WHEN in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary….
MIA: Remus and the Woodpile Report [Updated 2] [Bumped 2]
byVanderleunonJuly 13, 2020
[NOTE: I DO NOT have any independent confirmation of the death of Remus. All there is, so far, is a comment in this thread from an unknown and previously unseen commenter/lurker. We can assume but we do not know. He is still listed here as MIA.]
Many readers in comments and email are concerned about the lack of updates at the Woodpile Report. I am concerned as well.
I’ve written Remus a couple of times over the last week or two but have, to date, received no response.
In an effort to dispel all the wild rumors I offer this advance notice of a forthcoming announcement at woodpilereport.com.
It is taking some time to get to as there are more important things for us to do in the immediate but it will be posted soon.
——————–
The Woodpile Report will no longer be updated.
His family regrets to announce that Ol’ Remus recently met his demise.
In accordance with his desire for anonymity as author of The Woodpile Report his identity as well as details about his life will not be provided.
An archive here {at woodpilereport.com} of available past issues is pending.
Stay away from crowds.
H/T to all for the kind comments in your blogs, pages and comments.
——————-
While his family, and yes, I am family, close enough to him that I have known him every single day I have been alive – until he died of course, wishes ‘friend of wife” had not posted her comments anywhere containing details of his death, which are true – but that’s all ya get for real info, the fact is that Ol’ Remus has indeed died.
While rumors will persist without a link to an obituary or the divulging of other revealing information concerning who Remus was it is from the respect of his wishes to remain anonymous that we, his family, act in this manner.
There are very few on the internet who know who Remus was but rest assured he was greater in real life than his writings showed him to be.
This post may be freely shared of course, and I have no doubt it will be – an important take from this is the H/T thanks offered to all, not just readers here, but everywhere.
Thank you Mr. Van der Leun for americandigest.org
It is my honor to post this message here originally.
Lastly – No, I am not posting from Stockholm, Sweden as the logged IP address will show.
I recall Remus saying he was going to take a couple of weeks off. I wanted to see when he said that so I clicked onto his previous columns, there’s 5 of them listed, but each one comes up null and void.
Now you know how we all felt, Gerard, when you went missing.
ghostsniperJune 30, 2020, 2:24 PM
Everybody’s finding their boltholes.
Bruce GarrettJune 30, 2020, 2:44 PM
Thank you. I’ve been wondering too
RosalindJJune 30, 2020, 2:49 PM
Thanks for making the effort. I have wanted to write him, but considered that he’s likely recieving a lot of inquiries and wouldn’t want to overload him. I hope you hear back with some good news.
mmackJune 30, 2020, 3:45 PM
Sometimes a man needs to lace up his boots, grab his hat, walk away to solitude and have a good think. 🤔
Perhaps Remus is doing that.
ChrisJune 30, 2020, 3:46 PM
I think your assesment is correct GS. And some of us have been living in them for a lifetime.
Hinter boonies and all that.
wmprofJune 30, 2020, 3:53 PM
Thinking to myself today, if my wife had gone on, I would be making plans. Just sayin’.
salJune 30, 2020, 6:48 PM
I’m guessing it is one of two things. Either something is going on in his personal life that requires immediate and full attention. I hope not because, if so, it is probably not good. Or, he has decided we are at the tipping point and he has gone dark. Either option is not good. I pray there is another explanation.
Boat GuyJune 30, 2020, 8:34 PM
Well, then…prayer it is. Been doing that anyway. He’s gone dark before and we were all the poorer for it. He return was a gift and if that’s all we get WE are better for him having graced the medium-as with GVDL.
Still selfishly hoping to hear from him again. It’s Been a couple of years since we exchanged emails and like y’all I don’t want to spam him.
DerakJune 30, 2020, 9:34 PM
Every other time he sequestered, he gave notice.
I, too, wonder if this is the reset. Act accordingly. As always.
Heh…. oh shit.
Dick SummersJune 30, 2020, 10:11 PM
I tried the Wayback Machine https://archive.org/web/web.php and though I found many older entries, I didn’t see the one that I recall his saying that posting might be intermittent.
Enter “woodpilereport.com” into the search window, click ‘Browse History’ and a calendar comes up going back to 2007 with dates highlighted where a copy of the site was saved. Hover over the selected date and then click on the blue timestamp.
Snakepit KansasJuly 1, 2020, 5:33 AM
Prayers.
SpectatorJuly 3, 2020, 2:49 PM
He has been saying he’s looking to July to indicate whether things are salvageable or not–so I have been surprised to see him quiet for almost a month. I hope all’s well.
Richard TakedaJuly 3, 2020, 11:18 PM
Dear Mr. VANDERLEWIN
Thank you for this posting, and for giving us all a chance to pay our respects to a man who gave me much pleasure from reading his always insightful and entertaining postings. He did say he was expecting the tipping point to happen in July, but as another posted, he has never gone dark before without giving notice. He must have suffered a great deal through the illness of his wife, and such as this often happens in the aftermath of such suffering.
We were all blessed to have been able to read his postings over the years – i can not remember, but it almost seems it could have been 30 years that i may have enjoyed his company. I am grateful to him and will pray for his soul in Heaven above. May he rest in peace with his wife above. May God Bless him.
Richard TakedaJuly 4, 2020, 9:24 PM
revising my comment of yesterday – it appears that the Woodpile Report had a life of not much longer than 12 years – it was great while it lasted.
If anyone who knew Remus well enough to have his telephone number, please call the local police department and ask them to go out and check on him and his property. I had a friend – the boyfriend of my dear departed sister, who i lost track of after he was released from a rehabilitation nursing home – i spoke to him twice, and then was no longer able to raise him. Such had happened in the past and he had been moved into a hospital, but i could find him no where. After calling several times each day, finally an auxilliary policeman suggested i call the police, and i did. My friend had been sitting dead on his couch for 12 days with his faithful dog at his side. The police judged the time by what they found. I pray this is not the fate of our good friend Ole Remus.
101st AirborneJuly 5, 2020, 8:07 PM
Having been raised on the Blue Ridge Parkway by Mountain folk, i always looked forward to seeing things from his perspective. He did loose his wife recently and he may just not feel like writing. I hope his health is holding up. We’ll lift him up in our prayers. No Slack – Out.
Slarty BardfarstJuly 8, 2020, 7:02 PM
I too have noticed that he hasn’t updated in a while.
While I’m younger than he, I believe we both had depression era parents which instills a certain view that seems to be very out-of-fashion these days.
If he has gone to happier hunting grounds I’m sure he fares much better than we, are but his absence deprives us of a very unique and rare (re)source of knowledge, common sense, and humor.
sirlancelotJuly 8, 2020, 8:31 PM
just did a Bing search for Woodpile Report and this comment thread came up. Glad to see someone’s trying to check up on old Remus. I too don’t like to bother the man. Only sent him an email 3 times over the years. Once to welcome him back after his hiatus, more recently condolences for the passing of his wife and just recently joking that he wasn’t writing because it looks like the Red Sox may win another World Series.
Read something as well that his writing may be intermittent . Let’s hope he’s just enjoying a nice summer vacation.
LK
TrucksNCoffeeJuly 9, 2020, 12:51 PM
I, too, found this site after a Bing search. I’m pleased that so many are concerned and praying for Uncle Remus. I hope the ol’ Woodpile Report is updated soon.
AngelJuly 10, 2020, 11:49 AM
John 16:33 for Remus…
Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee:
by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
31Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
32Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
33These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
friend of wifeJuly 10, 2020, 6:49 PM
Remus passed away on July 8th. He was diagnosed with cancer 3 weeks prior.
John VenletJuly 11, 2020, 5:36 AM
Thank you, friend of wife, ol’ Remus will be missed.
AngelJuly 11, 2020, 10:06 AM
Takin’ the Train To Heaven
Heaven’s train has come ’a callin’
The conductor tells me, “time to go”
I hadn’t seen it comin’
I wish that I’d ‘a known
Soft smoke is billowin’, billowin’ up
The train whistles a fluted sound
And up eternity’s track we go
Leavin’ this earthly ground
I’d like to have known my passage was booked
The fare paid…my departure planned
‘Cause I was just as surprised as you
Alt. Verse: For I was still battling courageously
When from life-to-death I spanned
So here I stand on the departure docks
And into eternity I’ll go
But I’ll leave part of my heart with you
So you will always know…
THAT I LOVE YOU
–
I’ve found my seat now on the train
It’s feelin’ more like home
As for baggage…we all have none
C’ept for love n’ memories we’ve known
My ticket’s punched and handed back
After searchin’ my heart and face
I find it reads: “FIRST CLASS TO HEAVEN”
“THROUGH CHRIST’S ATONING GRACE”
And suddenly I’m feelin’ so much calm
‘Bout where I’ve been and where I’m goin’
And I can trust you all to God’s sweet grace
For his mercies you’ll be knowin’
I can see you all so clearly
As the train chugs n’ we depart
You’re all remainin’ so close to me
Where does life end n’ heaven start?
