In Memory Of Andy And Hugh Gibb.
Visit to Forest Lawn
Story and photos by Patty Rowley and Kim Sloan
Patty: A little more than 2 years ago I posted a message on the PenPal page of GSI looking for a PenPal who not only liked the Bee Gees but who loved Andy too. I only got one response. Her name was Kim and she lived in Colorado. Only a skip and a hop from where I was in California. For 2 years we had made plans to meet one another and to go pay tribute to Andy. Each time we made plans something always came up and we never met. This past January we were talking about making a trip to Southern California to go see Andy for what would have been his 50th Birthday. That gave us only 5 weeks to pull rabbits out of our hats but we did it. On the early morning of March 5th we met at LAX, the Los Angeles airport, for the first time. We went out there on the 5th and placed flowers but were saddened when we only saw 1 rose. Kim and I knew Andy deserved a lot better. So we came back the next day with more flowers and the Blue Bows that we made. We also placed a large “A” in the middle of each bow. Anyway Kim and I are Best Friends now. While we were in Southern California we devoted to trip to Andy. We took fresh flowers to him every day and also to Hughie. Thank you for your web site as I now have the greatest friend in the world. This was our tribute to Andy.
March 4th.
On March 4th I drove from my home in Northern CA to Southern CA. About and hour and 15 minutes from my destination in Woodland Hills I had a bad car accident. A truck in front of me carrying large fence posts had one break lose and it was headed through my car windshield. I quickly swerved my car and the post ended up tearing my front rim and tire off my car leaving me in the middle of fast moving traffic and semi trucks. A California Highway Patrol Officer came to my rescue with a tow truck and quite a few hours later I was back on the road. New tire and rim were being replaced in the morning.
March 5th.
I was scheduled to meet Kim at LAX at 9:40 am. I got out of the car repair shop at 9 am on March 5th. If there is one thing in LA that does not go fast it is the freeway. So here I am about 30 minutes away from the airport but in reality it took me 1 hour. Now I have never been to LAX so that was another thing I had to tackle on this trip. Now since we had been planning this trip for 2 years I had 2 years to study these maps. It paid off and I got to LAX found the right parking garage and the right flight terminal all within minutes. Finally something was going right. Kim’s flight was late getting in which was a good thing for me. Now back in Colorado Kim had her fair share of fear on getting to the airport. Her sister had taken her to the airport at about 5:30 am but they had a spinout in their vehicle on the ice which scared them both to death. Why of all mornings did there have to be ice on the road. Well at about 10:20 am Kim’s plane landed. Since we had never met before we wanted to wear something so we could recognize each other right away. So I ordered up 2 matching Malibu Beach T-Shirts. And that is what we wore. Now mind you it did not make a difference about the shirts cause we saw each other a mile away and knew instantly who each other was. 2 years later after meeting on GSI as Pen Pals we had finally met. From that moment on we never stopped talking. Since we both had bad mishaps getting to LA I told Kim on the way back to the hotel in Woodland Hills that we were going on a detour. I took her by the house where Andy once lived. Our hotel was a half mile from the house.
I had promised Kim that even though I was getting there a day before she was I would not go see the house without her. I held my promise. We briefly stopped in front of the house and we were just silent. We had Andy playing on the stereo and we just listened for a few minutes. Then we went back to the hotel and dropped off Kim’s things. Next stop the Grocery Floral Department. We bought only 2 bouquets of flowers as we assumed that when we got to Forest Lawn there would be many flowers by Andy. We jumped on the freeway and it was a 20 minute drive to Forest Lawn. We had no problems finding it. When we got to the “Courts of Remembrance” we looked for Andy for about 15 minutes before we started following the numbers located on the bottom of the wall. We came close to Andy’s number and we stopped and caught our breath as we went forward. We had finally found Andy. We were very saddened thought to see only 1 rose in the vase. We thought for sure there would have been more. Well we fixed our flowers up and put them in the vases. The sun was hitting the wall so that we couldn’t get good pictures but we took plenty. We also knew that Hughie was buried close by so we set out to find him too. He was right around the corner. Saddened again by no flowers Kim and I went back to the Floral Department at the grocery store. We bought a few more bouquets and 2 cupcakes and some candles. We went back to our hotel and lit the candles for Andy’s Birthday. We put the flowers in the refrigerator for the next day so we wouldn’t have to stop along the way. This time we went fully prepared. Rose cutters, tape, pictures, blue bows, camera’s and camcorder’s. We made the blue bows for Andy on the night of his Birthday while sitting there listening to CD’s. We wanted Andy to shine above all as he so deserved.
I had promised Kim that even though I was getting there a day before she was I would not go see the house without her. I held my promise. We briefly stopped in front of the house and we were just silent. We had Andy playing on the stereo and we just listened for a few minutes. Then we went back to the hotel and dropped off Kim’s things. Next stop the Grocery Floral Department. We bought only 2 bouquets of flowers as we assumed that when we got to Forest Lawn there would be many flowers by Andy. We jumped on the freeway and it was a 20 minute drive to Forest Lawn. We had no problems finding it. When we got to the “Courts of Remembrance” we looked for Andy for about 15 minutes before we started following the numbers located on the bottom of the wall. We came close to Andy’s number and we stopped and caught our breath as we went forward. We had finally found Andy. We were very saddened thought to see only 1 rose in the vase. We thought for sure there would have been more. Well we fixed our flowers up and put them in the vases. The sun was hitting the wall so that we couldn’t get good pictures but we took plenty. We also knew that Hughie was buried close by so we set out to find him too. He was right around the corner. Saddened again by no flowers Kim and I went back to the Floral Department at the grocery store. We bought a few more bouquets and 2 cupcakes and some candles. We went back to our hotel and lit the candles for Andy’s Birthday. We put the flowers in the refrigerator for the next day so we wouldn’t have to stop along the way. This time we went fully prepared. Rose cutters, tape, pictures, blue bows, camera’s and camcorder’s. We made the blue bows for Andy on the night of his Birthday while sitting there listening to CD’s. We wanted Andy to shine above all as he so deserved.
