As many people know, my family suffered a tragic loss in 2006 with the unexpected passing of our 18-year-old daughter, Kolleen. As a result of Kolleen’s death, many of her close friends became our close friends too, and as a result, part of my immediate and Ralph Roberts Realty family.

One such friend, Mary Kathryn (LaFave) Eckler (a.k.a., MK) and her husband Benjamin, recently graced us with another member of our extended family, Benjamin Dean Eckler, Jr. (pictured here):

While Kolleen’s passing was, and always will be, tragic, it was able to bring together so many wonderful people. From everyone in my immediate family–affectionally known as MaRo and KyRo and KaRo and RaRo–and everyone here at Ralph Roberts Realty, congratulations to Mary Kathryn and Benjamin, Sr. on your new little angel; please continue to share his joy and wonder as he learns and grows (Kolleen would have loved this little 9-pound and 22-1/4 inches long fella as if he were her own, and promptly nicknamed him “BenRo”

Homeowners and Real Estate industry professionals alike suffered a major loss today. Noted author and syndicated real estate columnist Robert Bruss passed away earlier today at his home in Northern California, according to Inman News. As a Real Estate industry insider and author, I benefited from Bob’s advice, critical reviews of my books, and his overall way of being. Suffice to say, his sudden passing saddens me.

From Inman:

Bruss…wrote seven real estate columns every week that were published in hundreds of newspapers across the country. For 23 years, Bruss wrote the weekly syndicated “Real Estate Mailbag” question-and-answer real estate column, the “Real Estate Notebook” feature on real estate trends, “Real Estate Law and You” about recent court decisions affecting real estate, and “Real Estate Book Review” features.

Sometimes called the “Dear Abby of Real Estate,” Bruss published two monthly newsletters on real estate law and investing issues. He authored several books, including: “The Smart Investor’s Guide to Real Estate,” “The California Foreclosure Book - How to Earn Big Profits From California Foreclosure and Distressed Properties,” and co-authored with Dr. William Pivar the college textbook, “California Real Estate Law.”

“Bob had a loyal following of readers who turned to him every week for sound real estate advice,” said Jessica Swesey, editorial and content director of Inman News. “Over the years, he helped so many people sort out their various buying and selling questions and was an amazing resource of independent information.

Nearly six years ago, Bob reviewed one of the Real Estate books I wrote. To this day, his review hangs on the wall in my personal office. While he may have made me a better writer, Bob Russ’ legacy will be the impact he made on millions of homeowners. His no-nonsense advice helped more people than I could shake a stick at.

Bob, please accept my apology for that end-of-sentence preposition, and, if they blog in heaven, keep up the good work!

As we near the one-year anniversary of my daughter Kolleen’s death, I would like to take a moment or two to reflect on the past 365 days…365 days of missing Kolleen and celebrating her life. In a way, we remember Kolleen as she was on the day of her passing–full of life and love. It was as though we had taken a snapshot of Kolleen on that fateful day and placed it on the mantel of our minds. It will forever remain a snapshot of her youthful exuberance and boundless joy.

Over the course of the past year, we have aged 365 days. We have changed…becoming older and perhaps a little wiser. Life has buffed out some of the roughness, added a wrinkle or a new ache, and squeezed out a few more drops of our youthful vigor, but we remember Kolleen just as she was on Memorial Day, 2006–living life to its fullest and sharing good times with friends and family.

What has changed in the way we remember Kolleen is that thanks to the thousands of people whose lives Kolleen touched, we have been blessed with the memories that others have of Kolleen. During these 365 days, over 2000 tributes have been posted on KolleenRoberts.com–over 400 pages in all. We have received countless more tributes expressed in person and by way of phone calls, handwritten letters, and e-mail messages.

We have heard others sing the praises of Kolleen, praises that her humble nature would never have allowed her to sing herself. We have read touching stories of how Kolleen influenced her friends, teammates, classmates, family members, and others in her incredible circle of influence. And we have had the opportunity to see Kolleen alive in the hearts and souls of those who knew her best. These loving words continue to carry on and enrich our memory of Kolleen.

On this Memorial Day, my family (which includes the Ralph Roberts Realty family) and I thank you for opening your hearts and sharing your memories of Kolleen with us, with one another, and with the people who find inspiration on KolleenRoberts.com. Kolleen brought you into our home and into our hearts, and you continue to enrich our lives.

We ask you to take some time out of your festivities this Memorial Day to remember Kolleen and what she meant to you. But remember in the way Kolleen would want you to remember–not in sorrow, but in joy. Enjoy your Memorial Day to the fullest, and fully love those around you. Life is too short to live it any other way.

Good friends of our business, Kent and Tina Spencer of MLA, Inc. Mortgage Bankers, recently added a new member to their team.

Ava Catherine Spencer–all 5 lbs., 14 oz, and 19 inches–was born on November 11th of this year.

Here’s wishing Kent, Tina, and Ava the best…now, always, and forever!

As many people know, my family and I recently suffered a major loss. For those of you who are new to my company or new to this portion of my company’s web site, I have sad news to share.

My oldest daughter–my angel–my 18-year-old Kolleen, A.K.A. ?¢‚Ǩ?ìKoRo,?¢‚Ǩ¬ù passed away quite unexpectedly on Memorial Day. Kolleen was everything to me and my wife Kathleen and our two other children, Kyle and Kaleigh. These last 12 days or so have been both a horror and an honor. If you?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re a parent, you know the horror part. The honor part has been as a result of the outpouring of love and support from nearly every corner of the planet, but especially from the people in my own community.

To see for yourself what an amazing friend, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, teammate, neighbor, and daughter Kolleen was, please click here for a tribute blog that was created by some of my assistants in the early hours of this tragedy.

I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ll be back soon with updated news and information about the Warren/metro-Detroit real estate market. Until then, I just wanted to say to everyone who has shared a thought, memory, or kind word with my family and me since Memorial Day, we thank you again from the bottom of our hearts. These are difficult and trying times, to say the least, and your support has been of great comfort to everyone in my family, as well as to the family of Realtors and real estate industry professionals who work alongside me at Ralph Roberts Realty.