Sunday, March 20, 2016
Bill was my “first” first cousin. Throughout our childhood we lived within one hundred miles of each other and our common grandparents. We saw each other several times a year. I have fond memories of playing touch football in the backyard with our younger brothers, David and Henry.
For the past 40 years we have lived 2000 miles apart and the opportunities to see each other have been fewer and farther between. However, the affinity remained and has been carried into the next generation through our eldest children. My daughter Bennett became close friends with Jared and Yom when they were all living in New York City in their early twenties and later Bennett was a bridesmaid in their wedding.
Bill had a special place in my mother’s bubbameises, which attached a magical importance to holding an infant. My mother attributed the conception of my sister Rachel (who is reading this for me) to having held Bill shortly after his birth, July 2, 1950. Rachel was born May 8, 1951. Do the math, ten months after Bill’s birth.
Bill reminded me a great deal of our common grandfather, Jacob Ritvo. Both were warm, generous, outgoing men with infectious enthusiasm for life and deep commitment to and love for their families. And both were deeply loved by their families.
Like Grandpa Jake, Bill’s grandchildren, Poppy and Ollie, were the light of his life. I wish he could have been part of their lives longer so they could remember their grandfather as well as we five cousins remembered Grandpa Jake.
And Bill, like Grandpa Jake, had a great sense of humor. He also had the wonderful ability to use his humor at times of sadness, even loss. At the time of his mother’s funeral, Bill captured the contrast of her verbosity and his father’s quiet reserve by imagining his father saying that the 5 years of peace and quiet he had enjoyed in the grave had come to an end.
I was fortunate to be able to visit Bill and Janis twice in the past year, once with my wife Joanne. I was moved and inspired by the love and commitment that Janis, Jared and Derek showed in taking care of Bill. In particular, I want to share our appreciation and admiration for Janis who moved heaven and earth to bring Bill back home and to take care him at home after he had lost the ability to walk and to stand on his own. By so doing, she gave Bill one of life’s greatest blessings: to be able to spend one’s last days at home surrounded by a loving family.
Our family (Bennett, Jared, Alexis, Joanne and I) wish we could be with all of you to celebrate the life of a real mensch, our beloved cousin, Bill Fox.
Jonathan Ritvo
