skaukatt
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I didn't know where to put this post but I would be remiss not to share this with fellow pipe smokers. I received word yesterday that my lifelong friend, who was as close as a brother to me, Fred Alvarez passed away suddenly in his sleep at the too, too early age of 53. He leaves behind a loving wife and 4 children ranging in ages from 21 to 13 yrs. Some here perhaps might have known Fred from the NYC / Queens area, though he never posted here or anywhere online for that matter. I cannot begin to express the grief that I feel.
Fred and I became friends in 1976 (I say lifelong friend and brother because it was as if we had lived through many lifetimes together experiencing and enduring through so many of life's trials, pitfalls, joys and sorrows) and it wasn't until 1977 that we discovered that, unbeknownst to each other at the time, we both fell in love with the allure of the briar and leaf. Once discovered, the rest as they say is history and we shared many, many, many a bowl and tobacco and hours and hours of traversing through pipe shops from NYC to Long Island (when a few more than now existed). We attended the very first NY Pipe Show together in 1993. He was my first friend in the hobby who just happened to have become my best friend and as close to me as a brother.
Though he moved to "upstate" NY in the mid to late 1990's we stayed in touch maintaining contact via phone, email or text and the families saw each other over the remaining years.
And so it is with deep sadness that I report the untimely passing of my dearest friend. As fellow pipe smokers I can bet that you too might have a friend who is as close as a brother or sister with whom you share the same passion for our noble hobby and appreciate their kinship. I certainly did.
RIP my friend, you will be dearly missed...
Fred and I became friends in 1976 (I say lifelong friend and brother because it was as if we had lived through many lifetimes together experiencing and enduring through so many of life's trials, pitfalls, joys and sorrows) and it wasn't until 1977 that we discovered that, unbeknownst to each other at the time, we both fell in love with the allure of the briar and leaf. Once discovered, the rest as they say is history and we shared many, many, many a bowl and tobacco and hours and hours of traversing through pipe shops from NYC to Long Island (when a few more than now existed). We attended the very first NY Pipe Show together in 1993. He was my first friend in the hobby who just happened to have become my best friend and as close to me as a brother.
Though he moved to "upstate" NY in the mid to late 1990's we stayed in touch maintaining contact via phone, email or text and the families saw each other over the remaining years.
And so it is with deep sadness that I report the untimely passing of my dearest friend. As fellow pipe smokers I can bet that you too might have a friend who is as close as a brother or sister with whom you share the same passion for our noble hobby and appreciate their kinship. I certainly did.
RIP my friend, you will be dearly missed...
