Jerry Siminski wasn’t so sure that he wanted to volunteer with hospice patients. Retired from a career in human resources several years ago, he signed up with RSVP—Retired Senior Volunteer Program—of Muskegon County, which matches prospective volunteers with community agencies that need their help.
   Jerry was matched with Hackley VNS/Hospice, and although he had reservations about whether a volunteer stint with Hospice was a good fit for him, he’s been here ever since. “From the moment I met the first patient, I decided I was being useful after all,” Jerry says, and adds that “some of the people I have worked with have such a wonderful attitude that, even though they are terminally ill, they have a lot to teach the rest of us about how to live.”
   According to Jerry, Hospice volunteer coordinator Chris Sima “does a wonderful job of matching volunteers with patients of similar interests.” For Jerry, an upbeat and energetic father of two and grandfather of four, those interests include hunting and fishing, which he enjoyed talking about with a patient who became his friend, Ludeveco Simonelli. Says Jerry of his friend, “Ludy,” “I’m going to be 62, and Ludy was nearly 100, but if we would have met any other way we would have been just friends; there was really no age difference—we were peers.” Every patient has been a different experience for Jerry. For some, he’s helped with “handyman” tasks, such as installing an air-conditioner. Others just like having company and someone to talk to. “Ludy liked to go for drives,” Jerry recalls fondly. And it was on those long drives, with Ludy telling Jerry just which direction to head, that the two formed a friendship around their common interests. When Ludy passed away late last year, Jerry wrote this moving tribute:

My Precious Time with Ludy
As a Hospice Volunteer, I only knew Ludy for a flickering moment in the candle of life. We spent our early visits together driving the backroads of Michigan, visiting the memorable places in his past. At times we spoke volumes…at other times we just enjoyed each other’s solitude. At times we would hum or sing songs together; Ludy was the veteran singer.
A stop at a bakery or ice cream shop was always the highlight of our trip. Our first stop at an ice cream shop showed how different we could be: I read all 30-plus flavors to him…and he said in a firm voice, “I like vanilla,” while I ordered cherry chocolate chip cheesecake. At a bakery, he’d select a plain donut and I’d have a double devil dog chocolate cake.
It wasn’t our differences that grew our friendship, but our shared passions. Passion for family, friends, coworkers, helping others, hunting, fishing and a genuine zest for life. The more we spoke, the more we recognized we were kindred spirits separated by a few grains of time. Had timing been different we would have been lifelong friends.
   When it’s my time to pass, I hope we can rekindle our friendship. Thank you, Ludy, for enriching my life with the pleasure of your company.
Goodbye, my friend.