Hello, I know some of you knew who my father was, Packer66. Well I wanted to let you all know that my dad has passed away. He died sometime in the middle of the night on Febuary 23rd. This is a very hard time for me, I guess I never thought I would be only 29 and have to bury one of my parents. I want to thank all of you who were so wonderful with him, this is a wonderful site with a lot of caring and understanding people. Again I thank you, from me and my father.

Hi.. Am sure that was the hardest thing you have ever had to write.. but thank you.. Your Dad's passing will mark a sad day for all who knew him and repected his courage and fortitude.. All I can say is that you and all your family are in my prayers and I send you much love and big hugs to share...
Helen

Packer's Llittle Girl,

No words can express how sorry I am to hear your news. There are many of us on this board whom your Dad and Mom have made a difference in our lives.

In this difficult time I want to thank you for posting and letting us know. My thoughts are with you and your family.

There are many of us who would like to acknowledge how much your Dad meant to us,when you are able would you please post information on services and such.

If there is anything at all I can do please email me privately.

God Bless,
Dinah

Thank you all, Dinah I know that you do not know but Dee is not my mother, she has been my dads girlfriend for about 15 or 16 years,I know that you did not know and that is ok, but I just wanted to let everyone know that she is not my mother, thank you all for your reply's, we are going to start on the arrangements today, I just found out last night,he lived in Maine and I am in PA, so I have to start on things today. I will let everyone know when everything will be. Thank you. Packer66 little girl.

Dear Packer 66's little girl:
I am so sorry to hear abour Packer. Just from reading over the posts since last July when I found this board, I see how much he went through and what a great fighter he was. I have two boys who are about 20 and 25 and it has been so hard for them to see their father sick like this, so I can imagine what you have been through. I will pray for you and your family during this most difficult time and thank you for sharing as I know that was hard, too.
May God Bless you and wrap His arms around you and give you strength and comfort as you go thru the arrangements. Keep those wonderful memories of him fresh as you go thru this.

Debbie

I am sorry for the passing of Packer66. You, Dee and your family have my deepest condolances.

Remember the good times as they will help you get through the next few weeks.
Packer66 was one of the most upbeat person I knew. When I get down I think of what Packer endured and it makes me feel how lucky I have been. I can't think of anyone who has stood up to this diaease better than Packer. It is a sad and memorable day for all the members of OCF. Packer66 was held in high reguard.

Dee, Thank you for taking such good care of Packer, You are a special person and I hope you continue to post offering what you can.

Your Friend, Dan Bogan

Please accept my condolences. Your father was an inspiration to many. He will be missed.

Rosie

Yes, your dad was brave and strong, and an inspiration to others. He will not be forgotten. Please know that many here share your sorrow.

Words cannot express the sorry we all feel to hear that your father lost his fight with this horrible disease. He was one of the bravest and t strength in his and Dee's posts inspired many people on this board and will continue to do so. Please accept my deepest sympathies.

I wanted to express my deepest condolences on the loss of your father.May god bless you and give you peace.


Patty

My deepest condolence to you and your family. Packer will remain a great hero in this battlefield and will be missed by everyone here.

Karen stage 4 tonsil cancer diagnosed in 9/01.

I hate these kinds of posts. I wish that we could all survive this insidious disease. I am deeply saddened at the news of Packers passing. He fought a valiant fight and his courage was a source of inspiration to all of us. This is yet one more reminder of just how precious and precarious life is. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

My sympathy goes out to you, Dee and all of us. We will miss him and his humor and his strength.
God bless us all,
Judy U

Thank you for thinking of us and letting us know about Packer66.

It is sad news....very sad indeed.

Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts.

Dave and I had the amazing good fortune to meet Packer on two occasions.We both came away permanently changed by the encounters. The strength,spunk, and pervasive good humor he lent to this forum were magnified a thousand fold in person. They say the eyes are the window od the soul. You had only to look at Packer's to see the beauty within.

It is a sad time for OCF indeed but a strengthening of our collective resolve to work tirelessly to get the word out about oral cancer.

In solidarity,

Kim & Dave

Thank you all, I will be mentioning this foundation at the sevices, it was such a big part of my father. I love him so much, he is and always will be my hero, and I will always adore him. I also will be asking instead of sending flowers that people make a donation to the OCF in the name Of Frank Joseph Sherman Jr.
Thank you all.

