Buck's Camp Cabinets!

The BEFORE - thank you Grandpa VB for the temporary cabinets!

The BEFORE.

As you know, Joel was planning to craft much of the furniture, trim and cabinetry by hand.  With Joel's attention to detail and patience for this, I can only imagine what he had planned.  Luckily, Joel had been thinking about all of these finishing touches well before they were going to be set into action and passed along many of the details and plans to Curty.  

No good work weekend goes without home-cookin'!

That's skill.

Curty trying his hand on the refrigerator panel.

Curty is more of a chainsaw guy and likes cutting big holes in houses and framing up walls - those types of jobs.  So he needed to borrow the expertise of fine cabinet craftsmen with much attention to detail.  Luckily Craig Helberg agreed again to be his partner in crime for this project! 

They scheduled out a block of time to put the bulk of the cabinet work behind them.   This was some serious business. As you can see through the pictures, there were quite a few cabinets to be built and put into Joel's place. From start to finish that included creating them out of the raw wood, sanding their seems down to perfection and applying a thin, even coat of varnish to withstand the wear and tare of the parties soon to come!

The finishing touches!

The man with the plan.

A weeklong job always consists of some old fashioned work breaks and delicious home cooking.  This goes without saying.  Regardless, the finished products are absolutely outstanding.  They compliment the cabin and really complete the look of the kitchen.  Thank you Craig, and all who helped in getting this project underway!

The AFTER. What a change, ey!?

The first set of cabinets are in place! AWESOME.

Mano a Mano

In remembrance of Grandpa Marsh and the Marsh-Whitley tradition, Craig had these coasters made for the boys at deer camp.  The second generation of Whitley-Marsh adventures continue, and are as fun and entertaining as ever.  I love these coasters and the picture he chose to be in the forefront.  You can recognize Grandpa through his smile almost immediately, and the body language is that of true friendship and trust.

Mano a Mano.

Tribute to Jack J. Marsh

Jack J. Marsh: A Beautiful Life from July 18, 1926 to August 8, 2013

 

On Joel's blog, we like to talk about the things we are doing in his honor as well as record some of the special memories we have of Joel.  I hope this will provide a record of comfort for all who read it when they periodically visit and look back.  I feel bad that I haven't been as quick to update this blog - but there's always room for improvement and I'm looking forward to a multitude of new posts about some of the things we have been doing at Joel's cabin and beyond.  This post however, I wanted to do something different.  I wanted to pay tribute to my Grandpa Jack J Marsh who recently passed away on August 8th, 2013.  I thought it was only appropriate due to the mutual fondness that Jack and Joel had of one another, that it be included here on Joel's Blog.

Here are the online posts, to keep as a record...

Tribute.com

You only had to talk to Jack for a few minutes to know that he liked to have a good time. My favorite time with him was on an outing and we saw some round bales in a field. Jack said "Did you hear they're going to do away with round bales?" So I asked "Why?" His answer was "Because the cows aren't getting a square meal!" That was Jack. He will be missed. Sue Van Gheem, Friend

Posted by: Sue Van Gheem - Seymour, WI - friend   Aug 15, 2013

 

Tom & family,
I never met Jack but from the many stories Tom has told me I felt as if I knew him well. So sad to hear of the lose of a father, grandfather, friend and wonderful story teller.

Posted by: Thomas Ristau - Green Bay, WI - co-worker of Tom   Aug 12, 2013

I met you Dad several times through John and what a great man he is. Sorry to hear of your loss, but a true testament to his life is the great family he raised. I was glad I got to meet him. John

Posted by: John Schmit - Punta Carnero Ecuador - Friend   Aug 11, 2013

Jack will be truly missed I have many great memories of Jack at the deer camp
Al Totsky

Posted by: al totsky - Friend   Aug 10, 2013

hi marsh family i am sorry to hear about jack he was a very kind man i will miss him dealy take care love chuckie ready

Posted by: chuckie ready - friend   Aug 10, 2013

I have many memories of Uncle Jack; visiting the farm where he was always fixing a motor of some kind, his quick wit and great smile...being a kid I was always impressed with his gold or silver? tooth! I was also impressed with his snowmobiling skills(at the cabin) and his strength when he got buried in the snow. At the farm, Aunt June was usually baking some kind of dessert and Uncle Jack would come in the house for his morning break just when the dessert was coming out of the oven. He was always pleasant and made sure he said a few words to me (usually with a wink) to make me feel important. He was a big guy with a big heart and I'm grateful to have known him.
Thinking of you, Aunt June, and all of Jack's close family.
Jill (great niece)


Posted by: Jill Worley (Watermolen) - Green Bay, WI - niece   Aug 09, 2013

Grandpa was just a kid when he got his hands on one of these!