I still can reach out n’ touch you
So I’ll be sendin’ my love each day
Your sorrow’s gonna ease with time
Yet my deep love’ll always stay
–
The train begins to slow down now…
We’re arrivin’ at eternity
As heav’nly mansions come into view…
Glorious as they can be!
So don’t be filled with sadness…
For I’m here in peaceful abode
The train simply brought me back to my God
And the joys of my heav’nly home
We need to save Remus’s website The Woodpile Report for eternity…
larry kaiserJuly 11, 2020, 12:11 PM
I was worried that he had fallen down in the woods or down the cellar steps and died a slow death. 3 weeks from a cancer diagnosis is not as bad. Time to find a home for the dog, review the will and say goodbye to special people. I am still not over the death of Weaponsman and I am sure it will be hard to find a replacement for the woodpile report. Old age is when you know more people who are dead than you do who are alive. We all just got a little older.
ParanoidJuly 11, 2020, 12:41 PM
NUTS; I hate losing a good man. The fights just starting and we can us all the good men we can find.
JamesJuly 11, 2020, 2:09 PM
I hope Remus is well in this or the next life,really not sure what to think at moment.
Are posters pretty darm sure the good man has passed on to the next chapter?
This turns out the case all I can say was tis a honor to know you through your writings and will raise a glass of spirits in your memory.
Lightnin'July 11, 2020, 2:14 PM
Remus and I were the same age (one foot in the grave and ready to go), had grown up in similar times and places, and I felt a distinct kinship. See you soon, Brother!
He has moved on to his final reward but we still have his words.
He was a mighty fine writer with a good head on his shoulders.
Rest in peace.
Tactless WookieJuly 11, 2020, 8:53 PM
While he was here he made the world a better place. God Bless you Remus. I am profoundly sad.
It’s not uncommon for folks who were married a long time to pass very close to each other. I can only pray he is in heaven with his beloved wife.
If you are inclined please say a prayer for both Mr. And Mrs. Remus.
I hope I see you both someday after I pass beyond the veil.
Mary GortonJuly 11, 2020, 9:16 PM
Such a loss. But I had thought that the illness and death of his wife must have been very difficult for him. A great thinker and writer. We need to preserve everything that we can know of him in his memory. Does anyone know his real name and where he lived? Was it near Murphy North Carolina?
Another good man gone. You will be missed, Remus. Thanks for the many laughs, and your penetrating insight into the current follies. RIP
snuffyJuly 11, 2020, 10:06 PM
That is some hard news to hear. His blog was one that I absolutely looked forward to reading every week. Last few weeks, I had been going there at least 2x a day, hoping that his next post would be there, and coming away deeply disappointed, and worried. A smart and brave man, when those are in short supply, lately. His unique viewpoint and wisdom will be sorely missed. Feeling now like I did when MBV passed.
RussJuly 11, 2020, 10:08 PM
Uncle Remus was an elegant man. His words always had the ‘ring’ of truth to them that I personally took comfort in. He is remembered well and will be missed.
CynyrJuly 11, 2020, 10:13 PM
Bad news. A tremendous loss, that cannot be expressed in mere words.
PamelaJuly 11, 2020, 10:20 PM
I emailed him today to see if he was well and safe.
God Bless Remus
MacumazahnJuly 11, 2020, 10:33 PM
I haven’t felt like this since “One Old Vet” passed away.
I had only a few words with Ol’ Remus, but I treasure them.
May he rest in peace.
LundoJuly 11, 2020, 10:58 PM
I came to rely on this rare man for weekly insights on the changing world. As for many of us, my fears of recent weeks were confirmed upon reading this sad news. I wish we had had a chance to meet in the real world, there’s so much more I could have learned from him. I’m glad I’ve archived his posts since Dec 2015; I’ll be looking over them in the coming days. Glad he didn’t suffer too long with this cancer that gets so many of us. R.I.P. brother.
sirlancelotJuly 11, 2020, 11:21 PM
Damn !
Was traveling down I-81 today saying a little prayer for Remus. Never thought about death for some reason. Just thought he was enjoying the summer weather. R.I.P.
SilverDethJuly 12, 2020, 12:30 AM
When a man dies, a library burns – and yours was Alexandria. Though I never had the pleasure of breaking bread with you, I would still call you friend and ally. You stood tall among giants, and served as a stoic reminder of who the Men of the West once were.
Goodbye Remus. You have been a pleasure to follow and read these long years. Go to your wife now, and rest well. You’ve earned it.
Centurion_CorneliusJuly 12, 2020, 2:49 AM
Still stunned!
From another warrior:
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.”
GSP
Guy GadbousJuly 12, 2020, 3:48 AM
Lo, There do I see my Father
Lo, There do I see my Mother and
My Brothers and my Sisters
Lo, There do I see the line of my people back to the beginning
Lo, They do call to me
They bid me take my place among them in the halls of Valhalla
Where thine enemies have been vanquished
Where the brave shall live Forever
Nor shall we mourn but rejoice for those that have died the glorious death.
Sir,
Thank you for your gentle joy, attention to the detail,
and genuine concern for others.
I’ve been humming this one for far too
many good men lately. It stays
with one for a very long time.
OTDJuly 12, 2020, 4:58 AM
A great loss. I have been missing him.
GunRights4USJuly 12, 2020, 5:53 AM
Myself, I just don’t have the words…
But I’m proud for Remus to see all the wondrous expressions of esteem so well stated by his tribe.
Thank you sir.
NewVegasBadgerJuly 12, 2020, 6:15 AM
A great loss indeed. But I choose to give thanks to God that Ol Remus lived. I am the better for having read his blog over the years. I have discovered new items of interest. I am in awe of his command of the English language and his ability to turn a phrase.
Thank-you Ol Remus. I consider it a high honor to have been a reader of your blog.
I humbly submit this poem as a tribute to Ol Remus. I think he would approve of it.
When Earth’s Last Picture Is Painted
When Earth’s last picture is painted and the tubes are twisted and dried,
When the oldest colours have faded, and the youngest critic has died,
We shall rest, and, faith, we shall need it-lie down for an aeon or two,
Till the Master of All Good Workman shall put us to work anew.
And those who were good shall be happy: they shall sit in a golden chair;
They shall splash at a ten-league canvas with brushes of comet’s hair.
They shall find real saints to draw from-Magdalene, Peter, and Paul;
They shall work for an age at a sitting and never be tired at all!
And only The Master shall praise us; and only The Master shall blame;
And no one shall work for money, and no one shall work for fame,
But each for the joy for the working, and each in his separate star,
Shall draw the Thing as he sees I for the God of Things as They are!
-Rudyard Kipling-
This is hard to take this morning. I still had hope that Uncle Remus would return. My must read every week, this leaves me sad and feeling empty. Prayers and blessings to the family, heaven awaits this hero.
Louis JenkinsJuly 12, 2020, 6:37 AM
The candle is dimmer now. Thank you Uncle Remus for your comments.
A wise and talented woodsman and wordsmith. His weekly posts will be missed indeed.
Godspeed Ol Remus.
NoriJuly 12, 2020, 8:18 AM
A true gentleman,and a classic American. We are all blessed to have known him through his wonderful Woodpile Report.
Thank you for sharing your wit and wisdom,Ol’ Remus.
Rest In Peace.
jrgJuly 12, 2020, 8:21 AM
So very sad to hear of his passing. I checked his site a couple of times each day to see if he was back. His insights and to the point advice (AVOID ALL CROWDS) made a lot of sense. I hope he has a well earned rest. RIP Remus.
AngelJuly 12, 2020, 8:50 AM
Rest In Peace Ol’ Remus
Posted on July 11, 2020
Damn, we just lost a National Treasure.
This whole year has sucked mightily but this is just horrible news.
Ol’ Remuswas without question one of the smartest yet humble and down to Earth human beings that I have ever had the pleasure of corresponding with and that makes it hurt just that much more.
The knowledge that he took with him is priceless beyond measure and is now lost to the world.
Old School Appalachian style with an intellect that would embarrass most P.H.D’s these days.
I used to sit slack jawed at his knowledge of Particle Physics and Astronomy.
He would slip some of that into his weekly article round ups but you really had to be paying attention and be able to read what he wouldn’t say out loud whilst reading what he would.
The thing is, he never stopped learning and searching for the latest news and discoveries.
I am going to miss that man so much it is impossible to articulate.
Unfortunately he didn’t trust the modern internet very much and didn’t archive his articles so some truly are lost forever.
I did see over at Brock’s place the other day that someone is actually trying to dig through the internet and find any scraps of his work that can be found via other sites that linked to his work, besides what was still available on his site at the very end.
