A few words about Freddy's wake last night, for those who couldn't be there in person...
It was pretty intense.
Lot's of pool players/pool world people were there, and lots of Freddy's family members, and extended family were there. Also, touching, but very tough to see, was that aging George Pawelski, who was a top speed/all games player from Milwaukee during the 60's-80's, and one of Freddy's best old friends, is in the later stages of cancer, and looked to be weighing about 110 lbs. instead of the 180 lbs. as I always knew him - and he drove himself to Chicago in this condition so he could be at Freddy's wake and funeral.
At 7:00 people went up to talk about Freddy/share their rememberances. To start off, Larry Cox (a 70+ yr. old Chicago blues musician and Red Shoes Billiards regular) went up and performed a soft, beautiful requiem on his harmonica. Then Freddy's daughter spoke lovingly and tearfully of her father and all he meant to her, from childhood to adulthood...and she spoke again at the end. Billy Incardona went up next and gave a nice speech, very warm, but also with a little affectionate humor. Some family members also went up and spoke, including Freddy's sister. Then Angel went up and spoke, and she also read the touching farewell sent to her from Freddy's old and close friend Billy Smith.
But for me, the two speeches that got to me the most, were the bittersweet and extremely heartfelt words spoken by two of Freddy's oldest and closest friends, Peaches, and John (who lives with Freddy) telling among many other things, of their first meeting of Freddy, and also how Freddy helped them/was there for them at dark times in their lives...I used up as many kleenexes as did the old Italian ladies sitting in the first two rows of chairs.
RIP Freddy my old friend, Ghost
It was pretty intense.
Lot's of pool players/pool world people were there, and lots of Freddy's family members, and extended family were there. Also, touching, but very tough to see, was that aging George Pawelski, who was a top speed/all games player from Milwaukee during the 60's-80's, and one of Freddy's best old friends, is in the later stages of cancer, and looked to be weighing about 110 lbs. instead of the 180 lbs. as I always knew him - and he drove himself to Chicago in this condition so he could be at Freddy's wake and funeral.
At 7:00 people went up to talk about Freddy/share their rememberances. To start off, Larry Cox (a 70+ yr. old Chicago blues musician and Red Shoes Billiards regular) went up and performed a soft, beautiful requiem on his harmonica. Then Freddy's daughter spoke lovingly and tearfully of her father and all he meant to her, from childhood to adulthood...and she spoke again at the end. Billy Incardona went up next and gave a nice speech, very warm, but also with a little affectionate humor. Some family members also went up and spoke, including Freddy's sister. Then Angel went up and spoke, and she also read the touching farewell sent to her from Freddy's old and close friend Billy Smith.
But for me, the two speeches that got to me the most, were the bittersweet and extremely heartfelt words spoken by two of Freddy's oldest and closest friends, Peaches, and John (who lives with Freddy) telling among many other things, of their first meeting of Freddy, and also how Freddy helped them/was there for them at dark times in their lives...I used up as many kleenexes as did the old Italian ladies sitting in the first two rows of chairs.
RIP Freddy my old friend, Ghost
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