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The Whole Famn Damily
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Eddie & Lisa...deceased
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Dad..deceased & Mom
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All of us...the intermediate family...
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Daniel Joseph DesRosiers
Jan. 22, 1957 Nov. 12, 1978
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(2/2)
This is from an email from a cousin of mine.
"When my family travels to DC this spring, we will be placing two flags on a Remembrance Wall at the National Epilepsy Walk; one for my grandmother and one for Danny. The display is not permanent, just a tribute for the day. The flags are simple, measuring 6 1/4" x 4" and able to be decorated or written upon on a blank side. Traditionally, people write about their loved one lost and their connection, etc. Would your family like to have Danny's flag to note upon and send back to me to be placed on the Remembrance Wall? I would be very happy to mail it over and then someone could manage it and get it back to me by March 15th. This entire event is a once-in-a-lifetime moment for our family and I wanted to also offer this special opportunity to Danny's family, your family, as well. Discuss it with your people and let me know."
Daniel Joseph DesRosiers Jan. 22, 1957 Nov. 12, 1978
Dan was the eldest son of Rene Joseph and Shirley June (Hunnell) DesRosiers and the eldest brother to Michele Marie Rooney, Elisa Anne Carroll, Theresa Marie DesRosiers, Louis DesRosiers, Barbara Ellen Oakley, Gisele Rene DesRosiers, and two siblings who died at birth.
Dan was oxygen- deprived at birth, which is believed to have been the cause of his epilepsy. Growing up in Blair, Neb., he was no different than other boy for most of his youth. We recall Dan s fondness for Oreos, Almond Joys, DoubleMint gum, and Country Captain, a steak dish with a tomato sauce. He was a fan of a variety of sports and teams including the Blair Bears, the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Green Bay Packers, and the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. In his free time, he was often found at the ball field less than a block from our childhood home, where he kept score for the local softball and baseball teams, and often did the same for professional games broadcast on television. Like many young boys, he collected coins and baseball cards, and delivered newspapers on his red, Schwinn bicycle. Hey Jude by The Beatles was his favorite song.
Christmas was always a festive time in our home. Dan showed his holiday spirit each year as he would spend hours cutting, assembling and stringing together numerous yards of red and green construction paper chains to literally deck the halls of our home. He did the same by folding gum wrappers like links on a chain and strung those around the house as well.
It wasn t until his teenage years, when we discover we re different, that Dan s struggles began to surface with regular occurrences of grand mal seizures. At the time, there was very little known about epilepsy or its treatment. His seizures were often unexpected, out of his control and traumatic for both him and others around him. Taunted by his peers, he retreated socially crawling into a shell, rarely allowing anyone to get close or see the beautiful person he truly was.
Still he had a playful streak about him, which was evident by the Cheshire cat grin he wore when he was up to some form of mischief. Mom laughs as she recalls the time the high school principal called home to inform her that Dan should not bring eggs to school anymore Dan had enough taunting and teasing one day, so he had brought an egg to school, placed it in the shirt pocket of an antagonistic schoolmate, and then proceeded to smash it. There was also the time that Dan and his younger brother Louis stuffed toothpicks into their sister Lisa s cigarettes. They laughed and chuckled about it, until Mom caught on and forced their confession, though Lisa never caught on. Dan may have been ornery, but he was passive and never prone to violence.
Despite the constant struggles brought on by his epilepsy, Dan persevered and was proud when he got his high school diploma. At the time of his passing, he was studying to become an accountant.
These are just a few of the memories we have of Dan. We were all so young when he passed into God s welcoming embrace. Though we miss him dearly, we take comfort knowing that he will never be taunted, teased, or troubled by the earthly pains he so gracefully endured. We ll meet again one day, and we know he ll be there to greet us alongside Dad, Lisa and the rest of our bunch. Until that time, Dan s memory lives on in the hearts of his friends and family.
Daniel Joseph DesRosiers Jan. 22, 1957 Nov. 12, 1978
Dan was the eldest son of Rene Joseph and Shirley June (Hunnell) DesRosiers and the eldest brother to Michele Marie Rooney, Elisa Anne Carroll, Theresa Marie DesRosiers, Louis DesRosiers, Barbara Ellen Oakley, Gisele Rene DesRosiers, and two siblings who died at birth.
Dan was oxygen- deprived at birth, which is believed to have been the cause of his epilepsy. Growing up in Blair, Neb., he was no different than other boy for most of his youth. We recall Dan s fondness for Oreos, Almond Joys, DoubleMint gum, and Country Captain, a steak dish with a tomato sauce. He was a fan of a variety of sports and teams including the Blair Bears, the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Green Bay Packers, and the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. In his free time, he was often found at the ball field less than a block from our childhood home, where he kept score for the local softball and baseball teams, and often did the same for professional games broadcast on television. Like many young boys, he collected coins and baseball cards, and delivered newspapers on his red, Schwinn bicycle. Hey Jude by The Beatles was his favorite song.
Christmas was always a festive time in our home. Dan showed his holiday spirit each year as he would spend hours cutting, assembling and stringing together numerous yards of red and green construction paper chains to literally deck the halls of our home. He did the same by folding gum wrappers like links on a chain and strung those around the house as well.
