Scrolling down The Lima News obits wasnt easy....but seeing Josh's name made me cry. His name isnt supposed to be there. He's only 32! It's not real! He's just far away...he cant be dead. His funeral will be Friday and I dont know how we'll hold it together! We can't pretend it's not real then...we can't joke and talk about something else! Tomorrow I am goin over to my aunt and uncle's house to put together pics for his funeral....a funeral that shouldnt be happening. What would cause a woman to stab someone?! A woman with 4 small children! She took him from his family, from his parents, brother, daughter, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who all loved him very very much!
Josh loved life, he was full of life. And now...he's gone....gone! Many stories for a long time will start, "Remember the time Josh...." and then we'll stop....b/c there is no more Josh. No more of his dreams. He can no longer make plans to come back and see us, to see his friends and family. He can't call my Mom and tell her "You're my favorite Aunt you know...I'm not just saying that" And he said it...everytime he talked to her!
32 year old men don't die! They just don't!! Old people die, sick people die!
The last picture I have of Josh (the picture in the last post) was taken 2 years ago....that was the last time any of us saw him. He came for my Grandpa's funeral....and now...we'll see him at his funeral. He won't be laughing, he won't be joking and tormenting us. He won't be making fun of everyone he sees. He won't be doing anything. He'll just....be. And then, he'll be gone. He'll be in our thoughts, our hearts, our minds. We'll think of him and smile, laugh, cry. We'll remember the time he got his head busted by someone throwing a pop bottle at him from a moving car. We'll remember him getting married, we'll remember him as a Dad, as a friend, a cousin, son, nephew. I'll remember him calling my parents house and not getting any of us b/c we were gone and saying that there were too many of us for someone NOT to be home...but we weren't. And he'd call back. Now, there is no calling back. We have pictures, video's, memories and smiles. But we dont have Josh. We have hurt, we have anger and somehow, sometime we have to forgive. Maybe not today...or tomorrow or anytime soon.....
Josh loved life, he was full of life. And now...he's gone....gone! Many stories for a long time will start, "Remember the time Josh...." and then we'll stop....b/c there is no more Josh. No more of his dreams. He can no longer make plans to come back and see us, to see his friends and family. He can't call my Mom and tell her "You're my favorite Aunt you know...I'm not just saying that" And he said it...everytime he talked to her!
32 year old men don't die! They just don't!! Old people die, sick people die!
The last picture I have of Josh (the picture in the last post) was taken 2 years ago....that was the last time any of us saw him. He came for my Grandpa's funeral....and now...we'll see him at his funeral. He won't be laughing, he won't be joking and tormenting us. He won't be making fun of everyone he sees. He won't be doing anything. He'll just....be. And then, he'll be gone. He'll be in our thoughts, our hearts, our minds. We'll think of him and smile, laugh, cry. We'll remember the time he got his head busted by someone throwing a pop bottle at him from a moving car. We'll remember him getting married, we'll remember him as a Dad, as a friend, a cousin, son, nephew. I'll remember him calling my parents house and not getting any of us b/c we were gone and saying that there were too many of us for someone NOT to be home...but we weren't. And he'd call back. Now, there is no calling back. We have pictures, video's, memories and smiles. But we dont have Josh. We have hurt, we have anger and somehow, sometime we have to forgive. Maybe not today...or tomorrow or anytime soon.....
Like all other times, in this pic....Josh was in the center. He loved having the attention on him...here's to you Josh! Forever and always....Love, your cousin Maria
Joshua C. Hope
December 16, 2008 - 5:35 PM
Lima
Joshua C. Hope, 32, of Lubbock, Texas, formerly of Lima, died Dec. 14, 2008, at his residence.
He was born June 25, 1976, in Lima to Larry A. and Joni D. Barnhart Hope, who survive in Lima.
Mr. Hope always enjoyed talking with his Grandpa Delbert, and Grandma Virginia.
Survivors also include a daughter, Paige Shelton, of Chicago; a brother, Keith L. Hope, of Lima; and paternal grandmother, Margaret Faulkner, of Batesville, Miss.
He was preceded in death by maternal grandparents, Delbert and Virginia Barnhart; and paternal grandfather, James A. Hope.
Services will begin at 1 p.m. Friday at Chiles-Laman Funeral Homes, Lewis Eastside Chapel. Pastor Craig Booher will officiate. Burial will be in Salem Cemetery, Westminster.
Friends may call from 11 a.m. until time of services Friday at the funeral home.
Condolences may be expressed at www.chiles-lamanfh.com.
December 16, 2008 - 5:35 PM
Lima
Joshua C. Hope, 32, of Lubbock, Texas, formerly of Lima, died Dec. 14, 2008, at his residence.
He was born June 25, 1976, in Lima to Larry A. and Joni D. Barnhart Hope, who survive in Lima.
Mr. Hope always enjoyed talking with his Grandpa Delbert, and Grandma Virginia.
Survivors also include a daughter, Paige Shelton, of Chicago; a brother, Keith L. Hope, of Lima; and paternal grandmother, Margaret Faulkner, of Batesville, Miss.
He was preceded in death by maternal grandparents, Delbert and Virginia Barnhart; and paternal grandfather, James A. Hope.
Services will begin at 1 p.m. Friday at Chiles-Laman Funeral Homes, Lewis Eastside Chapel. Pastor Craig Booher will officiate. Burial will be in Salem Cemetery, Westminster.
Friends may call from 11 a.m. until time of services Friday at the funeral home.
Condolences may be expressed at www.chiles-lamanfh.com.
I'll keep your family in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your loss, especially under such shocking circumstances...
ReplyDeleteOh I'm so sorry to hear about your cousin. That is a horrible shock. You and your family are in my prayers...
ReplyDeleteWow, I just heard about this today. And I was just telling Josh stories last week. I hope your family heals well. He will be missed. He was the kind of guy that made a lifelong impression on every person that he met. He sure did on me.
ReplyDelete