A loving husband, father of three, and a proud grandfather. A brother, a teacher, a gifted musician, gardener, and woodworker.
And our beloved cousin.
Cousin Paul R. Van Sickle, photographed June 2017
We’ve just returned home after celebrating Paul’s life during a Memorial Service at Trinity Episcopal Church in Lenox, Massachusetts last Saturday the 20th. Paul would have loved all the music- the singing, the playing of the organ. It was beautiful. Poignant.
The cousins drove in from Vermont, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. After the service we gathered together at his home to share stories and memories.
Paul built his workshop
I felt moved as I entered Paul’s workshop, behind his home, and inhaled the scent of wood. He could repair things, too. See his tools all lined up? His grandfather’s toolbox on the bench. There’s a wooden toy box in my home that Paul crafted for my son, Mark.
A panorama of his workshop
Paul was a master musician, organist and vocalist. He had a beautiful singing voice. I remember his playing our family piano when he’d visit our home. J.S.Bach was a favorite composer.
Paul’s favorite cookies were my mom’s recipe for Sour Cream Cookies. His wife Susan baked them for the family gathering after the service. My mother baked them for a Paul in the sixties when he’d visit our home. That kitchen was in Morris Plains, New Jersey and he’d visit when he was on leave from the US Army -Ft. Dix, New Jersey.
A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top, a pinch of nutmeg in the dough. A soft sugar cookie, moist from the addition of sour cream. Here’s a photo from June 1974. Paul and his daughter Amy at my wedding.
It’s hard to sum up a life in a few words. Paul was a blog follower and told me one time I was a little heavy on the photos showing decay. You know those abandoned buildings and discarded furniture pieces, the garbage I post? 😂 We’re going to miss his laughter, his kindness, his generous heart- full of love for all of us.
There’s much to be grateful for as a daily practice, not limited to Thanksgiving.
I am paying tribute and expressing gratitude for good parents. I found this photo today and remembered our Thanksgivings together. And apart. An inscription of gratitude for their friendship was on the back of the photo, written by friends Ethel and Coleman Ives who must have mailed them the photo. I believe it’s taken in New Haven, Connecticut.
Once, when I was missing my mother snd father so strongly, in the depths of grief, a counselor advised me to do for others what my parents did for me.
My parents set a good example of how to be loving and caring humans which I’ve tried to pass on to my own family. ❤️
My good friend Vincie saw this statue and inscription while walking in the cemetery. Someone visited and left a stone. Thanks for sending me this image. Perfect for Silent Sunday
Ruth – you and I reconnected as Army wives in Fort Knox, KY in 1986 after we both moved there from Germany, where we first met. You taught me the art of smocking and we spent a lot of time together stitching beautiful outfits for our little girls. Then we decided to make it a “cottage industry” and created our business Handsmocked in Kentucky. We took special orders and sold our work in the Kentucky Arts Council In Louisville … where we attracted the attention of Phyllis George (then wife of the Governor of Kentucky!) .
We had such fun and dreams with our little business, and then all of a sudden we were invited to Phyllis George’s home as a vendor for her Kentucky Derby celebration which featured Kentucky based artists! What an adventure ….
33 years later I still have a lot of memories and a wardrobe of smocked dresses to hand down to some special little girl.
My memory of Phyllis George was a gracious, giving woman who cared deeply about Kentucky artisans. (And she wrote us a check for a handsmocked dress for her daughter.)
Joanne was able to go into her boxes of photos which are all labeled and put her hands on these photos.
Joanne in front of mansion
Ruth in front of mansion
Our shared booth- Joanne
In the booth- Ruth
Joanne even put her hands on our little brochure. Her sister did the artwork.
Our daughters Laura and Anna at a tea party, sporting our smocking. This photo is in Germany where both girls were born.
In 2011 I had the privilege to meet and escort artist HELÈNE AYLON to her exhibition being shown at the Andy Warhol Museum. She gave me a signed parchment scroll which I photographed today April 7, 2020 scroll down to see it.
