The Torch Relay through Tallahassee was yesterday and what an experience! My strongest impression is of the heat. The temperature was 99 and with the humidity, the heat index was 110. All of downtown was decorated and it felt like something out of "The Music Man."

My wheelchair was fitted with a bracket for the torch and while I was waiting for the shuttle bus to take me to my leg of the relay, a bunch of kids stopped by.

"Is that The Torch?" asked one.

"That's it," I said,"would you like to hold it?"

"Oh yes," he said bigeyed.

They passed it around solemnly. One little boy raised it over his head and said, "Hooray USA."

They put it back and shook my hand and thanked me. In the meantime, people would stand next to me and get their picture taken. What a hoot!

When I got delivered to the beginning of my segment, I saw lots of friends waiting. A man on a motorcycle activated the fuel canister in the base of the torch and I moved out on the roadway. The runner approached and gave me the flame and I was off. I had my power chair wide open and cruised along. People were clapping and cheering. It seemed to last forever and at the same time, it flashed by in an instant. Finally I saw the next runner and passed him the flame. The same man on the motorcycle expelled all the fuel from the torch and gave it back. My friends gathered around to hug me and to hold the torch.

Suddenly it was all over. What a high! The flame is headed south and for a brief time it was in my care thanks to lots of people who gave me lots of help.

                                              -- Hooray, Maryanne ! --

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Reva loved jazz, ethnic cuisine, science and learning and was an early adopter of the Internet. Her crocheted afghans provide comfort to many. Her passion for reading led her to unprecedented devotion to the Culver City Library, volunteering there for over 30 years. She was awarded Los Angeles County Volunteer of the Year in 2001. Reva loved company and cheered for everyone's happiness. Reva was an honorary mother to many in her community at Overland Avenue's Windsor Fountains.

Reva was a warm, enthusiastic longstanding member of our group. She used to tell us of her library work, her interest in Science Fiction, and her craft designs. Reva met several members of our group. Unfortunately I never did but I do remember a surprise phone call of hers when I was stuck in the LA Airport. She told me that she would have loved to come to the airport to make my stay easier but wasn't well enough. Her lovely call made my day.

I'm lost.
I've gone out to look for myself.
If I should return before I get back
Please ask me to wait.

-- Reva

Francisca Middleton
January 15, 1928 - May 3, 2009

When she retired from teaching, she worked with "Senior Net", a non-profit group whose mission it was to bring computer technology into the lives of seniors.

The Bay is quiet here
Where Fran's journey ends.
The sunset guides  her voyage home. 

Wind stirred by migrating birds
Carry her message of love, hope,
And endurance to all of us.

Jim Olsen

I first met John Reid-Henry at the Elders party held at Arthur Pay's house in London. He'd travelled down from Tyneside for the party and had arranged with Arthur to stay overnight.

My first impression of him was that of a tall, distinguished man, whose innate courtesy and polite manner as well as his keen sense of humour endeared him to all who were at the party. His charm was evident when Arthur, a fervent vegetarian, cooked him bacon and egg for his breakfast the following morning!

He'd been in both the Merchant and then Royal Navy during the Battle of Britain and later graduated on to flying. After the war he went to grow tea in Nyasaland where he met his wife, a Scottish nurse, and they had two children. When the children grew older they returned to England and settled eventually in Newcastle upon Tyne. When he first joined Elders he told us his wife had died and the children had left home, so he enjoyed very much walking with his friends in the moors of Yorkshire.

When he was on a walking tour of the Isle of Wight with a friend, he spent the day with us in Bembridge. It's remarkable how strong my memories are of that day. Our home was having an extension built and there was chaos everywhere, but we gave him a warm welcome and a tour of the garden in which he was very interested. He commented on the fact that he hadn't seen penstemons growing in a garden for a long time, and liked ours. We took him down to the Yacht Club for lunch, and again his courtesy and appreciation of our kindness to him shone through when he mentioned the lasagne we had was the best he'd ever tasted. Praise indeed from a man who had travelled the world!

