Hi Dory,
I never had a chance to meet you, but my wife, Vicki, and I were friends of Dom's. Dom and I met while working at Cabinda Gulf Oil Company, in Malongo, Angola. Dom worked in Telcoms and I in the IT Apllications area.
When I retired in 2007, Dom came and stayed with us at our summer house on the island of Hvar, Croatia. Dom was participating in a group bicycle tour starting in Hvar and ending in Dubrovnik, so he stayed with us for a few days before the trip started. Dom was one of the best visitors we had that year... He made himself at home and was never a bother... we had a lot of fun with him during his brief stay in Stari Grad. Then in 2010, I talked Dom in coming back to Croatia to do an island hopping bicycle ride with me. We spent 2 weeks riding our asses off on 3 islands - Hvar, Korcula and Mijet. I couldn't keep up with Dom on the asphalt roads because he had these nice road tires (and strong legs), but on the dirt trails, with my knobby tires, I got back at him and left him in the dust. This turned out to be our competitive point throughout the 2 weeks. We were on the island of Mijet the night England played the USA for Division C FIFA World Cup. The Croatian bartender was playing us both and telling Dom if the US won he was going to take the American flag and my bicycle and ride up and down the main street yelling USA, USA! Dom loved his sports, so you know he didn't like what this Coatian was saying. As it turned out the game was tied at 1-1 and Dom and I drunk to it and left the bar as friends... Somehow, I know we would have left as friends regardless which team had won.
Dom loved people and was always a kind and helpful soul. We shared some good times together and I will miss him, but I am so glad we met and got to know on another.
It just so happens that I am going to bicycle ride starting today, 4-September, to raise money for children charities and the Cruse Bereavement Center with another friend who lost his wife last year to breast cancer. The ride starts in Stari Grad, island Hvar, Croatia, and ends in UK. I am dedicating the ride day of 5-September in memory of Dom my good friend - May we meet again someday!