Paul Benn

Tarmo was my next door neighbor and probably the first person I met in Lakewood when we moved to town in summer of 1960. He was a gentle quiet soul. It was a blessing to have him and his family as neighbors since they were good people and, as Estonians, opened my eyes to another culture rich in art, music and other aspects of their community as well as another perspective about the USA. Tarmo was a talented musician with a trumpet as his instrument. I remember him showing and playing with his impressive train set in his basement. We would walk or ride our bikes over to Rockies with some others from the neighborhood to swim in the lake or play any number of games out on our dead end street. We rode our bikes a lot together. He also had a passion for fast cars which I guess he got from his older brothers. In addition to his musical skills, Tarmo was also a very talented photographer with a keen eye and the technical prowess to shoot, develop and print his work. He was a good guy.

Pat was in my home room. While I tried to know everyone, I was not aware of the extent of her suffering. We just said hello, never talked at a deeper level. Never saw the bullying. That said, I went to her funeral and burial. My mother attended to her as a nurse and shared with me that there was nothing medically that could save her. She suffered. That tragic event has stayed with me. I visited the cemetery a few months ago and had her in my prayers. I am glad to see others here have remembered her. May she rest in peace.

Happy Birthday Neighbor.