Thankfully, my career as a writer is quickly coming to an end. I have actually found comfort in this web log, both in disclosing my feelings, and in illuminating some aspects of Dave and our family to the world.
A gracious question of many is “How are YOU doing?” For the record, I am doing quite well. While the passing of Dave is not an easy pill to swallow, I’ve had the distinct honor of watching a brother enter immortality in peace, and meeting so many wonderful people who knew Dave. What else could anyone ask for?
Marla, Dave’s wife, is a true inspiration to all of us. She has set an example on how one allows a loved one to pass into the arms of the Angels
And, given the circumstances, the family is doing well also. When our mother passed away about 11 months ago, we found strength many of us never knew we had. That strength found its way back to our spirits and is helping us all right now.
This morning, I accompanied Marla and some family members to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to confirm some final arrangements. The staff is so accommodating and supportive that the process is very smooth.
As our meeting ended shortly after noon, and the daily 12:10 pm mass at the Cathedral was about to begin, we decided to join. It gave us a chance to collect our thoughts.
The priest, ( a young man who attended the same high school, Bishop Amat, as did Dave’s daughters and grandson), gave a great homily on what God has in store for us. He noted that “In the end, everything will be ok. And if everything isn’t ok, it isn’t the end.”
I think I now have additional words of wisdom by which to live.
Details of the Funeral Services
ROSARY
On Thursday Evening, there will be a Rosary for Dave at his home parish of
St Louise de Marillac Catholic Church
1720 E Covina Bl
Covina, CA 91724
626-915-7873
http://www.stlouisedm.org/
Viewing: 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Rosary: 7:00 – 8:00 pm
FUNERAL
Funeral services will be held Friday morning, January 18, at the
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
555 W Temple St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
[213] 680-5200
Service 10:00 am
Reception to follow at the Cathedral Conference Center
Parking will be available at the Cathedral for $5.
Altmans Winnebago, in memory of Dave, will be closed on this Friday to allow our employees the opportunity to pay respects and mourn in whatever way they feel is appropriate.
FLOWERS
It was Dave’s thoughts that there are so many people out there who need help more than he needs flowers. A gift to charity would be appreciated instead of flowers. The care that Dave received during his illness incurred a debt of gratitude that we will never be able to repay (though the health-care bills will be paid, of course).
City of Hope Foundation
1500 E Duarte Rd
Duarte, CA 91010
Casa Colina Foundation
255 E. Bonita Av
Pomona, CA 91769
Altman Family Foundation (Various humanitarian charities)
c/o California Community Foundation
445 S Figueroa St, Suite 3400
Los Angeles, CA 90071
ACCOMMODATIONS
The closest hotels to the Cathedral :
Los Angeles Omni Hotel
251 S Olive St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 617-3300
www.omnihotels.com
The Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites
404 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 624-1000
www.westin.com
If you would prefer to stay in the Covina area,
Radisson Suites Hotel Covina
1211 East Garvey St
Covina CA 91724
(888) 201-1718 US Toll Free
(626) 915-3441
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14 comments:
Joe,
A note to thank you for all your energy and time dedicated to keeping friends and family of Dave up-to-date via this blog. It was tremendously helpful and also gave us all a further glimpse into his life beyond how each of us individually knew him.
So again thank you. Peace is at hand.
Ann Fairclough
Dearest Joe,
I cannot tell you how much peace, joy and laughter- as well as tears-your blog writings have brought these past weeks. You, too, helped us to gently let go, recognize the realities and live the final days of Dave's life with him.
Your humor was the best medicine, for everyone.
I still smile thinking of the gravy/soup.
I am quite sure your big brother is smiling on you.
You, Marla and the clan are amazing.
Thank you for so graciously sharing your wonderful family with all of us.
I am not sure that I am alone in thinking that we will miss this time together, under other circumstances, it would have been lovely to continue.
May peace and joy find its way to your hearts and God continue to hold you in his arms and comfort you.
Love-
Christine
Joe: We, too, want to thank you for your unselfish sharing of Dave's final days with your humor, friendship and faith in God. It helped so much to know it was ok to let Dave go and that he would always be there for all of you. May God bless you as you sign off.
