Archive for February, 2004
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Letter from Bill’s Mom Roxy
My Super Duper Billy Booper (always my nickname for him). Our family refers to him as the Pied Piper!
For 32 years I got to ride on this magical mystery tour of Billy’s journey.
He had taken many family and friends to places only dreams are made of.
How I miss that wonderful boy & man with the twinkling blue eyes and matching blue hair and Cheshire smile. The crazy phone calls of idea’s like: “Mom… Krista and Bret and Sierra and I are going on the Green Tortoise for a ride to California”, and they did. “Hi mom I’m on my way to Boston to drive a Green Trolley to Juneau!”, and he did. Or “I’m getting married in Mexico and everyone is coming”, and we did. And one of the best ones was a year and a half ago… “Mom I’m going to be a millionaire with this new business” and he was the richest person I ever knew already.
Billy was an exceptional forgiving soul (unless you were the cable or phone company!)
He was such a magnet to beautiful and wonderful caring compassionate people. This has made my life richer in knowing them. Thanks for sharing Boop!
So much laughter and Love
He loved us all!
As his Mom I watched in amazement at his accomplishments and struggles, and witnessed the pain he endured without complaint.
Now we are left with such great memories and friendships because of Billy.
Then there’s the Pain of the Loss of him. I can’t even begin to think my heart will ever heal as it is irrevocably broken.
Billy’s spirit is in all of us. What a great gift he was.
So for a short 32 years I was so grateful to have had him in my life. I never would have made it if it wasn’t for Billy and Krista.
He was a talented creative and crazy guy who left us way too soon.
I’m thankful for his music as we will always have that. I was his groupie
So now every time the sun shines or the heavens are crying or the breeze hits my face I think you.
I Love you Boop ! Forever in my heart.
Mom
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Letter from Bill’s sister Krista
Who Bill became to me
My first best and longest friend
The one who with me loved and cherished our hours swimming at the Lake House
The 20ft tree- forts we built that only I would climb, while Bill made a fire in the bottom.
The go cart we created that went out of control going doing a very steep hill when our makeshift brakes made of crutches failed….we landed in the lake. The last thing I can remember before hitting the water was Bill yelling “NO BREAAAKKKESS” as he waved the once attached brakes over his head.
Our all day treks to Evergreen Valley Grocery aka EVG. All the 2hr walk to the store we talked of all the things we were going to buy with the money that we earned form mowing all the neighbors’ yards and looting mom’s purses. All the way home, sticking piece after piece of penny candy in our mouths …..making trades when appropriate.
The army men wars that ALWAYS ended in hairspray torching…..which would lead again to mowing the lawns of all the neighboring yards, to replace the army men.
The Barbie’s that Bill conceded to play with.
The swings made of blankets that we hung from the beams in the ceiling, with the purpose of watching MASH and The Dukes of Hazard.
The wild kittens that we would adopt by the litter.
The moving
The endless hours cramped in cars playing the license plate game or the alphabet game.
Teasing Bill when he made the often mistake of telling Mom and myself that he needed to go to the bathroom.
Reno- we spent hours down at the local cinema watching every movie Bill wanted to see…..he didn’t seem to ever grow out of that J
The one place that we both almost got our asses kicked. I saved him from 3 boys and he later saved me from one scraggly little girl….of all things
Tumwater—Ironically Bill and Bret, Miguel and Dan all conspired to catch me smoking pot, you might think that they wanted some…..but the story actually is more interesting…they wanted to turn me into the DARE program because they had heard they could get a thousand dollars J They never caught me.
TESC—A Dorm…many fond memories of visiting Bill. I also loved the hours of him playing his music all over town with his various bands. I could be seen enjoying myself front and center completely immersed in Bill creations.
I have many memories that I am thankful for. I am also appreciative that Bill became such an influence in Ross Jr’s life….
Bill I will forever have a hole in the center of my heart, the place that you taught me to allow myself to love. I cherish the time and tightness of our love!
Bill was more than my brother; he was the co-warrior in our crazy childhood. He was the love and affection that I learned to express; he was the strength that changed my destiny.
I MISS YOU BILL!
Love always, sis
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Letter from Dan Covey
Bill, Bret, Miguel and I were tight in high school, then I headed east to WSU to begin my transition into a right wing wacko, and Bill ended up at Evergreen, which tends to lead a person down the opposite path. That’s my rationalization for why we grew apart over the years, but I think that even though we almost never saw each other, and only traded occasional IMs on Yahoo, I think that Bill never considered our friendship to have diminished.
Bill could convince me to do just about anything, like make a spur of the moment 36 hour round trip pilgrimage to Reno, or by a drum set so I could joint his band—even though we both knew I had neither the rhythm or credit limit.
The four of us were living in the U-District in Seattle when I got run over by a car. Bill was the first one to show up at the emergency room, and after I said I was OK, he laughed at me for 10 minutes. But Bill was the one that changed the dressings on my back and rear end for almost a month, I think that’s an example of why he could get me to do almost anything, because I knew he’d do anything for me.
I took him for granted when I knew he was a phone call or e-mail away, and now I really miss him. That’s the last lesson he taught me, you can’t take a friend like Bill for granted.
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Dan Covey -
Letter from Sierra
Billy,
I have spent the last three days since you left us laughing (and crying) but mostly my cheeks hurt from smiling, thinking of you, Billy. You have taught us all so much. You left with no regrets. You told everybody that you loved them. You let everybody know what you were thinking. You are truly the only person that I have ever known that did exactly what he said he was going to do (no matter how f***** up an idea it was). Not many people leave this world having said everything they needed to.
When I was 18 I saw you and you looked a little different from the rest.
When I was 19 you convinced me to take off all my clothes and walk with you naked down a 1/ 4 mile dock. We got caught… and it was funny.
When I was 19 you convinced me to sing with you and you never told me how truly lousy my voice is.
When I was 20 you picked me up after class on Friday and we drove 2,000 miles before classes started on Monday.
When I was 21 you asked me to marry you and I said no because you loved too much and too deeply. How silly is that, Billy?
But when I was 22, you offered my father two pigs and a goat. (It’s true!)
When I was 23 we spent the night in a whore house because you didn’t know what else to do…. One week later I married you.
I can’t really recall what has happened since. But now it has been 11 years. Not a single day has gone by without laughter.
Sierra -
RLM by The Noses
I’m sure The Noses wouldn’t mind my putting their song, RLM, on this site. When I heard it for the first time since his passing I could swear Bill was speaking through them. Laughter far outweighed the cries. And all the way down to the nearly haunting saxophone solo at the end. Make sure to check out the lyrics. RLM, by the Noses (MP3).
shelters underneath your skies
beauty’s right behind your eyes
i know every person dies
truth was sifted from the lies
sickness blessing in disguise
laughter far outweighed the cries
those were kicked out by the highs
when you were alive…
remember sunshine
forget the rain
remember good times
don’t suppress the pain
laughter far outweighed the cries
those were kicked out by the highs
sickness blessing in disguise
truth was sifted from the lies
when you were alive…
remember sunshine
forget the rain
remember good times
don’t suppress the pain
remember sunshine
forget the rain
remember good times
when you hear my name