I don’t know how many of you remember John Foster, who lived on Triple Crown Ct. in North Potomac, MD. According to Bryan on our site, he passed away yesterday due to a brain aneurism.
I knew John from the time I was twelve to when I was nineteen. He was one of the first people on the block to befriend me as I entered a new school toward the end of sixth grade at Darnestown Elementary. We haven’t seen each other at all since high school, really. We went our separate ways after Jr. High, always maintaining an amiable relationship, but not hanging out together or doing stuff together like we’d done in junior high.
Nevertheless, he and I were the same age. Now he’s dead, and I’m not.
I’m not one to offer inflated praises of people, living or dead. I have no idea what kind of life John lived, or even where he lived. I don’t know who he’s survived by. And I’m not sure I’d really have wanted to, after having not spoken for such a long time.
Yet, in the back of my mind, in the part that keeps track of people who’ve known me for a long time, I feel like I’ve lost a friend.
My heart goes out to the Fosters as they grieve. They were always nice to me, except when I let my stepfather’s dog crap on their lawn. John was fun to hang around with, except when he and Mike Schroeder, who hated me in school, got together and I attempted to hang out or play with them.
I was the cheerleader. John was the football player. But we got along.
Life goes on, but slightly the poorer for knowing that someone I cared about at one time, whom I’d gone far too long without seeing, will never be seen again.
Condolences
That’s a slap in the face reminder that at any moment our time on this earth may be finished. Though most days I feel old, for the most part, we’re quite young, yet people our age and younger die out of the blue.
Let this be a reminder to us all to enjoy each day to it’s fullest. I’m not saying eat drink and be merry….I’m saying appreciate the many things we have. Despite the work we slave over day in and day out, find something to be happy about.
We try to help our kids think positively: at the end of each day we ask the kids, “What’s the best thing that happened to you today?” They know we’ll ask and they’re often ready with their answer. Every once in awhile we get the response, “Ask me in a couple hours.”
I’m sorry for the loss of a dear friend. I’m greatful to have my best friend still with me. (That would be you, Matt!) —
Christy
It is hard to loose someone w
It is hard to loose someone who is close to you in age. It makes you take a step back and look at your life. I know when I lost a friend of mine about 8 years ago, it hurt so bad. We were the best of friends. She was only 28 and she had a 6 month old baby. She had a massive heart attack. But it was a reality check for me.
Matt, I am sorry for the loss of your friend. You may not have known him today but he is in your memories and a part of your past.
John Foster
–When I began to read your blog, I first was in shock, that someone from our school, our age had passed away of something like that. It hit home a little bit that we aren’t the teenager’s we think we are at times. Then I realized that even though I remembered the name, I didn’t remember the face. So I pulled out ” the book ” and looked him up. It was a ninth grade picture. Smiling. Dimples and all. Just smiling. Bright light in his eye’s. Happiness in his cheeks. It hit’s you even harder then. I rememberd. That he was a good guy. He never did anything wrong to me. Like so many other’s in High School. I really don’t remember him making a fuss over anything. However what I will remember now is that he was smilling. Teresa the Flautist and fire dancer
“Big”
John was a big guy 🙂 By the end of HS, folks were calling him “Big John”. I checked his obituary, and apparently his more recent appelation was “Big Daddy”. I was off by a day initially talking about his passage. Here’s the text of the obit (Washington Post destroys them after a few months):
—
Matthew P. Barnson
John Foster
Matt, Thank you so much for the lovely comments about John. He was a great guy and always had his smile. When he passed we were laughing and teasing each other. He went quickly and without pain. My heart is heavy and reading the notes from his classmates made me smile.
I do remember you and hope that if you are in the area you will stop by. I would love to see you also Brian. Please keep our family in your prayers. John was a great dad, he had a son Jayson that was the light of his life.
Again, please keep up in your prayers.