John Bodkin, 61, of Largo, Fl.died on August 13, 2012 at his residence.
He was born on May 2, 1951, to Daryl and Norma Bodkin in Anamosa, Iowa. John was an Air Force veteran and served in the Vietnam War. John moved to the Largo area in 1981 from Lisbon, Iowa. He was a Bread Route Salesman and was the Owner / Operator of his route for Flowers Baking Company.
John is survived by his two sons, Timothy and Corey; father, Daryl; brother, Barry; and sister, Trudy.
A memorial service with military honors will be held at Bay Pines National Cemetery on September 12, 2012, at 2:15 pm.
My heart is aching John. You weren’t suppose to leave us yet. I do not know how Tim, Corey and I will go on without you here. You were not only my husband for 29 years but my best friend. I thought we had many more years. I am thankful that you knew how much I loved you and that you were always in my heart just as I knew that you loved me. You always called me your Honey Bunny and I still have your voice mail saying that. You were such a wonderful father to our sons and I thank you for giving me two beautiful sons. Oh John how I miss you and I always will. I love you John. Rest in peace. Until we meet again.
Love, Always,
Your Honey Bunny, Mitti
Oh Johnny I can’t do this. My heart hurts. I just had a talk with God last week. Thanking him for still having you in my life. I asked when it was our time to go to take me first because our sons needed you more then me, but he took you first. Why? You would be proud of our sons. They are both fighting for what was yours. They are both trying to be strong, but we both know their hearts and we both know how much this is hurting them. We loved you so much as well as many others did. You took a big chunk of my heart with you and I really do not know if I am strong enough to get through this. I need you here with us. I love you Johnny forever.
Love,
Little Bit (Mitti) Your Honey Bunny
You will be greatly missed.
Johny B. I am so sad. when I first met you , you made me feel as if we had been freinds forever . You always opend your home to me and made me feel welcome, I love you and you will be missed love kimmi
Miss you everyday pops.
John you were one of the neatest people I have ever met. To be around you was a joy and a lot of fun. You will be missed but we will see one another on the other side one day. Keep a place opened for me. Rest in peace. Mickey
Tim, Corey, and Mitti,
I’m still trying to wrap my head around this! You are all in my thoughts. My heart is breaking and I know it’s even worse for you. The heart is a strange thing-strong enough to survive the death of someone you love, fragil enough to break at an unkind word. But what the heart once cherished, it will NEVER forget. We’ll love John forever. Heart hugs to you all, Love Trudy
We will miss you John and always Love you!! I know you and Mike are together now, and I know that makes you both happy. Love you so much!
Mitti, Tim and Corey, I am so sorry for your loss, John was like a brother to me as he spent alot of time at our house when he was in high school. Will miss that beautiful smile. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you!!
Date:August 20, 2012
Name:Kay Hackett
Entry:You will be missed by those who love you. Death is not part of God’s arrangement, but is part of this ugly system that we live in. We are all looking for something better and it is right in front of us. All we need to do is reach for it. I have comfort in what John Chapter 5 and verses 28 and 29 says.
nookie nookie noo na na john bodkin one of ur best trailer buddies from the midwest. oooooo b. its wild world and its hard to get by just w a smile….. smile in heaven j. u were too good to go anywhere else. my heart goes out to u mitty, tim and corey. what a loss. merry
Johnny B. What a shock it was to hear of your passing. I never thought that you would leave us at such a young age. My prayers are with Mitti and your boys Tim and Corey that GOD will get them through this sad time and heal them on their loss. GOD bless you JohnnY B.
Will miss you Jollie! We all had some good times. Good memories. Lot’s of laughter! We all had some great times. Wish we could have more. Tim,Corey,Mitti,Johnv_,Clete, I know how much you are hurting. I WILL MISS HIM TOO!–Love Pallie
Very Very sorry about your loss. My deepest condolences to you and rest of the family. John was not only a loyal customer but a good friend.He always referred to me as Bossman and I referred to him as Johnny B Good(Elvis song). John was a decent human being with a heart of Gold. He was a hard working man.It is very sad he was taken too soon. I pray for his soul and may God will give strength to Mitti, Tim and Corey to go on, remembering the good times with John.He will be missed tremendously.