Hi Packer's Little Girl:

Hope this day finds you knowing how much your dad was loved and respected on this forum for his candor, support, and at times off-color, right-on wisdom. Many of us counted on his spunk and unfailing zest for life, his love of you and Dee, and his soft spot for pets and most of all, his ability to see beyond himself and reach out to us here even when he was feeling at his worst.

It is a very gracious act for you to mention OCF at Packer's service. I am sure many OCF members would like to send condolences to Dee. I am reluctant to post the home address without knowing if this is okay. Please respond if you see this message and indicate if it is okay.

To my fellow OCF members who knew Packer, it is with a heavy heart that I write today after hearing the news of Packer's passing last eve. He was one of the first people to reach out to Dave and me when we were lucky enough to stumble upon OCF in August, 2002. I'm sure there are no accidents and the combination of first responders Brian and Packer was a prelude to the continued gift that is this site.

I appreciate the opportunity to vent this morning. I realized that Packer has always represented for me the pillar of strength and hope in this awful fight against oral cancer. I counted on him to make it even when the odds were against him because that is what he always has done ever since I have known him. That man could own a hospital room and charm every nurse with a simple wink and a furiously fast hand writing notes. Packer taught me here on this site and even more poignantly in person that you don't have to speak, be physically perfect by societal standards, and that real men can indeed drool and remain dignified. It was impossible to meet Packer and not come away different than when you entered his space.

So, when I heard the news last eve, I felt a bit of the pillar of my hope for the future had crumbled. This morning, I realize that Packer quietly did with conviction what will become a new source of support for all us still fighting. He demonstrated unfailing strength,good humor, grace of character, and empathy toward others admist his own trying times. These were the cornerstones of Packer's life and the legacy he has left for us here at OCF.I'm thinking the pillar hasn't crumbled after all-I just hadn't noticed before how integral Packer was to building this infrastructure.

Kim

Packer's Little Girl,
I am so sorry to hear about your Dad's passing and I want to thank Kim for her beautiful, articulate eulogy of Packer. Packer and Dee, along with Kim, Dinah, Joanna and many others were here when I was in need and discovered this site and I will be forever grateful to Brian for creating it and all of those who helped me here with advice and inspiration.

Danny G.

I'm from Maine and visit there every summer. We travel right past where Packer and Dee live to get to my mothers and my sisters. I had such hopes of meeting Packer and Dee this July and am disapointed and sad that I won't have that honor. Dee, if you're reading any of these, I would still be thrilled to meet you and Packers family if possible.
Please let us know where to send donations.
Minnie

Hi, I am very sorry for the loss of your father.He and I came on the forum about the same time several years ago.He helped me many times with his humor and how strong he was. It seems odd, I came on to day to post that I had had my very last operation to rebuilt my face. It was done Feb. 23. The night before i said to my husband I need to be alone for awhile, It was like Frank told me, You prepare for battle. I thought it will be the last time I hope. I thought of him that night. I was doing my 11 surgery. It does not get any easier. He gave this a valient fight and inspired many of us.Your family and Dee should shine with pride about how brave he was and how he helped so many people keep up the fight.I am sure there is a very special place for people like Frank to be. One of them is in all our hearts.Gayla

I am too angry, sad, crushed even to write anything meaningful now, but I will as soon as I get my composure and balance back together. But this forum has a new name if you look at the top of the page. It is the first time that OCF has recognized any individual. In a day or two it will be followed by a link to a short story that will be part of all your comments about packer and how he affected us all. More on Packers influence on me later I just can't do it now.

I've erased and rewrote this message a dozen times....

Dee and Packer have pulled me through this hell. Without them, I would have given up a long time ago.

God bless you Dee (my BA), and godspeed Packer. I love you both more than you'll ever know.

Mandi
(BB)

Sorry to hear of his passing, my prayers are with you.

