A New Year

It's hard to celebrate when we are grieving -- but this prayer seemed appropriate to post here in honor of the new year upcoming:

Lord, make the new year a happy one...

Not by shielding us from sorrow and pain,

but by strengthening us to bear it if it comes


Not by taking hardship from us,

but by taking all cowardice and fear from our hearts as we meet hardships.


Not by making our paths easy,

but by making us sturdy enough to tread any path.


Not by granting us unbroken sunshine,

but by keeping our faces bright even in the shadows.


Not by making our lives always pleasant,

but by showing us where others and your cause need us the most

and by making us zealous to be there and to help....


God, Please Make Our Year a Happy One.

1990 Northridge

Photos are coming in -- some we never saw before like this one of Julie and Mike.

Recent Photo Submitted by Julie - her Happy Graduation Day

Uncle Mike's Photo Album

These photos were submitted by Julie Smario, my gorgeous cousin and Uncle Mike's daughter. Click here to view the photo album. One of Mike's passions was his family and here are some photos to show some of the family that meant so much to him. When you see these kids, can you blame him??

Although this photo speaks for itself; Julie sends the story behind the plate in the photo.

Last Thursday, my 8 year old daughter, Jessica, and I went to a ceramic painting store. Jessica wanted to make something to give to Grandpa for Christmas this year. She painted a plate for two hours to express her love for Grandpa as well as his love for Coast Guard. Two days later, we learned about Grandpa's death. First thing Jessica said was, "What about my present for him? How will he ever see what I made for him?" I told her that he knows you made it because he is looking down from the gates of heaven. On Wednesday Jessica picked up the plate and gave it to Grandma as an early Christmas present to give her comfort.

Not Just a Grandpa

Mike: Husband, Father and Grandfather
Here's a poem submitted in honor of Grandpa Mike:

Who is hip?
Who is cool?
Who knows what is in style?
Who is not just a Grandpa,
But a very special friend, too?
Why it's got to be you ...
Mike Rems, my Grandfather.

I love you

Jessica Hope Smario,
Mike's 8 year old granddaughter

Photographs and Memories

I am going through all my old photos and found this one of Uncle Mike taken after Missy's wedding at Notre Dame. When I see him, and everytime I see him I just think "God, He's SO Cute." I always thought that; nothing new. That's my Uncle Mike.

Rems Reunion

This was my last interaction with Uncle Mike --- I think we both thought his fortune cookie was talking about all of US, but perhaps it meant his heavenly family.
----- Original Message -----
From: rems001
To: Kate McGahan
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 3:11 PM
Subject: Reunion
Hi there, Hope you had a great thanksgiving. We had ours at Tony's new place. It was really nice.

My fortune cookie last week said that "family reunion will be great success", and I thought about you. Any plans yet, which we might pencil in our 2007 calendar?

We are flying to Lubbock Dec. 6th for a week. Back home 13th p.m.

Hope your Holidays are FANTASTIC.

Much love,

YUM and YAC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And my reply to him:
December 1, 2006 7:57 a.m.

Hi Uncle Mike -- I was out of town most of last week and early this week and managed to spend a few days on the Baja, thinking of Uncle Pete and Marion; they loved it down there.

Aren't fortune cookies great ---

OK -- Here are some potential dates for Family Reunion- Sedona 2007 --- Talk with Aunt Taine and Uncle Joe and hopefully one weekend will work out -- I figure three days (at least) would be a good time frame? But all dates are flexible right now give or take a day or two or three!

March 24,25,26
April 21,22,23
April 28,29,30
May any weekend

Weather will still be chilly here in March and we had snow last year the first of April -- so keep that in mind. Weather is usually getting close to perfect by the end of April.

Let me know what works for you and then I'll get in touch with my Mom and see what works for her!
It will be a great success, I know!

Have a safe and wonderful trip to Lubbock -- love to Connie, Taine and Joe and you as always!

Love,
Kate

: (

Oh if only we could only turn back the clock!