In the afternoon, he walked along the cliff to look over the sea, where his ship had been torpedoed, with all the crew being lost. He'd been on leave and hadn't been able to return to the ship before it was given a sudden summons to resume duty, only to be sunk just off Bembridge Ledge. Later he visited the Maritime Museum where he was shown some mementos of the ship retrieved from the sea bed by the owner of the museum who was part of a diving team in his spare time.

He wrote a note of thanks to Roland and myself when he returned home to Newcastle, written in copperplate handwriting, which I still have.

As always, he was a perfect gentleman, and we miss him.

 Pat Davidson

Veronica became a member of Elders some time after her husband John.

She'd participated via John in some of the discussions and then decided she too would like to join in the latter years of her life.

Although she was having health problems, she was still able to come to Elders group  gatherings and had met members of Elders in both the States and the UK. She and John had met Pat listowner of Elders, and her husband Roland, at their home on the Isle of Wight, and both Lotte and Fran, Pat's fellow listowners, had been guests of Veronica and John at their home in Cambridge., UK. She'd also visited Langston and Marie at their home in Texas, and most of the UK Elders at the gathering at Arthur Pay's home in London.

John and Veronica had met while she was teaching art in the Fen district in England but when they married and had their four children she left teaching to look after the family, though she still painted in acrylics on hardboard. Her talent is evident from the paintings John placed on the internet after her death.

Veronica was very fond of cats and had usually six or seven cats at her home near Cambridge, and helped out at the local Cats Protection League charity shop.

She was also a member of the University of the Third Age, or U3A, as it is commonly known.

A devout Catholic, her warm personality endeared her to many, who will miss her greatly.

Pat Davidson

Langston Kerr

Down town Holly Springs, near Garrison, Texas, became a special place on the map for me, as he lived there with his wife Marie. Both were members of the Nagodoches Seniornet group-he even spelt it out in syllables so that we could pronounce it perfectly--and in joining Elders Langston was extending both the number of his internet friends and his skills.

With Sam Weissman, Bud Adams of New York, and Horace Basham of New Zealand, Elders was entertained with anecdotes and jokes, and whenever discussions became heated, you could be sure that they would step in and by a joke defuse the situation. Sam wrote a serial about Fang, his goldfish, and Marie was given a role in it under the name of Rattlesnake Lily! His warmth and generosity welcomed other members of Elders to their ranch where they were shown great hospitality.

Gradually Langston and Marie, aka the left-handed biscuit maker! -became part of our everyday lives, and we shared their grief when they lost their daughter Theresa. A poem written by Jim Olson, a member of Elders, is written on her gravestone.

Langston enjoyed shooting and fishing, but he also took photographs of the deer that came down to the pool to drink, and shared them with us via the Cave. He had a strong sense of humour, and several of his friends on Elders were the recipients of parcels with surprising contents! When his grandson Danny joined the Army and was sent to Iraq, Langston shared with us his pride in him, as well as his trepidation at his being in a dangerous country, and we all rejoiced with him and Marie when he was posted back home.

Several years ago, when I was feeling very depressed, Langston got together with Tom Bruce to set up a Pat's Day, to which Elders members contributed, and it was their great support that helped me at a time when I needed it.

Through Skype, I was able to speak face to face with Langston and with Marie, and it was then that I was able to see that Billy Bob, the monkey Langston told us he was getting, was not real! You never knew with Langston! Did he really have a mule called Jake? And what about signing his messages, by going out to turn the rooster? What I do know is that both Elders and myself lost a very good friend when he died in April after a very short illness, and like Marie and his family, we are still grieving. But what a privilege to have known such a man!

Down Town Holly Springs, U.S.A
"Something very important has happened here on this date"

Deep in the heart of Texas
A bright star joins Orion
Hunting the night away

by Jim Olsen

 

Larry Everett

Kenneth Lawrence Everett, known as Larry to his family, the Elders list, and his many other friends, was born in April, 1932 in Vancouver, the only child of Kenneth and Ellen Everett. 

He lived with his parents and his maternal grandmother in a house built by his grandfather. His grandmother, Agnes France, a 'Lass from Lancashire', had a strong influence on his life, as had his extended family with several children, amongst who was Tom Blinkhorn, his closest friend.

He trained in a radio school and after his training worked first on the boats on the west coast of British Columbia but then moved to work with Canadian Pacific, with whom he worked for some thirtyfive years.

