MOJO

Hello Brothers and Sisters,
Every year at this time, I have posted a thread on the old board that could serve as a memorial site for anyone related to wrestling who has passed on. Well, the other site seems to have been infested with trolls and idiots at an unprecedented rate lately, so I thought it might be better to post this here this year.

This thread is dedicated to the memory of anyone who has passed to the great beyond and special to any poster. The person need not be a superstar, nor even known to anyone but the poster, but in sharing his or her name and a few words about this person(s) with our fellow fans, we help to maintain their immortality.

I'll start with three people whose lives and deaths will always hold great meaning to me, and their stories have been passed down to my children and hopefully to their children when they arrive:

Dave Schultz - Dave, you were someone whom I idolized from my very first year of wrestling. Because of you, I was fortunate enough to have a living model of how the sport, at it's finest, should be played, performing the art less than 10 feet away from me. Later, as I became lucky enough to get to know you as a team mate and friend, you always showed me kindness, class and respect, even though you were eons above me in talent and achievement. Because of who and how you were, thousands of wrestlers have been blessed with your presence and approach to our sport and you will live on forever.

Zoe Kreizenbeck- My HS coach's beloved wife, you were killed 4 years ago at age 55 by a drunken and drug influenced loser, only a month before the marriage of your only child. Thank you Zoe for your kindness and patience to all of your husbands young wrestlers. From the dozens of chocolate chip cookies you made before each tournament for us, to your smile and flashing eyes that always greeted us on the sidelines win or lose, to allowing your husband to spend so much of his time that was rightfully yours on a bunch of rag-tag ghetto boys who wanted to learn just a little more about wrestling each week, to being a surrogate mother to so many of us...We all loved you. Thank You Zoe.

Harold Rogers - You came to me and asked me to workout with and coach you shortly after I retired from competing in the sport. Although I was really ready to be done with wrestling, your enthusiasm, your quest for learning and your infectious laughter pulled me back in, and made the 6 years after I had finished with wrestling nearly as enjoyable as the 15 years that I spent as a competitor. I'll miss your booming voice in my answering machine every Tuesday morning yelling :'WAKE UP FATMAN, IT'S TIME FOR YOUR WEEKLY ASS WHOOPIN BY 300 LBS OF TWISTED STEEL AND SEX APPEAL!!" I was so proud of you in your victories Harold, and so sad when the news of your murder hit the streets of Philadelphia. You made the most of a tough hand in life and left many of us laughing and crying at the same time. God Bless you kid.

goferphan

while I have nothing to add at this point as I will think on it, I think this post is a great idea...thanks for bringing it up MOJO...

i will at least add to the post by thanking all of the coaches and asst. coaches and my friends in wrestling and here on the boards for their time, patience and friendship...

god bless to thr person on this board who I know is still praying for his father's quick recovery from serious illness.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

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" Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. "

Spider

Last year I posted a topic titled, "Not always the most wonderful time of the year." I wasn't going to do it again this year, but I can't ignore Brother Mojo"s invitation.

Eleven years ago, on Christmas night (not eve, but day of), my wife went to the hospital for the last time, and died ten days later. She wasn't a fan of wrestling, but she was my biggest fan and supported anything I did. I could go on and on about her, just as any of you could about a loved one, but I'll keep it short. She was simply the finest person I have ever met, and I'm not just looking through the cloudy window of time - she really was. She was the kind of person you would meet for the first time and after five minutes feel like you had known each other for years. She was a grammar school speech therapist, and kids would fake speech impediments to try to get into her classes because she made speech therapy fun, and more importantly, made every student, no matter how underachieving, feel important and worthwhile. She was everyone's "go to" person whenever they had a problem, and she never failed to do her best to help them. She was a champion of the underdog and a crusader for what was right, and she had a knack for getting what she wanted by making her superiors see how it would benefit them, and even think that it was their idea.

I've been very fortunate over the years and continue to have a good life with many blessings, and I treasure the thirty years we spent together. There are, as you could imagine, many wonderful memories, but the memories of those ten days eleven years ago always dim the joy of the season a little bit for me. Let me add the name of Carole Alkon to Brother Mojo's list.

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"Love never dies." The Beatles

BonnieJ2

Don Godell, fellow AOL wrestling board member from a long time ago and later a Mat Poster. If he was alive, I'm sure he'd be over here, but he passed away several years ago on Christmas Eve. It was a big loss for us and especially for his sister, Sue, and his nephew. I doubt she'd see this, but I'd like to tell her that I think of him still and especially this time of year.

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"You can't have a light without a dark to stick it in." -- Arlo Guthrie

therick

I'd like to add my Step-Father Jim Capretta to the list. He became my other dad when I was 2 years old and for 29 years he was one of my best friends. He was the guy I could talk to about things that are hard for a son to talk to his real dad about. I always appreciated his way of telling things like they were, and his ability to agree to disagree with anyone on any topic.
He was as supportive of my wrestling as any dad would be, traveling all over the state and region to cheer me on for 8+ years. When I became an adult, his friendship and spiritual strength became as important to me as my relationship with my natural dad. He died on August 2, 2006 after a 9 month battle with cancer. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him and I am always thankful to have had him as a part of my life.

wrastler118

This is to the late Dale Thomas. You were an innovator for the sport and changed West Coast and Oregon wrestling forever. UO wouldn't be dropped if you were still alive.

Also, to my grandfather who passed this past Wednesday. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be alive today. Thanks for everything.

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Oregon Wrestling Forum www.theowf.net/the_owf

Don't you know who I am? I'm the JUGGERNAUT BIATCH!!

Grappler92

Andrew Tulan,Teammate,Classmate,Peer,and Mat Bro 4 life.Me and you Ducky had some good times when you were here man.I told you at your ceremony(not funeral cause i'll see you again bro) that i would dedicate this season for you dude.And i have i prayer i say b4 every match 4 u man.I will still say it and always say it b4 i wrestle.Love you duck.

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Matt Epperly
174 lbs
Virginia Tech

rstrong

Brother Mojo: Thanks for the post - a reminder of how relevant it is right now.

goferphan

For my cousin Michael who passed away at age 16 almost 15 years ago. You died too soon and we all miss your smiling face and indominable spirit.

I taught you how to drive and you taught me how to face my life and my impending death with courage.

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" Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. "

ISU2008

Father Petty, he was a friend to the wrestlers at my high school, and a really fun guy all-around.

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I think all radical muslims should skateboard. After all, they are radical.