Artist HELÈNE AYLON February 4, 1931 – April 6, 2020
BLog Post from 2011
ARTIST HELÈNE AYLON AT THE WARHOL MUSEUM
I asked Ms. Aylon if I might take her picture (with my iPhone these days) and she graciously agreed. Then she suggested we take one under the portrait of Julia Warhol, Andy’s mother. It was Mother’s Day.
Her exhibit The Word of God: Helène Aylon, The Liberation of G-d and The Unmentionable runs through June 26th
Veterans Day. A day to honor and remember the men and women who have served our country.
If you’d like to include a veteran you know and love or (one of yourself) please send me the photo rutheh(at)gmail(dot)com and I will add it to the gallery.
This just in…..thank you Joanne Leonard Cohen reciting In Flanders Fields by John McCrae
WWII Veteran Robert S Hinkle in Agra, India , February 1945
Deb Beozzo’s father pictured above
Lt. Colonel Kathryn Ingram
Colonels Rick and Kristin Foerster
Colonel Rose Miller Afghanistan 2006
Joanne Basden’s Father Top Left Corner
Don Anderson and Ed Kichi Sept 1966
Phu Bai, Viet Nam
Don Anderson and Ed Kichi
Quantico, VA 2011 Reunion TBS-4-66
Mike Kichi USMC Sent by blog follower and friend and frequent commenter Toni Kichi
Martin H Cooper veteran World War II – European Theater –
(My friend and blog follower and fr
equent commenter Sue Reinfeld’s father)1st Plt, D Co. 39th OCCJohn E. Hilliard Troop Transport 194 Thank you JoyceThis was a project I started and it is incomplete. I am hoping to receive more photographs of Veterans you know and love to add to the gallery.Orville Lee,who served in France during WWII. Orv is the heart and soul of our weekly retired group we call CAB (Coffee and Bagels). I hear he has beaten his sons climbing a rock wall recently.
From Anne Hamilton- UK-
Charles Albert Kydd ” I thought Ruth might like the attached photo of my great uncle, the brother of my English grandmother (the one you met). Charles Albert Kydd was born in 1896. He went missing and I’ve also attached a document relating to this which I found in amongst my gran’s papers. Unfortunately I don’t know anything else – not even what regiment he was attached to.”
Thankfully he did survive the war and lived into old age!
To include those currently serving in the military This photo sent by Sally Nauer of her son’s unit (Jonathan Nauer) neighbors at Ft. Knox in the seventies
In Afghanistan, (Back in USA 2012)“I hope you got the pictures of my favorite veterans – the first was my brother, Michael Cooper, who served in Vietnam in 1968” – contributed by Sue ReinfeldLt. Robert A. Bard, US Navy (22 yrs, 7 mos total service)
Email a photo of a veteran with name and information about service and I will add it to the gallery. rutheh at gmail dot comMy Uncle Alan Ray Hendricks (USA)
Uncle Harold “Butch” Hendricks (USN) My grandfather Floyd and grandmother Mary Alta and my father Roy J Hendricks
and my son Mark
SIGNED INTO LAW MAY 26, 1954
Veterans Day. More than a day off from school. A day in November to honor all veterans- men and women in the military who have served. And the correct spelling “the attributive (no apostrophe) rather than the possessive case is the official spelling “ according to an article “Apostrophe Sparks Veterans Day Conundrum”. I had to look it up. WWII, on the left my father’s brother Alan Ray Hendricks who “observed his 28th bday by flying a bombing mission over Japanese-held Koror Island in a 7th AAF Liberator on which he is a gunner”.(old yellowed newspaper clipping) Received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Who do you know who has served? Scan and email a photo of a veteran you know , along with name and service and I will post a gallery of veterans.
Suzanne sent me her father-in-law and father and that sparked the idea. rutheh (at) gmail (dot) com
Suzanne Colvin- “I’m attaching a photo of my dad, shot in Italy, where he served. His name was William Key (1921-2005); he was a Captain in the 5th Army in Italy.Below are memorabilia from my son-in-law’s grandfather and father
JAMES’ MATERNAL GRANDFATHER
(GRANDSON CHARLES’ GREAT GRANDFATHER)
CHARLES WADE EMIG BORN: DEC 31, 1923 COSHOCTON, OH
My grandson Charles sits on his Grandfather’s lap (my SIL James’ Dad)
Remembering Jimmy Cvetic (click for article by Rich Lord)
Vietnam Vet, Police Detective, Boxing Coach and Poet. Poet is how I came to know him over the years, hearing him read at Hemingway’s Café in Oakland where he organized the Summer Poetry Reading Series for decades. He had an incredibly generous spirit. No one will be able to fill his shoes. He wrote the following poetry books:The Secret Society of Dog, Dog Unleashed, Dog is a Love from Hell, Dog Days published by Lascaux Editions.
