Mom & Dad ( ashes) arrived in Rochester last evening

Mom & Dad arrived in Rochester last night. We are headed to St. Ann’s to plan the mass for Dad this coming Saturday @ 11: 00 am.

Below are the details for the mass at

St. Ann’s

4471 Onondaga Boulevard

Syracuse, NY‎ 13219

NORBERT W “ BUD “ MUENCH

CALLING HOUR 10-11AM @ CHURCH

FUNERAL MASS 11-12PM

RECEPTION IMMEDIATLEY FOLLOWING @

BELLEVUE COUNTRY CLUB

1901 Glenwood Avenue

Syracuse, NY‎ 13207

Gone Home ...

Norbert W. Muench

12/4/1919 – 8/2/2010  (around 9 pm)

THE FOLLOWING POEM WAS READ BY HIS BEDSIDE AFTER DAD WENT HOME TO GOD.  AT HIS BEDSIDE WERE MOM, BILL, ROBERTA (BOBBIE), RACHEL, ROLLIE & VICTORIA THE HOSPICE NURSE.

KATHY & DAN , MARK & MARY, BRIAN & CHRIS WERE TELE CONFERENCED IN.

AFTER THE READING – A HARMONICA PLAYER PLAYED TAPS.

*** Thank you to the Veterans Affairs Hospice & Pallative Care staff for being so kind to DAD & our family.  God bless all of you !

I'm Free

by Anonymous

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free
I'm following the path God has laid you see.
I took His hand when I heard him call
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work, to play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way
I found that peace at the close of day.
If my parting has left a void
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss
Oh yes, these things I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savored much
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief
don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts and peace to thee
God wanted me now; He set me free

THE FINAL FLIGHT ......

I have arrived home . I spent M-F with my Mom & brother moving  Dad into the VA Hospice at Bay Pines – St. Petersburg , FL. Brian flew in with me on Monday &flew back to Fairport on Monday. Kathy flew home on Sunday. Her husband Dan had prostrate surgery on Wednesday 7/28 . Please keep Dan in your prayers.

My Dad planned it right. This is not the first time he has been at the VA, but it will be his last. His nurses & caregiver’s at the VA are wonderful. They are great at what they do !!! THANK YOU !!! They make DAD as comfortable as possible.

Thanks to my brother Bill & his family Bobbie, Rachel & Rollie for being with my Mom & Dad this week.  I truly believe DAD would be proud of us at this moment.  He taught us well & we all played our roles. I am PROUD to be a MUENCH !!!!

Anytime now DAD will take his final flight.  You are the greatest DAD & PILOT I have ever known. 

THANKS DAD FOR YOUR LOYALTY & NEVER ENDING LOVE FOR OUR FAMILY WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE HAD YOU IN OUR LIVES FOR SO MANY YEARS .

WE ALL LOVE YOU !

Love   …. Mark.


PS: To see more photos click the Flickr Photostream at the top right hand corner of the page.

The Dash (Moments with My Father)

It’s been 9 weeks since I have really written anything in my blog. It’s been a busy 9 weeks. Like I said before it’s a rollercoaster ride. The good news is, I am feeling stronger than ever, although I am still weak on my right side and don’t have a lot of stamina. I have mastered the motorized carts while shopping at Wegmans. Forward & Reverse !
I am continuing my Chemotherapy. My blood platelets continue to fluctuate so I am not on a regular schedule. Steroids are still part of the daily routine of meds.  I have gained back the 30 lbs. I dropped. One day at a time!

My Dad is struggling with in an infection in his foot and congestive heart failure. Mary and I were down to visit Dad and Mom 2 weeks ago. Kathy has been down helping Mom out  & " Little" Danny flew down to see grandpa. Bill arrived in Tampa on  Saturday, & Chuck Marvin on Sunday. Brian and I are headed down tomorrow. Dad is an inspiration to all of us, he has fought hard over the years and he continues to do so.   

