Glenn Goldberg - Eulogy / Memorial

I don't see where this has been posted to the WA board yet and wanted to share it with those of you in WA that knew Glenn. He lived in Port Angeles, WA and we shared the same surgeon (Dr. James Weber in Seattle). This is where I had the pleasure of meeting Glenn for the first time, becoming fast friends and his "Angel" on this website, during his Surgery. What a caring, gracious, and compassionate man, he is sorely missed. ~ Lei EULOGY/MEMORIAL for GLENN GOLDBERG: Glenn Alan Goldberg Dec. 1, 1947 - Dec. 19, 2004 Glenn Goldberg was born in New Haven, CT, and died much too young at the age of 57 while walking on our beautiful trails. He was happy, healthy, and trim. The cause of death is still unknown. Glenn married Kari Zeh on May 20, 1979, in Oakland, CA. They lived in Pacific Grove & Sacramento before moving to Port Angeles on February 14, 1994. Mr. Goldberg earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Connecticut in 1969 and received a Juris Doctorate in 1972 from Columbia University School of Law. Glenn's life was a life devoted to helping others. After working for the Federal Trade Commission, he began working for non-smokers' rights and later had a long and involved career for the rights of deaf people. He founded and directed the first legal advocacy agency for hearing-impaired Americans, at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. His heart led him to fight abuse on all levels: working for the CA Consortium to Prevent Child Abuse (Sacramento) and later with Healthy Families of Clallam County, actively working against abuse from all sources (child, domestic violence, drug, alcohol). Mr. Goldberg was the well-known founder and director of GUTS, a nonprofit youth service agency providing intensive four-day seminars that help improve teens' self-esteem, self-efficacy, attitudes and behaviors. Since starting the program in Port Angeles in February 1997, he touched the lives of hundreds of youth in our community and throughout Western Washington. This program will continue under the direction of Michell Gentry. Most recently, Glenn was balancing three meaningful endeavors. He created Embracing the Dance of Independence, a four-CD set for parents of adolescents. He coached on-line and was in the process of writing a book to assist others in making the decision about whether to have weight-loss surgery. He was co-founder of the Port Angeles weight-loss surgery support group. Glenn also worked with families throughout the state as a Family Group Conference Coordinator for the Department of Children and Family Services, helping families find solutions for children who have been removed from their home. He felt this to be very sacred work. Glenn's Bar Mitzvah theme (at age 13) was Tikkun Olam ("healing the world"). Above his bed are the words, Tikkun Olam, Tikkun Halev ("healing the world, healing the heart"). He did them both well, with integrity, creativity, enthusiasm, energy, and passion. He is survived by his wife Kari, daughter Jesse, brother Jim in San Francisco, CA, and sister Joy in Jacksonville, FL. He was preceded in death by parents, Herbert & Lillian Goldberg, as well as two daughters, Julya and Kalena. His memorial service will be held on Sunday, January 23, at noon, at Tempest (535 E. First Street, Port Angeles), led by Rabbi Dennis Shulman, Glenn's cousin. It will be followed by a celebration of Glenn's life. Be prepared to dance! Memorials: Donations may be made to GUTS, 136 E. 8th St. #213, Port Angeles, WA 98362. Any gifts will be used to purchase a memorial bench along his favorite trail. Any remaining donations will be used to continue his beloved program solidly into the future. At the family's request, no flowers, please. Here is a link to Glenn's profile with this site: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/profile.phtml?N=G1029432107

~*~ FYI ~*~ Another update on Glenn, rec'd today from his wife Kari: Through Thick and Thin #50 P.S. (January 10, 2005) A Post-Script from Glenn's Wife, or The Blessings of 2 years in a Trim & Active Body This is Kari Goldberg, Glenn's wife, writing this newsletter. I have some sad news. On December 19, 2004, Glenn died, doing what he loved most - walking on one of the beautiful trails here in the Pacific Northwest. He was happy, seemingly healthy, and enjoying being with a friend. Literally in the middle of a joke, he paused for a moment and then dropped dead. This was and still is a shock to all who knew him either in person or via the Internet. I would have written sooner, but I wanted to have full information to share with you. Of course, one of the first thoughts I had was - did weight loss surgery have anything to do with this? Is this somehow our fault for making that choice? I now have the autopsy report and can answer these questions with a very resounding NO! Let me explain... Glenn died of a massive heart attack. It was quick and painless. He did not suffer. What they also found was that 3 of the 4 vessels attached to the heart were 80-90% blocked!!! I reminded our doctor that Glenn had a treadmill test just last March. Why wasn't this blockage noticed? The doctor said that the machine is not 100% foolproof, and that it probably did not pick it up because Glenn was so fit from having lost all the weight and his daily walking. Now, here's the kicker... First, I need to tell you that Glenn is very good about going for his annual check-up. Apparently, sometime between the last physical and 12/19, he developed a rapid form of acute leukemia!!! It was in all of his organs and blood! He had no symptoms. What this means is that it truly was his time to die. He was either going to die in a fast, painless way or a longer-term, chemo-filled, painful way. I think Glenn (or the Universe) chose wisely. I specifically asked the doctor if the weight loss surgery was in ANY way responsible for Glenn's death. He asked me when his surgery was - October 2002 was my response. He said, "Well, given what we know now in terms of vessel blockages, without the surgery in 10/02, he probably would have been dead by 1/03!!! The WLS gave him two years to have a trim body, to put food in proper perspective, and to travel to England, Cuba, the Bahamas, Florida, and North Carolina. He was able to recently see his family and best friend. He saw our daughter's first professional place of employment. He played in the Atlantic. He was filled with gratitude. What I had been feeling was that Glenn was robbed of his life. What I felt after hearing the autopsy report was that it was truly Glenn's time (for whatever reason) to die. I'm still deep in sorrow but calmer in my heart. Glenn was an organ donor, and therefore continues to give to others. His corneas have allowed two people to again see. Some of his bone was used to help with orthopedic reconstruction and dental surgery. And the one that would have touched him most is that all of that excess skin (that he hated so much and wanted the surgery to remove but we could not yet afford it) was removed and will be used to help burn victims heal. I am so very proud of this man. Just today, I had the emotional energy to check his computer and website to see if there was any way for me to complete his WLS book. My heart is thrilled because the answer is YES! Glenn's memorial is Jan. 23rd. After that, I will begin the process. It was his passion to help those with whom he felt such a kinship. I am happy and honored to complete this work. If Glenn were standing in front of me right now and we were somehow able to see all that happened between his surgery and his death, I have absolutely no doubt that he would choose the exact same path. WLS gave him a much fuller, more complete life. And he enjoyed every second of it. Death is always hard, but it is my strong hope that you will not connect Glenn's writings (and WLS) with his death. It was just his time to go. I feel blessed to have had 25 years with such a passionate, caring, self-aware, communicative human being. It was a privilege and an honor. Kari Goldberg www.weightlosssurgerycoach.com

Thank you for sharing this family's story w/us. Kari is a strong woman.

Wow. In a flood of thoughts and feelings I have no words. Thank you for posting this, Leilani. God bless and care for Kari and all the loved ones Glenn left behind. Nan

I was so touched by Kari Goldberg's tribute to her husband, Glenn, that I emailed her and thanked her for sharing his life with us. What a tribute to him and she will be carrying on his legacy in finishing his book. He may have only had two years after his weight loss surgery, but he lived a lifetime in those two short years, didin't he? Sue