Legacy.com

August 09, 2013

Love at this time comes in the form of beautiful memories. I have so many with Grandpa Marsh, I could fill a book. He taught me how to plant potatoes, cook pancakes, and live life to the absolute fullest. A smile, joke, and a story from a younger, more adventurous Jack, are my favorite past times... The whole family is inspired by the love of Jack and June... May Grandpa's lessons live on in us!

~ 

Alyce Marsh,

Seymour, Wisconsin

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/greenbaypressgazette/guestbook.aspx?n=jack-marsh&pid=166334570&page=2#sthash.8E0INt7P.dpuf

August 12, 2013
Dear Mrs. Marsh, Tom, Dale, Curt, John, Hali and Carey... So many years have passed since you were our neighbors but I still remember Mr. Marsh very well. He was a kind and funny man who always made us neighbor kids laugh. You were so blessed to have him in your life! So sorry for your loss. Hugs to you all, Mary Chris (Jobelius) Herzog
~
Mary Chris Herzog,
Suamico, Wisconsin

August 12, 2013
To the Marsh Family
Sorry to hear about your loss. Jack was a wonderful and caring person. I will always remember him and June walked in the mornings in Pulaski. I drove school bus and he always waved at me and gave me a great big smile. He will be sadly missed.
~
Tom & Debbie Wolf,
Bondule, Wisconsin

August 10, 2013
I will always remember Jack when he came in to the Pulaski Coop to have work done in the service station and to visit with all the employees. He was a kind and thoughtful man. Also all of his children and grandkids I met
through him were the best. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
~
Joyce Winkler,
Gillett

August 10, 2013
so sorry to hear of jacks passing,when I work at the nursing home and he came into the dinning room,i would hurry and wait on him,he was just so so nice,loved all r talks,,blessing with your family,,,,Shelby van eyck
~
shelby vaneyck,
seymour, Wisconsin

August 10, 2013
Dear June and family-Sorry about your loss-Jack was a very nice friendly man and he had a great sense of humor.
Deepest sympathy- Dwyn & Don Smits


August 09, 2013
Love at this time comes in the form of beautiful memories. I have so many with Grandpa Marsh, I could fill a book. He taught me how to plant potatoes, cook pancakes, and live life to the absolute fullest. A smile, joke, and a story from a younger, more adventurous Jack, are my favorite past times... The whole family is inspired by the love of Jack and June... May Grandpa's lessons live on in us!
~
Alyce Marsh,
Seymour, Wisconsin

Love at this time comes in the form of beautiful memories. I have so many with Grandpa Marsh, I could fill a book. He taught me how to plant potatoes, cook pancakes, and live life to the absolute fullest. A smile, joke, and a story from a younger, more adventurous Jack, are my favorite past times... The whole family is inspired by the love of Jack and June... May Grandpa's lessons live on in us!

~ 

Alyce Marsh,

Seymour, Wisconsin

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/greenbaypressgazette/guestbook.aspx?n=jack-marsh&pid=166334570&page=2#sthash.8E0INt7P.dpuf

August 09, 2013

Love at this time comes in the form of beautiful memories. I have so many with Grandpa Marsh, I could fill a book. He taught me how to plant potatoes, cook pancakes, and live life to the absolute fullest. A smile, joke, and a story from a younger, more adventurous Jack, are my favorite past times... The whole family is inspired by the love of Jack and June... May Grandpa's lessons live on in us!

~ 

Alyce Marsh,

Seymour, Wisconsin

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/greenbaypressgazette/guestbook.aspx?n=jack-marsh&pid=166334570&page=2#sthash.8E0INt7P.dpuf

August 09, 2013

Love at this time comes in the form of beautiful memories. I have so many with Grandpa Marsh, I could fill a book. He taught me how to plant potatoes, cook pancakes, and live life to the absolute fullest. A smile, joke, and a story from a younger, more adventurous Jack, are my favorite past times... The whole family is inspired by the love of Jack and June... May Grandpa's lessons live on in us!