Cancer sucks. That is what got him, three weeks after he was diagnosed.
That tells me he knew he was in bad shape for a long time prior and was the kind of man that knew he had a good run and his time was getting short so instead of trying to fight it, he just kept doing what he could until he flat couldn’t do it anymore.
His wife had passed away not too long ago and I can only imagine that she must have been another source of wisdom that is now lost to the world and a force to be reckoned with in her own right intellectually.
I am so saddened by his loss it is hard to put into words.
It is said that we all owe God a death, but repeating that leaves my mouth feeling kind of dry. Unwelcome news, but thank you, friend of wife.
Fair winds and following seas, Remus.
ParacleteJuly 12, 2020, 10:37 AM
‘Ol Remus…where are you ?
Remus touched so many of us in several ways.
He made us think about the finer things which
helped us appreciate the arts and engineering.
He compiled others thoughts, and views, upon
humanities condition…and direction.
Remus is a humble fellow, that which I can
attest to from correspondence. But we all
know he must have letters behind his name
which shines through from his comments and
his many interests. For what ever reason,
should Remus post, or not post again, He has
left this place much richer than how he
found it. We can all agree to this truth,
and that we’ve all come to think fondly of him.
There’s a little of ‘Ol Remus in each of us.
Mainly, because He inspired us in many ways.
We would honor our friend well, to allow the
Remus, which resides with in us all, to shine.
Until then, when we’ll all finally meet up
once again, one hazy spring eve, at the water
cooler of yesteryear known as the Wood Pile,
Let’s mentor others as ‘Ol Remus mentored us.
With kindness, knowledge, and inspiration.
@ “friend of wife” who posted July 10, 2020, 6:49 PM
“Remus passed away on July 8th. He was diagnosed with cancer 3 weeks prior.”
You’ve sent everybody here into quite a deep funk. What do you know? Where is an obituary? We readers here at American Digest hold Remus in the highest respect, we’ve read him for years, and we deserve a little more respect and consideration ourselves than your cryptic message. Tell us what you know, please.
Charlie MooreJuly 12, 2020, 12:05 PM
Shucks. Darn. Drat. I loved this man’s writing. I followed him for at least 10 years, sometimes closely and sometimes from an awkward distance. After I retired and moved to the sticks several years ago his work assumed special importance. He was a senior (in stature and wisdom) fellow traveler who saw further down the road than I could and he blessedly articulated his vision. He belongs to the essential and supremely talented pantheon of den Beste, Vanderleun, Reynolds, Happy Acres, and gagdad Bob. May his work not perish as long as humanity stands. Rest In Peace, sir, in the loving hands of God.
ensitueJuly 12, 2020, 12:09 PM
To every generation are given men of insight, courage, valor and intellect. America is gifted with many thousands of such individuals one only has to look. Yes Remus is gone yet his words will inspire men for generations and many will pick-up his burden where he set it down.
RIP ol’ buddy
tooleyweedsJuly 12, 2020, 12:18 PM
Lundo, kudos for your foresight. I hope you have Remus’s old pages well backed-up in the cloud.
Auntie AnalogueJuly 12, 2020, 12:28 PM
If the news of Ol’ Remus’s death be true, then all I can come up with is this:
“The good die first, And they whose hearts are dry as summer dust Burn to the socket.” – William Wordsworth
Hale Adams
Pikesville, People’s still-mostly-Democratic Republic of Maryland
LundoJuly 12, 2020, 2:16 PM
I started saving Woodpile reports locally a few years ago. Now that it seems there will be no more, I’ve uploaded what I have, starting with #405 December 2015, to https://woodpilereport.lundissimo.info/, if anyone would like to browse some recent back issues.
Valley BoyJuly 12, 2020, 4:01 PM
It would be foolish of me to attempt to compete with such beautiful tomes you all have sent along in honor of such a man. Let me just say this. These poems, these songs, these words of praise show the measure of a man that touched so many in so many different ways. Particle physics, weaponry, art, oh how he loved art! Received some wonderful advice from him about how to get started in painting. “Do not be afraid of what you think is failure” he said to me “failure in something new is nothing more than practice.” We all have our failures, but it would be hard to think of our dear Uncle Remus ever failing at anything! So leave this world for the next Uncle! Join your beloved wife and ache no more! I know that I speak for all of us here when I say that the world will be a far lesser place without you. God bless you Uncle and thanks will never be enough for all of the wisdom that you imparted on us. Godspeed
Grey GhostJuly 12, 2020, 5:30 PM
Somehow I think Ol’ Remus might just like this. See ya when I’m looking at ya.
Boy oh boy
I am truly saddened by his passing
We corresponded via a email a good bunch
His was one of very few sites that took no advertising
Soundest advice: “ stay away from crowds”
How about: “things you may want to think about”
In a world of media trying to program you?
Just a sage man who had no tolerance for BS but was chock full of wisdom, true common sense and some high order astrophysics thinking that sometimes eluded my understanding.
I looked forward more to his weekly musings than anything else on the net
It was uncolored
Old school american
The kind that truly made america great
He was balanced
Forthright
I never questioned he spoke the truth
He had no agenda to steer you astray
Or fool you into group think
He was so wise… he immediately recognized the leftist disguised tactics and all order Subterfuge
I hope another takes his place in short order
We stand today on a precipice
And needed his kind desperately
May St Peter have greeted you at the gates with the warmest and most expedient entry. I considered after your wife passed the unspeakable grief leading to a broken and heart and short remainder of time due to joy having been decimated.
I am most Thankful for having known you from afar
So rare is great mind, a balanced mind, a man who loved goodness…..willing to share…sans ego.
TerryJuly 12, 2020, 7:06 PM
Ol Remus is still with me. Not gone. Just in a new home. A place where love is always in blossom.
edaddyJuly 12, 2020, 7:21 PM
Friend of wife sez “Remus passed away” … Ha-ha, that’s perfect. And, then followed by so many comments in one day!
Sorry, folks, BS flag here. Remus never died because Remus never was.
Don’t get me wrong, Remus was great. I loved the bastard. Very informative and nostalgic.
Hashtag #digitalsoldiers. Smells like Mike Flynn team spirit to me.
Anyone remember “The Return of Scipio”? I sure do and still miss that crazy bastard. One day Scipio “got fired” from his teacher job for posting about Obama and disappeared. Except when you get fired from a job for posting, you are more free than ever to post. Just saying.
Same thing just happened to Remus?
Don’t worry, something better will emerge and we’ll pretend it’s totally the real thing.
It’s all Multi-Domain Warfare out there now and welcome to the jungle. LOL.
Free the mind because it’s all kayfabe from now on!
ghostsniperJuly 12, 2020, 7:29 PM
This may seem strange but it’s just the way I am I guess.
This afternoon I took on a mundane task that needs done every now and then and it takes about 2 hours to complete. It entails standing at the workbench and using just a couple tools, over and over and over, like clockwork. My hands are doing the work, like muscle memory, and my mind wanders all over the place. Well this time I had to force my mind to wander because it kept coming back to Remus. Nothing in particular, just everything in general.
Because I am engaged in many projects large and small all the time a lot of times I reach a difficult spot and get away from it for a bit then come back later when I have a solution. So I move on to another problem and sometimes my mind wanders and I come across a solution to the previous problem. Such is the way my mind works.
Today, while doing the mundane task my mind was filled with Remus and I would change the path to something else but right away, in a minute or less, I’d be right back to thinking about him again. Like an ear worm with an old song, but this time the old song was my memories of Remus. I guess my mind was trying to “solve” the problem of his goneness but that cannot be done so I was trapped in this endless loop, looking for a solution. After I finished the mundane task I didn’t really suffer that problem any more. Oh sure, I think about him alot, but not constantly like this afternoon. Is that weerd or what?
edaddyJuly 12, 2020, 7:35 PM
Friend of wife sez “Remus passed away” … Ha-ha, that’s perfect. And, then followed by so many comments in one day!
Sorry, folks, BS flag here. Remus never died because Remus never was.
Don’t get me wrong, Remus was great. I loved the bastard. Very informative and nostalgic.
Hashtag #digitalsoldiers. Smells like Mike Flynn team spirit to me.
Anyone remember “The Return of Scipio”? I sure do and still miss that crazy bastard. One day Scipio “got fired” from his teacher job for posting about Obama and disappeared. Except when you get fired from a job for posting, you are more free than ever to post. Just saying.
Same thing just happened to Remus?
Don’t worry, something better will emerge and we’ll pretend it’s totally the real thing.
It’s all Multi-Domain Warfare out there now and welcome to the jungle. LOL.
Free the mind because it’s all kayfabe from now on!
edaddyJuly 12, 2020, 7:37 PM
Friend of wife sez “Remus passed away” … Ha-ha, that’s perfect. And, then followed by so many comments in one day!