March 6th.
Thursday March 6th we arrived early at Forest Lawn and added more flowers to Andy’s vases and took 2 bouquets to Hughie. Overnight someone had delivered 1 dozen red roses to Andy. We attached the blue bows to the vases and added a balloon. We were quite proud for what we had done for Andy and for honoring Hughie. One other thought we had was would the Gibb Family be proud of us for honoring both Andy and Hughie and what their thoughts would be. Maybe one day we will find out. After we left Forest Lawn we made our way to Malibu. We knew Andy loved Malibu and loved to take his boat out there. We found the Pier and the parking lot. While we were traveling to Malibu Kim and I talked about having a Guardian Angel with us and that Angel being Andy. It just seemed that every place we went that had to do with Andy we got there with no problems and we knew right where to go. We also got to each place safely. We got out on the beach and walked around. It was a beautiful day. No wind, the sand didn’t burn your feet and you could just have a fun time. We walked out to the end of the Pier and took pictures. We came back to the beach and sat down in the sand and got out the camcorders. had brought my little cassette player and we had recorded 2 songs on a tape to play for Andy while on the beach. “Wish You Were Here” and “Our Love(Don’t Throw it All Away)”. You can hear them as we are recording the ocean and beach. After the beach we went looking for Malibu souvenirs. Let me tell you there are not many in Malibu so what did find are complete treasures. Anyway we headed back to the hotel but not before a trip to the Floral Department again. We did this every night for 5 nights and twice on the 5th.
March 7th.
Friday March 7th we went back to Forest Lawn in the morning. After spending more time there and taking pictures we went to Anaheim and went to Downtown Disney. Now many people would think we went to Disneyland but nope not us we had Andy on the brain. Instead we went to Build A Bear and made identical “Andy Bears”. Now we got the bears with a bit of tan to them so it would look like Andy had a good tan. He now wears complete beach attire with matching sunglasses. Disneyland would have lasted a day….”Andy Bear” will last a lifetime.
March 8th.
Saturday March 8th was the only day we did not make it to Forest Lawn. Another one of my Best Friends was coming to meet up with us and we were going to do Hollywood this day. We found our way to Hollywood Blvd and we had addresses of all the Stars we wanted to see. As soon as we emerged from the Kodak Theatre I looked down and there was the Bee Gees Star!! I got the rose out and the picture of Mo and set it up on the Star. People passing by would say what a nice thing to do. We took a lot of pictures.
March 9th.
Sunday March 9th we did pay another visit to Forest Lawn to clean up the flowers. There were photos taken of both of us at Andy’s grave and by the Church where the service for Andy was held. Later that evening we went and bought the prettiest flowers we could find for Andy and Hughie.
March 10th.
Monday March 10th we left the hotel extremely early and went to Forest Lawn. The gates didn’t open till 8 am but when we got there at 7:30 am they were open so we went in. We got to Andy as fast as our feet would carry us. Knowing this would be the last day we would be coming out to see Andy made it even more sadder. We put the fresh flowers in all the vases and then we took the cassette tape we played at the beach out. We played it for Andy. 2 songs later there was not a dry eye. Kim and I finally did what we had been waiting for 2 years to do. Pay Tribute to Andy Gibb. Now it was time to get Kim to LAX and back home asap. We got her to the airport as her flight was boarding. The airline was great in getting her to the gate in a prompt manner. After I left the airport and realizing that Kim and I never really got to say goodbye I cried my eyes out. How could this be over so fast? Feeling that for me it wasn’t truly over I went back out to Forest Lawn and had a long talk with Andy. I also went and took more video coverage with Wish You Were Here playing in the background. Every time I tried to leave I couldn’t do it. Eventually I knew I had to go and I turned around while in the car and when I knew I wouldn’t see Andy again I completely lost it. I can now understand in a sense how the Gibb Family felt when they too had to leave. The pain I felt was tremendous I can’t even begin to imagine theirs.
March 11th.
Tuesday March 11th I left for home. But not before going by the house Andy lived in one more time. This time I took a bouquet of flowers to the owners of the house and a single red rose for Andy. I layed it down on the grass by the mailbox. Then I headed on home.
March 29th.
Today is only 3 weeks since our trip. I can’t wait to go back with Kim. Kim in my eyes is the most loving person a friend could ever ask for. She knows exactly what to say when you need someone to listen to you. She can make you laugh so hard you cry. If I ever had a twin I would say Kim is my twin because we would make the same comments at the same time and she could read my mind. I hope everyone in the world has that one “Special” person in their life .
Patty & Kim
Patty & Kim
Andy’s House. 5811 Oakdale Ave, Woodland Hills, CA
We had a small Birthday Party in our hotel room the evening of March 5th.
We made the bows with an “A” in the middle and brought most of the flowers. Overnight someone delivered a dozen roses. We also added the balloon.
This is Malibu Pier. While there we could understand why Andy loved it here so much. The ocean was so peaceful.
The place of Andy’s memorial stone
This was our Tribute to Mo. We wanted to do more but the Star is located where there is high volume of traffic. People said that was a nice thing to do for Mo and the Brothers.
This is the Church where the service for Andy was held.
We took out another balloon and added more fresh flowers one last time. Saying goodbye was the hardest thing we have ever had to do.
Patty(L) and Kim(R) in front of the Church.