I am not sure how many of you have read the poem THE DASH; its about what you do between your birth and your death with your life. I would like to share with you THE DASH as I know it between my father and myself -

October 23^rd 1955. SYRACUSE NY. 22 Beach Drive Darien, Ct. the Convent. Tennis Courts. Jerry LaRoque saved boys life ( mine ). Taking the train into NYC from Ct. The barber school in New York City. Walking the streets of NYC with Dad 2 blocks ahead. Governors’ Island. Subway. Maps. Hurricane Donna. YMCA walking home from Y when I was 6 years old. Grandpa and Grandma Muench & Grandpa and Grandma Marvin Sunday Evenings after going to Valley plaza Carrols. Herb Slotnick. Dewitt drive in - PHSYCO + many other movies at Dewitt drive in. Erie Blvd. 1^st flight with Dad from Weedsport N5127A. Family gatherings at Otisco Lake. Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa’s at Robineau Rd. Sunday visits to Grandpa and Grandma Marvin and Muench. Basket of wooden blocks at Grandma Muench’s. Colored TV. Wonderful World of Disney. Grandpa Muench’s licorice and Cigar boxes. Civil War. Poly and O’melia. Gertie. 108 Hilltop Rd. St. Anns. CYO basketball games. The Wall St. Journal. The daily shower at BCC. 6pm dinner followed by 9 holes at BCC. (With GG) Lemonade and Ice Cream. (10 cans for a dollar) Station wagon full of kids each with a dollar in their hand. Playing basketball at the Y downtown. Riding home through the hood. Washington DC. Marymount. Ertha Kitt. Climbing the Washington Monument. Reading the newspaper outside the white house. Gettysburg. MAME. St. Ann’s. Bishop Ludden. St. John Fisher College. 6/3/78.TRIPLETS 7/16/86 AB&C. Florida. Disney World. Universal Studios. JB Rudolph Inc. Salina Street. Kemper building. Maas Brothers. Dillards. Lake Seminole CC. Coke with no ice. NYAC. Berns Steakhouse. Taxes. Tennis at Fernwood Circle. Swimming at Fernwood circle. Station wagons. The Vista Cruiser station wagon. Barr Lewellyn Buick. Roog the Doog. Willy Wompers. Marcus Aurlies. GOLF. Touch and go practice Tampa, Clearwater area. Leaning the fuel out. COAST GUARD.

These are just a few of the events to fill in the dash of times between my father and myself. Anyone who knows my Dad would have a story or two to tell. He has taught me a great deal and wouldn’t be the man I am if it wasn’t for his example. Thanks Dad.

Please view the video of my father talking about his flying days in the Coast Guard.

I read of a man who stood to speak

At the funeral of a friend

He referred to the dates on her tombstone

From the beginning to the end

He noted that first came the date of her birth

And spoke the following date with tears,

But he said what mattered most of all

Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time

That she spent alive on earth.

And now only those who loved her

Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;

The cars, the house, the cash,

What matters is how we live and love

And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.

Are there things you’d like to change?

For you never know how much time is left,

That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough

To consider what’s true and real

And always try to understand

The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,

And show appreciation more

And love the people in our lives

Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,

And more often wear a smile

Remembering that this special dash

Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read

With your life’s actions to rehash

Would you be proud of the things they say

About how you spent your dash?

NEW UPDATE THIS WEEK !!!

HEY EVERYONE ! SORRY IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME. I AM STILL HERE & GETTING STRONGER.

I AM ON REGULAR TREATMENT SCHEDULE.

THANKS AGAIN & AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS & SUPPORT.

I AM BEING KIDNAPPED TO FLY TO CHICAGO FOR A CUBS GAME TONIGHT. PHOTOS TO FOLLOW.

MARK

A Super Week!

It has been a Super week ! Last Wednesday 5/12/10 I was honored at the 61^st Rochester Press-Radio Club dinner. I received the Christine Wagner-Welch Inspiration award. I had a blast ! The headliner for the dinner & winner of the Coca-Cola Sports Personality of the year award was DREW BREES. The best thing of all is that the dinner raised a bunch of $$$$ for local Charities !! One of which includes the Challenger baseball league which I am involved with.