I welcome any thoughts on whether we should go forward with the Rems Reunion (I think he would like that) and, if so, what dates would be good.

The Power of Letting Go

This is from a song by a local Sedona artist, Christopher Spheeris. He sings this a cappella and it is beautiful. I wish you could hear it, but the words alone will carry some weight.

I once was a leaf among leaves on a tree
Where I grew and I shaded the things beneath me.
When the wind grew strong I held the tree tight.
When the sun hit the heavens I reached for the light

And I passed many days without worry or care
Till asleep I awakened to a change in the air
And the wind brought a chill
I grew stiff in the cold
My color turned pale and
My hands wouldn't hold

Now a leaf that is free I spiral and float
To the water below
Which I ride like a boat
And I float off to places I never would know
Through the power of letting go.

I once was a wave that was steady and strong
In the rhythm of ripples I traveled along
I crossed a great distance that all looked the same
A wave among waves in a place with no name

Time went by and a shoreline appeared
Whispering of changes and endings I feared
And I couldn't go back and I couldn't go under
So I rode to the sand and the foam and the thunder

Now a splash from the wave I dance to the skies
When the sun makes me vapor and weightless I rise
And I float off to places I never would know
Through the power of letting go.

And I float off to places I never would know
Through the power of letting go.

~Chris Spheeris

c. 2005

Uncle Mike: Photographer

I hope Uncle Mike doesn't mind that I borrowed this picture from a website I found where he was a contributor!

He had become so good with the digital photos. In my other PC I have a hundred pictures of the Tony and Julie clans; he was so proud of his kids and their kids.

I will miss seeing the grandkids as they grow in the years ahead -- he was good at keeping them in my world with the help of his photo "shop".

Also I have an affinity for the Virgin Mary, Virgen de la Guadalupe, Virgen de la Lourdes -- May she bless him with a most peaceful passage.

With Love!

He Cared About So Many!

I just googled Uncle Mike and found a few things in my travels like this one:

From Fred's Place -- A Reunion Meeting Spot for Old ShipMates
On 02/17/97 Mike Rems (msmer@concentric.net) said:

I never served in Duane, but back in 1959-1960 or thereabouts, I was friends with a Radioman named Larry Hawse, not sure of the spelling, may have been Haas but I think the first spelling is right. He came from Buffalo NY. I anyone from Duane in that area knew or knows him, I would love to get in touch with him to reminisce. Any Help for an old Coastie RM??

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Collecting Fragments of Memories...

And these from Fred's Place:

On 01/12/97 Mike Rems (msmer@concentric.net) said:
NMF was my first assignment out of Radio School for 2 months of Medical Light Duty (following a car accident). My first watch supervisor was Walt Doucette who later spent many years at WCC, pipe firmly placed in mouth, copying in silence. A man of few words but of greatability and charm. Another name from that brief tour that comes to mind is Ray Quinn (xx) who was the best code copier I ever saw. 73s to all who come by.

On 02/19/04 Mike Rems (http://www2.blogger.com/) said:
I was back for a visit in Sep 02. Saw Victor and Antonio. Town is more beautiful now with the new one-way street and bridge. We spent a month in Galicia and had a blast.

On 11/27/99 Mike Rems (http://www2.blogger.com/) said:
At Estaca in 1961, I met and married my wife of 36 years in Vivero. Actually, I wangled a 'swap' to Naples and we were married there. Robert'Foxy' Reynard was to CO. It was a great tour of duty, in a great part of Spain. I have been back several times. Last time, the base was abandaned a rusty, crumbling group of buildings, with a fence around it to keep people out. Very sad if you remember it with the generators humming, and the loran transmitters idling, ten lonely guys trying to 'make it real'. I was the radioman, assigned to communicate with France by morse code. A unique assignment you will agree. I welcome http://www2.blogger.com/ who was there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"...pain is part of being alive, and we need to learn that. Pain does not last forever, nor is it necessarily unbearable, and we need to be taught that.Adolescents need to accept the fact that broken hearts, like broken bones, hurt dreadfully but ultimately they heal, and that there is life beyond the hurting. People whose shameful secret is about to be revealed need to be assured that there is forgiveness as well as condemnation, that there are people in the world and a God in the world capable of forgiving and loving even the most flawed and imperfect of us. The terminally ill need to be reassured that we will cherish them and spend time with them and take them as seriously as we did when they were healthy.Most of all, we have to learn to trust our own capacities to endure pain. We can endure much more than we think we can; all human experience testifies to that. All we need to do is learn not to be afraid of pain. Grit your teeth and let it hurt. Don't deny it, don't be overwhelmed by it. It will not last forever, One day, the pain will be gone and you will still be there."