My dad loved the ability to communicate with all of you on the message board. I know that he gained a lot of emotional support from many of you there, and as I read through his postings, it is clear to me that even in some of his darkest and most painful times, he still found the inner strength to offer unconditional words of support to others who came with questions or concerns. It seems appropriate that I, and our family, honor what I believe was his true nature, and that was a desire to help others. While we appreciate the kind words and sympathies that you offer, which do indeed help us in our time of sadness and loss, it is my father that should be remembered. We think that the best thing that could be done is for you to send donations in support of OCF and the board in which he found and gave comfort, that it may have the resources to continue on. I think he would want that, more than flowers that are gone in a day or two, something that would be his last gift to the people he loved to talk to and that would continue to support those people whom he came to think of as an extended family. I am going to ask Brian to start a fund on the board in his name, and at his funeral we are going to ask for donations to OCF in lieu of flowers. He loved life, and he loved you all. I wish to thank you for all the support you showed him while he was with you, and which you are showing me now in my time of loss.

Packer's Little Girl:

Continued wishes for strength as you prepare for Frank's service. Could you please let us know if it okay to send condolences to Dee at their home address?

Also, could you tell us how Dee is holding up Please convey to her how much we are all thinking of her and that she isn't alone in her mourning of Frank.

Kudos to Brian for naming this forum after Frank. I feel comfort seeing his name there and feeling that he is present. He would probably have never expected to see his name in virtual lights but that is once again a testament to how he moved many of us doing what he did best-being Frank.

I think it would be fitting to send donations to OCF in memory of Frank then send a collective acknowledgement to Dee. Do you want to desigate a specific area to collect donations or should we send them but use Frank's name?

Thanks,

Kim

Kcdc what do you mean by this?
I think it would be fitting to send donations to OCF in memory of Frank then send a collective acknowledgement to Dee. Do you want to desigate a specific area to collect donations or should we send them but use Frank's name. You will have to excuse me but I am just really not thinking straight right now. I have only talked to Dee once since my dad died, I am in PA and she is in Maine, so we do not live near each other. When I talked to her she was crying but she was calm, I am guessing she is doing as well as can be expected, I know she said she cannot visit this forum right now it is just to hard for her. I know she will be moving out of Maine asap, she is going to Alabama to be with two of her kids. Right now that is all I know. Thank you all again very much for all your support. Packer66 Littlegirl

Packer 66 contributed much to this board and he will be missed. I am saddened to hear of his death. Dee, my thoughts are with you at this difficult time.

Sincerely,
Donna

Thank you every one for your love and prayers. It took me til today to read the posts and I`m doing with tears streaming down my cheeks. I knew his battle was near ending and I think he did too.....I still can`t believe it, he told me just last week he didn`t know what he would have ever done without me, and I told him, I felt like he was a planet and I was the moon that circled it. The past few months I knew the end was coming, like the end of a chapter in the book of life, but my story has to go on. I feel him with me. My kids are with me til next week. We had decided long ago that Frank just wanted cremated with no services, but his ashes will go whereever I go.I know the people who knew him loved him and Kim put so many things into words.......He could drool with dignity. With all the pain I`m in, I would never trade places with anyone, he was a gift, and I know he`s gonna be one Hell Of an Angel............Love, Dee

HI everyone, this is Nick Dee's son and franks step son. Me and my sister have traveled from Pa and maine to be here. I have known frank for a long time now..most of my life. It is not until darkness comes that realize how bright a person can be. I had the pleasure of seeing frank at his lowest. Something that none of his immediate family our extended had that pleasure of. He was an amazing fighter, to keep a sense of humor at such times is more then admirable. As all can imagine my Mother is dealing with things as anyone of you would. She has her children with her now for a week to get the house in order and life. Though it will take longer then that. You all say wonderful things that she greatly appreciates and will help through these times.. I will leave it up to her to post her address. We all know now that frank has to fight no longer and is talking like crazy where ever he is..thanks again for all of your condolences...

Franks second son, Nick

Chrissy and I have now communicated, and I understand her wishes. As we did during the loss of Heather, OCF will start a fund in Packers name. I will start a new thread listing the contributors to the fund, and after everyone has had a chance to send in their checks or use the online store to make a donation, I will send all the names and addresses to both Dee and Chrissy, who will undoubtedly send out thank you's to everyone for their support of Packer, of OCF through the donations, and of course of the family and loved ones of Packer, especially Dee. The donations have already started arriving on the web site, and I will start the thread listing the donors today. If you send a check, please write Packer on the check somewhere. If you choose to use the donation section of the online OCF store there is a block for comments or special instructions in which you can type the word Packer. If there is any doubt that you did it correctly online, we wish to be sure that the money goes to the right place, just email me and I will see that it is taken care of.

