Keith Rieneking

• Posted on 27th June 2006
• in This-n-that
• by Dragonfly

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Last night a dear friend died. An amazing man. Someone that was a person to listen too… he was a grouch … He was an ornery old man… I loved him. Told him, that for him…. I would come out of retirement. I would come over and take care of him…. I would do that because I love him. I kissed him every time I saw him over the last 3 months. He was really sick… had Cancer. And he was kicking all the way. He got better…. for a short time… and last night there was a call for his dear friend to rush there quick. By the time he got there… Keith was gone… Now forever in HIS chair… will be another man.

 

Work will not be the same… His chair is empty… even though someone is sitting in the seat. It is empty. All the knowledge he had went with him. A very smart man…. WOW… I will miss you dear old man.

 Here is the picture that brought him laughter… One that I took while I was at the shop… see the sign behind the man laughing…. says oversize…with this mans head right below it….? That made my dear Keith laugh with all his heart. He wanted nothing more than to have this picture for himself…

 

There was no one like Kieth…. he was the type of guy that knew his business…. and even though you hated to admit that he was right …. because you wanted nothing more than him to be wrong JUST ONCE….Resistance was futile. He knew heavy duty in the store more than the managers. He is just AMAZING. I miss him gruffing at me when I walked in….

The first time I met him…

“How you doing handsome?”

“HURUMPH…..”

“ That good hun? Well I am happy to see you have a smile on your face.”

Kieth slowly let me in…. like he had a choice… I have worked on him over the past 3 years… i wanted him to know…t hat he was lovable. That he was loved. I don’t know what his life was like. Other than he was alone…. and he liked it that way. He told me that … He told me that he was going to die alone. That last time I was with him… He new he was going. He ….

I love you Keith…You will be missed…. We will all be…”Draggin’ our feet” To get things done around here…. you will be missed… you may have died with none of us in the room with you… But you did not die alone….