Previous entries have been moved to the Journal as I was running out of space here - you can get to the Journal by clicking on "Author Journal" to the left of Tim's picture above.
November 1, 2008: It's hard to believe that it's been a year since Tim passed away. The girls and I have made it through our year of "firsts". I can't tell you that it has been easy without him, or as much fun. We miss him dearly and remember him often. As we were picking out pumpkins this Halloween on a beautiful Sunday afternoon with Allison's boyfriend Alex along, we remembered the year Tim let the girls chuck the carved pumpkins out of the upstairs bedroom window after Halloween . . . just to see them splat. We all laughed together remembering him. He was a fun guy and the girls have lots of memories that will always be a part of them.
We've kept busy since my last entry in May. In July my Mom treated us to a week long Caribbean cruise. My two brothers, sister-in-law, niece, Mom and the 3 of us enjoyed Royal Caribbean's largest and newest ship Liberty. It was quite an experience. Then in August we made our annual 2 week visit to Massachusetts and Maine with Tim's family. We enjoyed the prime rib dinner during the Ranslow reunion weekend. The weather was much cooler and rainy this year, but the wild blueberry picking was prime.
During the summer we did a lot of weekends at our camp at Red Jacket Yacht Club, but found that it was just not the same without Tim. I also didn't feel as comfortable with all the maintenance aspects of the trailer as Tim took care of everything there. So by mid August we reached a decision to sell the trailer and didn't have any trouble finding a buyer. We enjoyed Labor Day weekend there as our final stay. We may consider remaining social members that would let us go there on a daily basis.
In August Allison was allowed to begin playing soccer again following her ACL replacement surgery last December. She made the Varsity team and had to wear a brace while playing. She did great until the 10th game on September 26th where she injured her other knee. An MRI confirmed that she had torn her other ACL and will have to have replacement surgery on November 21st. It's hard to believe that she is going through this again and that it probably means her soccer career is over. It has been quite disappointing for her, but she has remained active with the team who is doing quite well in their Class A sectional playoffs. They beat the 1st and 5th seeds (they are the 8th seed) and will be playing for the Class A Championship today.
Madison started Middle School this year and has really enjoyed the change. She continues to play travel soccer, playing the Oboe and is in Select Chorus. She also helped out with Allison's Varsity Soccer team being the ball girl at all of their home games.
I'm currently taking a 9 week jewelry making class at our Art Museum and really enjoying it. We have learned how to enamel on copper, form a ring from silver wire, cut sheet silver and fabricate using solder. Next week we'll learn how to bezel set a stone. I think this is just what I needed to jump start me back with the silver clay I enjoyed several years ago.
We recently hosted Amandine, a French foreign exchange student for 10 days. There were 26 French students who came and stayed with students from the 2 Pittsford High Schools. It really worked out well, she was a lovely girl and the kids did a lot of activities together and seemed to really enjoy getting to know each other. Allison will stay with Amandine's family when she travels to France during Spring break.
In early October my niece Laura came and stayed with the girls while I went to New York City to do my 6th Avon walk for breast cancer. It was another great 39 miles adventure and a great way to remember my sister Susan. I have some wonderful friends from CT that I walk with and although I only see them once a year we have great fun.
Allison got her drivers license in July and has enjoyed driving some by herself. Of course she's not too happy that I make her use the van. Most days she's trying to convince me we should get a different car . . . I keep telling her "we'll see" . . .
During this year I have realized how our lives have been forever blessed and enriched for having the honor of knowing and loving Tim. He is forever part of our souls and I see him each time I look at Allison and Madison. I truly am a better person for having shared part of my life with him. He was a special person who will never be forgotten. Thank you for continuing to remember Tim by visiting this site.
"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us." ~ Helen Keller
"To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die." ~ Thomas Campbell
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Tim Ranslow was born on February 18, 1956 to Jim & Viola Ranslow. He was the middle son with an older brother Tom and younger brother Ron. He was born in Woonsocket, RI but resided in Millville, MA. He lived in Millville all through his school years, playing little league baseball and actively participating in the boy scouts. After finishing High School he attended Fitchburg State College, graduating in 1978. After graduation he moved to Providence, RI, bought his first home and worked for IBM as an Inventory Control & Customer Service Analyst. In 1986 he made a big move to Atlanta, GA to work for the newly formed NYNEX Business Center as a Project Manager. The move to Atlanta opened up a whole new chapter in his life. There he met his love, Linda. They met through a mutual friend that had worked with Linda at Xerox and was now working at NYNEX with Tim. They meet, started dating and soon fell in love. Their romance lead to a marriage proposal and they were married in Atlanta in 1988. Their marriage and relationship was filled with such mutual love. They enjoyed being together and traveled on many trips together. They had a fabulous circle of friends in Atlanta that would gather weekly to enjoy dinners together and outings.
