We Love You Monkee, Oh Yes We Do
It is with great sadness we share the news that Paul Graboff, known lovingly as “Monkee” to so many of us, has slipped from this life and passed to the great beyond. Having sustained longer than many with his disease, Paul fought, cajoled, humored, and ignored when possible, the difficulties that accompanied pancreatic cancer. He so happily lived to enjoy his 50th birthday party celebration in late June, surrounded by many Echo Hill friends and held a stone’s throw from Camp, at the Inn at Mitchell House.
His gifts to us were many: His smiling turtle face, his harmonic voice, the gentle strumming of his guitar, and most of all, his kind and infectious personality. Monkee’s humor was always warm, poking fun at himself as much as at anyone else. With a twinkle in his eye he made you feel loved, understanding your innermost, unsaid fears, simple apprehensions, or deep-held pain. Paulie’s wink let you know that, yes; you were right and that everything was going to be all right. Try living this way, or skiing that way. Always surround yourself with people who love you. And don’t forget: To live a love, you’ve got to give a love. Then he would make you laugh and accompany you in that laughter until the only pain felt was in your stomach from -- once
again --laughing too hard.
As if one could.
We remember the songs in the Dell, the meals in the Whip, circling-up for flag raising (when he made it out of bed in- time), Caesar’s court, water-skiing lessons, and on and on and on.
Today, and for time eternal, we carry Monkee’s spirit in our hearts, minds, and souls. We send our love out to him and all who loved him, just as we know he is sending his love to all of us. And so we all circle-up one last time, for our dear friend, joining together in the final verse of a song recently written for and sung by Paul, at his birthday party.
Carry my song sweet Echo Hill
In times unborn, I’ll be here still
Sunset turns the Bay to wine
The Whip and the willows in the summertime
Monkee gave us a soundtrack for Echo Hill
Time, a song for Paul
By the flash of lightening I saw her smile sweetly
Heaven sure sent a pretty angel to greet me
All my life I walked the line
It’s late in the day; guess it’s just my time
Time…..Time…..
It’ll carry us on
Or it’ll drag us away
Like the secret songs
That the sirens play
Like an old gypsy’s wheel
I’ll be rolling away, by the dawn
I’ll be gone
I rode down on an angel’s tear
I was born of love, and raised on fear
Many seek and few will find
Peace and love in their lifetime
Time…..Time…..
It’ll carry us on
Or it’ll drag us away
Like the secret songs
That the sirens play
Like an old gypsy’s wheel
I’ll be rolling away, by the dawn
I’ll be gone
Carry my song sweet echo Hill
In times unborn, I’ll be here still
Sunset turns the Bay to wine
The Whip and the willows in the summertime
(Repeat chorus)
Words and music by: John Ebersberger |
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