(no subject)
As I often do when someone passes away and I'm ready to talk about it, I write them a letter here.
This is my letter to my grandfather, along with some new articles about him.
"Former POW honored"
Area man recalls horror in N. Korea
By Lauren Stanforth Staff writer
(December 23, 2003) Raymond Goodburlet of Livonia, Livingston County, was a prisoner of war in North Korea from 1951 to 1953. During that time, he was kept in solitary confinement, in a cage, for almost a year.
To keep his sanity, Goodburlet, now 72, would count the alphabet backward and forward, and individually move his toes one at a time.
"The only recreation I would get is some guy beating the hell out of me," said Goodburlet, who served in the U.S. Army from 1948 to 1953.
Goodburlet, a retired Eastman Kodak Co. film cutter, received a Bronze Star a year after his captors released him in 1954. But he had to wait until 2003 to receive the Purple Heart.
Goodburlet received the Purple Heart in a ceremony at the Rochester Vets Center on Monday. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-Fairport, pinned the medal on Goodburlet's shirt.
"I commend his courage during dire circumstances," Slaughter said.
The Bronze Star is awarded to an Army veteran for acts of heroism during conflict with the enemy. A Purple Heart is awarded to any service person for being wounded during conflict.
Vets Center team leader Roger Hinds said a Purple Heart requires documentation by a physician, or testimony of two witnesses, about the injury.
Goodburlet said it was difficult for him to be awarded the Purple Heart because the documents that detailed his injuries suffered in the POW camp were lost. But lobbying by Rochester-area veterans organizations finally made it a reality. POWs have received less resistance for such accommodations since the early 1980s, Hinds said.
"I felt proud," said Goodburlet, who received the actual Purple Heart medal in the mail Saturday. "I called my daughters and told my granddaughters."
LSTANFOR@DemocratandChronicle.com
©2003 "Rochester Democrat and Chronicle"
Goodburlet, Raymond F.
Livonia-Chili: November 15, 2007 at age 76 years.Survived by his partner in life Kathy Roome; his children, Janice (Don) Hyde of Conesus, Joyce (Kerry) Ripley of Livonia, Judy Widener of Churchville, and Susan Goodburlet of Chili; Also, David Roome, Alan Roome, Missy (Mike) Cisco, and Jamie Roome; 8 grandchildren 1 great grandchild; brother, William Goodburlet of Caledonia; nieces and nephews.
Friends may call Monday 2-4 and 7-9 at the Kevin W. Dougherty Funeral Home, Inc., Route 15, Livonia. A Celebration of Life Funeral will be held on Tuesday 1 PM at the Chili American Legion Post #1830 450 Chili-Scottsville Road. Burial, Chili Rural Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Veterans Outreach Center, 459 South Ave., Rochester, NY 14620.
346-5401
Grandpa Ray,
I've thought about what I was going to say to you, over and over again in my mind. When I would try to sleep at night, I'd think about what the hell I was going to write to make people fully aware of how fantastic you are. I should probably start with some of my first memories of you. When I was a little girl, and you talked about getting a purple heart, I imagined that you had one lung and a purple heart and I bragged about it to all the kids at school. Because I had no clue what it meant. But now I do, and you really do deserve that honor.
You were held in Korea for many long, horrible months. Years. Away from the people you loved and the country you were defending. When you returned, you brought no bitterness with you. You could sit next to a man and have a conversation with him if he was Korean, never once suspecting anything ill. When I started to learn Japanese, you told me the words you knew too! And I remember that. I remember you saying when I was younger, "Do you know how to say hello in Japanese?" and you told me it was Ohayo. But, like the state, so I could say it right.
You worked so hard to provide for your family. You would help us all out in time of need, and we would gladly do the same for you if needed. But what was always abundand was radiant pride. You were so proud of us, even in our failures. I knew that, no matter what, someone was proud that I was trying. Even if I fell, you would whisper in my ear and I'd find my way again. Every single time I saw you, you always had a smile on your face and nothing but positive to give everyone around you.
That's how people saw you, wasn't it? A huge positive force. Even when you would sometimes become ill, you entertained the hospital staff with your jovial wit and incredible intelligence. It was impossible to hide what a wholly wonderful person you were. As grandchildren get older, they grow to learn that their grandparents are different than what they see when they're children. But I never had that with you. You were honest with me from the very start of things.
I remember when Diana sent me roses for my birthday. Attatched was a card that said she loved me. You paused to look at it and then looked back at me with a wink. "Whatever makes you happy, baby," you said to me. And those were some of the most powerful words that were ever spoken to me. If I was gay or straight, fat or skinny - you loved me unconditionally and never focused on the negative. It reminded me of how incredible you are to me to think back on that.
Even now, when the rest of the family is lamenting at your passing, I hope you can understand how much I rejoyce to have had you in my life. Not as a friend or someone passing by, but as my grandfather. There's no bond stronger than that. You had a lot of daughters and grandaughters in your time who adored you and loved you as much as you loved them. I'm sad to think that I'll never get to hear you say that to me again - that you love me and that you're proud. But I know you are. And I will keep that with me wherever I go. When I get married, when I have children - you will be there in the pride that I have for them, just as you had for me. I will raise them with the same amount of patience, pride and love that you gave all of us and I will know they will be good.
I love you more than I can say, and I won't stop saying it just because you aren't here bodily. I will always keep the energy that you had for this world in all I do. You will empower me, and that is my testiment to you. So rest well. I hope that whatever you believe to be true has come to furition for you. And I hope to see you again, someday. In some way or manner.
