On April 20th, 2008 we lost my very dear brother Jonathan Markowitz in an automobile accident close to his home in Bainbridge Island, Washington.
In the days leading up to his funeral, we spent many, many hours with friends and relatives telling and retelling stories of Jon. This outpouring was a great comfort to me and to others. I am sure there are many more stories yet to be told.
After asking his wife Sarah's permission, I decided to start this blog so that we can easily share our memories and stories of Jonathan with each other. I am hoping that his children will be able to print this collection out in a few months time and have a lasting record to remember their father by.
From our entire family, thank you to all who have written, called, helped, or attended the funeral - your thoughts and prayers are strongly felt by all of us.
6 comments:
Well, I hadn't seen Him on the bus for quite awhile, but that's not unusual on the Bainbridge 94 route -- people change shifts, job locations, go on vacation -- all the usual things that happen in life.
He was articulate and had a dry sense of humor -- fun to banter with and never at a loss for a quick and thoughtful comeback.
I told Him once that I had an old 66 GMC pickup that I was looking to give to someone. It had been to South America and back and had been given to me by some Islanders who lived at Fort Ward. It was used for Boy Scout Christmas tree pickup and to set up the Boy Scout hot dog booth every year, and to haul the neighborhood junk to Rotary or Vincent Road. Otherwise, it just sat under the cedar trees on Skiff Point -- He sound intersted. I told Him that the only condition was that it had to stay on Bainbridge Island.
He didn't say much at the time, but a few weeks later, He stopped me on the boat and said He knew someone who might want the pickup -- a project for the man and his teenage sons to do some "tinkering." Thanks to Him, a deal was soon struck and the old pickup found a new and caring home on the Island. Old pickups seem to endure.
I ran into the new owner on the 6:20 boat tonight and reminded him that there were still a couple of parts sitting at my house that needed to be picked up. He said, "did you know that He's gone?" I asked him what he meant and he said, "He was killed in a car accident a few weeks ago. Fortunately, His son was able to walk away from it."
I was dumbfounded. I stammered a couple of the usual retorts, but it took the rest of the boat ride for it to sink in. No wonder I hadn't seen Him on the bus.
When I got the 94 tonight, I sat down next to Doug and across from the guy who always gets off just before the Jiffy Mart at Rolling Bay. Eveyone was jovial and glad to be heading home at the end of the day. I said, "You know the nice guy who always used to get off at Springwood, the one we haven't seen for awhile?" They all remembered Him and said, "Yes." I said, "Well, He's gone," and they all understood.
The rest of the bus ride was silent as we all thought about Him and how we missed and would continue to miss His pleasant demeanor and smiling face.
Life goes on, even as many of us drop off by the side of the road. The most important thing always is whether we gave a good account of ourselves while we were here and whether those who knew us, intimately, or as casual acquaintances, are better for our presence and mourn our passing. All of us on the 94 mourn His passing and will remember Him as a man we were glad to know.
I first met Jon in the ‘80’s…I helped hire him and send him to London. He returned, 2 years later, and instantly made friends with everyone in the office. He was like a brother to us…we loved him, we teased him and visa versa, we tried get him to clean up his wardrobe(or at least iron his shirt!) Or clean the motor oil from under his nails. We loved him.
I was kinda like the Mom of the office and knew early on that Jon would make it big at ARUP but he was not looking the part. One day I suggested that he go over to Macy’s because they were selling wrinkle resistant slacks…he rolled his eyes and I was sure he would never go…but to my surprise he did…only to report back, with a shake of his head, that they were not for him. And I thought he wasn’t listening…I love the picture you posted of Jon in a suit, I am so thrilled to see him looking so good.
We worked together for about 10 years and Jon witnessed me go through some very trying times in my life. I was raising 2 small children alone and Jon was always gentle and kind to me…well almost always. As others have mentioned, Jon was a man of few words, but there were a few occasions when he did share a few words with me. Mostly to lift me up but once in a while, to tell me something I needed to hear. Like a brother would.
We socialized regularly and when my kids were around he was brilliant with them. At softball games, he would be the one that would put my 5 year old son up to bat, (to the dismay of the opposing team who were too damn serious about the match) and see to it that he got a homerun or at least on base. I knew he would some day make a great Dad.
I remember walking trough the corridors of the office and encountering Jon hundreds of time, so deep in thought that he didn’t see or hear anything around him. Professor Jon.
Every year I was responsible for planning the company Christmas party and way back when, Jon was our only Jewish employee. So every year I would buy Jon a special Hanukkah present, usually some type of toy motorcycle and present it to him at the party. He would spend the night zipping it across the dance floor or passing it around the tables…His smile was contagious. When he laughed, his shoulders would move up and down.
Sarah came on board a few years after Jon arrived and I was so very pleased to see them get together. We were all so pleased to see them start a family together. The last time I saw Jon, my new husband had invited a few friends from ARUP to a 40th birthday dinner for me. Jack was on this lap and Sarah was by his side. He was the same old Jon and I was thrilled to spend the evening with him and everyone else at the table.
I just wish I had made more of an effort to see Sarah and Jon when I was in Seattle last year. But you are not supposed to have regrets in life. Jon death has had a profound effect on many of us. I walked into my job the Monday after Jon’s funeral and quit. Life was too short to have the kind of job I had. My son, Ian was headed off to college soon and I needed to spend more time with him. I spent the summer with Ian and I thought of Jon often.
Jon would have been 43 this week.
I have a picture of Jon I would like to send you. WHat email address can I sent it to?
Please send to:
decompressionchamber@yahoo.com
Arup SF had our annual toast to Jon tonight. Still in our hearts and a part of our family. Cheers!
I worked with Jon at Arups, Boston House, London. He was a great mate of mine for several years, we spent a lot of time together and had some fun times in the pub after work. He was the guy who introduced me to the band The Minutemen, probably one of the best music recommendations ever. He will be sadly missed.
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