece of paper (like a cash register receipt) but for the life of me I cannot fathom why. They were cute! They were colors I loved! There were loads and loads on one sheet! All those reasons. They had no discernible taste as I recall.
Just a dull crunch and a little sweet...Brother David visited Ja Fa Fa Hots before it closed, so at least one of us made it back for a peek. I could see our house on the Google map too. Freeway right behind it. Thats why we moved to Florida. But I would have taken the freeway - I was kind of traumatized going from there to Florida. The difference in culture, schools, and just everything. I couldn't adjust there. It undid my moorings! 

I know you loved the weather there and in every warm place, just like Dad. And golfing - gotta have good weather for that right? Im sure David is getting antsy to get out there and hit some balls - we haven't had winter really. It was sunny and 50 degrees all last week. 

I love you my brother and knowing I will see you when I pass is a huge comfort....Love Judy

Happy Birthday Robert!  We miss you so much. Just looking at the picture of your sweet young face makes me smile. You were such a sweet but misunderstood man.  Ill never ever forget your kindnesses to me and others during your lifetime. I love the painted rock you sent me after you passed. It was colorful and had my initials on it. I cherish it and you too. Happy Birthday. Love, Judy

Today is the 2nd anniversary of Roberts death.  I miss him. The pretty "Easter egg" colored rock (see photos) we found near Robert & Joy's house that had my initials painted on it, I keep with me in my car. I drive a lot so I see it often and it makes me smile.  When Dad died Robert & I talked about if it would be possible to send a msg from beyond and we both believed it was possible.  We promised each other to send a msg if we died to let the other know we were thinking of them. In my mind, because the rock is so specific to me with my initials JW on the back and my husband Chuck found it on a walk over a mile from the house - I am certain it was placed there by Robert. Im thrilled to think of it -to consider the possibilities.  So Roberts rock is with me and my granddaughters often want to hold it when riding in my car. I hope to have the rock for the rest of my days.  My brother -an angel for sure when he was alive -is now an angel in heaven. I know he will be among those who will greet me when I pass over into the great beyond. I love you Robert! 

Today is the one year anniversary of Robert's death. I miss him so much and I cannot believe its been a year already. I have recently been scanning old photographs to be saved for kids, grandkids and future generations to use and I've seen a lot of new (old) photos of Robert. It warms my heart to look at these and remember my loving brother.  I've found letters from him in the boxes of memorabilia I've dug through to find old photos and it's so great that Robert did write quite a few letters to me over the years. He was so positive and hopeful - even when he was down.  I love and miss you dear brother!

Hey Robert J- today is your great niece's 3rd birthday-Teagan. And today is the day that Abe called in a very long time. What a day! I thought of you because you & I talked about this and I wanted to tell you! I wish I could call you. But you know-you know. That's enough for me. I was with August Gene and Elliot today - Jens twin boys. They are 5 now and I wish you could play with them like you did with Jen. They are so fun. We collected aluminum cans on a walk with Papa Chuck. The boys love to "stomp" cans. (Flatten them!) you always liked that frugal streak of Chucks-you had it too. We all miss you.

Happy Birthday Robert - today was the fabulous day you were born! Hooray! You must have been such a wonderful first baby for Mom and Dad - and so close to Father's Day too. I think of all the wonderful times we had as kids - and as adolescents too. I will never forget when you accompanied me and my friend, Sandy, to Miami Beach for my high school graduation. What a hoot! Mom and Dad would not let us go alone - so funny. We had a blast. I think we rode the bus! I remember pool jumping and so many other things. There was a locust "event" in Homestead, Florida, where we got the bus and the buildings and ground were completely covered in locusts....it was crunchy to walk on. So gross! Of course they just flew in one night on OUR vacation. Crazy insects! 

I've missed you so much today - it was a gorgeous sunny day and on my walk I stopped and thought how much you would have loved the day. So green, so sunny and warm - the air fresh and lovely. I wished you could be on my walk with me-maybe you golf in Heaven! with Dad.....
 
I talked to Joy today and the lovely family you left behind - and they are missing you today and of course there will be the very difficult Father's Day to get through because of course, you treated all of Joy's family with such love and sweetness. My dear, dear brother - I celebrate your life today - you gave to your family, your country and your wonderful Joy.
I love you & miss you so.
(ps - thank you for sending me a special rock - I take you everywhere I go....)

While on my walk in the woods today, I thought about the heart chakra -as I've been reading about how our heart can be open or closed. I thought about Robert because he always seemed like his heart was open. I thought about how vulnerable you would be if your heart were open and how you could really be hurt.  My brother thought the best of others and trusted everyone. He was often hurt. I hope he is an angel now because he suffered enough hurt here on earth to last forever. I love you Robert, and I miss you.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Robert! I know you were clean and sober over 36 years and that you were very proud of this. I was very proud of you also - you came back after so many tough circumstances. A true Irishman! (well 1/2 Irish - but on St. Paddy's day everyone's Irish!)
Its been a month since you've passed and I dreamt about you last night for the first time. It was incredible. I miss you.

In speaking with members of Joy's family and Joy, I've discovered over the last month how much they loved you and laughed with you. I am so happy that you had a family who loved and accepted you and that made you happy. And you also helped many of them -Joy, her children, and their children in educational endeavors, with financial help and you were generous and helpful with them all. I am so pleased they all got to know what a sweet and generous person you were. You helped man of us in our family too - in so many ways. Thank you.

My uncle Bob was an extraordinary man. He was so full of love and joy and was a blast to have around. I remember seeing a taxicab pull up in front of our house when I was a little girl and wondering if someone famous had arrived...and it was my famous Uncle Bob! He was so much fun and I remember during one visit he had bought a few scratch tickets at the local 7-11 and he won! So, he borrowed my mom's silver Honda stationwagon and we went down and cashed in the winner, sat in the car and scratched...and he won again! This went on several more times and I just remember how delighted he was! He was like a school boy on Christmas morning. I have always remembered this time I spent with him and will cherish it always. My uncle Bob was a sweet, caring man and I loved him very much.

Robert was a caring son. I remember when Mom told me that Robert was flying her to Italy to share in his life there for a month. She was on cloud nine! To go to Italy and visit the churches and Rome was the trip of a lifetime for her - one Mom would not have imagined more magical. She wrote lovingly of her stay at Robert's villa in Brindisi, and their trips on the weekends to cities and churches. Robert was happy to make Mom happy. He treated her to surprise visits on holidays~never mentioning he was coming but showing up in time for dinner! He and Mom and Dad golfed quite a lot and they shared many hours over the years at different golf courses. Robert was the only child I knew who could watch golf on television with his parents. A real sweetheart!

Speaking of lighting a candle - Robert's life was made brighter by his loving partner, Joy. Together they laughed and shared so many lovely days and their love and support for each other halved their troubles.
These two people made the lives around them brighter too because their love for each other shone outward to their friends and family.