Some sad news regarding one of our Past District 5240 Governors... The text below is from Rob van Nieuwburg, Past President of the Rotary Club of Ventura.
---
A little over three weeks ago I told you how my long-time friend Marc Vertin was fighting for his life. In the afternoon on September 12, 2019, he lost that fight. As usual, everyone will express their sorrow, offer prayers and thoughts for the ones staying behind and move on with life. That’s what we do. Sometimes events like this hit just too close for comfort. It takes more than just accept and move on. Tears won’t even do much to help with the pain and immensity of the loss. For me, this is one that is much too close.
Marc was family. Marc was a Rotarians’ Rotarian. When he served as District Governor for Rotary District 5240 Marc gave us his motto “It Can Be Done.” It was more than just words. He lived his motto and never gave up going after his goals. He was a breath of fresh air during his service as District Governor in 2002-2003.
When the family moved to Indiana, they faced plenty of roadblocks. But he NEVER gave up! When Marc’s health posed a challenge, he put up one heck of a battle. Especially in the last month. Remember: “It Can Be Done.” But, sadly enough, this last one proved to be too much to overcome.
I miss my friend and will miss him forever. It would be nice if the world could stop for just a little bit, so we could adjust to a world without Marc. So, we could deal with the emotion of him leaving us behind. But no such luck. We must move on. Life goes on, as they say. I will miss his humor. I will miss my “co-founder” of the Bad Boys Table in our Ventura Rotary Club. I will miss sharing the LA Dodger fan discussions, not to mention his views on society with focus on the positives and blessings. I think about all the times we shared in and outside of Rotary. When Marc and his family left California for Indiana an emptiness stayed behind. But he was only a phone call away. He stayed as a member of our Ventura Rotary Club while residing in Indiana. We stayed in touch.
Now there is a gaping hole that I don’t know how to fill. I wish everyone that knew Marc will reflect on what he left behind, the lives he touched, the good he has done. The countless friends he made. The service above self to others without question, unconditional and limitless. What an example!
Farewell, my friend. Thank you for all you’ve done. Thank you for being my friend. We are all hurting because you lost your fight and left us. For you, the pains are no longer. You paid your price and it’s your turn to rest. Until we meet again. l Love you man!
We will go on, because “It Can Be Done.”
Rob van Nieuwburg
Ventura Rotary Club
Past President 2014-2015
Ventura Rotary Club
Past President 2014-2015