Eric T. DeZubay

I need to follow up my earlier post for a couple reasons...

First, I can't thank you all enough for your gracious remarks regarding my vdeo/reflections on Scott.  As a broadcaster for 38 years, I can tell you I broke every rule in the book.  Try making a 20 minute video with a talking head and see if you have a job tomorrow.  But Scott gets all the credit.  He was such an interesting and loveable person, even I couldn't turn it into a long, boring, self-indulgent diatribe!  

MUCH more importantly... and along these lines, I received an incredible Thank You letter from Juba.  Let me be clear, it wasn't a drive-by "Hey Thanks..." text message (which actually would have been just fine, that's the world we live in now).  In fact, it wasn't even a Thank You "note".  It was a full-blown Thank You letter!  

As most of you know by now, Juba posted Scott's news on his FB page (Scott C. Norton) to which around 60 people commented.  After Juba's Thank You letter, I had to go back again and learn more about her.  Here are two quotes that jumped out at me.

From Carrie Ann Burek:  He “ran away” to be with you. He was over the moon for his Juba. I loved that he found a love story. Makes me smile just remembering him gushing about it.

From Deb Marten:  Oh, Juba. I’m so sorry for your loss. Scott loved you very much.

This confirmed what I quickly learned about Juba in the subsequent messages we exchanged.  Quite clearly these two were soul mates and for a long time. 

To say the period between Scott's heart surgery and his death was harrowing would be a grave understatement.  I don't want to get into the details because I haven't asked permission and Scott deserves the same dignity we'd all like when our time comes.

Rather, I just want to focus on the void in the lives of those left behind.  There is "love" and then there is "unconditional love".  The devotion Juba had for Scott, all the way up until that moment when she was singing to him and holding his hand as he took his last breath is a quintessential example of unconditional love!!!  

We should all hope and pray that when we become weak and frail, that someone in our lives will step up and assume the same role Juba did for Scott as his steadfast caretaker.  The unconditional love and sacrifice that Juba made for Scott over an extended period of time was stunning.  

For those of you who have known Juba over the years, you may not be the least bit surprised.  All I ask is that you continue to remember her and support her especially during this period of grieving she is enduring. I can tell you firsthand, she's going through a tough time!! 

Thanks again to all of you - I feel closer to all of you and that means something good has arisen from the difficult loss we're all feeling.  

Eric

I dug up this picture from my homeroom I took our senior year in 1978.  Pictured from left to right:

Carole Dilling, Neal Davis, Laura Dorman, Ed Demmer.

I am utterly shocked and stunned! Neal and I reconnected on Facebook several years ago and it was such a joy catching up with him again. Neal was in my homeroom, and by default I got to know him better than just about everybody else in high school over those four years. My favorite memory of Neal revolves around music. I have always had a love and passion for music and dreamed about being a drummer throughout my childhood. My parents would not allow me to have a drum set, and it was very frustrating. Neal knew this and would invite me over to his house to play on his drums and boy did I ever! The one album I distinctly remember playing along with was Aerosmith Get Your Wings! In any case, this is just one small anecdotal story illustrating Neil's caring and compassion for others as he reached out to me when he knew I could use a little support. Neal never told me he was battling anything that might have led to this very sad moment. Probably typical for him, as he never struck me as somebody who was a complainer. A piece of my heart and my life has been removed now knowing Neal is no longer a part of it. I pray now that Neal is resting in Eternal peace and looking down on all of us waiting for that day where we will all be together once again! Miss you buddy and see you again one day!

Sallie in high school.

First of all, I would like to thank Debbie for posting this sad announcement.  I first learned of Sallie's death in late April, but I could not confirm it since both her parents are deceased and I've lost track of her older brother, Hacke.  I work in the journalism community and without being able to confirm this or corroborate it with an obituary, I was very hesitant to announce her passing.

With that out of the way, I wanted share some of my memories of Sallie.  Sallie and I were part of the 'Diaper Gang' on Ordale Blvd.  I, along with Sallie and Cindy Lammert all grew up together practically from birth.  Cindy lived two doors to my right, Sallie, two doors to my left.  

I last spoke with Sallie less than a year ago by phone, and she sounded just fine, so this was a terrible shock. Sallie would still call my mom (who is now 87) from time to time to check on her.  I could probably stop writing now, because I think that pretty much says it all.  

But I can't resist sharing some earlier memories.  Sallie was a very rambunctious and athletic child.  When we were very young, she would routinely intimidate and (ok I'll say it) beat up my best friend, James Meyer. James is now 6'5" 275 lbs, and wasn't a small boy either.  I don't know why she left me alone because I was probably an easier target.

We always had a good relationship, and it was advantageous to be her friend, because they were the coolest family on the street.  They were the first family on our street to get a color TV in the late 60s!  Then they got the coolest bikes. Who remembers the Schwinn Krates?  Hacke got the Orange Krate, while Sallie got the Apple Krate - seriously hot stuff!  As we got older they graduated to the Honda 70 (Hacke) and Honda 50 (Sallie) Minibikes.  And they kicked the door open for the rest of us kids on Ordale to talk their parents into getting us minibikes, we had a great trail behind our homes.  Thank you Mazanowski's!

Next, high school. Sallie was allowed to drive their 197? Orange Catalina to school.  For what it's worth, it had a 400 cubic inch engine in it and could burn rubber until the cows came home.  I still remember the intensely cold winter mornings and how grateful I was to have a ride.  To this day, when I hear Heart's Magic Man come on the radio, I am taken right back to that frozen early morning ride to school.  Usually Cindy and Lori Larimer were on board.  Lori was always late and got on Sallie's nerves.

Like so many of us, life after high school pulled us apart and it wasn't long before my early career took me far away from home, into the Bayous of Louisiana. And keeping up with friends (especially in the pre-social-media era) was tough.  But we never lost touch entirely.  

Sallie and I attended both the 10th and 20th Mt. Lebanon '78 reunion together with Cindy.  I attended the 30th, but Sallie did not make it.

Sallie will forever be a fixture in my lifetime of memories and experiences.  She was among the most independent souls I knew.  She was never interested in running with the crowd, and you better have had thick skin because she was going to tell you the truth, no filter.  

I admired those qualities of her.  Watching and observing her helped shape who I am to this day.  And I am luckier and better for it.  And now it's all hitting me and I'm crying for the first time since learning of this a month ago....

See the attached picture.  Sallie would kill me for using this.  I have much better shots of her, but this is our class picture from 6th Grade (Mr. Jordan) at Markham School.  I use this because it has Cindy in it (far right), Debbie (lower left side - girl scout uniform), myself (bottom center) and Sallie of course (top center).

We all miss you Sallie and Love you very much!

Rest in Peace.  Glory Be To God! 

Here is a better picture of Sallie from the early days.  No... we were not boyfriend & girlfriend, or going steady as we once said.  She had much  better taste.