Sorry, folks, BS flag here. Remus never died because Remus never was.
Don’t get me wrong, Remus was great. I loved the bastard. Very informative and nostalgic.
Hashtag #digitalsoldiers. Smells like Mike Flynn team spirit to me.
Anyone remember “The Return of Scipio”? I sure do and still miss that crazy bastard. One day Scipio “got fired” from his teacher job for posting about Obama and disappeared. Except when you get fired from a job for posting, you are more free than ever to post. Just saying.
Same thing just happened to Remus?
Don’t worry, something better will emerge and we’ll pretend it’s totally the real thing.
It’s all Multi-Domain Warfare out there now and welcome to the jungle. LOL.
Free the mind because it’s all kayfabe from now on!
edaddyJuly 12, 2020, 7:38 PM
RIP Remus. We will miss your wit and wisdom.
edaddyJuly 12, 2020, 7:40 PM
Friend of wife sez “Remus passed away” … Ha-ha, that’s perfect. And, then followed by so many comments in one day!
Sorry, folks, BS flag here. Remus never died because Remus never was.
Don’t get me wrong, Remus was great. I loved the bastard. Very informative and nostalgic.
Hashtag #digitalsoldiers. Smells like Mike Flynn team spirit to me.
Anyone remember “The Return of Scipio”? I sure do and still miss that crazy bastard. One day Scipio “got fired” from his teacher job for posting about Obama and disappeared. Except when you get fired from a job for posting, you are more free than ever to post. Just saying.
Same thing just happened to Remus?
Don’t worry, something better will emerge and we’ll pretend it’s totally the real thing.
It’s all Multi-Domain Warfare out there now and welcome to the jungle. LOL.
Free the mind because it’s all kayfabe from now on!
Paul Scott New Zealand here
I will open up the blogspot tribute to Ol’Remus called Woodpile Report[s] https://woodpilereports.blogspot.com/
to anyone who wants to contribute. Here is my address paulscottfilms@gmail.com
There are many of his reports that are coming out of the woodpile so to speak on archives and the Wayback machine.
The thing will be a little Hotch pitch for a while until we arrive at a system to collate the reports.
I hadn’t been reading him for years, but his wisdom and depth/breadth of knowledge astonished me. I wondered how anyone could have enough time in a day to know what he did and read all of the sites he linked to.
Age = 80s is apparently about right. From the archive linked above, #566, Feb 12, 2019: “For the record, I’m not a Boomer. I was finishing up elementary school when they showed up.”
KarenJuly 13, 2020, 4:18 AM
So sorry to hear about Remus. He was a gem. Every Tuesday I would wake up and tell myself it was time for the Woodpile Report. What a great teacher we had in him.
OldTexanJuly 13, 2020, 7:19 AM
I noticed that on June 9 was his last posting and wondered if he was taking some time off and I am sorry to see that he has moved on off our world, we will miss him and my sympathy goes out to all of his family, friends and those us of us who enjoyed his wisdom over the years.
I’m not giving up. I think “friend of wife” is full of shit. I’ve read her same quote now in several other locations around the web… which is followed by sadness and grief. Not one person asks, “Who in the fuck are you??” Whoever she is she’s done nothing to provide any proof, any reality, any anything. Her cryptic contribution to the dialog is harmful purposeful confusion. She has no credibility, no honor, no class whatsoever. She’s a troll.
bJuly 13, 2020, 10:00 AM
Saddened.
Without a shadow of doubt, he was my favorite blogger.
Mary GJuly 13, 2020, 10:03 AM
Lundo, Very nice website. Thank you so much for posting it. You can add to your collection of issues by downloading from archive.org
Doc_HollidayJuly 13, 2020, 10:35 AM
I, also, was fortunate to correspond with Remus several dozen times beginning in 2013 and ending New Year’s Eve of 2019. He revealed to me that he was born in late 1943. He was from “Northern Appalachia”, which is actually one of three areas of Appalachia (the other two being “Plantation” and “Yeoman”). His first wife was his high school sweetheart who passed in 2001 and he remarried in 2006. He had been around the world and ‘around the block’ quite a few times. A fascinating, deep thinking, and insightful man. His Tuesday posts, usually around 1:00 AM on the East Coast, will be sorely missed, as will his ‘common sense’ which is woefully uncommon these days.
Howard BernierJuly 13, 2020, 10:49 AM
Many of O’l Remus’s works from 2007 to 2020 can be found using the “Way back Machine” at the internetarchive.org
Teri PittmanJuly 13, 2020, 11:42 AM
I sent him an email on the 9th, to an address I had, and I mentioned this site. Could be why we got the response. Sure will miss his posts and enjoyed the times I emailed him and got a response.
JoeyJuly 13, 2020, 12:53 PM
@Doc_Holliday
O’l Remus’s last post, with the usual picture/poster at the very end could confirm his 1943 year of birth along with a hidden message:
“1943.Poster.
YOU ARE NEEDED NOW (his way of saying he’s needed in heaven?)
*The nurse in the poster is looking in the direction of the sky*
JOIN THE ARMY NURSE CORP.
Just my thought……..
RIP
ghostsniperJuly 13, 2020, 6:24 PM
In the past year or 2 a person named Remus “Marseilus”, or something like that – the spelling of the last name is prolly wrong, commented here. Anybody remember that?
In an effort to dispel all the wild rumors I offer this advance notice of a forthcoming announcement at woodpilereport.com.
It is taking some time to get to as there are more important things for us to do in the immediate but it will be posted soon.
——————–
The Woodpile Report will no longer be updated.
His family regrets to announce that Ol’ Remus recently met his demise.
In accordance with his desire for anonymity as author of The Woodpile Report his identity as well as details about his life will not be provided.
An archive here {at woodpilereport.com} of available past issues is pending.
Stay away from crowds.
H/T to all for the kind comments in your blogs, pages and comments.
——————-
While his family, and yes, I am family, close enough to him that I have known him every single day I have been alive – until he died of course, wishes ‘friend of wife” had not posted her comments anywhere containing details of his death, which are true – but that’s all ya get for real info, the fact is that Ol’ Remus has indeed died.
While rumors will persist without a link to an obituary or the divulging of other revealing information concerning who Remus was it is from the respect of his wishes to remain anonymous that we, his family, act in this manner.
There are very few on the internet who know who Remus was but rest assured he was greater in real life than his writings showed him to be.
This post may be freely shared of course, and I have no doubt it will be – an important take from this is the H/T thanks offered to all, not just readers here, but everywhere.
Thank you Mr. Van der Leun for americandigest.org
It is my honor to post this message here originally.
Lastly – No, I am not posting from Stockholm, Sweden as the logged IP address will show.
He will be missed and his blog was one of the best on the web for all patriots but I also have to feel grateful that he will be with his wife in the great beyond. God bless his family many of us will have them in our prayers. Hopefully someone can take up that space for all of us loyal readers hopefully an engineer which will make us all ore educated with his thought full posts. Let hope his NOV isn’t as bad as his prediction but keep your powder dry friends.
It is apalling that a man of Remus’ wisdom and patriotism needed to take such extraordinary measures to conceal his identity
Meanwhile, a demented old woman who spews unprecedented lunacy daily is third from the presidency. And a group of Representatives who carry on like the mean girls clique at a Middle School control the House
Yep, Remus was one of my very best friends that I’d never met.
Steve WJuly 14, 2020, 9:31 AM
Thank you for updating us, Mr. Van der Luen, and special thanks to the family member who passed along the information.
Also, thank you for committing to at least trying to build an archive. I always meant to but slothfully never did.
I realize that this will probably always have to be considered as officially uncomfirmed, but I for one will accept it as true, proxy/VPN or not, and will continue to grieve for the loss of the incredible voice by which we’ve been enriched for these several years.
I also choose to believe the family member’s words that Ol’ Remus in real life was even more amazing than what we were allowed to glimpse through the Woodpile Report. His simple elegance of prose – combined with oft-pithy opinions and barely-concealed disdain of “preppers” – will always be a guiding light through the maze of contradictions within which we often find ourselves.
GV, you’ve got some big shoes to fill from hear on out. With our surely Heaven bound Remus, your it!. I expect even GREATER wisdom from you now. Remus WAS our national treasure. Sir, that job has been handed to you to accomplish until your day!.
GV, I’m sad,,and I’m scared, I DO NOT WANT WHATS COMING!. Don’t fear dying, I fear failing!
GV, you’ve got some big shoes to fill from hear on out. With our surely Heaven bound Remus, your it!. I expect even GREATER wisdom from you now. Remus WAS our national treasure. Sir, that job has been handed to you to accomplish until your day!.
GV, I’m sad,,and I’m scared, I DO NOT WANT WHATS COMING!. Don’t fear dying, I fear failing!
