Memories

The following comments first appeared on my original tribute post. They are reprinted below:


Peg McGuire said...
What a tremendous loss to the world, and what a tremendous gift to the heavens.
October 22, 2007 8:02 PM

jinxy said...
Linda, this is a truly beautiful tribute to your friend. MY heart goes out to you and Med's family at this time of loss right now.
October 23, 2007 6:50 AM

Amy Hinners said...
I was a classmate of Med's from high school. Although it has been many years since I had seen him, your blog did a wonderful job of bringing me up to date with his life. It was an honor and privledge to have know him.
October 23, 2007 10:06 AM

Kaaren Quezada said...
Thank you for this tribute. I knew Med when we played PeeWee baseball and although we didn't stay in touch after high school I still remember him (literally) sitting in the outfield enjoying the dandilions more than the game, as well as working the h.s. theater productions. It's nice to hear that he has remained the same easy-going person. My sincerest sympathies to Beth and Noah for their great loss.
October 23, 2007 10:49 AM

Jeff Bauer said...
This tribute is wonderful and enriching about MED. Med and I did not keep in touch after high school, it is so nice of you to share some of the fine details of Med’s life. Med will be missed but I will always have my own special memories of Med. Thank you for sharing and helping me bringing back the time I spent with Med during high school.
October 23, 2007 12:03 PM

Linda Merrill said...
Amy, Kaaren and Jeff - thanks so much for your comments. I've already read them to Beth and she was very touched. I'll also print and share with his parents, whom I know will be touched as well. Loved the dandelions story, Kaaren. Clearly, he never changed as I could totally see that happening.

And Peg and Jinxy - thanks for your lovely thoughts as well. It's hard to lose loved ones, but this is why we have friends!
October 23, 2007 12:49 PM

Molly said...
As we've all learned about Med today, it has definitely brought back many memories of our high school days together. Your blog is a wonderful tribute to a Med! Thank you for sharing with each of us!
October 23, 2007 1:07 PM

Julie Smith said...
Thank you so much for the tribute to Med. I am so thankful he was blessed with a wonderful family and friends to help him through his struggle with cancer. I pray memories of Med bring you peace.
From a high school friend.
October 23, 2007 2:29 PM

Carrie Roy Boisen said...
I am an old class mate of Med and am sad to say that we lost touch after HS. your site captures the guy I remember. The rumor is that he was named after a relative of mine so we always kidded each other that we were related. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family. Thank you for the wonderful tribute to our friend
October 23, 2007 2:34 PM

mariss said...
I'm sorry for your loss, and to his lovely family. He sounded like a great man, who touched many lives. My condolences.
October 23, 2007 3:18 PM

Matt Rosdail said...
I, too, am an old Jr. High and High School classmate of Med's. Although I did not know Med as well as some, I can certainly say that your description fits the Med I knew back in school. Some things I remember about him, things that I perhaps appreciate more now as an adult, are that he was a very genuine person, an intelligent and confident individual, and talented in anything that required creativity (art, music, acting, etc.) I was so impressed when he gave that graduation speech of his, which he also re-read at our 10 year class reunion. I don't remember the speech verbatim, but as I read your blog, from what I remember, I'd have to say he lived what he wrote.

Beth and Noah, as well as the rest of Med's family have my deepest sympathies and heartfelt prayers.

Thank you.
October 23, 2007 10:48 PM


Sheila (Christoffer) Black said...
Beth & Noah and family...my heart and prayers go out to you during this difficult time.

Linda...thank you for sharing some of Med's life with us. It was heartwarming to see the pictures and read about Med's life.
October 24, 2007 12:12 PM



Daniel Alderton said...
Med was a friend, a good friend. He wanted to be loved, just like the rest of us. To Med - Beth was the best thing that ever happened to him. The second best must have been Noah as I have a 2 year old, Liberty, and she is that for me. I am happy that Med met my wife, Lisa, a few years ago. A Gentleman, a Scholar, an Entertainer, a Husband and a Father Med will be missed.
October 24, 2007 12:14 PM


marcylh said...
I am Med's baby sister, Marcy and I am really enjoying all of your stories. Please keep them coming, they really help. I have a few of my own that up until now have just been between Med and me. When I was 14 & learning to drive, Med took me out in his beat-up white Mustang with a clutch and made start and stop on a hill, over and over until I got it. He was so calm and patient and very helpfull and he didn't cuss like dad. And of course he had Queenryche, Yes and various other favorites of his blarring on the stereo. When I was a few years older and came home after my first experience with alcohol, Med took care of me all night. He kept checking on me to make sure I was ok and most important, that mom and dad didn't find out. Isn't that what big brothers are for? A lot of the moments I've had with Med, fortunately for me, were just between me and him. Whenever I had the chance, especially the last couple of times I saw him, I made sure I got more of those moments. He told me in June, he was ready to go and not scared. Although still hard, him saying that to me made it just a bit easier to deal with.
October 24, 2007 3:54 PM

