ramcfarland

My Feedback: (44)

Now that I have a chance let me simply express my appreciation of Tims convictions (we communicated...) and convey my thoughts thoughts of a future with better more responsible parenting practices. Tim saw things for what they were and we were in agreement on the most part. Well glad the B-17 is being finished and just wish I could of met Tim,like so many of the fine folks involved in R/C Modeling here at RCU and beyond.

proudarmywife509

Thank you for your reply. It is a shame what my dad had to go through in his workplace, but at least it's over now. I know he was not looking forward to the school year starting up again. Some staff from the school has sent their condolances, but I can hear the coldness in their words of sympathy.

At least my dad is in a better place now, let's hope he's flying with his buddy, MAJ Pappy Boyington!

Here's a kiss for you daddy! We all miss you here on earth, more than you could ever imagine. []

proudarmywife509

Hello everyone, Tim's daughter here.

Things have been very hard for me lately. I have had quite a few bad days. It's been 4 months since I've talked to my dad and it feels like just yesterday I heard his voice. I got the final autopsy papers today. They found a tumor on his liver that was found to be cancerous. He also had heart disease. It was also found that he took 3 Methadone pills, and this is probably what took his life. I am now part of a website to ban Methadone altogether. It is an awful drug and should not be given to anyone. The doctor who prescribed it to him and my mom has now had her license taken away. I try to think that my dad dying in his sleep is better than him having to go through the cancer they found. Although, I still think it's unfair that I lost my dad at 21. []

I just wanted to give you all an update. I miss my dad very much and wanted to share with you all what I found out.

Fili

I've have been loosly following Mr.T's amazing build, I am truly shocked to hear of his passing.

RIP Mr. Thompson. You were one talented builder. My heart goes out to your Family.

FliteMetal

The loss of your father and his enthusiasm leaves a void reaching far beyond your immediate family and hometown. Beyond the loss of his membership/subscription to RCU and RCSB. To "many", Tim became much more than what was read in a thread, email, or PM.

Principal to this was Tim's unselfish willingness to share knowledge gained through experimenting with alternatives to what may appear at first to be an accepted way of achieving a desired result...typically with additional benefits ; ). What to many appears as scale detail, minute detail, was not achieved with the typical handicap accompanying similar detail created by the majority of modelers.

Tim shared his knowledge and experience in reduction of accumulative weight. A new scale modeler will undoubtedly wrinkle their brow immediately after reading that. They do so because the typical and "expected" subsequent post Tim would make after reading it, will not be read.

All readers just experienced that void...

Scale modeling mentors, found either online or in a modeler's hometown are a rarity. Nothing new, it has plagued modeling since Bill Effinger introduced silkspan. Knowledge typically stays in personal indexes...rarely shared. Newbees to scale modeling won't receive a how-to lesson they previously received, without realizing it. What is more disturbing and provides greater value of Tim's contributions is learning a little known fact about where Tim lived.

There are two hot-beds, nests, repositories, mother-loads, well-springs, or what ever you want to call a concentration of scale modeling knowledge in the United States. The first stretches from the suburbs of Detroit through the Ohio Valley and the second surrounds New York State.

In a town rich with scale modelers...Tim stood out as a mentor and contributor to the sport of flying scale modeling. Believe me, that is no small contribution.

I regret I did not have an opportunity to know Tim when I hosted the Toldeo Scale Road Show. Tim's knowledge and experience with reduction of accumulative weight would have made a great addition to the flying scale modeling mentor presentations at the seminar.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

I am curious, has Tim's friend and building partner taken up the completion of this wonderful B-17?

And also, as the husband of an RN myself (a flight nurse on those medical helicopters and fixed wing for the Cleveland Clinic), I'm wondering, did I read correctly? Was your Mother a Nurse, and implicated some how, to have her license revoked? Hope I read this wrong, but this would be an added tragedy.

proudarmywife509

Thank you Ed for your wonderful words. My dad was such a talented modeler and put so much detail into every piece he made.

As for the question, yes my mom is an RN, no she didn't get her license revoked. The doctor who prescribed her the Methadone that my dad took got her license revoked. I'm sorry if I worded it wrong.
Also, I'm also going to email Luke right now. I had a small falling out with my mom a few months after my dad's death, but we are now on better terms. Because of that, my dad's B-17 is still in the basement, where it does NOT belong. I hope Luke will still want to finish it, and I'm sure he will.

I am finding myself in the stage where I am very upset yet sad that my dad is no longer here. I went through most of his contributions to RCU yesterday and went through a whole box of Kleenex. Just seeing his hands in a picture of one of the parts of his planes makes me cry. It's unbelievable how I can miss someone so much.

Always,
Kayte Thompson-Jones

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Thanks Kayte for taking the time to reply. I am so glad that I misunderstood the circumstances with the prescribed medicine and your mom. The last thing you need at a time like this is that load on your emotions.

I lost my dad as well when the plane he was flying crashed. I was only 13 and my youngest brother was only 5. That was in 1966, and I still think of dad with water in my eyes at times. I can tell you from first hand experience it will get easier. But before it does, we run the gambit of emotions. I too was sad beyond what I thought I could take, disappointed, even angry at dad a one point for not taking better care of himself and his flying decisions (it was most certainly pilot error in the NTSB report), denial, lonely for his companionship and love, and I even felt pretty bad for myself at one point having to go on without a dad. But time has a way of bringing all things back into perspective. You realize that everyone who knew your dad and his other family members are dealing with a terrible loss like you are, and you find a way to handle it together. It takes time though, and the initial tsunami of emotions has to recede before the real healing can begin. I can tell you it took months for me to turn the corner as I really never had closer being a plane crash and all, but I can assure you, dear one, it will happen, and you and your mom may well be closer than ever. What a blessing that would be for both of you. May God bless your healing process and please post here anytime you feel the need to talk about your dad with those who admired his wonderful skills.

The B-17 will be a great tribute to those skills for your dad. I think I speak for all in this tread and more when I say nothing would please us more than to see her completed. We can only hope that this task is taken up and the construction posts start coming again. Your dad will be remembered through every one of them.

proudarmywife509

Thank you so much for the very kind words. I couldn't imagine losing my daddy at 13. Losing him at 21 seems hard enough as it is. I remember my friend's dad passed away a few months before mine and I wrote to her "I don't know what I'd ever do if I lost my dad." I wrote that on her blog, and sometimes I can't help but go back and read it and wish my dad was still here.
It's very hard with my family being in Michigan and me living in Louisiana with my husband. My husband doesn't really understand what I'm going through. He's not close with his dad and when he sees me crying, I'm not sure he knows what to say or what to do. That makes it even harder. We are going to California to see his family for Christmas, but I'd like to go home to see my family as well. Of course on a military paycheck we can't do both. []

I just like to think that dad is up there somewhere building planes and flying with the big guys. Thank you all for continuing this thread. Like I said, I went back and read it last night....I always used to tell my dad that he has to use correct capitalization and correct his spelling....then he would tell me he's not an english major.

Always,
Kayte