William Bill Dangelo

This is an extension of the Eulogy for “Bill” I presented during his November 21, 2015 service.

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First, thank you ALL for being here to help me celebrate the life & times of William F. Dangelo, always “Bill”. I have said over and again these recent weeks, your prayers, support and loving sentiments for Bill and me have been my light and solace. God Bless all of you.

To Reverend Jakob Hero, thank you for your inspirational and comforting words about Bill. The world is fortunate, indeed, that you were chosen to share God’s word and Love with all of us so that we, too, will find light and peace during our individual life-journey.

I want to make a shout-out to the Hillsboro/Dignity Memorial Staff. From the start when I met Andrew Hicks, who guided and counseled me through the planning process to Robert Lytle, Funeral Director, I knew I was in the “right” place for Bill – and me. When I stepped through your door fragile and broken-hearted, your time, understanding and patience have helped me heal and cherish the memories of time spent with Bill. Thank you for a beautiful service and special efforts to celebrate Bill’s life.

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Now, I would like to share thoughts and a celebration of the life and times of William Francis Dangelo. So…, if you will indulge me, I like to tell you a little more about the man I met 11 years ago, Bill Dangelo...

Bill was born April 29, 1948 and lived in Falmouth, MA, in a one-room log cabin, dirt floors, schooled himself by the light of a fireplace…oh, no, wait - so sorry, BILL... I got you beginnings and my “stories mixed up again about “heroes and humble beginnings”. Bill did not look anything like Abraham Lincoln!

John James Dangelo and Amelia Lillie Chaney are Bill’s Father and Mother. He told me his Mother was named after Amelia Earhart. His sister’s name is Patricia. Bill’s Father passed away unexpectedly in 1973 from a “massive heart attack playing golf one day. His Mother died a few years later, I believe. Bill was close to both Parents, from the stories he related to me over our years together. I know Bill had extended family relatives of both his parents. In finding out about Bill’s family and early life, however, I found out some things that certainly made me laugh and I did not know. Please read on.

Bill graduated in 1966 from The Cardinal Gibbons High School in Baltimore (aka, Crusaders) (he told, me, of course, stories about strict behavior guidelines in this Catholic- all boy’s high school. Knowing how impish he was, I can imagine the frequent reprimands he must have received from the Brothers and Nuns)!

I found the following information under his senior picture. First of all, not sure where the nickname “Dang” originated from, but that was his nickname! I never knew his nickname. The caption accompanying his senior picture reads: “Usually found on the track…Loves to bathe in Spaghetti…”I have to wait until I’m 18”…Linguist of all types…Schedule variant [now, I recognize the Bill I know – variant!]…wants to be a foreign translator…probably will marry Julie Andrews”. And some classmates wrote in his yearbook reminding him that they expected to attend the “marriage” to Ms. Andrews in the future. This reminds of a song sang to Bill in my most “perfect pitch” – NOT – Supercalifragilistic!! He was my own personal “Sound of Music”.

Bill graduated from the University MD-Baltimore Campus. He then went on to Graduate School receiving his Master’s Degree in May, 1977 for Arts in Teaching (Foreign Language from Bridgewater University. Bill was fluent in both Spanish and French. He traveled throughout Europe. He told me he taught for a while in high school but left the profession after finding “parents to be more difficult to deal with than teaching their kids”.

Bill moved to Florida, and was in a relationship with another “Bill” - Bill R – with this relationship lasting about 20 years. Sometime in the early 1980’s, they moved to Stowe, VT where they bought and ran a B&B Inn. Lots of hard work, he related to me over our years together when he was talking of the Inn experience. Unfortunately, they had to sell the Inn after some years. They moved back to Florida in the latter part of the 1980’s. Last year in 2015, before “my Bill” died, he found pictures of the Inn on line. The Inn and the surrounding area appeared so picturesque!

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So, in 2004, our story began, with our “chance” meeting on AUG 8, 2004.

After that initial encounter, I doubted he would call but we exchanged phone numbers anyway. He did call me a couple days later. Within a few weeks, and during the abnormal Florida hurricane season of 2004, we experienced 3 major hurricanes together. He quickly became “Dad-parent” to my beloved dogs, RIO and NICO. His years of support and love for those precious “kids” I shall always remember.

Other notable moments in our 11+ years together:

1. Key West for my DEC 6TH and my 50th birthday! We always tried to plan “a get-away” for our “five year” birthday celebrations. The best surprise -and my most wonderful birthday - was in 2009…my 55th birthday. Bill planned, quite under my radar, a visit to my hometown, Indianapolis, to see my first NFL game and our shared love for Peyton Manning - and Bill’s love for the Colts. He often bragged about his meeting Johnny Unitas, back in the day, and when Baltimore was the Colt’s home.