Dirk Williams
God bless you, Brother!.
ghostsniperJuly 14, 2020, 12:20 PM
Reading that message above from “No Name”, something’s not quite right. Several somethings. As I was reading it I kept thinking about that spam email I get every now and then, you know, the one that said they captured video of me on a particular site. There is no camera connected to my machine. Same strangeness. Just enough familiarity to make you believe, and just enough error to make you doubt.
For me, the question about Remus is still “unknown”.
@ ghostsniper… I agree. If and when, in the future, we click onto the woodpile report and someone who is sitting at Remus’ computer has logged in and written a believable adios on his behalf, then I think I might have a feeling of closure.
The Usual SuspectJuly 14, 2020, 3:19 PM
The fight is just starting , we will lose many more good men !
DerakJuly 14, 2020, 9:29 PM
Awww gosh durn it all. He was my bellweather.
Time to hunker down. God has taken all the good ones before the storm.
Brace yerself, Effie. Shitstorm a comin’. Sigh. Argh. Gasp.
The notice is posted as of today on The Woodpile Report.
Thank you all again.
Mark O'RyanJuly 25, 2020, 1:18 PM
I’m posting this after seeing the Woodpile Report notice just a week or so ago and now rediscovering WRSA. I loved the Woodpile Report and was one of the very fewest blogs that I actually looked forward to reading and had been a reader for several years.
My condolences to the family. Ol’ Remus was one of a kind.
“Cattle die
kinsmen die
all men are mortal.
Words of praise
will never perish
nor a noble name.
– The Havamal
Real World Address for Donations, Mash Notes and Hate Mail
Gerard Van der Leun
1692 MANGROVE AVE
APT 379
Chico, Ca 95926
Green Pants Interior by Klahn
Who Am I? by Carl Sandburg
My head knocks against the stars.
My feet are on the hilltops.
My finger-tips are in the valleys and shores of universal life.
Down in the sounding foam of primal things I reach my hands and play with pebbles of destiny.
I have been to hell and back many times.
I know all about heaven, for I have talked with God.
I dabble in the blood and guts of the terrible.
I know the passionate seizure of beauty
And the marvelous rebellion of man at all signs reading “Keep Off.”
My name is Truth and I am the most elusive captive in the universe.
Duty, Beauty, Liberty, Country, Honor, Family, Faith — Plus a few simple easy to follow rules for guys
Men saw the stars at the edge of the sea
They thought great thoughts about liberty
Poets wrote down words that did fit
Writers wrote books
Thinkers thought about it
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
Many’s the road I have walked upon
Many’s the hour between dusk and dawn
Many’s the time
Many’s the mile
I see it all now
Through the eyes of a child
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
And close your eyes
Leave it all for a while
Leave the world
And your worries behind
You will build on whatever is real
And wake up each day
To a new waking dream
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Change, change come over
Change come over
Talkin’ about a change
Change, change
Change come over, now
Change, change, change come over
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
[NOTE: I DO NOT have any independent confirmation of the death of Remus. All there is, so far, is a comment in this thread from an unknown and previously unseen commenter/lurker. 
Gerard Van der Leun
Comments on this entry are closed.
Damm. Generally not a good sign…from a master communicator. Prayer in order.
I recall Remus saying he was going to take a couple of weeks off. I wanted to see when he said that so I clicked onto his previous columns, there’s 5 of them listed, but each one comes up null and void.
Now you know how we all felt, Gerard, when you went missing.
Everybody’s finding their boltholes.
Thank you. I’ve been wondering too
Thanks for making the effort. I have wanted to write him, but considered that he’s likely recieving a lot of inquiries and wouldn’t want to overload him. I hope you hear back with some good news.
Sometimes a man needs to lace up his boots, grab his hat, walk away to solitude and have a good think. 🤔
Perhaps Remus is doing that.
I think your assesment is correct GS. And some of us have been living in them for a lifetime.
Hinter boonies and all that.
Thinking to myself today, if my wife had gone on, I would be making plans. Just sayin’.
I’m guessing it is one of two things. Either something is going on in his personal life that requires immediate and full attention. I hope not because, if so, it is probably not good. Or, he has decided we are at the tipping point and he has gone dark. Either option is not good. I pray there is another explanation.
Well, then…prayer it is. Been doing that anyway. He’s gone dark before and we were all the poorer for it. He return was a gift and if that’s all we get WE are better for him having graced the medium-as with GVDL.
Still selfishly hoping to hear from him again. It’s Been a couple of years since we exchanged emails and like y’all I don’t want to spam him.
Every other time he sequestered, he gave notice.
I, too, wonder if this is the reset. Act accordingly. As always.
Heh…. oh shit.
I tried the Wayback Machine https://archive.org/web/web.php and though I found many older entries, I didn’t see the one that I recall his saying that posting might be intermittent.
Enter “woodpilereport.com” into the search window, click ‘Browse History’ and a calendar comes up going back to 2007 with dates highlighted where a copy of the site was saved. Hover over the selected date and then click on the blue timestamp.
Prayers.
He has been saying he’s looking to July to indicate whether things are salvageable or not–so I have been surprised to see him quiet for almost a month. I hope all’s well.
Dear Mr. VANDERLEWIN
Thank you for this posting, and for giving us all a chance to pay our respects to a man who gave me much pleasure from reading his always insightful and entertaining postings. He did say he was expecting the tipping point to happen in July, but as another posted, he has never gone dark before without giving notice. He must have suffered a great deal through the illness of his wife, and such as this often happens in the aftermath of such suffering.
We were all blessed to have been able to read his postings over the years – i can not remember, but it almost seems it could have been 30 years that i may have enjoyed his company. I am grateful to him and will pray for his soul in Heaven above. May he rest in peace with his wife above. May God Bless him.
revising my comment of yesterday – it appears that the Woodpile Report had a life of not much longer than 12 years – it was great while it lasted.
If anyone who knew Remus well enough to have his telephone number, please call the local police department and ask them to go out and check on him and his property. I had a friend – the boyfriend of my dear departed sister, who i lost track of after he was released from a rehabilitation nursing home – i spoke to him twice, and then was no longer able to raise him. Such had happened in the past and he had been moved into a hospital, but i could find him no where. After calling several times each day, finally an auxilliary policeman suggested i call the police, and i did. My friend had been sitting dead on his couch for 12 days with his faithful dog at his side. The police judged the time by what they found. I pray this is not the fate of our good friend Ole Remus.
Having been raised on the Blue Ridge Parkway by Mountain folk, i always looked forward to seeing things from his perspective. He did loose his wife recently and he may just not feel like writing. I hope his health is holding up. We’ll lift him up in our prayers. No Slack – Out.
I too have noticed that he hasn’t updated in a while.
While I’m younger than he, I believe we both had depression era parents which instills a certain view that seems to be very out-of-fashion these days.
If he has gone to happier hunting grounds I’m sure he fares much better than we, are but his absence deprives us of a very unique and rare (re)source of knowledge, common sense, and humor.
just did a Bing search for Woodpile Report and this comment thread came up. Glad to see someone’s trying to check up on old Remus. I too don’t like to bother the man. Only sent him an email 3 times over the years. Once to welcome him back after his hiatus, more recently condolences for the passing of his wife and just recently joking that he wasn’t writing because it looks like the Red Sox may win another World Series.
Read something as well that his writing may be intermittent . Let’s hope he’s just enjoying a nice summer vacation.
LK
I, too, found this site after a Bing search. I’m pleased that so many are concerned and praying for Uncle Remus. I hope the ol’ Woodpile Report is updated soon.
John 16:33 for Remus…
Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee:
by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
31Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
32Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
33These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Remus passed away on July 8th. He was diagnosed with cancer 3 weeks prior.
Thank you, friend of wife, ol’ Remus will be missed.
Takin’ the Train To Heaven
Heaven’s train has come ’a callin’
The conductor tells me, “time to go”
I hadn’t seen it comin’
I wish that I’d ‘a known
Soft smoke is billowin’, billowin’ up
The train whistles a fluted sound
And up eternity’s track we go
Leavin’ this earthly ground
I’d like to have known my passage was booked
The fare paid…my departure planned
‘Cause I was just as surprised as you
Alt. Verse: For I was still battling courageously
When from life-to-death I spanned
So here I stand on the departure docks
And into eternity I’ll go
But I’ll leave part of my heart with you
So you will always know…
THAT I LOVE YOU
–
I’ve found my seat now on the train
It’s feelin’ more like home
As for baggage…we all have none
C’ept for love n’ memories we’ve known
My ticket’s punched and handed back
After searchin’ my heart and face
I find it reads: “FIRST CLASS TO HEAVEN”
“THROUGH CHRIST’S ATONING GRACE”
And suddenly I’m feelin’ so much calm
‘Bout where I’ve been and where I’m goin’
And I can trust you all to God’s sweet grace
For his mercies you’ll be knowin’
I can see you all so clearly
As the train chugs n’ we depart
You’re all remainin’ so close to me
Where does life end n’ heaven start?
