Requesting Prayers, Cards, Financial Support for Robert's Family

[mike]

It is so hard to believe I am making another post like this just weeks after the last similar announcement.

For years at this point, Robert, forum owner and administrator, gave freely of his time, expertise, and resources to provide this forum for our benefit. As many of you now know, he has passed away unexpectedly, just three weeks after the tragic passing of his beloved son Stephen.

Not only does his family need our prayers, but at a time like this, something physical and tangible also means a lot. Because of distances, most of us are not able to be present for them in their time of loss. But there's a simple thing we can do to show we care.

At this time, we invite all forum members to send cards of sympathy, support, and if you are able, financial assistance to Robert and his family.

Robert has always refused any offer for donations to help support the costs of web hosting and for the countless hours of his time. He also requested no financial support for his family over the recent death of his son.

However, Robert is now gone, so we can do as we wish! We moderators would like to invite everyone who has found value in MennoNet.com to share with his grieving family at this difficult time. Even a small amount means so much more than just the dollars and cents.

If you wish to bless Robert's family and honor his memory in this way, please PM one of the following mods, and we will message you his address.

justme
mike
ohio jones

Or, you may simply post a request on this thread, and one of us can message you.

[mike]

Update from Mrs. Martz. Please continue to support this family in their time of need in any way you are able. Thank you all.

[mike]

Bumping this thread. Thanks everyone for your support.

[temporal1]

Any word on how things are going?

[mike]

I want to remind everyone to keep the Martz family in your prayers. This is from a message I received from Sherry this morning.

This month has been very difficult. Stephen's birthday was on June 5th, then we had Father's Day, and now Robert's birthday is on Tuesday the 23rd.

Spent most of yesterday at the cemetery, went with my daughter, and then in the evening my son and I went and released a couple of balloons.

I think once we are out of June, things might be a little less chaotic but who knows.

I joined a support group which some of that is helpful, I think it is just where I am at in this journey. We have a lot of things breaking around the house. The other ladies in the group had a list of handymen, electricians, and plumbers, ect.

Just a couple days after Robert passed the garage door broke, had to get that repaired, Robert would have been able to do it most likely.

Then the driveway collasped my son was carrying his back end off his Darango and dropped it. I was quoted 5,000 to repair it. I said no way, we will figure it out. I came up with the plan and got a couple of my son's friends and directed them. It looks GREAT, and it is repaired the right way. I spent less than 500. and the kids got paid a little as well. They did it to help me out. Then the electric went out in the garage, have not been able to get that fixed. We have had two people out to look at it so far. Again, something Robert would have done in 5 minutes, which is so frustrating. I was sitting in my room during a bit of a storm and hear this odd noise.. Static and dripping.. I look around to see I have a little waterfall and it running on my TV which was on.. That was more excitement than any us wanted. They have to replace the entire rook and are getting that done this Wed. It has been a whirlwind, that's for sure. Plus I was sitting at my desk yesterday and I tend to drop off to sleep randomly. I did that and I am pretty sure broke my nose.

Please tell everyone how very much appreciated all of you are to us.

Sherry

[mike]

As for the future of the MennoNet.com forum, Robert's family and we moderators all want it to continue. The web hosting and so forth are currently paid up from what we understand, and we moderators plan to talk soon with Robert's family to discuss some sort of takeover of administrating the forum.

[temporal1]

Texas is BIG.
Does anyone know if Sherry+family are impacted with current flooding?
Or other updates?

P.9 / 2026 / https://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.ph ... 4&start=80

[mike]

The following update is from Angela, Robert's daughter. If anyone would like to reach out to Sherry & the family at their new address, message one of the moderators (justme, mike, ohio jones) and we'll get it to you.

Angela again - my mom has moved and if anyone is still wanting to continue to send cards or letters I know they have meant a lot to my mom I wanted to share her new address.

I wanted to express our gratitude to the community here, many have continued to send mom cards here and there with encouragements and well wishes and it is absolutely heart warming to see these come in. It's nice to feel the care with each note. We all miss my dad daily and are still dealing with the grief of the sudden loss but it can bring a smile to us knowing how loved he was outside of us. While I don't wish this pain on anyone, it's nice to know we are not alone in it fully.

Please know how much he valued each person who participated in his world and spoke highly of those on this forum. He is reading the messages and making wildly random jokes or puns with each one. Through me, he gives his love and appreciation.