VW John

It's been 2 years since my brother John passed away. He was asleep on his couch and never woke up. He had been ill for years and we always knew he wouldn't live to be old. We're thankful that he was able to live his life to the fullest right to the end.

John was a guy who walked at a different pace from the rest of the world. He always stood out in a crowd. He was tall and blonde and always tanned. He lived his life with passion. He loved God above all else and served Him with devotion.

He loved his family and although his wife left him years ago he never broke his wedding vows and loved her until the end. He was the best dad 3 kids could have. He became a Grandpa 11 months before he died when his daughter Niki had a baby girl named Alaia. He was passionate about his VW’s and was well known in the VW community as VW John. He lived and breathed VW’s. You never knew what he'd be driving next. Over the years he lost count as to just how many he owned.

John and I were never very close as children and in our early adult hood never saw each other very much at all. Sometimes we would go 2 or 3 years not seeing each other although we didn’t live very far apart.
That changed about 10 years ago when out of the blue John called me up and wanted to go out for lunch. That was the beginning of a different relationship for us and one that was very close in the end. We got to know each other as adults and put away the past. He was always there when I needed something, he changed the oil in my car, he did household stuff, he called me lots just to chat and we enjoyed just hanging out.

In 1999 John and I took a vacation together to Hawaii. My mom made it possible for John to go and we had an awesome time. We stayed with my long time friend Meredith at her home. It was John’s one and only trip to Hawaii and he made the most of it even carrying a VW tool kit home in his carry-on luggage.

In 2004 our cousins from Holland planned a cousin get together. Again, my mom made it possible for John to go and this time it was the 4 of us that went. John, Mom, Chris and me. Good times with the cousins. They got to meet John for the first time and we all enjoyed ourselves. Chris and John and I enjoyed a day in Amsterdam shopping and riding the canals on a barge. What a blast.


John left behind his 3 kids: Derek, Josh (Gina) and Niki and his granddaughter Alaia. They’ve grown up to be really nice adults and a pleasure to be around. We got together to remember John’s birthday and share some “John stories”.

I miss John and his loud boisterous voice shouting “hello”. I miss the sound of a VW roaring in my driveway and hearing the door slam as he shouted “Hey, got anything cooking for dinner?” I miss John’s quiet spiritual side as he shared his heart with me. I really miss my phone ringing at 10 pm, that’s when he’d always call to chat.

Here’s to you John. I miss you and I’m glad you were my brother.