~ 

Alyce Marsh,

Seymour, Wisconsin

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/greenbaypressgazette/guestbook.aspx?n=jack-marsh&pid=166334570&page=2#sthash.8E0INt7P.dpuf

Grandpa, you are a legend and a legacy we will all keep with us as we grow together with friends and family.  You have given us the example by which we strive to live our lives. Cheers until we meet again and take care of Buck up there, I'm sure he's in need of a fine mechanic.

 Wishing friendship, family and support to all those who read this blog... 

you keep the memories and the love alive.

May God Bless you always. 

 

Gift of Life Medal Ceremony

Last summer our family was invited to the annual ceremony of life sponsored by the University of Wisconsin.  This special event cherishes the gift of life and the forward thinking of Wisconsin citizens.  Many of you know, Joel expressed his wishes to our family and to the state to become a donor in the event of his passing. His selfless and honorable gift is something I personally look up to Joel for everyday - what a true hero. 

Governor Scott Walker and UW-Madison welcome you...

In school we have the opportunity to meet and interview organ and tissue recipients, and it is amazing that they can remember the day, down to the minute, of when they received the call that their match and new chance at life arrived.  They retell the phone call as if it were yesterday.  It's truly inspiring how this process can change the lives of both the donor and the recipient - it's a miracle of medicine.

Governer's Mansion in Madison, WI

I unfortunately was unable to attend the ceremony, and I was grateful that Mom and Dad were able to take the afternoon off to go to Madison to accept the award.  Curt was thinking ahead and sent a quick email to the Governor's office to tell them a little about Joel and the blessing that he has been and how humbled we were by his decision to donate life.  In addition to our experience with Joel, we also shared one of the beautiful letters we received from a young girl who was a recipient, and the letter started out with the words "To the Angel that Walked This Earth"  - I couldn't say it better.   It arrived at our doorstep only days before what would have been Joel's 26th Birthday.  The letter swept us off of our feet.

In sharing a small piece of our story, it must have swept the Governor's office off their feet as well, because in speaking about the medal ceremony, and addressing the crowd prior to the awards, the Lieutenant Governor included Joel's story in her speech.  My parent's were stunned and in awe of the opportunity to inspire others and provide hope to other families in a similar situation.  What a neat opportunity for Joel's story, selflessness and compassion to be recognized.  Many families are not as fortunate to hear from recipients as we were - and we are grateful for that everyday.  We hope the many other Wisconsin families are able to heal and find their choice to give life to others supported by all who surround them.

Medal of Life Ceremony - Madison, WI

After hearing that Joel was included in the opening speech at the ceremonies, I wrote to the Governor's office to thank them for their compassion, hard work, and dedication to Wisconsin.  They responded with...

"Alyce,
Thank you for contacting our office.  Please know that I have taken the liberty of printing a copy of your kindly worded letter in anticipation of showing it to the Lt. Governor.  I know that the Lt. Governor was extremely moved by your brother's story and your family's strength.  Friday's event was certainly a very special occasion to honor and remember those loved ones whose sacrifice have given life to others.

Thank you again for taking the time to reach out to our office.

Sincerely... The Lieutenant Governor's Office "

Joel R Marsh: Family. Hope. Life. Honor. Hero.

Camp Fence TV & Snowmobiling!

Bergs, Ben, and Chris putting up the TV!

A few men came up to Joel's cabin over Christmas to get in a few miles in on the snowmobiles and to help out with a few things around the camp.  One of those things was mounting the TV to the wall.  It's not really Joel's place until there is CMT or GAC playing every minute, of every day!

Uncle Buck Special at "Heh-hes!"

Getting some breakfast grub...

Thank you for your help boys!

Visitors: Jay & Perry

We were excited that Jay & Perry were able to make it up to see the progress that has been made to Joel's cabin.  It had been a while, so we took Joel's sleds out to celebrate.  Sabercat and the Cougar were ready to hit the trails.

Thank you for visiting!

Northern Beauty

There's something about Joel's cabin that is beyond comforting.   Down a block of northern Wisconsin country road, you can find woods, whitetail, wild turkeys, bison, cattle, family, friends, and dead ends.  I absolutely adore its location.  Here a few photos.

Enjoy.

A breath of fresh air.

Uncle Buck Work Weekend

The first weekend in October was a productive one up at Camp Fence.  It was this weekend, that we had the pleasure of hosting all of Joel's closest friends at the camp to help with the siding and giving the cabin a major push forward.

