A few days after Billy suddenly collapsed near the end of the July 30 San Francisco Marathon Benefit for Cancer Research, his niece Lina Rose (7) entered the doorway of our home in Mill Valley, stopped, stuck her arms up in the air and proclaimed “Wow. It’s just like Uncle Bill is alive and living with us in this house, right now.” After Thanksgiving, Cathy & I took Lina and Dominic Chester (5) for a nighttime walk in the redwoods, each with their own flashlight. On return Dom announced, “Uncle Bill was with us on the walk. Lucky dog was too. We couldn’t see her, but Uncle Bill could”.
Billy’s physical resting place is a glorious 15 miles over to the coast at St. Mary Magdalene Cemetery near Bolinas where Billy, Cathy and Aimee bloomed on the mountain, beach and ocean. Billy was surfing off Bolinas this summer. One afternoon in July, near sunset, he called us on his cell while drying off after a Great White Shark sighting and reported he was bleeding from banging his shin on a rock. Ute and I scolded him with motherliness and fatherliness, knowing his liking of life. Billy’s headstone, from the Black Hills of Dakota, was selected by Ute for its strength, exquisite nature and its congenialness and getatableness for Lina and Dom to sit on. The stone has a small cameo, in two of Billy’s favorite colors, burnt orange and lemon yellow, showing a young Billy’s shadow against a grain elevator in Alberta while he was running on top of a railroad car.
Bolinas Ridge Road
Bolinas Ridge
Overlooking Stinson Beach and Bolinas Lagoon
Path to Stone Circle
Stone Circle
Through The Redwoods
St Mary Magdalene Cypress and Eucalyptus
Cathy and Lina Bringing Flowers
Billy’s Headstone
Headstone Face With Cameo
Bolinas Lagoon
Photos by Ed Greenly, Aimee Goggins & Patrick Goggins
Our continuous appreciation to our Creator and you during this season of hope and love.
Cathy, Paul, Lina, Dominic, Aimee, Cedar, Ute and Pat Goggins family.