He married his wife Winona in 1952 and they set up home in Uranium City, Saskatchewan, where he ran the airport. Although it was remote, their home had all modern facilities, which was a considerable advantage compared to dealing with wolves and dogs on a necessary trip outside!

They made many lifelong friendships there, entertaining in the waiting room at the airport, an ideal venue.

Later they moved to Vancouver and adopted their son Ken and daughter Celia. Larry was devoted to his family, especially in later years his grandchildren. He was a Scout leader and coached ken’s hockey team. His electronic background enabled him to build the family's color TV and stereo and to participate in amateur radio clubs, where he enjoyed building radio-controlled airplanes. He also loved sailing with his friends.

After some thirty five years with Canadian Pacific, Larry started a new career when he retired and his association with the Dunbar Community Centre began. He trained many over-55s on how to use email and other programs on the computer.

Latterly, however, he had to take care of his wife of 60 years, a labor of love though very tiring, as he himself was receiving dialysis. Live-in help proved to be a blessing.

His sudden death in July, 2013, came as a great shock to his family and his many friends.

One of the original members of Elders,  he took the role of welcoming new members and helping them feel at home, and in doing so making many more international friends. His warmth and affection endeared him to all of us on Elders, and we miss him a great deal.

Patricia M. Davidson, abridged from the eulogy of Larry's son, Ken July 2013.
 

John Bernard Richardson
aka "Flabs"

John Bernard Richardson was born in Coventry in 1934 and educated at Ratcliffe College, Leicester, and Christ's, Cambridge. He joined Pye Telecom in 1960, and as their representative travelled extensively in Europe, Canada, Australia, South Africa and United States.

John Bernard, as he signed his emails, was one of the many readers of my 'Saga' magazine article who wrote asking to join Elders. I first met him and his wife Veronica at the 'Elders' get together at Arthur Pay's home in Leystone, East London, Unfortunately Veronica was not able to get around easily and sometimes had to use a wheelchair. Later on, when Arthur died, John took over the Elders birthday list. John had met Veronica when she was teaching and they married, producing five children, four boys and one girl. John Bernard, in one of his emails, says,

John Bernard - trained as a Natural Scientist, but had to be auto mechanic, washing machine, dishwasher and tumble drier repair man, plumber and electrician to keep things going while raising the kids - not to mention having to do the A-frames for the roof of the extension, as our carpenter went on vacation at the critical time when the brickies wanted the end A-frame to build to. Call me a Jack of all trades - but Master only of Arts!

John Bernard was offered early retirement but was kept busy with requests for help from many different sources. As I mentioned previously, he looked after the Elders birthday list, and ran a prayer group on internet where people could be prayed for. Simon, their son, would ask John to write software for him, and Veronica's brother asked him to manage a web site for him/ John was a devout member of the Catholic Church and took part in daily church services, together with Veronica, helping their pastor.

Veronica's brother lived on the Isle of Wight and when they were over visiting him, they came to see us in Bembridge, and we spent a very pleasant time with them. They'd found a bookshop in St Helen's which they thought was delightful so we had a great discussion over some books we'd been reading.

Veronica and John also worked two and a half days a week in the Cats' Charity Shop in Cambridge and their house was full of cats! It was very sad when Veronica died, but their close friend, Lucy, the daughter of a Zambian tribal chieftain, who had helped John nurse Veronica, soon brought back the smiles to John's face and they had a tribal wedding in Cambridge.

Again, their happiness was not to last long ,as John developed cancer and gradually grew weaker. He was treated at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, where he himself had helped to administer the sacrament to patients. John was given great support by his family, especially Peter, who live nearby, and by Lucy. He and Lucy visited us in the Isle of Wight when they came over for a holiday and it was clear then to see that John was ailing. He was nursed by Lucy, supported by Peter, his son,and his health deteriorated further.

He used to sign his emails to Elders 'Memento, homo, quia pulveris, et in pulverem reverteris.' (Remember, O Man, that thou are made of dust, and to dust you shall return.') John was always very aware of his spiritual side and received much comfort from his Church in his death as well as in life. He was always a cheerful, pleasant man, with a good sense of humour, and he is greatly missed by his Elders friends.    - Pat-