About Tim

tim against tree

One characteristic about Tim that was clear within minutes of knowing him was his sense of humor. If you've ever seen David Letterman on TV, you know he creates Top 10 Lists - they used to make Tim smile, so in honor of him, I've created a Top 10 List just for Tim. During the days around Tim's death, I had spoken with so many loved ones and have been inspired beyond words. The Top 10 List is based on conversations, sentiments and stories from all of you, plus a few of my own.

The Top 10 Reasons Why Tim was So Loveable

Number 10: Food is all you need. If you had a chance to see the pictures on the poster boards, you can see that Tim always smiled when he ate - we even had to plan vacation schedules around when the local hot dog stands opened. Tim stopped at nothing to have a good snack; it began at an early age when he defied his parents by breaking the "no food upstairs rule". He and his brother Ronnie concocted and executed a plan to sneak potato chips up through their bedroom window with ropes while Michelle played "lookout" in the hallway.

Reason Number 9: Tim thrived in problem solving situations. This also began at an early age when Tim was vacuuming in the basement. His mom tells me that when Tim ran out of vacuum cord and couldn't reach the outlet, he got creative. Tim went to his dad's workbench, found some wire, and wrapped it around the prongs of the cord. He then stuck the wires into the electrical outlet. You see where this story is going; it short circuited the electricity in the entire house. Tim also lived for setting up tarps over our campsites. He welcomed the challenge of setting up huge canopy structures over our tents and supplies. Each corner had to be tied off with bungee cords and ropes at exactly the right height and angle for maximum drippage and water run off. He was probably the only guy who after hours of setting up the tarps, would sit back in a chair and encourage rain. He'd say, "I'm ready, bring it on!" and if it began to rain, even downpour, he'd yell out, "Is that all you got"? It was how he lived his life.

Reason Number 8: Tim could have fun doing anything. No matter what the event, a move, Survivor Pool, cookout, Yankee Swap, holidays or vacation, it was important to Tim that everyone be laughing and feel included, needed and loved. He even hosted a "Hard Pack Shoveling Party" where we hand shoveled 61 tons of crushed granite over our 300 foot driveway. The whole family came to help, shoveled until their hands were blistered and backs were sore, but all left smiling because Tim made it such a fun event.

Reason Number 7: Tim got away with teasing everyone - no one was exempt from his relentless jokes - grandmothers, aunts, uncles, siblings, parents or friends. He got away with it because you never doubted that he held the utmost respect and love for you. Even when he teased Memere for winning multiple games of Christmas Bingo or harassed his father-in-law about their weekly football bets.

Reason Number 6: Tim was self-assured, poised, confident and knew he could conquer the world. His boss Dan told me that when he accompanied Tim on his first sales call, Dan expected a typical nervous, eager to please employee. What he experienced was Tim's flair for the not-so-typical. Before Dan knew it, he and Tim were singing along to a disco version of "Macho Man". With the strong work ethic he learned from his Dad and Pep, Tim proved himself to be an influential sales representative for Roadway Express. Respected by his colleagues, Tim earned the Dave Robinson Award for Sales Excellence in 1997 as well as the distinctive 1997 Vice Presidents Club Award.

Number 5 Reason Tim was So Loveable: He thought he had a tough guy exterior, but we all knew he was a softie at heart. The night we met at a club in Worcester, Tim obnoxiously chomped on ice from a gin and tonic, and casually let me know that "I could ask him to dance if I wanted to". Despite the tough guy routine, I soon discovered the real Tim. I remember a month or two after we met when he was telling me about his love and loyalty for his Mem, mother and sister, Michelle. It was clear from the look in his gentle, loving eyes that he adored these three women. I remember that it was the moment I fell in love with him, thinking that if I could only be loved as much as he loved them, I would be an incredibly fortunate soul. And I am.

Reason Number 4: His quirks made for fascinating conversation. My favorite was that we had to rotate where we walked in the house so that the carpet would wear evenly. Washing clothes at the laundromat was a military mission. Tim patrolled the dryers while citing me for "violations" if a clean sock hit the dirty floor. Others favorites were his obsession with duct tape, tarps, and bungee cords, and his need to make every event a family gambling opportunity (including putting money down on how late Aunt Joan would be). He made us laugh when describing his dream of writing a book about the best bathrooms in New England by including a scale that rated toilet power flushability, ease of paper spinning, and enjoyment of background music.

Reason Number 3: Tim soaked in life and shared it with everyone around him. He loved extreme rollercoasters, camping with the gang, driving his boat, riding in the double tube, fishing for Walter, hiking in the mountains, cooking better than Emeril, and eating anything, especially a rare prime rib or rack of honey dripped baby back ribs.

Reason Number 2: Tim had extraordinary faith. He never questioned why he was given the challenge of a debilitating heart condition at such a young age, nor did he complain. We had many heart-to-heart talks about this day when he would be called by God, although we never imagined it would be so soon. Throughout our talks, Tim never spoke of death with fear or apprehension. He firmly believed that he would go to a wonderful place where he felt no arthritis pain, could breathe without a puffer, see for miles, and have fun without planning time for rest. I had the chance to tell him I would miss him when he left me and that my heart would be so empty. He comforted me with tender words and big bear hugs. It is a gift I will always treasure. Please trust me; make time to tell your loved ones how much you will miss them when they are gone.

And the Number 1 Reason Why Tim Was So Loveable: He was an angel. He cared deeply about all people - whether it was helping an unknown elderly woman with her grocery cart or patiently showing a child how to fish or launch nerf rockets. To his family and friends, he gave completely of himself and expected nothing in return. To me, he honored my wishes, hopes, and dreams, treated me like a princess, and made me a better person. I'd like to conclude with a line from a song that Tim said reflected the way he lived and wanted his loved ones to live: "Life is unpredictable, but at the end of its ride, I hope you had the time of your life". We love you Tim.

--Eulogy for Tim at the funeral service by Sharon, Tim's wife
October 23, 2003