This must be the place: Ode to Cousin Nate, ode to sharing the love of music

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This must be the place: Ode to Cousin Nate, ode to sharing the love of music

Cousin Nate. (photo: Kate Woodward Trombley)

Nathan Manuel Arruda, age 42, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, June 28, at his place of residence in Rouses Point, New York.

Born on Oct. 21, 1978, in Plattsburgh, New York, Nate came out of the womb a wild, wondrous and mischievous soul, something that was never lost on him or on all who crossed paths with him throughout his short, vibrant life.

Aside from stints as a kid in Virginia Beach, Virginia, San Pedro, California, and Swampscott, Massachusetts, Nate and his mother, Chrissy, called their native Rouses Point home for most of his existence. Later in life, he also lived in Alburgh, Vermont, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Most recently, he was in Bozeman, Montana, before relocating once again to Rouses Point this spring.

Following instruction at Northeastern Clinton Central School in Champlain, New York, and also Swampscott, Nate furthered his education at SUNY Canton, at first as a vet tech student, then as a mechanic. He had an unrelenting zest for engineering and electronics, as seen by his constant tinkering with his vehicles over the years. He still talked about his enthusiasm for all things Volkswagen all the way to the end.

A wild-n-out, sometimes-misunderstood human being with a completely unique sense of humor (and infectious laugh), it was those exact characteristics that led Nate to many deep and sincere friendships. If you were ever around Nate, you either watched his antics in complete awe or couldn’t pass up the opportunity to partake in the magnificent madness unfolding before your eyes (Nate also had the most beautiful green eyes).

At the core of Nate’s life was music, whether performed live or cranked to “volume 11” on the stereo. He never passed up a chance to go to a concert and always had a booklet of his favorite CDs within reach.

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Nate’s incredible knowledge and passion for music was something that rubbed off on his younger cousins, all of which looked to him as “an older brother they never had.” He took great joy in sitting his cousins down and throwing some form of melodic magic on his bedroom stereo or during a lazy afternoon cruise in his car, eager to change your life and outlook on the world with a simple song. We will never forget those car rides, especially when it was a one-on-one experience of hearty conversation with the windows rolled down.

Of his many cherished live music experiences, there were a few key ones, including Elton John (twice, most notably during a torrential downpour at SPAC) with his cousin, Kate Woodward Trombley, Guster at Higher Ground with his best friend, Simone Shay, and Dave Matthews Band at SPAC with his cousin, Garret K. Woodward (now a contributing writer for Rolling Stone magazine, something that wouldn’t have materialized without his older cousin’s influence early on).

A lifelong, die-hard Boston Red Sox fan, Nate finally made it to Fenway Park on April 8, 2011 (the Sox/New York Yankees home opener), with Simone, a moment he never forgot. The same could be said about the 2004 season, when the Sox finally broke the “Curse of the Bambino” and won its first World Series Championship since 1918.

Whenever it was the holidays, like clockwork, Nate was in the kitchen, prepping the Thanksgiving turkey or a signature Christmas dish for hours (and hours), excited to finally reveal the culinary delights to all sitting down for another family meal, happily together.

Whenever he would venture out and about, Nate would constantly head for a nearby shoreline (somewhere, anywhere), setting his rod and reel, casting a line into the watery depths — it didn’t matter if he caught anything, it was the solitude and time to ponder nothing and everything that mattered most.

He is survived by his mother, Christine Kavanaugh of Bozeman, Montana, his father, Richard “Dick” Arruda of Plattsburgh, New York, his brother, Jeffrey Barnaby of Bozeman, Montana, his sister, Denise (Arruda) Decker and her husband, Matt, of Waxhaw, North Carolina. A longtime, faithful companion, his dog Chico hasn’t stopped howling since his passing.

As well, he is survived by endless aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. There are also countless friends from around the world that he considered family (the feeling was mutual) that are very saddened by the loss of their beloved “Natey Poo.”

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 9, at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Rouses Point. A celebration of life will be held thereafter at the nearby American Legion Post 912. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Elmore SPCA in Peru, New York, with a donation link at www.elmorespca.org.

For any and all reading this, always tell those you care about that you love them, and do so often. Cheer for the Boston Red Sox. If you see poutine on the menu, order it and eat it with gusto. Hug any and all kind souls, even the not-so-kind ones, too. Acknowledge and pet all dogs, even the not-so-kind ones, too.

And most importantly, always listen to good music, for it is nourishment for the heart and soul, especially that of The Grateful Dead, Phish, Tragically Hip, Guster, Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Jane’s Addiction, and Elton John, all favorites of Nate’s that were constantly in rotation.

At Nate’s request many years ago, “Keep Me in Your Heart” by Warren Zevon will be played at his service, “Sometimes when you’re doin’/simple things around the house/Maybe you’ll think of me and smile/You know I’m tied to you like the buttons on your blouse/Keep me in your heart for a while/Hold me in your thoughts/Take me to your dreams/Touch me as I fall into view/When the winter comes/Keep the fires lit/And I will be right next to you.”

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