Remembering
October 16, 2007 at 5:00 am (Poetry)
The sound of your deep voice
Producing smiles everywhere around you
Your laughter…
We looked up to you
Didn’t you know?
The weight of your words
Didn’t you see?
Wisdom without flaunting it
Courage dismissed
Making people feel
Appreciated
Important
Respected
Valued
All along, YOU were these things to everyone who knew you.
And still are.
Don’t you know?
In memory of Charles “Chip” Roland Leutz
October 4, 1950 – October 16, 2006
Travis said,
November 28, 2007 at 1:58 pm
I was googling Chip’s name and came across his death notice. I was shocked and saddened. Chip worked for me in the late 80′s and early 90′s in San Luis Obispo, CA. I am an owner of a security guard service and Chip was my manager. He left us to take another job in 1996. Six months after leaving he just vanished. He got up on Christmas morning and left his wife and job. I got one note from him about six months later. I never heard another word. I am curious to hear what he did for the last 10 years of his life. I can see he made it up to the Yukon. I can only hope he found peace.
yukonchatterbug said,
November 28, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Hi Travis,
Unfortunately, Chip never did make it to the Yukon, though I kept encouraging him to come up. He would have liked it here, with his love for the outdoors, kayaking and the like. I met Chip through the brokerage company we worked for; I was in Toronto at the time and he in Victoria, BC, and we became very good friends. He had a presence that was hard to miss with his frame, his sense of humour, and a great laugh. The people he worked with in Victoria were very fond of him and considered him a friend more than a co-worker. He always managed to make people smile. We were very touched by his friendship and miss him greatly.
Carole
Travis said,
November 29, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Carole,
Thanks for the reply. I feel very sad with the knowledge of his passing. His obit didn’t mention what he died from or any family. I know he had two children. Working at a Brokerage company suprised me. Most of his experience was in law enforcement. However, Chip was extremely intelligent and could have done anything. I guess I’m trying to get a read on what his last 10 years were like. From your poem it seems you had a deep attachment to Chip. Any information you could provide would be geatly appreciated.
Travis
yukonchatterbug said,
December 1, 2007 at 5:25 pm
I’ll send you a note.
Trina said,
July 21, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Travis and Carole,
I only just found this now. That poem is beautiful. It says it all.
I hope one of you can get in touch with me. Travis, I tried to figure out how to contact you. Chip had so many stories from that time. I can fill in some blanks maybe. We were engaged when he passed away.
T