It wasn t until his teenage years, when we discover we re different, that Dan s struggles began to surface with regular occurrences of grand mal seizures. At the time, there was very little known about epilepsy or its treatment. His seizures were often unexpected, out of his control and traumatic for both him and others around him. Taunted by his peers, he retreated socially crawling into a shell, rarely allowing anyone to get close or see the beautiful person he truly was.
Still he had a playful streak about him, which was evident by the Cheshire cat grin he wore when he was up to some form of mischief. Mom laughs as she recalls the time the high school principal called home to inform her that Dan should not bring eggs to school anymore Dan had enough taunting and teasing one day, so he had brought an egg to school, placed it in the shirt pocket of an antagonistic schoolmate, and then proceeded to smash it. There was also the time that Dan and his younger brother Louis stuffed toothpicks into their sister Lisa s cigarettes. They laughed and chuckled about it, until Mom caught on and forced their confession, though Lisa never caught on. Dan may have been ornery, but he was passive and never prone to violence.
Despite the constant struggles brought on by his epilepsy, Dan persevered and was proud when he got his high school diploma. At the time of his passing, he was studying to become an accountant.
These are just a few of the memories we have of Dan. We were all so young when he passed into God s welcoming embrace. Though we miss him dearly, we take comfort knowing that he will never be taunted, teased, or troubled by the earthly pains he so gracefully endured. We ll meet again one day, and we know he ll be there to greet us alongside Dad, Lisa and the rest of our bunch. Until that time, Dan s memory lives on in the hearts of his friends and family.
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This is part of my extended disfunctional family:Jeff (Lurch), Jeff (JC), & Me. We three morons sort of grew up together.
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(1/2)Bluelou, Lisa, & Pat
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(2/2)This photo was taken at an Easter party held at the request of my sister Lisa. Another sister photo-shopped the hat on my sister as well as merging the photos together. Lisa wanted to have the family together for Easter cake and ice cream. She was big into holiday celebrations. Held at the hospital, it was the last time our family was together until her funeral held 9/13/11. Lisa, 51, died 9/7 after a two and a half year bout with cancer. She'd have turned 52 the day before Halloween. Lisa's birth was induced so her doctor could go to a Nebraska football game. She smoked cigarettes but quit too late. When first diagnosed, she refused the doctor's advice of putting her into a hospice. Even during her latter days, I believe she was laughing inside at those who predicted her pending death...each and every day. Cancer may have taken her body but it didn't take her spirit.
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As a toddler, I was always to be found digging in the back yard with my Tonka trucks. Ma would say, "You're gonna dig your way to China." Look Ma! I Made It!
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What family photo would exist without Mr. Ed? He Lives! Mr Ed & Bluelou for the Cubbies & Dodgers Spring Baseball Game
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This is my Ma on her 80th birthday. She refuses to believe she's 'old'.
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If you didn t read the 2013 Best of the BLT, it s still not too late. You didn t learn of my early Christmas present; my first grand-nephew, Landon John, born December 12, 2013 to my niece Daniele and her husband Adam. I got a Facebook pre-birth notice from her mother followed by a phone call from her mother and my mother about two hours after his birth. My how technology changes things! It would have taken a couple of weeks just a couple of decades ago just to find out in a letter but I m getting phone calls and Facebook photos just hours afterwards. Daniele and I even had a video conference with Landon who stayed awake for some of our chat.
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Ma, Bluelou, and Landon John...I ve had a couple of Skype video chats with my niece and her newborn son but this was my first time we d seen each other since her wedding. As I ve written, I m a great marginal uncle.
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You can't really go wrong with baby photos and this photo is no exception. Born May 3, 2017, this is Creighton Joseph Wright, son of Crash, my niece! I'm Creighton's great marginal uncle.
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Kyra, the dog, and Lyla, the child, having a nap.
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Bluelou, the great marginal uncle, had a popcorn feast with his great-niece Lyla with Zoey, the dog, playing the ground crew out of sight, making certain that any popcorn on the floor didn't become a slip hazard.
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Christmas 2023 - Landon, Crash, Creighton, Adam, and Preston Wright
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Katie and Milo
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Covid 19 Bluelou
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Ma's 89th birthday party with COVID 19 distancing to boot (at least for Ma)...Tyler, Michele, Ma, Alan, Theresa, and that's Bluelou on the smart phone!
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Chatting with Ma
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The 3 Homies, Jeff, Mr. Ed (left), and Bluelou having a COVID Conference...
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Bluelou (aka...the Desrajneesh) & The Rahajneesch, another brother from another mother, Circa 2010 at the Big 12 championship where their beloved Huskers lost 9-3.
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Bluelou, JC, & Lurch...Bluelou's Tavern On The Green is 24-7-365
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Preston James Wright, Son of Crash and Adam Wright - Born 1-Mar-21 @02:30...Bluelou...the great marginal uncle.
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Maisie Lynn Moore, daughter of Jess and Tyler Moore born 28-Sep-21...Bluelou...the great marginal uncle.
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A boy and his mom...March 2022
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Easton Michael Dobson, son of Margaret and Josh Dobson born 28-July-22. Easton was born by C-section a day after his mom's birthday. That's a nice birthday present even if the stork was a day late...Bluelou...the great marginal uncle.
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My bad...what collection of family photos would be complete without the Mushroom Brothers? I can't think of one.
