70 & 5

Hello friends and family,

 

As many of you know, tomorrow would have been Dean's 70th birthday and we are approaching the fifth anniversary of his passing on May 4.

 

A few months ago, I was contacted by a young woman who was a teacher in Bennett, Colorado when Dean was superintendent of schools.  She is currently doing an internship at the same hospital where we started the Dean Damon Memorial Fund.  She was working with a family whose infant daughter had been in intensive care for 14 days. She requested funds for the family to purchase a meal and when she got the certificate, she saw that the money was provided by Dean's fund.  After almost 30 years, she contacted me, overjoyed at seeing Dean's name.

 

The original donations totaled over $7,000. Your generosity has helped families in a time of need by allowing them to purchase meals while being at their family member's bedside.  We know Dean would have approved. 

In honor of Dean's birthday, we would like to once again bring the Memorial Fund to your attention, a fundraising campaign if you will.  From March 27 to May 4, we'd like to see how much we can raise in Dean's memory. During our four months at the hospital with Dean, we were lucky to be able to buy food and snacks whenever we needed to, but not everyone can do the same. This money will help lift some of the burden from these families.

 

If you would like to make an additional donation, the information is:

 

University of Colorado Hospital Foundation

12401 East 17th Ave Mail Stop F485

Aurora, CO 80045

 

Please indicate your donation is to the Dean Damon Memorial Fund.

 

We will post an update with a total once we have it.

 

We know you all miss him as much as we do and thank you for helping us continue his legacy of giving.

 

Linda, Bill, Haverly, Frazier, Cassi, Wyatt and Owen

 

 

Good morning! We know that some of you still check this site so I would like to update the Damon family news. Today is the one year anniversary of Dean's death. Our family has taken the past year to grieve...though that doesn't mean we won't continue to do that.

This month Haverly completes her graduate degree at Roosevelt University. Bill, Frazier and I will be there with the biggest smiles on our faces. She plans to stay in Chicago for a while longer. She has a great job, lives in a wonderful area near Wrigley Field, and has many friends nearby. On June 5, Frazier marries Cassi Burns at the Denver Botanical Gardens. We're using Bill's condo as the bridal dressing stage...that should be a ball.

Wyatt and Owen ask to go past Grandpa's house then go for ice cream at Lik's. Dean used to take them there whenever they came to visit. I asked them what Grandpa's favorite flavor was and they remembered "Lemon."

Bill has been a good sport about all the family outings we do. He's going to Nashville with me and Haverly to celebrate our niece Tasha's wedding. Then to Chicago for Have's graduation and then all the wedding hoopla. The condo is beautiful. He continues to add those details that upgrade it - like moldings and tiles and shelves and a fireplace in the family room.

The fund at University of Colorado Hospital, in Dean's name, has reached almost $7,000. We are astounded! Your generosity is unbelievable. The fund at BCAP has also shown your generosity. From all of us, thank you!

We plan on remembering Dean at dinner tonight. We hope you do to. Linda

Don't know if anyone is still checking here

But today would have been Dad's 66th birthday. It's hard to believe that it's been a year since you all so graciously participated in celebrating the big 65! I went to class today, 6 weeks until graduation! Frazier spent the day with Cassi, Wyatt and Owen. My mom is in Amarillo visiting her dad, Grandpa Joe, her sister Kathy, brother-in-law Dane and nephew Norman. Everyone is preparing for our cousin Tasha's wedding in Nashville at the beginning of May and we're excited to have yet another reason to celebrate. Bill is in Palm Springs, enjoying the warmth and the sun.

Not a day goes by that any of us don't think of and miss my Dad, but we're constantly reminded of how many people loved him and that helps us remember the good times.

So, Happy Birthday Dean! We love you and we miss you!

--Haverly

Thank you

The generosity shown by Dad's friends, by our friends and family has been outstanding. The thousands of dollars that have poured into the memorial fund at the University of Colorado hospital have astounded not only us, but the staff at the hospital as well. They noted that the donation amount is significantly higher than usual. We also know that the donations to BCAP have exceeded any of our expectations. It is a testament to your love for Dean and it is important for you to know that we are forever grateful. The number of people that these donations will help should make everyone proud.

