Willard “Bill” Dale Londean

IT PAINS ME TO ADMIT IT, BUT APPARENTLY, I’VE PASSED AWAY. EVERYONE TOLD ME IT WOULD HAPPEN ONE DAY BUT THAT’S SIMPLY NOT SOMETHING I WANTED TO HEAR MUCH LESS EXPERIENCE. I GUESS THINGS CAN’T ALWAYS GO MY WAY IN LIFE!

WHILE ON THAT SUBJECT; THE STORY OF MY LIFE…ON JUNE 22, 1934, MY PARENTS AND BROTHER CELEBRATED MY BIRTH, AND I WAS INTRODUCED TO ALL AS WILLARD DALE LONDEAN, BUT MOST CALLED ME BILL. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE LAST CENTURY? THERE ARE RECORDS AT THE COURTHOUSE TO CORROBORATE THIS CLAIM.

AS A CHILD, I REMEMBER BEING USED BY MY BROTHER AS A TACKLING DUMMY, BALL RETRIEVER, AND DANCE INSTRUCTOR. FOR ME DATING AND SCHOOL DANCES WEREN’T IDEAL BECAUSE MY CAR WAS “STOLEN” AND LOCKED UP BY MY MOM AFTER A BEER BOTTLE ROLLED OUT FROM UNDERNEATH MY SEAT.

GROWING UP WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM SEATTLE SHORES WAS A FAVORITE PART OF MY CHILDHOOD; EXCEPT WHEN MY MOM RUINED MY SUMMERS BY SHIPPING ME OFF TO WORK ON A COW FARM. I STAYED IN SEATTLE TO TAKE CLASSES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON BEFORE BEING DRAFTED INTO THE UNITED STATES NAVY. I WORKED MANY JOBS TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY AND EVENTUALLY STARTED MY CAREER AS A POST MASTER AT TEMPLE CITY, COVINA, AND HUNTINGTON BEACH POST OFFICES.

I MARRIED THE WOMAN OF MY DREAMS ON JANUARY 10, 1959, AND WE WERE BLESSED WITH TWO CHILDREN; GERI AND DANIEL. WATCHING THESE TWO GROW UP INTO WHO THEY ARE TODAY BROUGHT A WONDERFUL SENSE OF MEANING TO MY LIFE. MY HEART WAS THEN FILLED WITH A SPACE I NEVER KNEW WAS EMPTY AS THE GRANDKIDS CAME ALONG; ALLIE, JEREMY, STEVEN, AND KEVIN. THEN GREAT-GRANDKIDS.

SO MANY THINGS IN MY LIFE SEEMED OF LITTLE SIGNIFICANCE AT THE TIME BUT TOOK ON GREATER IMPORTANCE AS I GOT OLDER. THE MEMORIES I’M TAKING WITH ME ARE PRECIOUS AND HAVE MORE VALUE THAN ANYTHING MONEY CAN BUY. MEMORIES…WHERE DO I BEGIN?

I LOVED COACHING DANNY IN BASEBALL AND HE ALWAYS KEPT ME ON MY TOES WITH ALL THE BROKEN BONES FROM THE RECKLESS THINGS HE GOT HIMSELF INTO. GERI KEPT ME QUITE BUSY AS WELL WITH HER CHEERLEADING EVENTS OR AS I LIKED TO CALL THEM “THE JUMP AND SCREAM CAMPS.” EVENTUALLY, I BOUGHT MY PRIDE AND JOY - MY BOAT. THE KIDS, THEIR FRIENDS, AND I SPENT MANY WEEKENDS IN THE SUN AT THE RIVER WATERSKIING AND IN THE OCEAN TAKING OFF TO CATALINA.

I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND LOVE AGAIN WHEN I MET MY SECOND WIFE MARILYN AND ALONG CAME JOLYNN, SCOTT, AND DONNY. WE TRAVELED THE WORLD TOGETHER EXPLORING PLACES I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW EXISTED LIKE DEBRESHNIAK. WE BOUGHT OUR DREAM HOUSE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS AND ENDLESS MEMORIES WERE MADE.

THAT’S WHEN THE REAL ADVENTURE BEGAN; ALLIE MOVED INTO MY BACKHOUSE AND SURELY KEPT ME YOUNG OVER THE YEARS. ONCE AGAIN THE HOUSE WAS FILLED WITH LOVE, LAUGHTER, AND SHENANIGANS. I WAS THE PROUDEST GRANDPA WATCHING HER WORK TOWARDS GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE AND WAS BLESSED WITH THIS BOND THAT MOST GRANDPARENTS DON’T GET TO EXPERIENCE. I CHERISH ALL THE TIMES WHEN MY OTHER GRANDCHILDREN CAME TO VISIT. I MADE A GREAT BABYSITTER; LOCKING THEM IN A CLOSET WAS A FUN GAME WE USED TO PLAY, AND LOADING THEM WITH SUGAR BEFORE GOING HOME.

THE OTHER SPECIAL GIRL IN MY LIFE IS SHERRIE; SHE IS MY VERY BEST FRIEND, PORCH PAL, AND GOSSIP BUDDY. WE ALWAYS TOOK CARE OF EACH OTHER AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH OUR FRIENDS DAVE AND LINDA. WE WENT TO CONCERTS, AND DINNERS, AND VOLUNTEERED FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.

THESE ARE A FEW OF THE TREASURES THAT ARE IRREPLACEABLE AND WILL GO WITH ME WHEREVER MY HEAVENLY JOURNEY TAKES ME. SO…I WAS BORN; I BLINKED; AND IT WAS OVER.

NO BUILDINGS WERE NAMED AFTER ME; NO MONUMENTS IN MY HONOR. BUT I DID HAVE THE CHANCE TO KNOW AND LOVE EACH AND EVERY FRIEND AS WELL AS MY FAMILY MEMBERS.

IF YOU WANT TO, YOU CAN LOOK FOR ME IN THE EVENING SUNSET OR ON THE SUNNY GREEN GOLF COURSE. YOU KNOW I’LL BE THERE IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER. OF COURSE, THAT WILL PROBABLY COMFORT SOME WHILE ANTAGONIZING OTHERS, BUT YOU KNOW ME…IT’S WHAT I DO BEST.

I’LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS…PLEASE DON’T CRY BECAUSE I’M GONE; INSTEAD, BE HAPPY THAT I WAS HERE. OR MAYBE YOU CAN CRY A LITTLE. AFTER ALL, I DID PASS AWAY.

TODAY I AM HAPPY, DRINKING COFFEE WHILE SITTING ON HEAVEN'S PORCH, AND LOOKING OVER EACH ONE OF YOU.

LOVE YOU FOREVER.