Sincerely, DeWayne and Barb
I cried rivers reading the comments that people have written. I still can't beleive he is gone. I have not quite grasped the "peace" feeling yet! As I sit here balling my eyes out because I will miss that next visit from Dave with that gracious smile when he would enter my office. I will miss you so much!
Joe,
I have been out of touch with the Industry (other than information from my family) for about 10 years.
When my father, Bob Azevedo sent me to your blog some time ago I was touched deeply and it brought back so many good memories.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Peace,
Cathy Azevedo
I only met Dave once, but he left a huge impression on me. It makes me happy to see how many people loved him and hope I can live as magnificent a life. God bless you all.
Joe -
I whole heartedly echo the words of gratitude written by others. We readers grew to love and appreciate your family even more through your daily updates. How blessed Dave was and in return how Dave - and you - blessed all of us. At our house, we have gotten in the daily habit of praying for the Altman family and recalling wonderful times together - I look forward to continuing that happy habit.
Blessings and love to you and your family,
Pamela & Craig Hearn
Dear Altman Family,
I am so sad to hear about Dave. I have been kept up to date on all that had been going on with him since Thanksgiving. I was Lillian's hospice nurse and Michelle and Marcus' sister in law. I pray for everyone to find peace when talking about Dave and the great man that he was. This familys great belief in God and having the biggest family I have ever seen will get you through this. We all have another angel watching over us.
God bless you all.
Love, Susan Shrum
Joe,
Thank you so very much for taking the time and energy to create and administer this blog. You have done your brother and your family a great service. To speak for myself as one who knew Dave only in polite passing at Altman/Wilson family functions, your efforts gave me much more insight into Dave’s life than I would have had otherwise. As the weeks went on I was made aware of so many things I did not get the chance to see before. In my view, it is an important thing you’re doing, spreading the word about Dave and the story of his life. Had it not been for your words and the seemingly endless comments left by others I would not have the aspect and knowledge of the impact Dave's life made on this world--which I now see is a considerable one. And now knowing just the little more that I do about Dave, it seems to me that is one of the things that was a priority in his life, to make an impact and touch as many people in a positive way as he possibly could. Dave’s illness and passing has touched me in a way that it would not have had it not been for your work to keep us all informed and, many times, entertained. I have found myself over the past weeks thinking of and praying for Dave and the family more than daily. And I think that is a profound thing, to be touched by someone who I regretfully didn’t get the chance to really know while we were here together on the Earth. And I feel that I owe it to Dave to be touched by his passing because his life was so impressive. So, to make a long message short (too late)—thank you Joe. You’ve made Dave’s impact make an impact.
I offer my love and prayers as Christ welcomes Dave into his arms.
Charlie Manos
A EULOGY FOR DAVE
BY
DAN WILSON
WE HAVE MIXED EMOTIONS ABOUT THE PASSING OF DAVE ALTMAN. THE FIRST EMOTION IS ONE OF SADNESS FOR THE GREAT LOSS OF A MAN WHO WAS A MAN AMONG MEN. THE SECOND EMOTION IS ONE OF HAPPINESS IN THAT DAVE IS NOW AT PEACE, WITH HIS CREATOR, HIS PARENTS, GARY AND LILLIAN AND WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, HIS DAUGHTER SHERRY WHO PRECEEDED HIM TO THE LORD IN 1982. HE TOLD ME AT THE FUNERAL FOR SHERRY THAT HE WAS GIVEN 4 CHILDREN WITH THE CHALLENGE TO RETURN THEM ALL BACK TO THE LORD AND THAT WITH THE PASSING OF SHERRY IT WAS ONE DOWN AND THREE TO GO. WELL, NOW IT IS DAVE’S TURN.
FOR THOSE OF US BELIEVE IN A HIGHER POWER, WHO BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD AND OUR OWN PERSONAL SAVIOR, WE HAVE FAITH THAT DAVE HAS BEEN WELCOMED INTO HIS ETERNAL REWARD.
