Goodbye Old Friend
Thursday, January 10th, 2008I don’t usually write blogs such as this, but I just had to acknowledge the passing of a dear friend and colleague. My old friend Rex, the director of sales at a hotel here in Beverly Hills, passed away just before Christmas. He lived alone and was a very private kind of guy, but he was one of the first people you would notice at any business function. Not because he commanded the room like some, but just by his recognizable presence. Always a friendly face when you needed one in a sea of strangers.
Over the years, Rex and I would huddle in a corner at various business meetings and gossip about everything going on in our little industry. Who was now at what company, hotel, etc. and, of course, all of the other “juicy” stuff friends often chat about. We always searched each other out for at least a few minutes of titillating fun before mingling as proper business people.
He was a big guy, always smiling, always a kind word and always with an ear for you when you were down. There were many times when he offered a shoulder for me to cry on during particularly bad times while we would sit in his hotel bar and lament the good old days.
Rex was one of the “good guys.” Everyone knew him and liked him. I just wish I had thanked him for his friendship, but I suppose he knew. At least I hope he did. I can say for sure that the hospitality industry in Los Angeles will surely miss his funny smile and quick wit and some of us will miss a friend.
Rest well my friend. Take it easy now and save a barstool and a martini for me. Dirty, three olives.
-Morissa Pawl, vice president western region
