A celebration of life

[wroughtn_harv]

I guess seeing couples meet and marry over the internet should tell us what we know in our hearts. The internet is another neighborhood not unlike the ones we participate in each day at work or home.

One of the real pleasures in my life has been the TBN community. Probably the most influential force in that community for me has and is LWFrisk.

Leo and me not only share a passion for making things with and around tractors. We also love teaching and creating. We're both afflicted with that little hiccup in the get up that gets off on watching someone else take our idea and run with it to places we'd never dream of ourselves.

Leo's the one who PM'd me "what would you call your web site if you had one? Harvey's fences and gates?"

I PM'd back I'd been thinking about harveylacey.com because I do things besides just fences and gates.

The next day I got a PM back from him with a link to www.harveylacey.com

It now has over twenty five hundred pictures with most of them taken from TBN conversations.

Everytime I've tried to compensate Leo for his time and efforts he's pooh poohed me away with explanations about it being his pleasure and passion to work with websites.

Early on I learned Leo was a cancer survivor. He was on an experimental regime that was keeping his disease in remission.

It seems his cancer has figured out the ins and outs of his medicine. It's came back with a vengence.

Leo isn't dead. But like all of us he's dying. Just at a faster rate than most of us at this point in time.

He's lived his life on his terms. I'm sure he'll die the same way.

I believe I'm not out of line in suggesting that Leo wouldn't want cards and notes of sympathy about his situation at this time. He's the kind of person who would rather have you do something. Have an idea, pursue it, and succeed and or fail, little difference in the big picture really. But do something. And if you're the kind that likes to mull things over as you're doing, mull over that this one's for Leo.

There is one caveat or rule to this doing something. It has to be something that's for you for the doing but someone else gets the benefits for having what you've done.

After all the greatest celebration of life is sharing it.

 

[JerryG]

In the past I enjoyed Leo's posts. My the Lord above be with him and his family. Our prayers are with them.

 

[Bird]

I've talked to Leo, via PMs, just a little bit in the past, but enough to know he's one of the good guys and the kind of fellow you'd like to have for a neighbor. He'll definitely be in our thoughts and prayers.

 

[PhilNH5]

Harv,
Thanks for posting this info. Leo will be in our thoughts and prayers as well.

Phil

 

[Marlowe]

I think Leo is a blessed man, if for no other reason, to have had a friend such as Harvey Lacey.

I wish him peace.

Tom

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( It has to be something that's for you for the doing but someone else gets the benefits for having what you've done. )</font>

So if I said I spent all weekend doin' a Leo for my mother-in-law, you'd understand? It sure sounds like a worthy name for a good deed to me. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

...and Leo, all my good wishes to you.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( So if I said I spent all weekend doin' a Leo for my mother-in-law, you'd understand? It sure sounds like a worthy name for a good deed to me.)</font>

Hmmmmmmm, I'm not sure doing work for your mother in law can in all honesty be considered Jim. After all, when we get down to the tacks that are brass colored, we can't really be sure your motives are all that honorable, can we? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

We got to Leo and Lisa's place Friday afternoon. It's about forty two hundred miles from my house Texas to his house California when you take the scenic route.

Leo's spirits are great considering what he's facing. He looks good and is eating well. He doesn't seem to have much of an appetite, quite understandable I'm sure, but on look from Lisa and he gets it all down.

While the girls were shopping yesterday we jumped online and had some fun at Discovery Channel's expense. Leo has double vision due to a tumor pressing against an optic nerve. He doesn't get online much because when he does he has to decide which image to concentrate on, the top one or the bottom one. I suspect his only consolation if there is to be one is all the girls in his world are stacked. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I found an email address that gets you into the office of Original Productions, the entity that provides us with Monster Garage, American Chopper, etc. Leo and me created a new show concept for them. It was fun. The man has no taste in friends or humor. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

The good side of our adventure in imagination land would be they decide they want to talk about it, the conceptioning. Then poor Leo's cancer would have to kick back for a awhile and take it easy while work is being done.

Leo like the rest of us really doesn't know how much longer he's got gripping the stirring spoon in the kitchen we call life. He's just having to face up to the things most of us put off like wills, etc.


And he's appreciative of the good fortune he's got in having the opportunity to help those who care about him through one of the hardest things they'll ever have to face, his demise. Leo's being Leo. He's thinking about others and is still in awe of the good fortune he's had for over seventy years when it comes to opportunities and friends.

Leo had a body shop and a college dean asked if he'd consider teaching body work at a continuing education facility. Leo pointed out his lack of formal education. The dean explained that he'd take care of that part of the hiring process if Leo would consider the job.

Leo worked up to a dean's position himself over the years. In fact, this year he was teaching a class in web site development when his health took a dive. He got in two classes before his health stopped his teaching this semester.

A couple of weeks ago he got a call from the lady in charge of health benefits. She explained the Leo was out of sick days. But his co-workers had contributed their sick time and he'd get his salary for the whole semester.

When he told me about this he was in a state of shock. You see about fifteen years ago he'd fought that through, the allowing of one employee to contribute their sick time benefits for another employee, because one of the teachers had breast cancer and couldn't teach for awhile. He just coudln't believe that he was the receptor of a policy he'd help initiate for others.

So as you go through your day count your blessings, do a Leo.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I was going through some pictures and found a couple of Leo and me taken this November when I was out there on vacation.

This is your pair to draw to. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is Leo with Mrs wroughtn harv and Lisa (Mrs LWFrisk aka Tractor widow on TBN)

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is Leo, Tractor Widow, and the wroughtn one.