Zane and my grandson were born about a week apart. It was both of ours first grandchild. I loved sharing pictures, videos and stories about our grandsons with Mark. Nothing made Mark smile or happier than his grandson and bragging about him. 

Mark and I spent a lot of Saturdays together at the office, he would be blasting some classic country and we would BS about life, kids, work and how we thought we could make the world a better place. Thank you for always taking the time to talk and give advice. I miss you Mark and will always remember you with a smile.

Dad practiced Buddhism and one of his favorite concepts was Equanimity. He learned it studying the teachings of his favorite monk: Ajahn Chah. It means to have an even temperament, to accept everything arises and passes away. He always wanted to visit one of Ajahn Chah’s monasteries and in April 2019 we finally got to make that happen by visiting Abhayagiri in Redwood, CA. This is a slide show Dad created to commemorate the trip including the monastery, hiking the Redwoods and dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco, Chubby Noodle.

Dad liked to use metaphors to get his meaning across. When there was work that you didn’t want to do but knew had to be completed nonetheless, he would simply say that it was time to “chop wood.” When he was done metaphorically chopping the wood of a long day’s work, he would often find refuge resting by the flames literally. One of his greatest home improvement projects was building a dedicated fire pit in the backyard with the help of Jennie. On crisp nights he would enjoy the warmth of crackling flames from the chopped wood with the warmth of his family.

Dad would always wear purple on Friday. It was his favorite color because it was his aunt J.R.’s favorite color. It was something he always he looked forward to and one of the many ways he brought his “true colors” to the office

My friends were also Dad’s friends. Always affectionately referred to as Mr. Brown, he not only brought a lot of laughter to their lives but also provided a positive influence on them. From concerts to sporting events and everything in between, he was always down for the next adventure with the guys

I don’t really know how to zero in on a single story, because I feel like Mr Brown did so much for me over the years. From countless trips to dingy venues so we could connect with music, to sacrificing his own space and time when we wanted to make a band ourselves. He always seemed very interested and invested in helping us achieve our dreams—it feels like something I could never pay back. Beyond that he was a friend of my family and someone I relied on at a very difficult period of my life. We had a lot of great times, and I’ll never be able to listen to Al Green, Blue Oyster Cult, or Willie Nelson without thinking about him.

Since my first meeting Mr. Brown, I was often taken aback by how absolutely welcoming, friendly, and hilarious he was. With hardly knowing someone, he would extend a fair bit of banter to make you feel welcome in his home. I remember spending many nights over at the Brown residence, and within no time at began began to feel as if it were a home away from home. "Big D", as Mark would have me call him, wasn't shy in his interactions and loved handing out nicknames to the Brown-family regulars. I can't recall which nickname had stuck the most, but "T-Dawg" and "T-Man" were among his favorites.

It was always refreshing to talk with Mark -- whether it was just having some casual conversation, or chuckle-ridden, light-hearted debates about whether Pluto is a planet -- and how the most seemingly-innocuous things were proof of its planethood. Dad jokes galore, he was an incredible spirit that you could easily pass the time with. And his generosity was fully shown, as he had once even given a good handful of monetary support for a personal endeavor of mine, out of nowhere and fully unprompted, just because he cared.

Mr. B, wherever you may or may not be, you're the social spirit I strive towards. Thanks for all of the great memories and shared warmth. Love you, Big D.

Dad knew how to create enjoyable moments with others. Often there were small traditions that he’d start and continuously go back to. It was less about the action and more about the shared experience. Whenever I would go home to visit, we would always go to Russel Street BBQ for lunch to have savory pulled pork sandwiches with crispy French fries, and it was always a great time.

One day, Zane told Grandpa he wanted to be a farmer when he grew up. When dad was at the hospital prepping for his surgery, he HAD to make sure Zane would have a tractor so he could ride around, doing work and be a farmer. Dad was already starting to be sedated and so he asked Robert to order the tractor for Zane. It came as a big surprise when it arrived at the house. This gift embodies the spirit of my dad - he wanted to make sure Zane had something he loved and was always thinking of others. We have probably spent hours vide chatting with dad watching Zane ride his tractor. It brought us all a lot of joy these past months. 

Dad got Robert his jeep when he was about 4 years old. Robert LOVED this jeep and went all around the neighborhood with his friends. Several of them had jeeps so they would ride from house to house. Dad got Zane a tractor and often times when Dad would see Zane and his tractor, it would bring back those happy memories of Robert as a young boy. 

Zane was (and still is) going through a Curious George phase. Dad sent a Curious George Jack in the Box. I would send this video to Dad whenever he needed a laugh. He got suck a kick out of Zane's reaction - would he cry or would he laugh? 

Dad asked me if I would give him a shave on one of my visits out there after his diagnosis. Dad LOVED nicknames and so on that visit, I got the nickname "Shank".  After that, whenever we would talk on the phone and he would get haircut - he always wished "Shank" was there. (August 30, 2020)

While Dad was going through radiation and chemo, he decided to shave his hair and have a mohawk. And of course, he had to dye it his favorite color - PURPLE! Zane and I were video chatting with Dad and Zane started calling him "purple pineapple head" and it stuck. Now, everytime Zane goes to get his haircut, he wants a mohawk like Grandpa.

One of Dad’s oldest and best friends was his cousin Aaron. They went through a lot together and always had each other’s backs. Aaron gifted my dad this Wyoming license plate - a ‘57, the year Dad was born - and Dad promised to hang it up in his shop when he finished it. Even after Aaron’s tragic passing, Dad kept his promise and hung it on its rightful place December 7, 2019.

Another one of dad's beloved home improvement projects was the waterfall he designed and built in the back yard. It was a great source of relaxation for him. He loved hearing it in the background and the tranquility helped sooth him in his final days.