The Saddest News Of My Life

[Bigaldoc]

Billie Jo Locker Hoffman
1934 - 2010

My beloved Billie, wife, partner, and friend for almost 48 years, and mother of our only son Albert, has passed away early this morning! God has taken her to her eternal Heavenly reward and we will miss her love and presence forever forward!

Our Hospice of the Bluegrass team kept her as comfortable and pain free as possible and Albert and I sat by her side as much as we could during her final time on earth.

Please pray with us that Billie will now experience comfort with the angels, be able to "cook, read books, befriend, sew and comfort" others in her new Heavenly home. She is, and was, a unique "Southern lady" who knew not an enemy in the world.

I will love and cherish her ALWAYS and I will hopefully join her in the future!

Big Al

[HansV]

Dear Al,

Your posts about Billie over the years, in Woody's Lounge and now here, have always shown how much you loved her, and with how much love you cared for her. I cannot imagine how difficult this loss must be for you.

Although her physical form has gone on, she will live on in the memories of those who loved her; I hope those memories will help you in the difficult time ahead.

I wish you and yours strength, and my thoughts will be with you.

[Leif]

Dear Al,

Please accept my sincere condolences to you and your family. I wish you all every strength at this time.

[ChrisGreaves]

My beloved Billie, wife, partner, and friend for almost 48 years, and mother of our only son Albert, has passed away early this morning!

Dear Al, my heart goes out to you. Loss of a loved one is not easy to bear, and sometimes our only comfort is knowing that others have trod this path before us, as I'm sure you and Billie have done together in the past.
I am sure that you are in the hearts of many loungers here.

[JoeP]

Al,

I'm very sorry to read this. I too recall the many posts from you that showed how much you loved her. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

Joe

[Claude]

Dear Al,

My sincere condolences to you and your family. Wishing you all the best in these difficult times, take care!

Claude.

[StuartR]

Al,

I was so sad to read your news. Although we have never met I feel that I have been your friend for a long time, and I would like to offer my sincere condolences.

We all know what Billie meant to you, the love shone out every time you mentioned her in any of your posts. I do hope that this love, and the memories you have of the good times, will sustain you in this difficult time.

[Goshute]

Al, this is a very sad time for you, and my thoughts are with you. We all know how much you loved and adored Billie, and your actions taking such special care of her show how much you cared.

I know this will seem like strange advice, but in times of grief, people sometimes lose their way, so please also take care of yourself, you have friends and family who appreciate you, and want you well.

[Rebel]

Al,
I was deeply saddened reading your news this morning. There are no "right" words to say at a time like this, and I can only add my condolences and support to you and your family. No words can ease the grief and the emptiness that you must be feeling. God bless you Al, and may God give you the strength and the courage to cope with Billie's passing.

[Samantha]

Al, I can only echo all the sentiments that have been expressed here already. You devotion to Billie has always been evident, and although you've known this day was coming, it doesn't make it any easier to bear. My heart goes out to you, my friend.

[John Gray]

Al

So sorry to hear your news, but so glad that the family was with her at the end. You were such a close couple that the wrench was even worse. I hope you will remember her as she was, and have only good memories of how things were...

[TonyE]

Al, you have my sincere condolences. My thoughts are with you and your family.

[geedeearr]

Al,
Please accept my sincere condolences. As others have posted, it was very easy to see the love, joy and affection you have for Billie. All my best for you and your family through this difficult time.

[DaveA]

My sincere condolences to you and your family. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

[Carol W.]

Please accept my sincere condolences.

48 years with the love of your life. How I envy you.

[Skitterbug]

Dear Al

I am so very sorry to hear that Billie has left you - physically! She will be with you always and forever!

Love and prayers to you and your family

Sandy

[steveh]

Hi Big Al

Sorry about your news, I can only excho the thoughts of the people above and I too feel I have known her for a long time through the different reincarnations of the lounge

God bless

[Charlotte]

Al,

You and your son have incredible memories of Billie to cherish even though she is no longer here to trigger them. Share those with one another, laugh and cry together, and treat yourself and each other gently. There is no "cure" for the pain, because that pain is necessary in order to recognize and accept what you've lost; but I'm sure you already know that the rawness of that pain decreases with time.

Remember Billie with love and remember that your friends in Eileen's Lounge are always here for you.

[viking33]

Al,
We have always been "good buddies" over the years, even though we have never met in person. We have exchanged thoughts and ideas and expressed ourselves in many good ways. I can only state my deepest sorrow over the loss of Billie. I cannot imagine just how lost you feel at this time. I know, ALL of the people in the Lounge join in wishing you strength and comfort in the coming time.
Stay strong, soldier!

[Bigaldoc]

Thank you friends, one and all, for the kind and loving thoughts. I will cherish them always too!

It's only been ten hours ago, so I'm still crying as I write to you and others. When I came home I'm much in need of sleep but I can't do it yet, so I'm about to take a hot shower and try a needed trip to the grocery to see if the diversion will help calm me down.

Our son has been wonderful, standing by mine and Billie's side while she struggled with breathing yesterday and this morning. Thank God she was in no pain and departed peacefully. When we parted at the nursing home this morning he too was gonna go home to see if he could crash for a little sleep. But I just got an email saying he couldn't do it either, so he went outside and cut his grass. That's what made me think to go on to the store.

Thanks again everyone. You, my Lounge friends are a treasure!