Dear Pops,
I miss you so much. It has been only one week and two days since I last saw you, but my hurt in my heart hasn’t gotten any easier. I cry many times a day. I’m trying to be strong for Corey, but YOU were MY DAD too. I love you so much. This isn’t fair. You were going to walk me down the isle when Corey and I got married. You filled a void in my life, plus so much more. You showed me love and treated me like I was your own daughter. My heart aches for you. I told you that I loved you and you said you loved me too. I can only pray that you truly know how much I love you. You will forever be my Pops and I will always be your Christie-Bug. You left us too soon, but I guess God had other plans and now you’re in a better place. I promise to take care of Corey and even though you’re not here physically, I know you are watching over all of us. I’m so sorry that I wasn’t able to give you your grand-daughter, but I promise our family will carry out your name and your grand children will know what a great, great grandfather you would’ve been. That’s all I can say for now Pops. I love you so much. Love Always and Forever, Christie-Bug
Father,mentor, biggest supporter, business parnter but most important my BEST FRIEND. A week into and im stil waiting to wake up from those nightmare. Wating to hear your voice saying “sonny”. But I relize that will never happen! Whick literally breaks my heart, dad you never gave up on me,when most did. Your were the best fatherfriend a son could ask for. i cry often just wondering,why you?,why now? You were the most unselfish man I have ever known. Your personality was one of a kind.You have left behind so many people that you have touched,in one way or another. Personally speaking you gave me a clean slate and told me the past is the past.Core its what you do moving forward that counts.You saw me at my highest of highs and the lowest of my lows Not once did you give up on me! I love you so very much for loving me so much. Im not sure how to move on without you and quit frankly dont care to. But i know what you want me to do and i wont let you down ever again! I will be the man you brought me up to be and nothing less will be exceptable! Dad i love you so very much and will miss everyday that we spent together! I was so lucky to have had these past few years together. We shared so many laughs togehter that i will cherish for my entire life. Our family is just not complete with-out you dad. I know your in a better place now but in my opionion right here with us would be a whole lot better. Thanks for being the best friend anybody could ask for!!!! I love and miss you more than words can say. Dont worry about the busines dad, I got your back,like you always had ours. Chris-bug,mom,tim and clete will never let your legacy die. I CAN HOPEFULLY GROW UP TO BE A FATHER AND BEST FRIEND LIKE THE GREAT JONNY B. YOUR LOVING SON, COREY. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING DAD YOU WILL BR MISSED MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW!LOVE SONNY
Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. Rest in peace John.
Hi John,
Man this is not getting any easier just harder for me. I miss you so much. Missed you Sunday so much but your side kick Corey came in saying exactly what you would have to deliver the bread. Calling me Honey Bunnies. Tim had a dream last night about you and he said you were sitting there laughing which is so you. Oh John how am I suppose to continue my journey here without you. I love and miss you so much it hurts. Sometimes I feel like your still right here by me, but other times I feel like your so far away and that feeling hurts so bad and makes me so sad. I need your strength John, but most importantly our sons need your strength. I will never say goodbye to you because I want you here with me always and forever.
Love, Your Honey Bunnies
Hey father my heart continues to hurt and I see no signs of it getting easier! All I want to do is get back to work and do what we enjoyed together for so many years! But it is what is for now. I believe your wishes will work out and if not I will be fine!! I miss our mornings together so much. We shared so many laughs,realizing how much we were alike and boy we were cool:).I have a huge void in my heart that will never be filled. I will just fill the void with all of our great times that we shared. I also thank god that through all my trials and tribulations that god brought me back to you. I can honestly say the last three years that I spent with you were some of the best years of my life. Dad,I think about often and all you have done for me. Theres no doubt in my mind that you were the best father a son could ask for.
mitty and boys so sorry i have know john as a friend and customer at the fort knox where he made a lot of people laugh.he was a good man so sad his life was cut so short. joni
My Dear John, It has been awhile since I have been here but I know you hear me everyday talking to you. It is just not the same anymore. I know I know your saying “Mitti life goes on” but John I never thought I would have to continue my journey here without you. I told you I wanted to go first because I wouldn’t be able to handle losing you. I am still in shock that you left us. I miss you so much and especially on Sundays. That was our day to visit and catch up on everything. I miss those times with you John and I miss our phone calls. I just miss you and it is not getting any easier for me and I do not think it ever will. You know me everytime I lose someone they take a piece of my heart with them and you took pretty much of what I had left so not sure how much more my heart can take. Sometimes it aches so bad I feel like it is going to give out on me. None of this seems real to me. It is like I am in a bad dream that I just can’t wake up from. I do not know if I will ever really be able to accept that your gone. It is just too hard. I miss you John. Like you use to always tell me “Always in my heart” I love you John!
Hi John,
It has been over 6 months since you left us and it is not gettng any easier, harder each day that goes by without seeing you. I miss you so much and am very sad without you in my life. Always in my heart and thoughts. Corey said you have been in many of his dreams. I choose to believe that your looking after him. Life is not the same for Tim, Corey or me now that your gone. The family is not complete anymore. Like you always said we were family no matter what and the biggest part of our family is gone. We love and miss you John and we always will.
Love, Your Little Bit Mitti
John, As you know our beautiful son lost his battle and his journey here has ended. He is with you now his Pops. My heart is broken. Johnny I really don’t know how I am going to continue my journey without my beautiful loving son. He was so much like you. His beautiful smile and sense of humor. Please hold him tight until my journey here is over and I can hold him again. Take care of our baby. You know how I handle losing loved ones, but this is the hardest most unbearable loss of all. You both will forever be in my heart. You and Corey both rest in peace. Till we all meet again. I have to go now. The tears are flowing. I love you both so very much.