Your eldest grandaughter,
Rhionna
This is my letter to my grandfather, along with some new articles about him.
"Former POW honored"
Area man recalls horror in N. Korea
By Lauren Stanforth Staff writer
(December 23, 2003) Raymond Goodburlet of Livonia, Livingston County, was a prisoner of war in North Korea from 1951 to 1953. During that time, he was kept in solitary confinement, in a cage, for almost a year.
To keep his sanity, Goodburlet, now 72, would count the alphabet backward and forward, and individually move his toes one at a time.
"The only recreation I would get is some guy beating the hell out of me," said Goodburlet, who served in the U.S. Army from 1948 to 1953.
Goodburlet, a retired Eastman Kodak Co. film cutter, received a Bronze Star a year after his captors released him in 1954. But he had to wait until 2003 to receive the Purple Heart.
Goodburlet received the Purple Heart in a ceremony at the Rochester Vets Center on Monday. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-Fairport, pinned the medal on Goodburlet's shirt.
"I commend his courage during dire circumstances," Slaughter said.
The Bronze Star is awarded to an Army veteran for acts of heroism during conflict with the enemy. A Purple Heart is awarded to any service person for being wounded during conflict.
Vets Center team leader Roger Hinds said a Purple Heart requires documentation by a physician, or testimony of two witnesses, about the injury.
Goodburlet said it was difficult for him to be awarded the Purple Heart because the documents that detailed his injuries suffered in the POW camp were lost. But lobbying by Rochester-area veterans organizations finally made it a reality. POWs have received less resistance for such accommodations since the early 1980s, Hinds said.
"I felt proud," said Goodburlet, who received the actual Purple Heart medal in the mail Saturday. "I called my daughters and told my granddaughters."
LSTANFOR@DemocratandChronicle.com
©2003 "Rochester Democrat and Chronicle"
Goodburlet, Raymond F.
Livonia-Chili: November 15, 2007 at age 76 years.Survived by his partner in life Kathy Roome; his children, Janice (Don) Hyde of Conesus, Joyce (Kerry) Ripley of Livonia, Judy Widener of Churchville, and Susan Goodburlet of Chili; Also, David Roome, Alan Roome, Missy (Mike) Cisco, and Jamie Roome; 8 grandchildren 1 great grandchild; brother, William Goodburlet of Caledonia; nieces and nephews.
Friends may call Monday 2-4 and 7-9 at the Kevin W. Dougherty Funeral Home, Inc., Route 15, Livonia. A Celebration of Life Funeral will be held on Tuesday 1 PM at the Chili American Legion Post #1830 450 Chili-Scottsville Road. Burial, Chili Rural Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Veterans Outreach Center, 459 South Ave., Rochester, NY 14620.
346-5401
Grandpa Ray,
I've thought about what I was going to say to you, over and over again in my mind. When I would try to sleep at night, I'd think about what the hell I was going to write to make people fully aware of how fantastic you are. I should probably start with some of my first memories of you. When I was a little girl, and you talked about getting a purple heart, I imagined that you had one lung and a purple heart and I bragged about it to all the kids at school. Because I had no clue what it meant. But now I do, and you really do deserve that honor.
You were held in Korea for many long, horrible months. Years. Away from the people you loved and the country you were defending. When you returned, you brought no bitterness with you. You could sit next to a man and have a conversation with him if he was Korean, never once suspecting anything ill. When I started to learn Japanese, you told me the words you knew too! And I remember that. I remember you saying when I was younger, "Do you know how to say hello in Japanese?" and you told me it was Ohayo. But, like the state, so I could say it right.
You worked so hard to provide for your family. You would help us all out in time of need, and we would gladly do the same for you if needed. But what was always abundand was radiant pride. You were so proud of us, even in our failures. I knew that, no matter what, someone was proud that I was trying. Even if I fell, you would whisper in my ear and I'd find my way again. Every single time I saw you, you always had a smile on your face and nothing but positive to give everyone around you.
That's how people saw you, wasn't it? A huge positive force. Even when you would sometimes become ill, you entertained the hospital staff with your jovial wit and incredible intelligence. It was impossible to hide what a wholly wonderful person you were. As grandchildren get older, they grow to learn that their grandparents are different than what they see when they're children. But I never had that with you. You were honest with me from the very start of things.
I remember when Diana sent me roses for my birthday. Attatched was a card that said she loved me. You paused to look at it and then looked back at me with a wink. "Whatever makes you happy, baby," you said to me. And those were some of the most powerful words that were ever spoken to me. If I was gay or straight, fat or skinny - you loved me unconditionally and never focused on the negative. It reminded me of how incredible you are to me to think back on that.
Even now, when the rest of the family is lamenting at your passing, I hope you can understand how much I rejoyce to have had you in my life. Not as a friend or someone passing by, but as my grandfather. There's no bond stronger than that. You had a lot of daughters and grandaughters in your time who adored you and loved you as much as you loved them. I'm sad to think that I'll never get to hear you say that to me again - that you love me and that you're proud. But I know you are. And I will keep that with me wherever I go. When I get married, when I have children - you will be there in the pride that I have for them, just as you had for me. I will raise them with the same amount of patience, pride and love that you gave all of us and I will know they will be good.
I love you more than I can say, and I won't stop saying it just because you aren't here bodily. I will always keep the energy that you had for this world in all I do. You will empower me, and that is my testiment to you. So rest well. I hope that whatever you believe to be true has come to furition for you. And I hope to see you again, someday. In some way or manner.
Your eldest grandaughter,
Rhionna