I still can reach out n’ touch you
So I’ll be sendin’ my love each day
Your sorrow’s gonna ease with time
Yet my deep love’ll always stay
–
The train begins to slow down now…
We’re arrivin’ at eternity
As heav’nly mansions come into view…
Glorious as they can be!
So don’t be filled with sadness…
For I’m here in peaceful abode
The train simply brought me back to my God
And the joys of my heav’nly home
Copyright © 2012 Poems and Reflections LLC. Some Rights Reserved.
http://www.poemsandreflections.com
We need to save Remus’s website The Woodpile Report for eternity…
I was worried that he had fallen down in the woods or down the cellar steps and died a slow death. 3 weeks from a cancer diagnosis is not as bad. Time to find a home for the dog, review the will and say goodbye to special people. I am still not over the death of Weaponsman and I am sure it will be hard to find a replacement for the woodpile report. Old age is when you know more people who are dead than you do who are alive. We all just got a little older.
NUTS; I hate losing a good man. The fights just starting and we can us all the good men we can find.
I hope Remus is well in this or the next life,really not sure what to think at moment.
Are posters pretty darm sure the good man has passed on to the next chapter?
This turns out the case all I can say was tis a honor to know you through your writings and will raise a glass of spirits in your memory.
Remus and I were the same age (one foot in the grave and ready to go), had grown up in similar times and places, and I felt a distinct kinship. See you soon, Brother!
Lost a friend I never met … RIP
He has moved on to his final reward but we still have his words.
He was a mighty fine writer with a good head on his shoulders.
Rest in peace.
While he was here he made the world a better place. God Bless you Remus. I am profoundly sad.
It’s not uncommon for folks who were married a long time to pass very close to each other. I can only pray he is in heaven with his beloved wife.
If you are inclined please say a prayer for both Mr. And Mrs. Remus.
I hope I see you both someday after I pass beyond the veil.
Such a loss. But I had thought that the illness and death of his wife must have been very difficult for him. A great thinker and writer. We need to preserve everything that we can know of him in his memory. Does anyone know his real name and where he lived? Was it near Murphy North Carolina?
Devastating news.
Rest well, Uncle Remus.
Another good man gone. You will be missed, Remus. Thanks for the many laughs, and your penetrating insight into the current follies. RIP
That is some hard news to hear. His blog was one that I absolutely looked forward to reading every week. Last few weeks, I had been going there at least 2x a day, hoping that his next post would be there, and coming away deeply disappointed, and worried. A smart and brave man, when those are in short supply, lately. His unique viewpoint and wisdom will be sorely missed. Feeling now like I did when MBV passed.
Uncle Remus was an elegant man. His words always had the ‘ring’ of truth to them that I personally took comfort in. He is remembered well and will be missed.
Bad news. A tremendous loss, that cannot be expressed in mere words.
I emailed him today to see if he was well and safe.
God Bless Remus
I haven’t felt like this since “One Old Vet” passed away.
I had only a few words with Ol’ Remus, but I treasure them.
May he rest in peace.
I came to rely on this rare man for weekly insights on the changing world. As for many of us, my fears of recent weeks were confirmed upon reading this sad news. I wish we had had a chance to meet in the real world, there’s so much more I could have learned from him. I’m glad I’ve archived his posts since Dec 2015; I’ll be looking over them in the coming days. Glad he didn’t suffer too long with this cancer that gets so many of us. R.I.P. brother.
Damn !
Was traveling down I-81 today saying a little prayer for Remus. Never thought about death for some reason. Just thought he was enjoying the summer weather. R.I.P.
When a man dies, a library burns – and yours was Alexandria. Though I never had the pleasure of breaking bread with you, I would still call you friend and ally. You stood tall among giants, and served as a stoic reminder of who the Men of the West once were.
Goodbye Remus. You have been a pleasure to follow and read these long years. Go to your wife now, and rest well. You’ve earned it.
Still stunned!
From another warrior:
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.”
GSP
Lo, There do I see my Father
Lo, There do I see my Mother and
My Brothers and my Sisters
Lo, There do I see the line of my people back to the beginning
Lo, They do call to me
They bid me take my place among them in the halls of Valhalla
Where thine enemies have been vanquished
Where the brave shall live Forever
Nor shall we mourn but rejoice for those that have died the glorious death.
Sir,
Thank you for your gentle joy, attention to the detail,
and genuine concern for others.
I’ve been humming this one for far too
many good men lately. It stays
with one for a very long time.
A great loss. I have been missing him.
Myself, I just don’t have the words…
But I’m proud for Remus to see all the wondrous expressions of esteem so well stated by his tribe.
Thank you sir.
A great loss indeed. But I choose to give thanks to God that Ol Remus lived. I am the better for having read his blog over the years. I have discovered new items of interest. I am in awe of his command of the English language and his ability to turn a phrase.
Thank-you Ol Remus. I consider it a high honor to have been a reader of your blog.
I humbly submit this poem as a tribute to Ol Remus. I think he would approve of it.
When Earth’s Last Picture Is Painted
When Earth’s last picture is painted and the tubes are twisted and dried,
When the oldest colours have faded, and the youngest critic has died,
We shall rest, and, faith, we shall need it-lie down for an aeon or two,
Till the Master of All Good Workman shall put us to work anew.
And those who were good shall be happy: they shall sit in a golden chair;
They shall splash at a ten-league canvas with brushes of comet’s hair.
They shall find real saints to draw from-Magdalene, Peter, and Paul;
They shall work for an age at a sitting and never be tired at all!
And only The Master shall praise us; and only The Master shall blame;
And no one shall work for money, and no one shall work for fame,
But each for the joy for the working, and each in his separate star,
Shall draw the Thing as he sees I for the God of Things as They are!
-Rudyard Kipling-
This is hard to take this morning. I still had hope that Uncle Remus would return. My must read every week, this leaves me sad and feeling empty. Prayers and blessings to the family, heaven awaits this hero.
The candle is dimmer now. Thank you Uncle Remus for your comments.
Best friend I never met.
RIP And thank you for all that you have given us.
Disappointing.
Ignore my other mention.
RIP, old buddy. Thanks for the honey.
A wise and talented woodsman and wordsmith. His weekly posts will be missed indeed.
Godspeed Ol Remus.
A true gentleman,and a classic American. We are all blessed to have known him through his wonderful Woodpile Report.
Thank you for sharing your wit and wisdom,Ol’ Remus.
Rest In Peace.
So very sad to hear of his passing. I checked his site a couple of times each day to see if he was back. His insights and to the point advice (AVOID ALL CROWDS) made a lot of sense. I hope he has a well earned rest. RIP Remus.
Rest In Peace Ol’ Remus
Posted on July 11, 2020
Damn, we just lost a National Treasure.
This whole year has sucked mightily but this is just horrible news.
Ol’ Remuswas without question one of the smartest yet humble and down to Earth human beings that I have ever had the pleasure of corresponding with and that makes it hurt just that much more.
The knowledge that he took with him is priceless beyond measure and is now lost to the world.
Old School Appalachian style with an intellect that would embarrass most P.H.D’s these days.
I used to sit slack jawed at his knowledge of Particle Physics and Astronomy.
He would slip some of that into his weekly article round ups but you really had to be paying attention and be able to read what he wouldn’t say out loud whilst reading what he would.
The thing is, he never stopped learning and searching for the latest news and discoveries.
I am going to miss that man so much it is impossible to articulate.
Unfortunately he didn’t trust the modern internet very much and didn’t archive his articles so some truly are lost forever.
I did see over at Brock’s place the other day that someone is actually trying to dig through the internet and find any scraps of his work that can be found via other sites that linked to his work, besides what was still available on his site at the very end.
Cancer sucks. That is what got him, three weeks after he was diagnosed.
That tells me he knew he was in bad shape for a long time prior and was the kind of man that knew he had a good run and his time was getting short so instead of trying to fight it, he just kept doing what he could until he flat couldn’t do it anymore.
His wife had passed away not too long ago and I can only imagine that she must have been another source of wisdom that is now lost to the world and a force to be reckoned with in her own right intellectually.
I am so saddened by his loss it is hard to put into words.
Mr. Remus Marsilvia 19?-2020
Rest In Peace sir and God Speed.
https://bustednuckles.com/2020/07/11/rest-in-peace-ol-remus/
More here
http://ogdaa.blogspot.com/2020/07/sad-news-about-ol-remus.html?m=1
Rest In Peace Remus…
Terrible news. Rest in peace, Remus.
It is said that we all owe God a death, but repeating that leaves my mouth feeling kind of dry. Unwelcome news, but thank you, friend of wife.
Fair winds and following seas, Remus.