DAVE, AS ALL OF US, WAS ON LOAN TO US, TO BE HERE WITH US, TO HELP US FIND OUR OWN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD. DAVE’S METHOD OF COMPLETING THIS TASK WAS THROUGH HIS FAITH, AND EMBRACING EVERYONE WITH HIS INFECTIOUS PERSONALITY. HIS PRIORITY WAS MAKING SURE THAT THE OTHER PERSON WAS IN A BETTER LIGHT THAN HIMSELF. FOR THE 45 YEARS THAT I HAVE KNOWN THIS MAN, HIS FAITH SHOWED THAT HE WAS CLOSE TO HIS CREATOR AND AT ANY MOMENT IT WAS NOT HARD TO SEE OR UNDERSTAND THIS ABOUT HIM. SURE THERE WERE TIMES THAT YOU WONDERED IF HE WAS ON THAT PATH, AS WE WOULD WITNESS AT A MANAGER’S MEETING WHEN BUSINESS WAS NOT GOING AS GOOD AS IT SHOULD BE. BUT IN SPITE OF ALL OF THAT, DAVE LIVED HIS LIFE BY BEING OF SERVICE TO OTHERS.
HIS BUSINESS PROWESS WAS BASED UPON THE PREMISE THAT THE GOOD LORD GAVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY AND THAT HIS EMPLOYEES WERE PART OF HIS FAMILY. HIS CUSTOMERS ARE ALSO PART OF THE ALTMAN FAMILY. HIS BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE RV INDUSTRY WERE STRIKINGLY REFLECTIVE OF HIS BUSINESS MODEL. THOSE ATTRIBUTES WERE RECOGNIZED BY THAT INDUSTRY WITH THE INDUCTION OF HIM INTO THEIR HALL OF FAME, THE FIRST CALIFORNIA DEALER, TO BE AWARDED THAT HONOR. WHY?
WHY DOES AN INDUSTRY HONOR A PERSON OF THIS STATURE? WHY DO WE COME HERE TODAY TO REMEMBER A PERSON OF THIS STATURE? WHY HAS HE BEEN CALLED AWAY FROM US AT SUCH AN EARLY AGE? THE FIRST TWO QUESTIONS WE KNOW THE ANSWER TO BUT THE THIRD ONE WE ALL STUGGLE TO ANSWER, HOWEVER, THERE IS AN ANSWER TO THE THIRD QUESTION, IF WE ONLY LOOK PAST OUR GRIEF AND SADNESS.
AN ANSWER, TO THAT THIRD QUESTION COULD BE, THAT DAVE’S LIFE WAS GIVEN TO US AS AN EXAMPLE ON HOW IT SHOULD BE DONE. WE ALL SIT HERE SAYING TO OURSELVES, WE LOVE WHAT DAVE WAS ALL ABOUT. SO THE CHALLENGE THEN IS TO TAKE WHAT HE HAS SHOWN US AND IMPLEMENT THAT SAME PHILOSOPHY INTO OUR LIVES AND BUSINESS PRACTICES. WHO AMONG US WOULD NOT WISH THAT DAVE WAS STILL WITH US, GIVING TO US ALL THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO US BEFORE AND THEN EVEN MORE? DO WE END THIS BLOG WITH THE MEMORY OF DAVE ALTMAN TUCKED AWAY IN THE BACK CORNER OR OUR BRAIN TO BE FORGOTTEN AS WE GO ABOUT OUR OWN LIFE, OR DO WE TAKE THAT MEMORY AND TRY TO MIMICK IT IN SOME WAY, SO AS TO MAKE THE WORLD AROUND US A LITTLE BETTER, JUST AS DAVE WOULD DO, AND IF ASKED, TEACH US HOW TO DO IT.
WE HAVE ALL LOST A GREAT SLICE OF CHRISTIANITY, BUT IT IS A PHYSICAL LOSS, BUT WE HAVE ALL GAINED A GREAT SLICE OF CHRISTIANITY IN A MENTAL PROCESS THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE FUTURE AS AN HONOR AND TRIBUTE TO DAVE ALTMAN. AS A MEMBER OF THE RV HALL OF FAME, DAVE CAN BE OUR OWN PERSONAL EXAMPLE OF HOW TO BE HONORED, NOT BY AN INDUSTRY, NOT BY MANUFACTURERS, NOT BY DEALERS BUT BY EACH AND EVERY PERSON WE COME IN CONTACT WITH AS WE LIVE OUT THE REST OF OUR OWN LIVES. WHAT GREATER TRIBUTE COULD WE GIVE THIS MAN WHO HAS PHYSICALLY LEFT US, THAN TO CONTINUE HIS LEGACY OF BUSINESS ETHICS AND LIFE STYLE?
