One of the great ones is gone

Ddan · February 12, 2011, 10:47:43 AM

http://m.theirregular.com/node/37054

I went to a service today for a man that I'd be surprised if any of you would know, but I'm sure there a some of you who know someone like him, and would understand why I had to put this out there.

John was one of those guys who walked into a room and you knew it. His gravely voice was distinctive, but it was more than that, he was truly larger than life. He didn't really say much, but when he spoke people tended to listen because what he said was worth hearing. He was the real deal.

I got to know him in the 70's; I was on the ski patrol and John was Lift Maintenance. My buddy Butch and I looked up to him as the craziest sonofapregnant dog in the nut house, and he allowed us to annoy him with questions about what he was doing. We were always proud and honored when he would ask for one of us specifically to help with something, and we in turn were given a degree of respect because he did. His response when asked if he could do something was invariably either 'yes', or 'we've got two chances', and no weather was too severe for him to climb a tower if needed. I saw him take his sled up over a maybe 70% slope sitting on top of a 100# propane cylinder strapped to the seat, because we didn't have any heat at the top lift shack. As much as he was motivated to help out a couple of prima donna patrollers, I think he really wanted to just see if he could do it.

In the early 90's he lost his right arm at the shoulder after being dragged through a sheave train, and he was worried about how the guy who inadvertently started the lift was doing. He was back at work that next season and had the controls for his sled all put on the left bar so he could drive it. Eventually he gave up on the prosthesis because it would just get in the way, and you'd see him flying along with the empty sleeve of his jacket flapping behind him, a Swisher Sweet stuck in his teeth. It was at the same time exactly what you expected he would do, and an amazing, surprising display of perseverance and courage.

The service was standing room only, and full of stories about John being John, and that's really what he was about. He didn't play at being John Roderick, he was John Roderick, every day, all day. When he talked to you, he was talking to you, and when he was done, he was done. His life, I think, was the same way, 100% and then over. I will miss him, but there is no loss whatsoever associated with knowing him.

TiNi · February 12, 2011, 11:18:39 AM

dan, i'm so sorry to read of the passing of your friend john, i enjoyed reading your stories about him. he sounds like a guy who will not be forgotten.

to john

ducpainter · February 12, 2011, 12:07:11 PM

RIP John.

LMT · February 12, 2011, 12:10:12 PM

To John and all of those like him

lethe · February 12, 2011, 12:23:01 PM

RIP
shame that the world isn't being repopulated by such people as quickly as it loses them

Monsterlover · February 12, 2011, 12:32:57 PM

+1 to all the above

Sorry to hear about your friend

RIP John

orangelion03 · February 12, 2011, 12:41:26 PM

Quote from: lethe on February 12, 2011, 12:23:01 PM
RIP
shame that the world isn't being repopulated by such people as quickly as it loses them

I think there are lots of them out there, it's just they dont bring attention to themselves. If it werent for the Johns of all sexes, races, and creeds, this world would be a hell of a lot worse off.

To John, may he rest in peace.

Ddan · February 12, 2011, 12:51:50 PM

Thank you all for your words, and raise a glass tonight for John and all those like him.

Quote from: orangelion03 on February 12, 2011, 12:41:26 PM
I think there are lots of them out there, it's just they dont bring attention to themselves. If it werent for the Johns of all sexes, races, and creeds, this world would be a hell of a lot worse off.

To John, may he rest in peace.

I think you're right, and one of the reasons we look up to them is that they don't bring attention to themselves.

DesmoDiva · February 12, 2011, 01:33:02 PM

RIP John.

[Hugs]

Buckethead · February 12, 2011, 02:06:09 PM

I've known a few of those guys.

I'm kinda glad there aren't more of them, because that makes the time you DO get to spend with the "real thing" that much more valuable.

To John!

herm · February 12, 2011, 02:13:00 PM

to the John's of the world

Howie · February 12, 2011, 02:13:30 PM

Sorry to hear of the passing of your friend, Dan.

RIP John.

badgalbetty · February 12, 2011, 03:56:11 PM

it seems we all reach an age where this happens too often and no matter how old we are it hurts just as much. My condolences to you and all those that knew your friend.
Hugs.
BGB

Randimus Maximus · February 12, 2011, 03:58:44 PM

Sorry to hear of your loss, Dan.

John sounds like he was one helluva guy.

Godspeed, John.

DoubleEagle · February 12, 2011, 07:05:56 PM

I wish I knew your friend John...may be I have known someone like your friend.

Either way It is a SAD day when someone with as much Character has to leave us .

It will be hard on those that knew John to ever replace him ....not that that what it's all about ...but we should all have someone like John in our lives.

Sorry for you and John's friends loss.

RIP John.

Dolph

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One of the great ones is gone