‘Ol Remus…where are you ?
Remus touched so many of us in several ways.
He made us think about the finer things which
helped us appreciate the arts and engineering.
He compiled others thoughts, and views, upon
humanities condition…and direction.
Remus is a humble fellow, that which I can
attest to from correspondence. But we all
know he must have letters behind his name
which shines through from his comments and
his many interests. For what ever reason,
should Remus post, or not post again, He has
left this place much richer than how he
found it. We can all agree to this truth,
and that we’ve all come to think fondly of him.
There’s a little of ‘Ol Remus in each of us.
Mainly, because He inspired us in many ways.
We would honor our friend well, to allow the
Remus, which resides with in us all, to shine.
Until then, when we’ll all finally meet up
once again, one hazy spring eve, at the water
cooler of yesteryear known as the Wood Pile,
Let’s mentor others as ‘Ol Remus mentored us.
With kindness, knowledge, and inspiration.
Withdrawal pangs!
@ “friend of wife” who posted July 10, 2020, 6:49 PM
“Remus passed away on July 8th. He was diagnosed with cancer 3 weeks prior.”
You’ve sent everybody here into quite a deep funk. What do you know? Where is an obituary? We readers here at American Digest hold Remus in the highest respect, we’ve read him for years, and we deserve a little more respect and consideration ourselves than your cryptic message. Tell us what you know, please.
Shucks. Darn. Drat. I loved this man’s writing. I followed him for at least 10 years, sometimes closely and sometimes from an awkward distance. After I retired and moved to the sticks several years ago his work assumed special importance. He was a senior (in stature and wisdom) fellow traveler who saw further down the road than I could and he blessedly articulated his vision. He belongs to the essential and supremely talented pantheon of den Beste, Vanderleun, Reynolds, Happy Acres, and gagdad Bob. May his work not perish as long as humanity stands. Rest In Peace, sir, in the loving hands of God.
To every generation are given men of insight, courage, valor and intellect. America is gifted with many thousands of such individuals one only has to look. Yes Remus is gone yet his words will inspire men for generations and many will pick-up his burden where he set it down.
RIP ol’ buddy
Lundo, kudos for your foresight. I hope you have Remus’s old pages well backed-up in the cloud.
If the news of Ol’ Remus’s death be true, then all I can come up with is this:
“The good die first, And they whose hearts are dry as summer dust Burn to the socket.” – William Wordsworth
Big loss. BIG.
Bad news, if true.
First Steven Den Beste, and now Remus.
Nuts.
Hale Adams
Pikesville, People’s still-mostly-Democratic Republic of Maryland
I started saving Woodpile reports locally a few years ago. Now that it seems there will be no more, I’ve uploaded what I have, starting with #405 December 2015, to https://woodpilereport.lundissimo.info/, if anyone would like to browse some recent back issues.
It would be foolish of me to attempt to compete with such beautiful tomes you all have sent along in honor of such a man. Let me just say this. These poems, these songs, these words of praise show the measure of a man that touched so many in so many different ways. Particle physics, weaponry, art, oh how he loved art! Received some wonderful advice from him about how to get started in painting. “Do not be afraid of what you think is failure” he said to me “failure in something new is nothing more than practice.” We all have our failures, but it would be hard to think of our dear Uncle Remus ever failing at anything! So leave this world for the next Uncle! Join your beloved wife and ache no more! I know that I speak for all of us here when I say that the world will be a far lesser place without you. God bless you Uncle and thanks will never be enough for all of the wisdom that you imparted on us. Godspeed
Somehow I think Ol’ Remus might just like this. See ya when I’m looking at ya.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHcunREYzNY
Boy oh boy
I am truly saddened by his passing
We corresponded via a email a good bunch
His was one of very few sites that took no advertising
Soundest advice: “ stay away from crowds”
How about: “things you may want to think about”
In a world of media trying to program you?
Just a sage man who had no tolerance for BS but was chock full of wisdom, true common sense and some high order astrophysics thinking that sometimes eluded my understanding.
I looked forward more to his weekly musings than anything else on the net
It was uncolored
Old school american
The kind that truly made america great
He was balanced
Forthright
I never questioned he spoke the truth
He had no agenda to steer you astray
Or fool you into group think
He was so wise… he immediately recognized the leftist disguised tactics and all order Subterfuge
I hope another takes his place in short order
We stand today on a precipice
And needed his kind desperately
May St Peter have greeted you at the gates with the warmest and most expedient entry. I considered after your wife passed the unspeakable grief leading to a broken and heart and short remainder of time due to joy having been decimated.
I am most Thankful for having known you from afar
So rare is great mind, a balanced mind, a man who loved goodness…..willing to share…sans ego.
Ol Remus is still with me. Not gone. Just in a new home. A place where love is always in blossom.
Friend of wife sez “Remus passed away” … Ha-ha, that’s perfect. And, then followed by so many comments in one day!
Sorry, folks, BS flag here. Remus never died because Remus never was.
Don’t get me wrong, Remus was great. I loved the bastard. Very informative and nostalgic.
Hashtag #digitalsoldiers. Smells like Mike Flynn team spirit to me.
Anyone remember “The Return of Scipio”? I sure do and still miss that crazy bastard. One day Scipio “got fired” from his teacher job for posting about Obama and disappeared. Except when you get fired from a job for posting, you are more free than ever to post. Just saying.
Same thing just happened to Remus?
Don’t worry, something better will emerge and we’ll pretend it’s totally the real thing.
It’s all Multi-Domain Warfare out there now and welcome to the jungle. LOL.
Free the mind because it’s all kayfabe from now on!
This may seem strange but it’s just the way I am I guess.
This afternoon I took on a mundane task that needs done every now and then and it takes about 2 hours to complete. It entails standing at the workbench and using just a couple tools, over and over and over, like clockwork. My hands are doing the work, like muscle memory, and my mind wanders all over the place. Well this time I had to force my mind to wander because it kept coming back to Remus. Nothing in particular, just everything in general.
Because I am engaged in many projects large and small all the time a lot of times I reach a difficult spot and get away from it for a bit then come back later when I have a solution. So I move on to another problem and sometimes my mind wanders and I come across a solution to the previous problem. Such is the way my mind works.
Today, while doing the mundane task my mind was filled with Remus and I would change the path to something else but right away, in a minute or less, I’d be right back to thinking about him again. Like an ear worm with an old song, but this time the old song was my memories of Remus. I guess my mind was trying to “solve” the problem of his goneness but that cannot be done so I was trapped in this endless loop, looking for a solution. After I finished the mundane task I didn’t really suffer that problem any more. Oh sure, I think about him alot, but not constantly like this afternoon. Is that weerd or what?
Friend of wife sez “Remus passed away” … Ha-ha, that’s perfect. And, then followed by so many comments in one day!
Sorry, folks, BS flag here. Remus never died because Remus never was.
Don’t get me wrong, Remus was great. I loved the bastard. Very informative and nostalgic.
Hashtag #digitalsoldiers. Smells like Mike Flynn team spirit to me.
Anyone remember “The Return of Scipio”? I sure do and still miss that crazy bastard. One day Scipio “got fired” from his teacher job for posting about Obama and disappeared. Except when you get fired from a job for posting, you are more free than ever to post. Just saying.
Same thing just happened to Remus?
Don’t worry, something better will emerge and we’ll pretend it’s totally the real thing.
It’s all Multi-Domain Warfare out there now and welcome to the jungle. LOL.
Free the mind because it’s all kayfabe from now on!
Friend of wife sez “Remus passed away” … Ha-ha, that’s perfect. And, then followed by so many comments in one day!
Sorry, folks, BS flag here. Remus never died because Remus never was.
Don’t get me wrong, Remus was great. I loved the bastard. Very informative and nostalgic.
Hashtag #digitalsoldiers. Smells like Mike Flynn team spirit to me.
Anyone remember “The Return of Scipio”? I sure do and still miss that crazy bastard. One day Scipio “got fired” from his teacher job for posting about Obama and disappeared. Except when you get fired from a job for posting, you are more free than ever to post. Just saying.
Same thing just happened to Remus?
Don’t worry, something better will emerge and we’ll pretend it’s totally the real thing.
It’s all Multi-Domain Warfare out there now and welcome to the jungle. LOL.
Free the mind because it’s all kayfabe from now on!
RIP Remus. We will miss your wit and wisdom.
Friend of wife sez “Remus passed away” … Ha-ha, that’s perfect. And, then followed by so many comments in one day!
Sorry, folks, BS flag here. Remus never died because Remus never was.
Don’t get me wrong, Remus was great. I loved the bastard. Very informative and nostalgic.
Hashtag #digitalsoldiers. Smells like Mike Flynn team spirit to me.