THINK ABOUT IT, EACH OF US PUTTING OTHER PEOPLES SITUATIONS AHEAD OF OUR OWN, GIVING OF OUR OWN PERSONAL TREASURES TO THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE THAN WE ARE, INVITING ALL OF OUR FRIENDS, OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR CUSTOMERS TO BE A PART OF OUR FAMILY! WHAT A CONCEPT THAT IS, WHAT A WAY OF LIFE, WHAT A WAY TO HONOR A MAN WHO WAS A PIONEER, A LEADER, A GIANT OF A MAN AMONG MEN, WE CAN DO IT IF WE CHOOSE, AND THAT IS THE MESSAGE HE LEAVES US TODAY.
SO, HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE REMEMBERED WHEN WE COME THIS MOMENT IN OUR LIVES? WILL THERE BE GATHERING FOR US AT THAT TIME LIKE WE WITNESSED AT THE CATHREDRAL? THE ANSWER OF COURSE IS YES, IF WE FOLLOW THE LEAD OF DAVE. I FOR ONE WANT TO BE REWARDED AND REMEMBERED IN THE SAME SPIRITUAL WAY WE KNOW THAT DAVE HAS BEEN, REWARDED BY OUR LORD AND SAVIOR FOR A JOB WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED BY ALL WHO WERE TOUCHED BY MY LIVING THE EXAMPLE OF DAVE ALTMAN, THAT THE OTHER PERSON IS MORE IMPORTANT!
DAVE, MAY YOU REST IN PEACE IN THE ETERNAL RV HALL OF FAME AND I WILL TO SEE YOU SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, GOD WILLING!
In deepest sympathy to the Altman Family, May you take comfort knowing that others share in your sorrow. I worked for Altman Winnebago in 1994-1995 as a receptionist at the Baldwin Park Office. Dave treated me like part of his family. He gave me the nickname of "Liliokalani" which he told me was once the queen on Hawaii. He was a genuine caring man. In 1998 I started working for the Baldwin Park Police Department and once again our paths crossed. David was a big supporter of our Police Department and golfed every year in our tournament. We are definitely going to miss his smile and huge personality! To the Altman Family- My prayers are with you during this difficult time.
Sincerly,
Lili Pedroza Rubio
Fri nite
Joe:
I just learned about Dave's passing in the local newspaper. I haven't seen Dave for many years. I was with a CPA firm that did some audits of the RV operation, probably in the 80's Dave had a partner whose name escapes me, except I remember he came from Covina Dodge. I dealt mostly with his partner, but remember Dave as a very friendly person. I live in West Covina and worked downtown for many years and must have driven by the RV location thousands of times. People continually ask if I am in the RV business, but I tell them my name is shorter than Dave's.
Our Prayers are with you and your family.
Bill Altman
Joe
I too thank you for this blog. Take all of this continue on into a book.THE ALTMANSHOFAR CLAN thru Joe's eyes.
I am going to miss my friend. Dave and I went to 620am mass every morning, he has left and my job moved to Carson so we won't be at the 620am mass anymore.
Love
Lani
It was a beautiful day on January 19,2008. This was the day that we laid Uncle Dave's body to rest. The birds were chirping and the sun was shining down upon us. Chris,Ryan,Jake (Dave's grandson) and myself were going to the Altmanshofer gathering place in Covina. We were traveling on Puente by the Via Verde golf course when out of the corner of my eye I saw a white object flying toward our car. Now this object was not coming from the right side where the golf course is, but from the opposite side of the street. I said to Chris to slow down so the white object does not hit us. Come to find out the white object was a golf ball. The golf ball bounced a few times in front of our car and then rolled under it and came to a rest on a grassy spot on the side of the street. Chris looked at me and asked if I wanted him to turn around and go back to find the ball. I said "of course" so we went back and found the ball sitting on top of the green patch. This is a sign from Uncle Dave that he is OK. I believe he is up with Grandpa playing golf. I am sorry if this is such a long entry, but I felt compelled to post it.
Uncle Dave we will always love and remember you.
Your favorite Godchild
Dyann (aka Deedee)
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