2. In 2005, we bought a town home in a new development in Riverview, VALHALLA. And this was where Bill and I formed and lived our life, loved and cried together, and where he unexpectedly passed away.

3. Carnival Cruise – 2007, first for me! Purchased our “commitment rings” in Cozumel. We did make it back home without a ship malfunction nor getting the NORO virus!  But, oh, what Bill had to do to calm me from a “first” separation from RIO and NICO (after seven years of not being away from them). I had more anxiety that the dogs did!!

4. 2008: To Phoenix, visiting my ASU Alma Mater in Tempe… then off to VEGAS!! New to him, Bill contracted “slot machine fever”. We got to see the BLUE MAN Group. He loved Vegas, as did I. However, Bill was not too keen about the arid desert life!

5. 2008: Our first D.C. visit together for my Diabetes Educator annual meeting. Little did Bill know that in 2014, he would become an “honorary” – though temporary - American Association of Diabetes Educator member, attending a morning session with me and then experiencing the Exposition & Exhibition Hall foods and assorted products.

Of course, I paid for him to attend these events with me for one day. The annual meeting always coincided near our August 8th anniversary date. In 2014, I wanted to be together during the meeting in Orlando, so he accompanied me to the meeting and thus, we could celebrate outside of the meeting.

Unfortunately, he was “expelled from the AADE in 2015” for not keeping up with CE needs and paying his annual dues! HA!!! We had many on-going laughs and teasing about his temporary “pseudo” stint as a Diabetes Educator!! HA-HA!

6. August 7, 2015, we decided to marry, just a day before our August 8, 2015 anniversary. We chose this date for a simple service performed by Hillsborough County. In 2015, August 8th fell on a Saturday and that is why we chose August 7th to do the simple ceremony. This simplicity reflects who we were, and not wanting anything more extravagant or public. After all, we always felt we did not need a piece of paper or anyone’s blessing to know our love and commitment. The awful coincidence is that, within 10 weeks, he would be gone. I am thankful that we made the decision to marry at the time we did, as the time to do so

would have been lost…forever.

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Hobbies he had and loved and other tidbits...

1. Travel (fortunate for me!).

2. Words and language (we both loved to play SCRABBLE – of which he won nearly all the time…though I did make it a challenge to get those many, many wins!); also, he was a masterful at CROSSWORD puzzles and in the last years, Words with Friends. He was so proud of his “top-ten” status.

3. SPORTS! Colts, Orioles, Ice Skating, Tennis (love you Venus and Serena Williams), and, yes, perpetual hope for the BUCS!

4. Employment: after returning from Vermont and the INN life: IT sales rep with FDN, NUVOX. I have displayed some of his “performance awards” over the years of sales…no doubt due to his warmth, humor, gregarious personality. These were also some of his traits I was so lucky to be showered with in our years together. Retired about 5 years ago just after the “great recession of 2008”. He managed to obtain some temporary employment since 2008, but not in his beloved field of which he was so adept and successful.

5. ANGELS!!! I always enjoyed, in my solo travels, finding an angel to bring home for him!

6. Psychics: loved anything and all about Psychics! He believed in some of their predictions…especially, often reminding me “our ship was due to come in”. In our home, he had accumulated. Loved to have his mind read, methinks.

To that end and while going through some of Bill’s personal effects after he died, I found a small business card on which he scribbled 4 items someone advised him to think about. Herein are those four “wishes”, which brings tears and wonderful memories of how he felt about himself – and us:

1. Instant and unimaginable wealth – set for life;

2. Excellent health – live to 100 years; cure my back pain;

3. Rob will be my life-long love, loving me and live as long as me; we will be extremely “happy” together;

4. “Together, we can – somehow – help others.

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In 2015, and because Bill enjoyed the ABC Series, “ONCE UPON A TIME”, I found a birthday card at the VA Patriot retail sore that displayed the show’s theme and décor. The sentiment seemed appropriate for him and his 67th birthday…as well as how I felt about Bill. Here is that sentiment:

Face of the card:

“Once Upon A Time You Were Born…

Inside of the card:

…and there was much rejoicing, for in one instant the world had become a more beautiful and magical place.”

Happy Birthday. Love, Rob.

In finding and reading all the 11 years of anniversary, birthday and holiday cards we exchanged, the one word consistently and frequently written on most of our cards was: “love you…forever”.

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To my dearest Bill: our 11 years together have been my blessing. You, indeed, lived up to your last name (Dangelo…“of angels”). Thank you, GOD, for sending me my ANGEL. I will miss you at my side, Bill. You were my love, my best friend, my confidant and my true soul-mate. Always remember: “together in life, in love, forever”...until I am lucky to be at your side again. Love, Rob.