It's been three months now and we are all doing our best to move forward. Bill has moved into the condo, Linda's school year has started, Wyatt has done a triathlon and he and Owen will start school soon, Frazier and Cassi are beginning wedding planning in earnest and I'm studying for the Series 7 and will start school again at the end of August. Wyatt, Owen, Mom and I (next week!) have all celebrated birthdays and we have celebrated those with Dean/Dad/Grandpa in our hearts. Dad's celebration of life on May 30th was a huge success and a great party - just as he wanted.

Again, we thank you for your love, support, prayers and kind thoughts during this difficult year.

Haverly, Bill, Linda, Frazier, Cassi, Wyatt & Owen

Family Update

Thank you for all the wonderful cards and well-wishes that have come our way. So many have asked if we are taking care of ourselves so I want to do a quick update. Bill is busy overseeing the details of the Dean memorial kitchen he is installing in the new condo. It is the fourth professional kitchen he has done for Dean and it is beautiful! Haverly returned to work and school to finish the spring semester. She'll return to summer school the Tuesday after Dean's memorial party. Frazier and Cassi are at work again and helping Wyatt and Owen deal with the realization that they won't see their Grandpa Dean again. I'm back at work and teaching my university courses. Today, my quilting friends are whisking me off to quilt camp - three days of sewing, Jane Austen movies, and plenty of napping.

If you are able to attend the Celebration of Life, we are so excited to see old and new friends. If you are not able to attend, I am going to use my new technology skills to post on the blog small video vignettes. That way you can be there too . Linda

A Celebration of Life

Dearest Family and Friends:

You are cordially invited to a Celebration of Life honoring Dean Frazier Damon.

The Celebration is:

May 30, 2009

2-5 PM

Four Mile Historic Park

715 S. Forest Street

http://www.fourmilepark.org/

Dean did not want a memorial; he wanted his loved ones to party and keep connecting with each other. Remember how he was always introducing you to someone else? This will be a time for you to enjoy light refreshments and share your favorite stories of Dean with others whom you don't already know. And we will fill the air with laughter!

The Four Mile Historic Park is located near Glendale, Colorado. From Colorado Boulevard, go east on Cherry Creek South Drive to Cherry Street. Take a left on Cherry (over the Cherry Creek) to Exposition. Turn right on Exposition, go two blocks to the parking lot for Four Mile Historic Park.

Please RSVP your attendance by commenting to this blog or by emailing haverly.damon@gmail.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family has selected two organizations for memorial gifts:

Dean was very supportive of the work of the Boulder County AIDS Project. Donations may be sent to:

BCAP

2118 14th Street

Boulder, CO 80302.

The second organization is one that we, as a family, have created. During our four months at Dean's side, we became very aware of how blessed we are. Not only did we have each other, and you, for support, but we also had the monetary resources to provide ourselves with nourishment and lodging. Therefore, we have established The Dean F. Damon Memorial Fund. The fund will be used for meals for families in need with patients in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at the University of Colorado Hospital.

Donations to the memorial fund can be made by mail or online. Please mail a check to:

University of Colorado Hospital

P.O. Box 6245

Aurora, CO 80045

Please write "In memory of Dean F. Damon" in the memo line of the check.

Online donations may be made at the website below:

https://www.uch.edu/about/ways-to-give/donate-now/donate-online.aspx

Directions: Click on Gift Designation- choose the “other” fund in the drop down box. Type Dean F. Damon Memorial Fund. Choose "Gift Type" and check "In Memory." Type in "Dean F. Damon" and any comments. Complete the rest of form and submit.

We remember Dean as a loving, caring person who was always giving of himself. Now it's our turn to give of ourselves. Please join us on May 30th.

Bill, Linda, Frazier, Cassi, Haverly, Wyatt, and Owen.