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Obituary, Letters and Tributes to Dan
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Obituary from Sunday Mail Tribune
November 20, 2011
Medford, OR
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The Garrets:
Dan:
We are so glad we got to know you! It's rare to meet a
person with so many wonderful qualities ___
Intelligent, funny, over the top charming -
but your most wonderful heart tops them all.
We cherish the wonderful times with you
and at the Bridge Table. also, your
wonderful support and care for Konrad
in her battle with the Big C. Fight on!
Love Konrad and Bob Garret |
Jeff Taylor:
Earlier:
Just tell Dan he was a great partner and friend. He made a courageous
decision not to undergo further surgeries. I will miss him.
Nov. 18:
I will miss my big jovial friend and partner.
Jeff
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Randall Paul:
In Eureka this September he told that you have to make hay while the sun
is shining because the hay fades... I am going to miss him.
Best,
Randall
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Quotable quotes of Dan's recorded by his sons, Nat and John, during
his time in the hospital (Nov. 1 - 18):
[upon being asked where he
wants his ashes scattered] “in your mom’s backyard”[with respect to
pushing the PCA button to self-administer pain meds, and followed by a
prolonged self-satisfied grin at his wit] “it’s all just a gigantic
tease …. and I’m not talking about my equipment”[apropos of nothing]
“somebody’s faxing poetic” [while on last call with Susan, shouts as if
he has something to say to Susan’s husband Ken] “is Ken there?!?” [to
Susan, with respect to his life] “I’ve been dealt a good hand.” [apropos
of nothing] “as the saying goes … how goes the saying?”[in response to
Gee Gee telling him what fine sons he has] “are we related in some way?”
[you’ll have to ask Gee Gee for the full explanation on this one] “I
declare a feurckle neurckle” [following eyes snapping open] “Damn, that
was either a freaking grizzly bear or a giant ape that just walked in
front of me!”
[in response to John V. questioning if he wanted more back-rubbing] “No,
that's enough...don't get me too erotic.” [in response to discussion of
menu items from Gaetanos, an excellent italian restaurant in Medford]
“Oh, that sounds orgasmic!” [in response to being asked what color the
pear tree leaves in the valley change in the fall] “Most of the pear
tree leaves turn an ugly beurre yellow, but some of them turn that
beautiful red that I love.” [while on phone with Margot] “Excuse me,
Margot ... John, can you scratch my ass!?!”
[to Tommie and John R.] “Do you remember Ruth Buzzy? You know, the one
who used to hit Arte Johnson with her purse. Well, she’s still with us
as a Supreme Court Justice … Ruth Bader Ginsberg.”
[to John V.] “I'd like to have some diarrhea!”[in response to directions
not being properly followed by Nat] “I don’t mean to be picky, but words
are words!”
[apropos of nothing] “A big picture guy like me can't afford to get
distracted by little shit.”
[apropos of nothing] “I'm going to have to go into deep cover.”
[in response to Nat giving him too many rations of shit] “I'm building a
team in my head, the ‘All-Asshole Team’. And you (Nat) are on it. […
several minutes pass ..] and it’s called ‘The Heinous Anuses’.”
[in response to Nat leaning in to give him kiss on forehead, and
followed by enormous drug-addled orbs staring up at Nat for a full 5
seconds] “Somebody's breathing on me!”
[stone-faced physical therapist (John V. thinks sheriff deputy posing as
physical therapist), upon hearing dad’s polite refusal to do PT because
he was exhausted from getting out of bed that morning] “Can you
elaborate?”
[same stone-faced physical therapist, upon dad politely turning down the
offer of a one-page PT exercise handout b/c Dad was already familiar
with the exercises] “Can you elaborate?”
“one of the better decisions I’ve ever made in my life -- now don’t have
to worry about it …” |
Chuck Burton:
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Gee Gee Walker:
Dan…
Was my
friend…I remember when John Retzlaff and I went to a tournament in Bend
several years ago. After the afternoon session, when we knew the results
were not going to be good... but, didn’t imagine that they would be THAT
bad… Dan approached and diverted us, "saying Friends don’t let Friends
go there!" And then, he insisted that we all go to dinner together and
tell the BEST thing that we did that afternoon, starting with John and
me!
