Deaths, Funerals, and Facebook etc. in the Covid Era

 

Russell Merle Waid

FEBRUARY 22, 1934 – JANUARY 17, 2021
Obituary of Russell Merle Waid

Russell M. Waid, beloved husband and father, peacefully passed away at his home in the presence of his family on January 17th, 2021.

He was born February 22, 1934 at home in Guys Mills, Pennsylvania to Earl Russell Waid and Marian Helen Waid, nee Byham.

He was married to Ruth Ann Waid, nee Beuchat, on August 20, 1955 in Meadville, Pennsylvania.

He is predeceased by his parents, his siblings, Leverette, Norman, Alec, Howard, Charles and Addie and is survived by his youngest brother, David.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth Ann and his children Rick Waid and his spouse Kevin Steele and Rob Waid and his spouse Cathy Waid, four grandchildren, five great grandchildren as well as nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Russel’s life will be held privately (due to Covid) for the family on Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 1:00 pm Easter Standard Time at First Congregational UCC of Sarasota, Florida and will be live streamed for family and friends near and far on the church’s Facebook page.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is the obit. for my neighbour Russell Waid. As you can see, I was a "Johnnie Come Lately" in his long and good life.  He and Ruth Ann would sit out in their car port in the warm days.  They loved my dog Zion, and he loved them, for they always had a treat on hand if we walked past.

Russell was deeply respected and admired by all his neighbours.  His two sons and their families loved and respected  him with a fierce passion.  (As also for their mother Ruth Ann).  

In pre-Covid days I would have attended his Church  funeral.  But for wisdom's sake it was attended by family members only.

But these are not only Covid19 days.  We live in Zoom, Facebook, and Face Time days. So I, with other neighbours;  and with  family members of the Waid family who live faraway were able to be at the funeral via Facebook.

COVID is medically deadly.  Apart from that, which of us could have ever imagined that separated from our nearest and dearest by a virus, we would be able to encounter them "face to face" (so to speak) by the use of a Smart 'Phone, P.C., or Laptop.

Pretty darn good I say "not to be taken for granted'.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shoe insults

Last year I consulted with a local podiatrist: Dr. Robert F Herbold Jr. D.P.M. 4717 Swift Rd., Sarasota , FL – 34231  because I was being bothered with a couple of bunions  (yes I am at that age). I was very impressed with this Doctor.  He agreed that I had bunions, but he ventured that it was much too soon for surgery. (Now there’s a first). Instead he recommended some “arch supports” to relieve the tension for my feet, a tension which was exacerbating the bunions. What’s more -  he told me that he sells these arch supports at the miserly sum of $2.50 each (about 1/5 of the price in the local pharmacies). He is an honest man, and I recommend him to anyone with foot problems. So, a couple of weeks ago, having purchased some new walking shoes, I knew that I needed to buy a couple of new arch supports I took myself to his office. Once there, my mind went blank. I wanted to ask his front desk Clerk if I could buy some “shoe inserts” , as I could not rem...
Read more

It began in Bristol U.K. "A man dies" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Image
I well remember the swirling controversy in Bristol, U.K. when a (Presbyterian) Minister the Revd, Earnest Marviin created a ":Rock Opera", called "A Man Dies"  in and for his congregation in the Lockleaze area of Bristol, U.K. Earnest Mrvin I was a sixteen years old member of the Plymouth Brethren Church back in those days, so I most likely disapproved of "A Man Dies" .  We, (the Plymouth Brethren),  disapproved of everything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had forgotten all about "A Man Dies" until earlier today when saw these pictures on the "Bristol, Then and Now"  Facebook page.   St. James Presbyterian Church, Lockleaze, Bristol  The Bristol Then and Now page includes the following commentary: Lockleaze, Bristol  -  'Jesus Christ Superstar' began at St.James (Presbyterian) Chur...
Read more

The background, the couple, my friends, the wedding ceremony, the Shaykh, the Priest,

Image
The background   I have known the Keller/Bonsey family since 2000 when I became the Rector at St. James's, Cambridge, MA. They (Elisabeth Keller and the Revd. Steven Bonsey with their four children Noah, Sam, Josiah and Annie) had come back to Cambridge from Hawaii where Steve had been the Rector of an Episcopal parish. Steve had just been appointed as a Chaplain at Tufts University (no Sunday morning duties) so the entire family was able to enrich our common life at St. James's - which they did with great love and joy. I count them as friends and have stayed in touch with them since my retirement.  Noah, the oldest son is eloquent in Arabic (he spent a year in Damascus when Syria was a safe place).  He has developed a super career as an analyst of social media in the near East.    Noah worked in Tampa for a while a few years ago, so he and I were a...
Read more