~Harold S. Kushner

Mike Always Gave Honest Credit

By the way, what does "73" mean? It seems like it might be an appropriate thing to say to Uncle Mike now?

I found this online too -- Coast Guard CW OPerators Website

RMC Bill Bliss:
I just learned a few minutes ago of the death of Bill Bliss, RMC, USCG (Retired). I never knew Bill in the Coast Guard, despite serving 24 years as a Radioman. But when I retired and went to work at KFS, one of the first people I met was Bill Bliss. He was always ready to help, alway trying to find a better way, and always cantankerous, as a good RMC SHOULD BE. He was dedicated, hard working, and devoted to doing the very best, traits he learned I am sure, as a Coastie. He retired some years ago, and as we all do when we are busy with our own lives, I lost track of him. But I am sure he lived his retirement as he lived his life before that, as cocksure and as salty as can be, yet generous, and giving as one could be. Surely he will is seated at a ham station or a work station on high. 73s Bill, you will be missed!

07/02/99 Submitted by: Mike Rems (rems001@aol.com)

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Here we are at the LA Airport before Dad, cousin Gloria and I left for Sydney in 1987. Uncle Mike, Aunt Connie, J.Paul Rems "Dad" and cousin Tony.

Coast Guard CW Operators Assn. Newsletter Entry

This was from a March 2006 newsletter:

I would have liked to have seen Mike Rems again -- after so many years -- but you're correct in saying his excuse was a good one (An he only lives a few miles North of here, so it's not like it would be too much trouble for me to make contact every now and again.

Oh how we all wish we could see him again.

Here's a photo of Mike and Connie (Thank you Missy, for making these photos possible!) It seems to me, how very much in love he was with her -- and vice versa. Is it better to have loved and lost? When I think of Connie now, I think I'm glad I'm still single!! Then again, have we really "lost" him? I think not. I think he has just disappeared from our view and he is right here beside us, supporting and encouraging and loving us as he always has.

The Final Degree

A brother has taken his last step

From darkness into sublime light.

He's laid his labors before the master

So they be judged wrong or right.

He has given his last lecture.

Earned the final degree.

Received a purified apron
From God on bended knee.

He mounts the Heavenly stairway,
Past gate of pearl he strode.

Carrying upon his back,

All of his earthly loads.

Into the lodge paved with gold,

Built by the Lord's own hand.

Greeted at the misty portal
By singing Angels in a band.

A strong voice commands him

"Brother, sit to the right of the throne.

Discard your earthly burdens,

You have reached your Heavenly home."

25 March 1996

From Poems from the Old Guard

Coast Guard CW Radio Operators

Here's a picture of me with my two favorite uncles --- I'm sure one of them made some comment about me being a rose between the thorns. I could always count on both of them, and especially Uncle Mike, to point out some wonderful quality I have that I didn't know I had. Did he make everyone feel as good as he always made me feel? I'll bet he did.

Here's my other favorite uncle. God bless Uncle Pete --and Marion; together again -- and now waiting with open arms and a big embrace for brother Michael.

So friend, when your nights are filled with loneliness and your days are dark with discouragement, when you can't seem to read or pray or to do anything else, just sit still and let God love you.
~Unknown