Joes Eulogy written and read by my brother JOEL MICHAEL POSENAUER Memories. Memories, money and a few possessions… Thats all we leave behind when we reach the end of the road here on Earth. The latter two of these three items, money and possessions, Joe didnt leave much to talk about. But the memories he left us with? Thats an entirely different story. As a merchant of memories- Joe was rich! Joe was king! If memories were money then Joe left us all very wealthy. Not one of us who knew this man will disagree that Joe lived. He enjoyed living. He loved life. Joe worked at it real hard every day. Joe was a very memorable character. While some of your memories may be ambivalent, no one will disagree that after meeting Joe, you never forgot him. He loved a party. Joe was the party. When he entered a room, no matter what, where, when or why? It really didnt matter. It was party time. There was absolutely no doubt - Joe was in the house! Damn the torpedo. Full speed ahead was his motto and the way he lived his life. When Joe asked you to pull the car over and “lets stop for a beer on the way home” And, you were foolish enough to do it? Im speaking from personal experience here… You really never knew what was going to happen? Was this bartender going to love Joe and buy him beers and pickled eggs all night… thats actually happened. Or, more often than not, get us both thrown out of the bar on our ear, and banned from ever coming back-- for life! Whatever was going to happen, when you went anywhere with Joe, you certainly, and without any doubt, knew it wasnt going to be boring. “Whats in here for free?” Anyone, who has ever been shopping with Joe, knows that was his favorite line to ask the shop owner, store manager, bartender, whatever. “Geez Joe, thats real embarrassing. Why do you do that?” “Dont hurt to ask. Thats what my dad told me- so I always ask.” “Do you ever get anything for free?” I asked him. “Nah, I just like to ask” he answered and gave me that big ear to ear smile of his. Joe asked a lot of questions. He was like a child in that respect. He considered the world his oyster. It was Joes world and we just lived in it. Every day was another big adventure. Something new to learn, some new project to start, something old that he had just found on the side of the road, and he needed to fix right away. It didnt really matter. He lived and played each and every day exactly as it was dealt to him. With a smile on his face and with a cold beer… he was all in. There will never be another Joe. The die is broken. He was the last of the Damon Runyon characters. He was truly one-of-a-kind. Joe loved to fish. I loved it more so we spent a lot of time together fishing. The comedian Steven Wright says; “Theres a fine line between fishing, and just standing on the shore like an idiot.” The minute I heard Steven Wright say this on Johnny Carson one night… I was certain he was talking about us. He must have been driving thru Malibu, in stop and go traffic on PCH, probably on one of those lazy sunny afternoons in Malibu, in the late 80s and he spotted Joe and I down there fishing on the beach. But I dont care. I dont think Joe would care either. Because, I also remember hearing a story a man related to his wife, while he was defending himself for spending way too much time fishing on Sundays and not enough time in church with her. “Im a bum?” “Im a bum?” “Whats wrong with you? Im no bum. Look at where Jesus went to pick his guys. He didnt go to vocational schools, He didnt go to colleges, he didnt go to churches; He got his guys right off the fishing docks.” On April 18th, Good Friday, God got his guy off the dock. Who was Joe? He was a temporary gift given to us from God. He was a son. He was a brother. He was a husband. He was an Uncle. He was a life companion to Lauren. He was a great friend. He was a United States Marine. He was a good man and he was an amazing spirit. So, to Joel Michael Posenauer, You made us laugh and enjoy life for the simple pleasures it offers us each and every day. Over the last year, you fought the good fight. A fight that inspired us and reminded us how precious little time we have here and how short life is. You reminded us you were a soldier …a proud Marine. You were strong, you were brave, and you will never be forgotten. Joe we miss you, your smile, your spirit and everything that was you. Oh yeah, and thanks friend for the memories! -
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 05:18:59 +0000
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