Bon was, as his obituary states, a very active and visible tender-of-home-and-lawn, hedge- and-garden; he showed elegant landscaping and inspired some of us to be at least half as attentive. Better than that, really! Clearly he was dedicated to making a cherished and well-cared for home.
We exchanged greetings the times our walking (or my driving-by) overlapped. I knew he was a faithful employee of Birkett Mills. As a relative newcomer to Penn Yan -- 26 years -- for me, he has always been one of those people who anchored the neighborhood -- even as others have come and gone. Once he showed me something of the inside of his house. The little he shared with me about his family gave witness to a deep love and longing.
As I know now, that likely reflected something of the struggles and anguish he with his family faced during life in Laos and Thailand -- and during the journey to the US and this little village where he patiently and determinedly built a home and life, and gave of himself to help make us grateful for having lived and worked among us. I am sure it was harder that it seemed. I am saddened that he was hurting more than I knew and so I wish I'd reached out more.It is good he is freed from suffering. I do hope that in missing him and the ways he shared himself and his passion with his neighbors and community as best we could receive it -- I will honor a man who gave us -- well, at least me -- more than I once knew. -- Elizabeth Boesen, a neighbor.