Melissa Hornecker Baldwin said...
Well since I was closer in age to Med, I probably got most of the brotherly-supplied abuse growing up. All my funny stories go something like this... Med gets the car stuck in a snow about 1/4 mile from the house and makes me walk home through the snow while he sits in the car listening to music (which upon reflection is pretty dang funny). Do all the SL folks remember his car speakers suspended above the back seat with deformed forks recovered from the SAGA dish machine? He was always a very resourcefully fellow. It's also a real shame that he never got that cool mint green 'beer nuts' van parked behind the SAGA cafeteria--what a classic. Just reflecting on the approaching Halloween holiday, reminds me of the time Med and I went trick-or-treating (when we were both in high school) and Med cross-dressed with a balloon-enhanced chest rivaling Dolly Patron. I assume it was his pre-chain mail days;)

On a serious note, I personally would like to thank all his friends in New England, Beth, Beth's family, and especially my parents for their unwavering efforts to keep Med in is home so he could be with Noah as much as possible. Many of us could only wish for that type of loving care and support if we were in that situation. It did not go unnoticed to those of us thousands of miles away. Thank you all.
October 24, 2007 8:40 PM

carrie boisen said...
I posted yesterday and have been thinking a lot about Med and all of our high school friends. I have a really funny and cute Med memory so class of 86 I hope I am remembering this right. We were seniors and got this notion that we needed to go on a "trip" so we formed the "storm Lake pep club" off to Mankato skiing we went. Well we must have all met at the parking lot at school and loaded in to all the cars--Med had his parents conversion van and ended up with a van FULL of girls!!! Yep not one guy just Med and all us GIRLS!!! LOL first we stopped in Spencer at the BK and then off we go well some how we got behind everyone and going down the interstate we got a FLAT TIRE so we pulled over and us girls expected the big guy to change the tire but similar to Melissa's story the girls changed the tires and Med sat in the warm van listening to the music-- now I'm not saying that he wasn't a gentleman but I will say he was probably embarrassed to get out of the van ---- there may have been some people making yellow snow---don't ask don't tell LOL
he probably never volunteered to drive again
thank you for allowing us to hear about Med and his love and life

my thoughts and prayers to beth noah and his family may God grant you peace and healing in your time of grief
carrie boisen
October 24, 2007 10:20 PM

Linda Merrill said...
Marcy and Melissa - thank you for your comments and sharing your Med-tales. I know this is a hard time for you both. I have two older brothers and can't imagine losing either. I do hope that the sharing from all those who knew Med at different times in his life brings some healing.

Thanks everyone for your comments and memories.
October 24, 2007 11:38 PM


susan said...
Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry to read this. This man lived life. He seemed to be engaged, a full participant. I don't know him, but it's clear to see, very clear. He lives on in beautiful ways with his family, friends, and his craft. My best wishes to you and to his family.
October 25, 2007 7:20 AM

marcylh said...
Melissa, I too remember that cold night walking home, I was there as well. Man was dad mad, ha ha. I also remember the Dolly Parton, I actually have of photo of it...somewhere. I will try to find it and post it.
October 25, 2007 9:15 AM


Sheila (Christoffer) Black said...
Carrie...yes, yes, yes! I have pictures of all of us at the Burger King,on the mountain, and a picture of the van with the flat tire! Thanks for stirring up that memory!
October 25, 2007 10:44 AM

Anonymous said...
What a wonderful, interesting, interested person Med was; how lucky we are to have had him touch our lives. In true Hornecker fashion, Med was not afraid to be himself and didn't feel compelled to follow the crowd. Our Aunt Bonnie was always coming up with some sort of artsy-craftsy project -- "patchwork" quilts covered in patches, skirts made of thrift-store neckties sewn together, pajamas without waistbands or hems, and pullover shirts made from old chenille bedspreads. Most of us laughed at Aunt Bonnie's antics, but Med proudly wore his chenille bedspread shirt -- long after the rest of us had discarded ours. He had to be Aunt Bonnie's favorite. I remember his suede fringed boots. I remember going to a Metallica concert with Med in Hamburg (when Beth was singing at Phantom) in 1996 -- we had free tickets. After the intro act, Med got up and went to the rest room and brought back paper towels, which we tore up into little pieces and stuffed into our ears. We left about halfway through the concert -- the Metallica concert in Hamburg with cousing Med has always been one of those odd experience memories for me. I think of Med as such a positive, alive, enthusiastic (except, perhaps, about Metallica) person. I feel that he is there in spirit on the Hornecker farm. We'll miss him lots! Cousin Carol
October 25, 2007 9:40 PM

Anonymous said...
I saw Med the day he was born at Research Hospital In Kansas City, MO. He was a little Dagwood with big bilateral cephalohematomas. He was such a sweet baby and little boy and we saw him often until his move to Oklahoma. Then our two families met and to Six Flags over Texas we went with toddlers Med and John and what fun we had. Next came Iowa days and it was fun on Storm Lake or navigating snow tubing. Med loved coming to Vernon County,MO fishing,taking in the Sheldon Picnic,playing in the dirt and Grandad's watermelon patch and just prancing around in his bib overalls. He visited a lot in Raytown and I believe the worst day with cousins Zoe,Carol, John, Med, Melissa and Marcy was when they went over to the nearby park and got locked in the toilet and could not get out. Marie and I were searching everywhere and calling everyone . I was about ready to have the lake drained to find 6 bodies when we heard them in the toilet. Next, Med graduated from Iowa State and came back to KC and was with uas a year or so while he was the stage manager of the Unicorn theater. We all loved him and his unigue ways and will always cherish our time spent with him.
Aunt Ann