My weekend started with a high stress dash to the airport.  I left school, at what I thought was a decent time, however, when the buses are late and the traffic doesn't cooperate - it is a recipe for disaster.  My flight was boarding at 6:20PM... and I made it to the PIT airport at 6:30.  Yikes.

I had already spent most of the bus ride calling Paul frantically and calling United Airlines to try to book a different flight into Wisconsin somewhere, but this was the last possible departure.  Dang.  My only hope was to run as fast as possible and pray that security wasn't backed up out the door, like it usually is on Friday afternoons.

What happened next, I call a "Buck Intervention"...  I ran out of the bus, up the stairs with my luggage and spotted the security - and... there wasn't a soul in line.  I walked right up and through the Xray.  It took 30 seconds to get through security.  I didn't even put on my shoes, but ran to catch the next train to the terminals.  I then sprinted up the escalators and to my gate.  I was the last to board the plane... before they shut the doors after me.  A Buck Intervention.  I was going to Wisconsin!  The adrenaline was rushing through my veins and I was laughing hysterically at what Buck was probably thinking watching the whole spectacle.

After a layover in Cleveland, I ran off the plane in Green Bay to be greeted by Lyssa in her Packer stocking cap, and the tan Marsh Van waiting patiently in the parking lot.  We didn't blink or stop to breath before hitting the road to Camp Fence.  We were bound to get up there before Midnight.

We arrived at Joel's camp full of his buddies from Seymour, Tech and beyond.  It was a blast to see everyone and have them all in one place - at Joel's Camp.  It was only right to let Joel's friends be the first to spend the night in his cabin.  He once told Mom and Dad that we weren't going to move into the cabin early, like we did with our house and Lake Eva - he wanted to make sure it was close to done before that happened.  Joel's friends had the honor of sleeping there first.  As Buck would say, "Perrrrrfect."

The VanGompel's already had a chance to get a jump start on the stone wall in the front, and the next morning, the crew started with the siding - a big job to say the least!  There are definitely some big walls and peaks that needed to be sided - and thanks the the hard work of many, it went up pretty fast!  The boys were determined, and we ran out of siding before they could finish!  Matt was leading a crew on one side of the house while the Birdseed Brother's were tackling the front peaks and all of the wicked angles that came with it, especially after Curty added another hexagon window in the peaks.

The ladies were in charge of feeding the masses, and served three feasts a day to try to keep up with the construction crew - it was quite an impressive feat!  Uncle John and KJ were kind enough to let us shift the party to their place between shifts - and we had a couple grand camp shots and toast to Buck!  The boys even worked through the snow which hit Camp Fence early Saturday morning!  Brrrrr, another Buck Intervention if you ask me!

We really cannot thank everyone enough for all of the help during the Buck's Camp Fence work weekend, and all of the support that you continue to provide our family.  There were almost 20 people that came up to the cabin to help!  We are absolutely in awe of the lasting friendships that Joel had and will continue to have, and we're so inspired by all that you do.   

You all have been a blessing in our life, and in Joel's.

I hope you enjoy the photos from the weekend and are able to take some of the memories with you.  Feel free to download the photos from the album - and let me know if you need help doing so!

Buck's Camp Fence Work Weekend

Take care - and hopefully see you all soon!

Alyce

Grandpa VB's visit to Camp Fence

Grandpa VanBoxtel and Curt.  Joel inherited his wood working patience from Grandpa we believe!

Recently, Grandpa VB had a chance to go up north to visit the Camp and to see the progress of the place.  I cannot remember the last time he was able to get up north to see it!  Many of the elements of the design of Joel's camp were also featured in the VanBoxtel family pond.  I'm sure there were a few things that he expected and recognized, including the ceilings, the loft and other wood working touches.

Westerhoff varnishing the ceilings - the height helps!

The same day, Matt and Chris were also up north to help install the trim for the siding.  With the trim on, the siding will be able to go up much faster.  The cabin is really going to transform after the siding is up.  Definitely qualifies as a cabin facelift!

Thank goodness for Matt's experience with exterior design - he has excellent ideas!

These will be some of the last pictures where the outside of the house appears to be in full construction mode.  After Joel's friends get done with it, I have a feeling they are going to transform the cabin into a beautiful home...

Grandpa: John VanBoxtel, Sr