Anyone remember “The Return of Scipio”? I sure do and still miss that crazy bastard. One day Scipio “got fired” from his teacher job for posting about Obama and disappeared. Except when you get fired from a job for posting, you are more free than ever to post. Just saying.
Same thing just happened to Remus?
Don’t worry, something better will emerge and we’ll pretend it’s totally the real thing.
It’s all Multi-Domain Warfare out there now and welcome to the jungle. LOL.
Free the mind because it’s all kayfabe from now on!
Damn… hail and farewell, Remus.
https://youtu.be/K56tmyQ2zGg
So sorry … our loss…
Paul Scott New Zealand here
I will open up the blogspot tribute to Ol’Remus called Woodpile Report[s]
https://woodpilereports.blogspot.com/
to anyone who wants to contribute. Here is my address
paulscottfilms@gmail.com
There are many of his reports that are coming out of the woodpile so to speak on archives and the Wayback machine.
The thing will be a little Hotch pitch for a while until we arrive at a system to collate the reports.
https://woodpilereports.blogspot.com/
I hadn’t been reading him for years, but his wisdom and depth/breadth of knowledge astonished me. I wondered how anyone could have enough time in a day to know what he did and read all of the sites he linked to.
Age = 80s is apparently about right. From the archive linked above, #566, Feb 12, 2019: “For the record, I’m not a Boomer. I was finishing up elementary school when they showed up.”
So sorry to hear about Remus. He was a gem. Every Tuesday I would wake up and tell myself it was time for the Woodpile Report. What a great teacher we had in him.
I noticed that on June 9 was his last posting and wondered if he was taking some time off and I am sorry to see that he has moved on off our world, we will miss him and my sympathy goes out to all of his family, friends and those us of us who enjoyed his wisdom over the years.
I’m not giving up. I think “friend of wife” is full of shit. I’ve read her same quote now in several other locations around the web… which is followed by sadness and grief. Not one person asks, “Who in the fuck are you??” Whoever she is she’s done nothing to provide any proof, any reality, any anything. Her cryptic contribution to the dialog is harmful purposeful confusion. She has no credibility, no honor, no class whatsoever. She’s a troll.
Saddened.
Without a shadow of doubt, he was my favorite blogger.
Lundo, Very nice website. Thank you so much for posting it. You can add to your collection of issues by downloading from archive.org
I, also, was fortunate to correspond with Remus several dozen times beginning in 2013 and ending New Year’s Eve of 2019. He revealed to me that he was born in late 1943. He was from “Northern Appalachia”, which is actually one of three areas of Appalachia (the other two being “Plantation” and “Yeoman”). His first wife was his high school sweetheart who passed in 2001 and he remarried in 2006. He had been around the world and ‘around the block’ quite a few times. A fascinating, deep thinking, and insightful man. His Tuesday posts, usually around 1:00 AM on the East Coast, will be sorely missed, as will his ‘common sense’ which is woefully uncommon these days.
Many of O’l Remus’s works from 2007 to 2020 can be found using the “Way back Machine” at the internetarchive.org
I sent him an email on the 9th, to an address I had, and I mentioned this site. Could be why we got the response. Sure will miss his posts and enjoyed the times I emailed him and got a response.
@Doc_Holliday
O’l Remus’s last post, with the usual picture/poster at the very end could confirm his 1943 year of birth along with a hidden message:
“1943.Poster.
YOU ARE NEEDED NOW (his way of saying he’s needed in heaven?)
*The nurse in the poster is looking in the direction of the sky*
JOIN THE ARMY NURSE CORP.
Just my thought……..
RIP
In the past year or 2 a person named Remus “Marseilus”, or something like that – the spelling of the last name is prolly wrong, commented here. Anybody remember that?
In an effort to dispel all the wild rumors I offer this advance notice of a forthcoming announcement at woodpilereport.com.
It is taking some time to get to as there are more important things for us to do in the immediate but it will be posted soon.
——————–
The Woodpile Report will no longer be updated.
His family regrets to announce that Ol’ Remus recently met his demise.
In accordance with his desire for anonymity as author of The Woodpile Report his identity as well as details about his life will not be provided.
An archive here {at woodpilereport.com} of available past issues is pending.
Stay away from crowds.
H/T to all for the kind comments in your blogs, pages and comments.
——————-
While his family, and yes, I am family, close enough to him that I have known him every single day I have been alive – until he died of course, wishes ‘friend of wife” had not posted her comments anywhere containing details of his death, which are true – but that’s all ya get for real info, the fact is that Ol’ Remus has indeed died.
While rumors will persist without a link to an obituary or the divulging of other revealing information concerning who Remus was it is from the respect of his wishes to remain anonymous that we, his family, act in this manner.
There are very few on the internet who know who Remus was but rest assured he was greater in real life than his writings showed him to be.
This post may be freely shared of course, and I have no doubt it will be – an important take from this is the H/T thanks offered to all, not just readers here, but everywhere.
Thank you Mr. Van der Leun for americandigest.org
It is my honor to post this message here originally.
Lastly – No, I am not posting from Stockholm, Sweden as the logged IP address will show.
He will be missed and his blog was one of the best on the web for all patriots but I also have to feel grateful that he will be with his wife in the great beyond. God bless his family many of us will have them in our prayers. Hopefully someone can take up that space for all of us loyal readers hopefully an engineer which will make us all ore educated with his thought full posts. Let hope his NOV isn’t as bad as his prediction but keep your powder dry friends.
Geez.
Reading this on a Tuesday morning seems rather apropos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7p2ogicS1U
It is apalling that a man of Remus’ wisdom and patriotism needed to take such extraordinary measures to conceal his identity
Meanwhile, a demented old woman who spews unprecedented lunacy daily is third from the presidency. And a group of Representatives who carry on like the mean girls clique at a Middle School control the House
We are all poorer now.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather,we should thank God that such men lived.” General George S. Patton
And we do.
It is heartening to know that Remus’ family trusts American Digest and its founder to post this update. Thanks,Gerard.
2020 has been a year of immense sorrow for Americans. Rest in Peace Remus.
Yep, Remus was one of my very best friends that I’d never met.
Thank you for updating us, Mr. Van der Luen, and special thanks to the family member who passed along the information.
Also, thank you for committing to at least trying to build an archive. I always meant to but slothfully never did.
I realize that this will probably always have to be considered as officially uncomfirmed, but I for one will accept it as true, proxy/VPN or not, and will continue to grieve for the loss of the incredible voice by which we’ve been enriched for these several years.
I also choose to believe the family member’s words that Ol’ Remus in real life was even more amazing than what we were allowed to glimpse through the Woodpile Report. His simple elegance of prose – combined with oft-pithy opinions and barely-concealed disdain of “preppers” – will always be a guiding light through the maze of contradictions within which we often find ourselves.
May he be resting peacefully.
GV, you’ve got some big shoes to fill from hear on out. With our surely Heaven bound Remus, your it!. I expect even GREATER wisdom from you now. Remus WAS our national treasure. Sir, that job has been handed to you to accomplish until your day!.
GV, I’m sad,,and I’m scared, I DO NOT WANT WHATS COMING!. Don’t fear dying, I fear failing!
Dirk Williams
God bless you, Brother!.
GV, you’ve got some big shoes to fill from hear on out. With our surely Heaven bound Remus, your it!. I expect even GREATER wisdom from you now. Remus WAS our national treasure. Sir, that job has been handed to you to accomplish until your day!.
GV, I’m sad,,and I’m scared, I DO NOT WANT WHATS COMING!. Don’t fear dying, I fear failing!
Dirk Williams
God bless you, Brother!.
Reading that message above from “No Name”, something’s not quite right. Several somethings. As I was reading it I kept thinking about that spam email I get every now and then, you know, the one that said they captured video of me on a particular site. There is no camera connected to my machine. Same strangeness. Just enough familiarity to make you believe, and just enough error to make you doubt.
For me, the question about Remus is still “unknown”.
Godspeed Remus.
Godspeed.
@ ghostsniper… I agree. If and when, in the future, we click onto the woodpile report and someone who is sitting at Remus’ computer has logged in and written a believable adios on his behalf, then I think I might have a feeling of closure.
The fight is just starting , we will lose many more good men !
Awww gosh durn it all. He was my bellweather.
Time to hunker down. God has taken all the good ones before the storm.
Brace yerself, Effie. Shitstorm a comin’. Sigh. Argh. Gasp.
For adjusting your monitor.
The notice is posted as of today on The Woodpile Report.
Thank you all again.
I’m posting this after seeing the Woodpile Report notice just a week or so ago and now rediscovering WRSA. I loved the Woodpile Report and was one of the very fewest blogs that I actually looked forward to reading and had been a reader for several years.
My condolences to the family. Ol’ Remus was one of a kind.
“Cattle die
kinsmen die
all men are mortal.
Words of praise
will never perish
nor a noble name.
– The Havamal