Lynda Smith Feb.14,1953-May 11,2006

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

I thought that I should share with you my extended family,people that even my wife doesn't understand,that today received an e-mail from my brother Capt Jimmie Shipton RCAF of Nepean,Ontario,that my dear sweet little cousin,my little sister,passed away during the night after a six year war with a brain tumor ,in San Diego,California.Grew up with the little imp,She graduated here in Montreal from both St.Joseph's Teacher College and McGill University.After marrying a Pennsylvanian dutchman,she moved to San Diego,got her MBA in education at San Diego State university,and went on to be the principal of the largest high school in San Diego,and get this,majoring in teaching french to all her spanish students.Lynda is the daughter of the late Johnny Smith,Merchant Marine of Canada,who had three ships torpedoed from under him,at the invasion of North Africa,the invasion of Sicily,and finally adrift off Normandy.This little cute lady was not a vet,but im our age group,a vet's daughter/
May she rest in eternal peace

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Our condolences, Garry. Little more can be said. At our age, mortality is a scary thing, is it not?

RIP, Lynda. It would have been a privilege to know you.

Ah, Garry, am so sorry to hear about your loss of Lynda.
My condolences, from the heart, to you and all of the rest of her family and loved ones who are going to miss her so much. I'm glad that you have a lot of memories since childhood to hold close.

Karmen

[Snowtractor]

... about this forum is when I read of the losses suffered by people I have come to think of as family and dear friends. I truly wish life would permit only happy ,exciting ,interesting,wry, wistful,sublime, etc. , posts . But life is life, and I grieve a bit for all the "HARD" posts here. My condolences Garry.
Sean

[Col Tigwell]

Bravery does not just appear on the battle field, but extends across the spectrum of life.

Life appears often to be a lottery, where often the dice does not roll the way it should, or we would like.

I have a daughter who has been battling a brain tumor for ten years, they cannot operate but are keeping it in check, using medication, which is not the answer as it has bad side affects.

The sadness that someone brings into our life, because they have to leave us prematurely is real hard to live with. I have a good friend who is an ex RAF PJI, tough as nails, but twelve years after his daughter was killed in a car accident, he still cannot even say her name.

Why are young people and children taken from us, I do not know.

For over twenty years, I had weeking contact with a lady in NC USA. She had lost her brother down here in 1945, and the wreck and his remains were not found until 1994.

We had been researching and searching for the airplane since 1960, and when it was found by accident, it was 0200 hours her time. My thoughts will I ring her now or later. I decided to go, and when she picked up the phone "she said there can be ony one reason that you are ringing this hour" I said yes he has been found, and we will get you more detials and photos. She said to me, "my mother went to her grave not knowing what happened to her boy, I have prayed every day that before I go, we will find out what happened".

Shortly after that, the dreaded cancer came back after being gone 18 years, and she died. However before she went I spoke to her about the raw deal some decent people get, and the bums get away with murder.

Her reply was the simple faith of a person who was going to meet her maker. God looks down and says I can do nothing with the bums, but also looks at good people and says, well I have a chance to take this person now, because on earth I can do no more. Come live with me in peace.

We accept the mirale of birth, but struggle with the mystery of death, even though it oftens means the end of pain and suffering.

Sleep well oh precious one, God has taken you in his loving arms, and one day we will all be together again

Col Tigwell

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Garry Shipton
I thought that I should share with you my extended family,people that even my wife doesn't understand,that today received an e-mail from my brother Capt Jimmie Shipton RCAF of Nepean,Ontario,that my dear sweet little cousin,my little sister,passed away during the night after a six year war with a brain tumor ,in San Diego,California. (...) After marrying a Pennsylvanian dutchman (...)

From your extended family here in Holland (I see now that there is a bond which goes back generations): my sincere condolences, Garry.

Hanno

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Much appreciated.It's the next day since I got the news,Feeling a little better.Never knew tear ducts could hold that much water.
And Hanno,Lynda's husbands' name is Sgt,Larry Schultheis Jr.,ex 82nd Airborne too boot.Very proud of his early American Dutch heritage.Last time I saw him out in San Diego,we were sitting watching the VHS movie "A Bridge Too Far " by Cornelius Ryan.Larry looks at me during the drop zone scene and asks me "What's wrong with this scene?"So here I am trying to pick out deficiencies i.e.uniform something modern??So I gave up.He says that the first thing they do on a drop zone and the scene should be of a field full of paratroopers emptying their bladders.I asked him what he meant.He says,"Your sit in an aircraft for up to four hours without a toilet anywhere to be found".

Originally posted by herkman
For over twenty years, I had weeking contact with a lady in NC USA. She had lost her brother down here in 1945, and the wreck and his remains were not found until 1994.

We had been researching and searching for the airplane since 1960, and when it was found by accident,

Col Tigwell

That's so great that her brothers plane was found after all those years. I hope she got some peace for that before she passed away.

Also, am really sorry to hear that your daughter has that tumor ... and sorry that side effects are a problem.

Medications can do so much "other" bad when they're doing such important "good". They're all we have to work with and I hope scientists are able to come up with more effective and less destructive ones, or even better, come up with non destructive cures for the things that ail us human beings.

Karmen.

Originally posted by Garry Shipton
Never knew tear ducts could hold that much water.

It really is an amazing thing, isn't it? I wonder if we should drink more when crying a lot to replace all the lost water
(Silly me )

I'm glad you're feeling a bit better today. Ride those waves while enjoying all the good stuff of what she has meant to you. I'm always amazed at the power and influence that people have had on me and my life when I look back and see

Karmen

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Just took a time out from vacuuming the den.OOPS,accidentlay got the big golden guy's tail caught in the beater brush.Geez,never saw a dog move that fast.Oh!Oh!.He 's laying on the carpeting and boy ! Am I ever getting the evil eye..
Anywhoo,nice to hear from you.Now back to my domestic chores.
"Where's my damn apron gone ??"

Originally posted by Garry Shipton
.Now back to my domestic chores.
"Where's my damn apron gone ??"

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

In approximately 5 minutes my Lynda will be laid to rest in San Diego.It's a long way from her roots,my teasing her when she grew up with me,my first fight against two guys,when I had to defend her,her St.Pat's Day tapdance at school,before Riverdance was conceived(by the way dancing to and get this "And they called it Ireland".).When I went to the beach in Corrinado,just the two of us, as her husband was teaching, I drank Tall Boys Coors beer.After about my fifth,getting a little tipsy,laying in the sun,I threw an empty at the 45 gal. drum.It missed and made a tin on metal sound.Without opening her beautiful eyes while tanning in her bikini she says."Garr,you missed the drum"."Ya I know" says I."Did you know you're not allowed to drink on this beach"(as the beach patrol jeep pulls up."Whose empty is that".Without opening an eye,my little bitch cousin,finally got back at me when,without opening an eye,pointed at me.So,after paying a US $ 25 fine,she finally got me back for the early years of teasing.My Lulu,if I could bring you back right now,I'd pay that fine ten times over.

Rest in peace my sweet,love you little girl.

[Col Tigwell]

Garry it is the memories that will sustain you in the time to come.

I have found that the best comfort, comes from remembering the good times, and how things were, before this disaster came along.

May you be comforted with the knowledge of the great times you had together, and the way things were, not how they ended.

With every best wish

Col
Downunder

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Thanks for sharing that, Garry.