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In loving memory of Pat

September 16, 2021
Every year I have a calendar made on Shutterfly comprised of my favorite photos from the past year.  In December when I made my current calendar, I dedicated the month of September to Pat to align with the anniversary of his passing.  I wanted to share with all of you a photo of my September calendar page.  As hard as it is to see these photos without tears streaming down my face, I think we can all agree that Pat was a really great guy and he is still deeply missed.

Birthdays in the Summer

October 10, 2020

Pat and I both had birthdays in the Summer.
One of our favorite gifts to ask for on our birthday was a trip to Santa Cruz Beach.
We did this for many summers in a row, perhaps starting in the late 60's into the early 70's
Usually many siblings would make the trip as long as they could swim some what.
Often we would have air mattress's, old inner tubes or just plain body surf for hours of the day.
Pat's birthday was just a few days after the 4th of July so often there was left over fireworks.
One year with the help from an older Brother who was in possession of matches, 
we started reworking unspent Piccole Pete's, smash one end try fix the fuse etc.
And Bam lots of fun setting some of them off. We all took turns I only did the longest of fuses.
Then out of the blue, not sure what exactly happened, it was a short fuse and I was backing up quickly seemed like none of us really got very far away when it went off.
Next thing I know Pat is yelling and his hand is very red. The fun was over.
We had to go and tell Pops Pat was hurt. Some of details are a bit fuzzy from then on but the party was over. We spent hours at the hospital seemed like night fall was upon us before we finally headed home. Pat survived not really any sustained injuries. 
 

Patrick was my brother

October 8, 2020
I knew him his entire live.  Since I was not quite 5 years old. 
We lost track of each other for something like 20 years. I moved out of the Bay Area to Michigan in 1995, traveled for graduate school to Asia and Africa and then landed in the Seattle area in 2002.
We started reconnecting around 2013 (I guess) as he was getting ready to retire and all of us Freeman kids came together to chip in to support our Mom in her twilight years.
Patrick was very involved in making the arrangements for our Mom, Dolores Freeman's memorial and the scattering of her ashes just outside the Golden Gate in July 2018.
I talked to him on the phone on August 15th, 2020.  I promised him that I would call again real soon.  I had no idea that that would be my last time having a conversation with him.  Jane and I spoke with him on speaker phone for something like 30 minutes while I was driving to the ferry.  At the end of the call I promised that I would call more often.  
I called him one more time after that.  I told him "Patrick I love you.  I'm rooting for you.  You're my brother.  I'm a big fan".  He was already not talking.  The nurse reported that he smiled and looked happy.
I wish I had taken more time to get to know him better.
I was there for him on September 29 at that hospital in Sacramento. I like to think that he knew he was not alone.

The pool table

October 7, 2020
In 1994, Patrick adopted the Heller family pool table, an antique which had been in our family for generations.  Nick, Pat and I, along with one of his friends, put the table together in his living room and he enjoyed it for many years!  

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