The next milestone happened in 1992 when Tim and Linda were blessed with the birth of their first child, Allison on January 2nd. It was all good, but life would never be the same . . . it just kept getting better. It was so nice too that Tim was "between jobs" when Allison was born and got to be home with Linda all through her maternity leave. It was the best! Even after Linda went back to work, Tim continued for a while as the stay at home Dad - what a treat! When Allison was just 10 months old they moved from Atlanta to Rochester, NY. Linda got a promotion with Xerox and the move got them just about 1/2 way between both families with Linda's family in Cleveland and Tim's family in Millville. It worked out great - Rochester is a great family town and travel at the holidays to visit family was less than a 1/2 day in either direction. After the move Tim ended up landing a job with Xerox and then in 1994 LPA Software. Life for the Ranslows in Rochester with Allison was so much fun.
When Allison was 5 years old the next chapter unfolded with the birth of their 2nd daughter, Madison on January 13th. When Madison was 18 months old the Ranslows found the perfect summer camping experience with the Red Jacket Yacht Club located on Cayuga Lake (one of the beautiful NY Finger Lakes). RJYC is a small camping community where the Ranslows enjoyed every available weekend in the summer camping and boating.
Tim was quite the Father - he spent so much time enjoying being with his children. The girls are both involved in soccer and Tim was always there to practice with them in the yard, attend their games and encourage them. He loved to ride his bicycle and family rides were often enjoyed along the Erie Canal or around the neighborhood. He was definitely the Captain of their pontoon boat and loved to take it on the lake and take the girls and their friends tubing. The whole family also snow skied and it was Tim who generally encouraged the next outing to the local ski resort. Summers are remembered for the annual family trip to Mass. & Maine for the annual Ranslow Reunion at his brother vacation home on Mirror Lake. The girls really have grown up there with us having made our 15th visit this past summer. We also started taking family vacations to Florida during the girls Spring breaks and they enjoyed a couple of trips to the keys to go snorkeling, boating and site seeing. There was also a fabulous trip to Disney World that will be unforgettable.
He was the best Husband any women could ever have dreamed for. We were lovers, friends and buddies and nothing gets better than having all of that. We loved each other very deeply and shared a bond that is eternal. We loved to do so many things together and having our children only added to the joy and love we shared.
Tim was a special friend to many. In all the years I've known Tim I can't think of anyone who met him that didn't like him. Tim was just one of those people you meet and you like. He was easy to get to know, not pretentious, always there to lend a helping hand or to share a laugh. If something or someone needed his help he was there, whether that was helping a colleague at work or pitching in at the camp club, around the neighborhood, or with the girls' sports. We went to Mass. this summer and enjoyed an afternoon and dinner with several of his High School and College buddies. Everyone remembers Tim no matter how much time passes. Even though it's hard to keep in close contact with everyone it seemed like time didn't get in the way of holding their friendships in tact.
Tim cherished his family even though he had moved away. We stayed in touch with family by making periodic trips at Christmas and in the summer. Family occasionally came to visit us too. We have such fond memories of special times together sharing lots of fun times. Often our family trips were centered around a visit back home or to connect with his special cousin Anna when we made our Florida trips. He also took advantage of visiting out of town family when he traveled for work. Times spent with family were important to Tim and quite enjoyable. Some of our best memories include family outings and trips.
Tim's whole world changed in January, 2007. The holidays of 2006 were enjoyed without any issues. In fact I had written in our Ranslow Christmas card note how truly blessed we were as Tim was able to have "retired" in June and I had already "retired" in 2004 - life couldn't get much better. Unfortunately, it could get much worse and did in January. Tim started to experience severe headaches and vision problems. Numerous visits to his primary care physician and then eye specialist finally lead us to a neuro-opthamologist at the end of February. He ordered an MRI which discovered a brain tumor located mid brain and inoperable. It was also stage IV with a prognosis of about 12 months. Although the initial shock of his diagnosis hit us hard, Tim maintained a positive outlook throughout his radiation and chemo treatments in March and April. Then in May we found out he had suffered a DVT (deep vein thrombosis) blood clot in his leg which lead to parts of it breaking off into his lungs. At that point it was touch and go, but he survived that ordeal to come home assisted with oxygen and put on twice daily injections of blood thinners. Later in the summer we were able to transition from the injections to pills which made things so much more comfortable. He then started monthly cycles of 5 days of chemo pills followed by 23 days off. He was able to complete 4 cycles. Then in October Tim really slowed down and was extremely fatigued sleeping most of the time. After a short hospital stay in mid October it was discovered that his tumor was growing and that there was a new one in another part of his brain. Unfortunately, we had reached a point where further treatment would not be productive. Tim came home from the hospital under support from Hospice where Linda and the girls cared for him until he passed away November 1st. Throughout Tim's battle with his cancer he remained positive and tried to participate in family activities as he was able. He was there when Allison scored her 1st varsity soccer goal and that was very special.
We are so grateful for all the time we were blessed to share with such a wonderful person as Tim. He will forever be remembered, cherished and loved. His kindness, warmth and overall "good guy" mannerisms will always be an inspiration to all who had the pleasure of meeting him along life's journey.
Until we meet again we love you always!
LINDA, ALLISON & MADISON