There is a lot of history that goes with the Press Radio Club Dinner. Also check out

· http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hickok_Belt

· http://www.hickoksports.com/history/hickbelt.shtml

· http://www.nndb.com/honors/155/000108828/

We are truly blessed in the Rochester area with generous companies & people. This is a GREAT city.

Thank you to the 300+ people that came out to support me last Wednesday evening. The event was sold out ( 1200 people). Thanks for the bidding on the auction items. Two golf rounds – one at Oakmont CC & the other at my home course Monroe Golf Club brought in over $ 10,000 !!!! As I told you in my previous blog I am blessed to have so many great friends & family to support me.

So how am I doing ? I am working with the oncologists to get a regular schedule for my chemo treatments. We are going in the right direction. The goal is to keep the tumor from growing or better yet get it to shrink. Over the past three weeks I have met some amazing people that have brain tumors. One is a 15 year survivor & the other is a 12 year survivor. What I have learned is that each person with cancer is unique in his/her own way. I have also learned there are so many different types of cancer it is mind boggling. Through research they are making tremendous progress at treating this horrible disease.

So the battle will continue. Thanks to all of you & my doctors. In the long run it is up to the good LORD what the outcome will be. I will continue to do my best everyday.

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT & REMEMBER TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF & DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE LESS FORTUNATE.

Click on the play button below to view:

Roller Coaster Ride

What a ride. It’s been a physical & emotional roller coaster over these past 3 weeks since Easter. By the way on Easter Sunday my great friend & neighbor from Hilltop Rd. in Syracuse Peter Waters flew myself, Mike Thornton, and my son Brian to opening day for MLB baseball. Red Sox vs. Yankees . It was a beautiful day & perfect day & evening for baseball. It was great game with the Red Sox coming from behind to win 9-7! I now have a favorite MLB baseball player – Dustin Pedroia. He gives 120% all of the time.

Thanks Peter & Janet for a great time !!! Fenway on opening day. Stephen Tyler ( God Bless America) & Neil Diamond ( Sweet Caroline). Unbelievable !

That was at the top of the roller coaster with the rush of going down the hill. Unfortunately, there was a low period when the Chemo was kicking my butt. Oh well that’s to be expected. My blood platelets do not like Temodar ( chemo ). They drop to real low levels. I am working with the doctors to come up with a plan so we can keep a better schedule.

I did have an MRI scan one week ago. Not to bad but that is why I need to keep a regular Chemo schedule. That will keep the stupid tumor in check.

Last week I did get out to walk a few holes & play some golf with Brian. Can’t play to well. That sucks. My stamina & swing are not to good. It’s very frustrating. It was good to get out on the golf course.

I have been getting to spend a lot of time with Christopher ( my Chauffer) he drives me to a lot of my doctors appointments. Unfortunately for Chris he has to listen to me “ backseat drive” telling him to change lanes & most of all “ make the light” ! For all my family members that sounds familiar. He is a great young adult.

Andrew picked up a cold so have not seen him much. A few times over the past week. I hope he gets over his virus soon.

Mary has been busy keeping the household running. She is amazing. She took off for Florida on Wednesday 4/21 with her brother Patrick ( his 3 kids) & sister Amy to my parents condo in Seminole FL for some R&R. I think they are having a blast !! The boys & Mary are at he TB Rays game tonight in St. Pete. I am sure they are having fun.

The highlight of the week for me was the St. John Fisher Scholarship golf tournament cocktail party at Oak Hill CC. I am Honorary Chairperson this year. It was great event & I got to see some people I have not seen in awhile. I am looking forward to the tournament on June 7th.

It has been a beautiful spring here in Rochester. Hope all of you are doing well & enjoying the weather. THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT & PRAYERS !!!