Lost my fishing buddy today. :(

For the past ten years my grandfather's first cousin has been flying out from Pottstown, PA to fish SW Montana with my father and I. He quickly became closer to me than a grandfather and my favorite fishing buddy. Each year, for one week, Roland and I would explore new waters, sit on grassy banks with beers discussing the many matters of life, and enjoy friendship.
Last summer I floated him on the Big Hole on a hot August day and he suffered a stroke during lunch. I rushed him to the Butte hospital, where he spent a week recovering. Though it was near impossible for him to decide, over dinner at his home in PA this May he concluded that at eighty years old he would not be able to make it out to visit me this year. We shared tears as we drank scotch and looked over past photos and retold fish stories in his study.
I called him a couple of weeks ago to update him on the fishing out here and check on his health. He was doing great and looked forward to seeing me at his house again this September, but this morning I received word that he died of a burst blood clot in the brain.
I guided today on the Big Hole and fought back tears as I recalled the great times we had together on the river and the conversations we had. He was watching over though because for the first time this year I saw thousands of salmon flies and caught over 40 fish; the best day i've had in years.

The fishing world lost a passionate and compassionate angler and I lost a great friend. Rest in peace Roland Turnbach

Sorry to hear about your loss, Roland sounds like he was a good dude, and I'm glad to hear at least few people have escaped from Pottstown, PA. It's hard to get any of my friends from OJR to come out west, even for a week.

So sorry for your loss, Fellin. I know you will have many reminders of him out on the river for the rest of your life. I know you will continue his passions for fishing. I lost my grandfather about 8 years ago. He fished his whole life in central Wyoming (where he was born). He taught my dad to fish and my dad taught me. I still miss the days when all three of us would go out to the Wind River and spread out to fish - there we were, three generations fishing - such a great time. Things like this make fishing with my father and friends that much more special. We will soon forget the fish we catch, but not the experience of being out there with each other. That's why we do it. Best wishes for you and your family in this time of loss.

So sorry to hear of you loss Fellin.

From the sounds of things, he was a pretty special guy and clearly a great friend. And it also sounds like he was definitely looking over you on the water yesterday. Condolences.

That was a nice little tribute Fellin. Sorry for your loss. I don't pretend to have any inside knowledge on the after-life if there is one, but I bet he will be nearby everytime you cast. At the very least his memories will be. Condolences ++++++

Great tribute!
strangely cool how ghosts flirt with our lives like that!

Nice tribute. Vibes on your loss.
You guided yesterday and caught 40 fish. Damn those must have been cool dudes (Winky)

Sorry to hear about you loss. My love of fishing can be traced back to summers at my Grandparents house in Minnesota. Their house was right on the lake. Those are my most fond and best memories of my grandpa. All revolve around fishing and Lake Stoney. Like wise, I have great memories of my other Grandpa while camping around and boating out on Turquoise Lake in Colorado. Both my brothers and I actually have the same tattoo which is an outline of each lake and each grandpa's name. To this day, I always think of both my grandpa's when out fishing. There are few place I love to be more than floating lake stoney of fishing the inlet at Turquoise.

So fishing buddies are never forgotten because they're remembered everytime you're out and make the water and experiences that much more beautiful.

Thanks everybody. I just returned home from the funeral in PA and it was a very nice service. The theme was fishing and we told stories and laughed and cried while reflecting on the life of Rol. They had a large posterboard near his casket with the big trout, and bigger smiles, he landed over the years and my father and I spent the weekend explaining his love for fishing to his friends and family.

I'm exhausted and glad to be home and looking forward to having a scotch at his favorite hole on the Clark Fork.

Sorry to hear about yoru loss. May every trip you take Roland be present. He was a good fishing buddy and will continue to be so.