Was my mentor…I will never sit down to a
difficult hand again without thinking about Dan’s lessons. Anytime I am
on lead against a small slam in a suit, I will hear Dan: ATTACK, ATTACK,
ATTACK! I have the notes taken from Dan’s lessons, which he gave… a gift
to us all, even though we couldn’t always read what he wrote on the
white board, and sometimes the example hands held 12 or 14 cards.
Was one of a kind… About a week ago on one of
my visits to Dan in the hospital he told me his dream. He was more
interested in my knowing the background (so that I
could pass it on) than the actual dream. It seems that some years ago
Dan played with Lou Quiggle from Redding, CA and they often got into
impossible situations which ended in embarrassing results. They came up
with a phrase "ferkle nerkle" which could be used either by declarer or
dummy. Once said, they did not have to explain to the other, or to the
opponents and better yet, they did not have to play out the hand… only
to concede a top board to the opponents. In his dream, Dan and Lou
declared a ferkle nerkle and, of all things, had the director called on
them.
Dan . . . I’ll miss you every time I sit down
to do a crossword puzzle; I’ll miss you every time I enter the bridge
club and do not see your blue Mustang parked outside; I’ll miss you
every time I don’t have to face you as a daunting opponent.
Thank
you, Dan, for endless memories, lessons, and love.
Gee Gee
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Jim Flint:
I'm fairly new in the Rogue Valley, having moved to Ashland with my wife
Karen in the fall of 2009. I was delighted to find such a lively bridge
community in Jackson County and began getting acquainted with some of
the players.
The first time I met Dan was at Shop N Kart. I was squeezing fruits and
veggies in the produce section when this guy with the big tummy and
bigger smile tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Aren't you the new guy
at bridge?" I said yes and offered a handshake, introducing myself. "Dan
Voorhies," he responded. "Let's play together sometime," he said.I said
sure, wondering if he was any good. I soon learned the answer to that
question. He was good. Damned good.
Like most people who partnered with Dan, I had to grit my teeth when
he'd offer unsolicited lessons at the bridge table--to his partner, or
to the opponents. One time I was playing against him in the small Monday
night game in Ashland when he read the riot act to his partner over and
over at the end of a hand. I finally called the director, wishing to
invoke "zero tolerance." Dan was a little perturbed at my action. That
Wednesday, he pulled me aside and apologized, saying he was out of line
with his partner and that he knew he needed to clean up his act.
After that, whenever I played with Dan, I noticed that he practiced
great self control at the table when I goofed up, containing his
frustration admirably. I'd acknowledge my mistake and he'd say, "No
problem, partner." I appreciated that.
I observed Dan's kindnesses towards people, both at and away from the
bridge table. He was interested in people and encouraging to his fellow
players. The satisfaction he got from conducting bridge classes was
palpable. He loved sharing his passion for the game and giving new tools
to his students. He was a generous guy, a gentleman, so
intelligent, bigger than life in many ways, and will be greatly missed.
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Gary Nitzberg:
Although I didn't know Dan very well and my encounters with him were
strickly related to bridge, I found him to be a friendly and happy
person. My first experience with him was several years ago when I was a
new bridge player. It was a Swiss team game at the Sacramento regional.
Playing against him and his partner he looked at me and said "I am going
to call the director. It is nothing you have done." I found that to be
very classy.
Just recently at the Eugene regional in August between sessions I was
sitting on a couch looking over some bridge hands and he came over to
chat a bit with me. He is a top flight bridge player who always had time
for people with lesser skills.
He will be missed.
Gary Nitzberg
Carson City, NV |
Leah McKechnie:
We'll miss you, Dan. Right now we're imagining Dan making 7NT doubled
and redoubled against Oswald Jacoby and Barry Crane! |
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