Saturday, June 28, 2014

Noah  was born during the evening of October 5th, 1981on a Monday, in his Grandparents home in Sunnyvale, California.  He was brought into this world via two midwives, with his family all around him.  We placed him in a bath of warm water after he arrived, and he relaxed and quit crying immediately.  His mother, Jeanette, and father, Thomas (myself), slept with him on his first night. Noah was a very happy and healthy baby.

Noah lived in California, only as a baby, then we moved to Milton-Freewater, where we lived close to his maternal grandmother. Noah was a very enjoyable baby to all, calm, happy, and very smart.  He soaked up life like a sponge, learning, creating, living his life, in a beautiful way, that harmed no one, and helped so many.

After his Mother and I split up, when Noah was 8, he and I shared a small apartment in Corvallis until 1992. After Noah moved in with me, I attended community college, and then we moved to Portland in 1992.  We  lived in an apartment on NE 42nd and Alberta for almost a year, then moved into a home I was able to purchase at 2244 N. Watts Street, in Portland.  Noah’s friends grew numerous and he loved to ride his bicycle everywhere.  His first job was at La Beck’s Video Chest, quite close to our home, he then later worked at The Beaterville CafĂ© as a cook for almost 3 years.  Noah attended St. Stephens, Jonathan Meek Elementary, and the Environmental Middle School as well as the Metropolitan Learning Center. 

 Jan, (Jeanette), Noah and I moved to Corvallis when he was about 2 and lived in an old wooden house at 641 NW 4th Avenue.  The house is still there, but now abandoned.  Noah had a good many friends, his closest being Ian Skinner and Abraham, “Ham”.  Ian now works at a shoe store in Corvallis and is a nice young man, with a wife and new baby, Ewan. He made many more friends in Portland, people were drawn towards him, and he continues to have an impact on myself and others.

Noah used to read Carlos Castenada, used 'runes' to cast his fortune, wrote stories, poems, songs and listen to wonderful music. He loved animals, and at one time wanted to be a Vet Tech. He wanted to paint his room 'cow' colors at one time, black and white, in the interestingly cluttered room he had, filled with things he had made, found or were given to him. Noah seemed wiser than his years, and was so far ahead of me spiritually that it almost seems like he was a teacher and wise man, in my mind anyway. He wanted to travel, visit the Caribbean, Bahamas, and intended to begin working on a fishing boat in July of 2005.

He was able to do pottery, glass blowing, drawing, sculpture, writing, music, and I wish we could have seen what else. He was a very interesting person, and I am lucky that he left behind so many of his drawings and writings.

I clearly remember Noah’s graduation from 8th grade, and I was so proud of him.  Noah loved to draw from an early age, and I encouraged it in him as I saw talent.  When he told me he was bored, I'd ask him to draw a picture, and he would draw some wonderful things. He also loved his Lego's and Transformer robots. As a child, I would ask Noah where he got something, a toy or whatever, or he would tell me, “I got it from the Strong Store”, and he used to smile as he said it. He called Sesame Street, Stressame Street and he loved The Count.  It is so hard to write and keep a coherent narrative with these thoughts, it’s impossible to capture in words the person he was.

Noah and I had a dog, Bodhi Sotfa, Noah thought of the name. We got him from the Oregon Humane Society and he lived with us for almost 8 years and was so very loved.  Noah also had a pet rat named Pargart which he also loved.  When Pargart died, we buried him in the back yard and Noah put a nice rock on the spot. Noah made a wooden bench that he used to sit in under a plum tree in our back yard.
Noah was the heart of our home, he built a bench in our backyard, he cooked, drew, filled our home with life, music and light.

We had an apple tree as well as plum trees, lilacs, and comfrey in our back yard.  Noah once got poison oak, and I gave him a bath with comfrey in the water which seemed to help.  Noah also had pet gerbils, which multiplied quite often.  As Noah grew, he let his hair grow into Dreadlocks. I thought he was very interesting, funny and a loving son.  He used to call me Daddy Waddy Pumpkin Paddy.  Noah learned to play the digeridoo and loved to play with his wrist rocket and BB gun.  I will add more as I am able, it is very hard to write.

On this day, 11/10/2009, I have edited this a little, and just realized that Noah was born and died on a Monday. I can not begin to capture all of the memories and put them on paper and must believe that others will remember him and he will not be forgotten. Noah was the glue that held our family together and now all that is over.  It is impossible for me to write what my son was, so I will remember, and hope that others remember too, forever.



Videos of Noah from Christmas past

http://vimeo.com/30086243/part1
http://vimeo.com/cardamon/christmas-1995-part-2
http://vimeo.com/cardamon/christmas-1995-part3

http://vimeo.com/cardamon/august-1995-adam-and-ayuko-visit