Jimmy with Franco Harris on August 17, 2017 Little Italy Days in Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh PA. I photographed them after Franco played in a Bocce game on Cedarville Street.
If you would like to include a veteran you know and love or (one of yourself) please send me the photo rutheh(at) gmail(dot)con and I will add it to the gallery
This just in…..thank you Joanne Leonard Cohen reciting In Flanders Fields
Don Anderson and Ed Kichi Sept 1966
Phu Bai, Viet Nam
Don Anderson and Ed Kichi
Quantico, VA 2011 Reunion TBS-4-66
Mike Kichi USMC Sent by blog follower and friend and frequent commenter Toni Kichi
Martin H Cooper veteran World War II – European Theater –
(Sue Reinfeld’s father)1st Plt, D Co. 39th OCCJohn E. Hilliard Troop Transport 194This was a project I started and it is incomplete. I am hoping to receive more photographs of Veterans you know and love to add to the gallery.Orville Lee, 87 years old, who served in France during WWII. Orv is the heart and soul of our weekly retired group we call CAB (Coffee and Bagels). I hear he has beaten his sons climbing a rock wall recently.
Mike’s brother — Ed Kichi — 2nd from the left in the 2nd row. In above photo of the 1st Platoon D Co, 39th OCC
From Anne Hamilton- UK-
Charles Albert Kydd ” I thought Ruth might like the attached photo of my great uncle, the brother of my English grandmother (the one you met). Charles Albert Kydd was born in 1896. He went missing and I’ve also attached a document relating to this which I found in amongst my gran’s papers. Unfortunately I don’t know anything else – not even what regiment he was attached to.”
Thankfully he did survive the war and lived into old age!
To include those currently serving in the military This photo sent by Sally Nauer of her son’s unit (Jonathan Nauer) neighbors at Ft. Knox in the seventies
In Afghanistan, (Back in USA 2012)I hope you got the pictures of my favorite veterans – the first was my brother, Michael Cooper, who served in Vietnam in 1968 – SueLt. Robert A. Bard, US Navy (22 yrs, 7 mos total service)
Email a photo of a veteran with name and information about service and I will add it to the gallery. rutheh at gmail dot comMy Uncle Alan Ray Hendricks (USA)
, Uncle Harold “Butch” Hendricks (USN) My grandfather Floyd and grandmother Mary Alta and my father Roy J Hendricks
and my son Mark
SIGNED INTO LAW MAY 26, 1954
Veterans Day. More than a day off from school. A day in November to honor all veterans- men and women in the military who have served. And the correct spelling “the attributive (no apostrophe) rather than the possessive case is the official spelling “ according to an article “Apostrophe Sparks Veterans Day Conundrum”. I had to look it up. WWII, on the left my father’s brother Alan Ray Hendricks who “observed his 28th bday by flying a bombing mission over Japanese-held Koror Island in a 7th AAF Liberator on which he is a gunner”.(old yellowed newspaper clipping) Received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Who do you know who has served? Scan and email a photo of a veteran you know , along with name and service and I will post a gallery of veterans. Suzanne sent me her father-in-law and father and that sparked the idea. rutheh at gmail dot com
Suzanne Colvin- “I’m attaching a photo of my dad, shot in Italy, where he served. His name was William Key (1921-2005); he was a Captain in the 5th Army in Italy.
MY SIL’S Grandfather and Father
James’ Maternal Grandfather
(Grandson Charles’ Great Grandfather)
Charles Wade Emig Born: DEC 31, 1923 Coshocton, OH
James’ mother brought down a box filled with memorabilia
James’ father Charles (Chuck) served in Viet Nam holding grandson Charles 3 years ago
