In Memory of Orville C. Syverson

I look at all the people in my life. I spent more time with this man than I did any other person in my life. We worked together every day for years. We worked after work together for years and years. As if working together all the time wasn’t enough we spent countless hours visiting each other when we were not working. I knew him better than I have known anyone. The endless memories have just been pouring through my brain endlessly since he passed.
I am hurting from this loss.
I will miss him very much.

I wrote a letter that was read at his funeral on Saturday, December 23, 2006.

Dear Orv,

Farewell my dearest friend! But not farewell
All my fondest thoughts of you;
Will dwell within my heart and they shall cheer and comfort me.

Life seems so much better because your life was connected to mine.
I have known no men more true than you.

I feel honored to have known you.
I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to be in your presence.
When I was with you I had no doubt I was in the presence of greatness.

We lived, we worked, we loved, we shared, we laughed, we cried. Although you are gone you will remain forever with me in all of my fondest memories. I shall never forget the wonderful experience of sharing my life with yours.

I could not put into words the impact you have had on my life.

Death is nothing at all,
You have only slipped into the next room
I am I and you are you
Whatever we were to each other, we are still.
I will call you by your old familiar name,
I will speak to you in the easy way in which I always did.
I will laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
I will smile when I think of the many memories we shared.
Life means all that it ever meant.
Why should you be out of my mind because you are out of sight?
I will miss you so very much.
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life.


I can hear you saying the words of Winston Churchill.
“I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.” (This brought laughter from all of the people who attended the funeral because it would be just like him to say that!)