I met Ivan in 1980 when I first started working for the Army in DEH. He was married at the time and after few years I always remember seeing him in his Volvo 240 and the two toeheads(Adrian and Oliver). He divorced in 1993 and I divorced in 1991. We started dating in 1995 and got married in 1998. Through the years it was a roller coaster of good times and sometimes not. The boys finished college, Oliver got married and we both fell in love with Leah. His health issues started in 2002. With all the up and downs of our relationship we enjoyed Charlie our dog that he put to sleep on December 2001. We travelled to Panama several times. We also went to Argentina, where he took me to Patagonia and we saw the Wales mating just sitting on the beach. We both like the Ocean, El Valle, Isla Grande, Portobelo, fishing until I got Sea Sick(ask Kenny in Heaven). We both enjoy dancing and going out to dinner. We left Panama in August 1999 after he retired and I came to SOUTHCOM with a promotion. I was so home sick for the first 6 months and I remembered on Sunday evenings watching movies and just relaxing. I used to tell him, "honey how come I did this to you, we should have never left Panama and he said honey do not worry is going to be OK." We lived in Germany for 4 years, 3 Months and 19 days. He used to call Germany the Frozen Wasteland, while he was there he worked as a Contractor for the CAC Implementation. Additionally, he worked for the PX as a Contractor in addition to that he took tons of beautiful pictures for Panama News. We visited 12 Countries and thanks to Marina and Manfred our good German friends we visited Germany from North to South and East to West. They took us to cities and restaurants were you did not find Americans. Marina and Manfred gave us a flavor of Germany that was not a typical American taste. I loved my husband and he always going to be in my heart. One time Lily Palm(RIP) before we left Panama in 1999 told me one day when we were having Lunch in a Mexican Restaurant in el Dorado how smart he was. It was in the process of closing the bases USARSO that everybody realized that he was the smartest man in USARSO and I felt so PROUD.
I met Ivan thorugh Liza, whom I worked with in Heidelberg, Germany. I remember Ivan was a sweet, talkative, good natured man who always doted on his beloved wife. My husband and I were very sad to hear his passing. We really enjoyed his company.
ReplyDeleteRest in Peace Ivan. Till we see you again.
Cliff & Missy