If you send a check, please send it to The OCF at 3419 Via Lido #205, Newport Beach, CA 92663 and write Packer on the outside of the envelope and on the check itself. Your donations are tax deductible, as we are an IRS registered 501c3 charity, and anyone who desires a receipt for their donation with the foundation

Packer66LittleGirl, Dee, Very sorry to hear of Packer's passing. Frank was a great inspiration to us all.

Bob S.

Hi....

Since I recently joined this board and I've read all your posts, I feel like I've been cheated by not knowing Frank. May God bless all who he left behind because from what I read he was already blessed.

Khaja

Well I must say and not just because I am his daughter but He was blessed, He was the strongest person I have ever known, He was and still is my hero. In one of the letters I wrote to Him awhile back I told Him, He was the first man who loved me, He was the first man that I fell in love with, and He was the first man that I gave my heart to. When He died He took a huge chunk of my heart with Him, I feel like my heart was ripped out of me, my heart has a huge hole in it now,but will be filled again with His memories, but I will never again have a whole heart. Thank you all very much. Daddy we all Love You So Very Much, and we all miss you. Rest In Peace Daddy. Love Your Little Girl, Chrissy, and Your Little boy, Frank Joseph Sherman III, and Your grandchildren, Matthew, Andrew, & Sarah, which are my three children, and Frank Joseph Sherman IIII which is my brothers son. So you see there are two Frank Joseph Sherman's still here, and my brother looks identical to our Father. Thank you all, and may God bless each and every one of you's.My brother and I are honored to be the children of Frank Joseph Sherman Jr. lots of love to all of you's.

Hi, All, I`m not going to change my log in name, so Packer is stays with us all. My appreciation of everyones support goes beyond words. My grieving hasn`t started yet. Probably when my kids leave next week that will start. It`s funny the things that matter when we lose someone. I know Kim and Dave met Mellow, the teddy bear, he went through all Frank`s treatments with him, now I can`t let go of him.No one understands this horrid disease but those of us on this road, in the coming weeks, this board is going to be very important to me. Frank taught me so many things about the true shining through of a soul, he came to teach us so much about so many things, and I just wasn`t ready to let him go yet, but that wasn`t up to me. In the coming weeks I`m really going to have to hang on to you guys, your part of my family. Bless you all.........Dee

Packer66Littlegirl, Dee and family,
I am so sad to hear this. For the past several weeks I've been thinking about Packer and wondering how things were. It's obvious that he was a fighter and loved life. He truly made an impression on this forum and on my life. My thoughts are with all of you.
D

My name is Penny. "Packer's" daugther is my "neice" (her mom is married to my brother-in-law). I just wanted to say how wonderful I think this site is. In May it will be 30 years since I lost my mother to breast cancer. I was only 3 when she died, but I remember how much she suffered. I am looking forward to the day when this horrible disease will be erdicated. Thank you for your support of Chrissy at this very difficult time in her life. God bless you as you continue your fight against this disease.

I want to thank Penny for her support to me and to others on this board, she has been very supportive with me through all of this. Thanks again Penny.

My heart goes out to you and your family. Your Mom and Dad helped me deal with my sister's illness. She has recently died also in November. I am sorry for the pain that you are dealing with right now. I am here to listen if you need a shoulder to cry on. It is so difficult, I know. No words will help the pain, but knowing you are not alone is all that I can say to you sweetie. You and yours are in my prayers ...God Bless and Take Care Love, Flo

Oh Dee,

I am so sorry to hear about Packer. He truly was brave and strong. Just know that I am here to listen and help you get through this, and you can help me. I have been unable to log on since my sister passed away. My feelings are all over the place. The pain is too difficult. Packer and Linda went through so much to fight this cancer and in the end lost the battle. So, unfair, such a nasty disease they had, I have nightmares about what she went through, and she never complained she NEVER COMPLAINED. She was amazing. She left us all. Her babies, her little girls cry for her. I cry for her, she was my best friend and now she was taken from this disease, she never had a chance, and I'm not sure why. She was so strong and so brave to deal with all the treatments to try to beat the cancer. She wanted to live, she didn't want to go, we didn't want her to go...and in the end God knew she was tired and needed to go home to rest in peace.

Peace Be With You Dee and know that you are not alone in grieving your great lose.

Take Care,
Flo