Loss of a Region member

[Joe Manna]

To all CLC members,
I writing this post regretfully to inform you that the Raritan River Region has lost one of our members today.Our friend and webmaster,Pat Caruso,lost his brave battle with cancer.
He was diagnosed early last year with this deadly illness.

He was informed he had bone marrow cancer.In the fall of 2011,he was admitted to the hospital,where doctors had removed his stem cells,cleaned them up and re-injected back into his body.The diagnoses looked promising,but as with any other sickness,there was a down side.That being,the cancer will return in a year without a transplant.The removal and re-injection worked well and Pat was able to spend the Holidays with family and loved ones.

Earlier this year,the doctors had informed shim that they had found a donor.In this case,the donor sets the date for the transplant.Well that took place in mid April.As of last week, the prognosis was looking good,eventually with all of the mess and chemo,his body was starting to shut down.The kidneys shut down which led to the heart not working properly which led to other things.Eventually,his system started to shut down.Well,he lost this brave battle between late last night or early this morning.

Pat leaves behind his loving mom,a brother and sister in law,along with 2 nieces and a host of family members.

Not to mention Pat was the proud owner of a Tarragon Gold 75 Sedan DeVille,which has been in his family since new.Pat had it restored just in time to debut it the 50th anniversary of the CLC Grand National in Cherry Hill,NJ in 2008.PLus all of our dealer shows and various AACA events around thE the area.Photos of he car can be seen in he gallery section at www.rrrclc.org.

He was 45 years old.

Godspeed Pat!.You were a good friend and will be sorely missed by all.

[Vince Taliano #13852]

Joe,

The CLC Potomac Region and I offer our sincerest condolences to Pat's family and the Raritan River Region.  Pat was the first winner of the CLC Website Award and the club's only two-time winner of that award.  He was very helpful to the Potomac Region in 2005-2006 when we started our website, plus has been the Raritan River Region and Valley Forge Region's webmaster for years. 

Pat was able to attend our Eldorado Extravaganza show in Fall 2005 (pictured below left with Richard Sills).   



We will all miss Pat dearly.  He was a great guy and great club member.

Sincerely,

Vince

[76eldo]

I met Pat several times and he was a real gentleman, and a terrific club member.  I am so sorry to read about his passing.

Brian

[Walter Youshock]

A true loss to us all.  Pat was a great guy and hard working member.

All the best to Pat's family and the Raritan Region.  He will be deeply missed.

[Jeff Hansen]

I, too, was saddened and shocked to hear of Pat's passing.  He always had a smile, a firm handshake, and was always glad to see you!  A talented Webmaster as Vince mentioned and an even better person.  This is a great loss.

[Jack McClow CLC #15840]

I met Pat for the first time just a few years ago; back in 2007.  From that first meeting I remember his good nature, his cheerful spirit, and the warmth of an immediate friendship.  We didn't have so many contacts with each other over the years, but every time we did I felt like I had know him for more years than I actually had, and I felt like we had a connection that would last forever.  I will never forget Pat.  He was truly one of the good guys. 

[Jeff Wilk]

What a terrible loss not just for our hobby, but for kindness, good heartedness, selflessness, and generosity in general.  Pat was truly a great guy with so many qualities that this world needs so much more of.  My son Noah and I only met Pat less than two years ago, and did not know him all that well.  But it was Pat and another Region Member Joe who spotted the work that we were doing in getting our 59 Fleetwood out of (or from under) years of neglect and storage inside our garage.  Through Joe's help we found the advice and knowledge, and all important sources for parts, and through Pat's efforts, after seeing what we were doing, he worked together behind the scenes in the Region to help with a nomination and ultimate Youth Achievement Award for my Son Noah.  Pat also worked behind the scene's in quietly getting an article placed in the Self Starter that highlighted Noah's achievements......and despite my repeated thanks to him, he would never take credit, and rather simply stated that it was others in the Region, and the work that I did with my Son that lead to the achievement.  In our opinion though, while others played a critical role in helping source parts and knowledge.....Pat was truly a source of inspiration!!

I will never forget what I now call one of those "Life Moments", when my son saw his picture and award in the Self Starter, and either will he.  It was awesome, and Pat played a large role in that even if he would never take credit.

I added a tag line to our CLC Forum profile as a result of Pat over a year ago which reads  "The Past and The Present (which refers to my photo tag of our car and my Son) equals my Heaven on Earth."   All I can say today is may God Bless his soul, comfort his family and friends, and welcome a real class act home.

Jeff and Noah

[Richard Sills - CLC #936]

Pat was a true gentleman and a wonderful contributing member of the CLC.  He generously gave of his time and skills to assist Regions with their websites; he supported his Region and neighboring CLC Regions in all of their activities; and he helped individual members in more ways than I can describe.  Pat was a devoted hobbyist, a very knowledgeable Cadillac collector, a fine human being, and a friend to all he met.  His example should inspire others in the future.  Our sincere condolences to his family.

Richard Sills

[Joe Manna]

I would like to thank everyone for their kind words of condolence.Pat's mom was told of this post and she could not believe the responses.
Well,now Pat is at rest and he is running the website with our fellow Cadillac owners who have departed from this world.The website is appropriately named"Riding On a Cloud"
You will be missed by all of us!.I was fortunate enough to have you as a friend!.