A Message For My Football Friends in Section 37
In which Good Ol’ Schmoe writes a message to print and distribute at the Michigan - Notre Dame football game on September 12, 2009 in Michigan Stadium and does so.
Dear My Friends and Football Fans in Section 37,
Last week I arrived at my seats in Section 37, Row 21, Seat 9-12 with unfortunate and sad news. We had lost a friend, a family member, a University of Michigan graduate, and a fellow long time football season ticket holder for 27 years and all around UM sports nut.
Greg Galdes died on Sunday, July 26 2009. He leaves behind wife Cathy, daughters Yvonne (14) and Bethany (11), mother Virginia and father Charles. He is also survived by siblings Gary, Cheryl (Carlton Engstrom), Cynthia (Stefan Majlinger), Caroline (Chris Theodorovich) and Catherine (Chris Melody).
You may know Greg and my partner in crime all these years (20 of them in Section 37) as my little plastic horn blowing partner when UM scored. You may remember him as my “Cheaters!” cheer backup man. You may remember him as my Halloween Mask Game “twin” in our UM-ugly-football-player-face-masks every home game before Halloween. You may simply remember him as a fellow Michigan Football Fan. You may also remember him as the guy I may be found hugging with anxious trepidation and fear for many a late Michigan field goal attempt. I remember him as a lifelong friend from Little League days through college days and onto the later days of growing older but not up.
Through it all, we went to UM Football games together.
I want to thank all of you, who had to find out so suddenly and cruelly last week as a new season of happiness dawned for us, for offering your condolences. I also want to extend my condolences to you, for Greg was part of each every one of our Football Saturdays. In this we share memories and, along with his brother Gary in the seat next to me, will continue to honor them each and every Michigan Football Saturday.
You may want to visit the website www.nothingbutmonkeys.com to view a slideshow video produced by Greg’s lifelong friends.
Meanwhile, let me also offer ways to follow any other information about Greg and humanize him some more. Greg was also my golf partner for 18 years in our league, the Fore Skins Golf League. Together, we designed the logo, the Fore Skin Cup, and the framework of scoring and camaraderie that the league mandates today. Please feel free to visit www.fsgl.net and enjoy our logo here (it is just a men’s golf league, no disrespect intended).
Greg was also an integral part of the only Jimmy Buffett podcast in the world: Wastin’ Away on the North Coast. We are available on iTunes and at our website www.wastinaway.net. Greg’s voice can be heard before his untimely death. Needless to say, the Jimmy Buffett halftime by our very own Michigan Marching Band was emotional for Greg’s friends that were here that day.
Thank you for your time…and…GO BLUE!
Joe “Schmoe” Taschler
Dearborn, Michigan on September 11, 2009
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Facebook: facebook.com/Schmoe
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