A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.
I’ve been offline for the last week or so. Laura’s mother passed away on June 13 and we have been in Washington State on Samish Island for the funeral. I only had my phone for Internet access, so I’ve not been able to upload photos or do much blogging. I’ll try to catch up with things in these next couple of posts.
Last night I got the call from my brother. Our first cousin, John Ellenberg, had been killed in a plane crash in Alaska on Friday. John was 74. He was flying with his fiance, Laurie Buckner, who was also killed in the crash. Here’s a link to the news report from one of the local … Read More “Remembering John Ellenberg” »
Monday morning we learned of the passing of David Pass, fellow singer and long-time manager of the Greenville Chorale. Dave sat next to me in rehearsal for many years, and usually stood next to me in concerts. In addition to being an excellent singer, he had a quick wit, and was always ready with a … Read More “Remembering Dave” »
Last week I learned of the death of one of my former choir members. Priscilla Johnson was one of the first people I met when I came to McCarter Presbyterian Church back in 1990, and she was on my interview committee. Priscilla was also a dedicated choir member, singing alto in our small group during my tenure at the church.
My time as choir director at McCarter had its ups and downs, but Priscilla was the one steadfast rock I could count on in the congregation. She told it like it was, and fortunately (for me) we saw eye-to-eye on most issues. I last saw her several months ago in a local restaurant, and was delighted to have one last good conversation with her.
Yesterday afternoon a memorial service for Priscilla was held at McCarter, and I made a point of attending. It was great seeing old friends, and seeing how the church had been remodeled and expanded since my days there. Even with the changes, much remained the same.
“What do you think they’ll have?”
“I think you could guess just as easily as I could”
And, yes, my sister and I nailed it. The menu was exactly as predicted. And it was comforting and tasty – just as funeral food is meant to be.
But, backing up a bit…
Thursday evening I got a call from my father that my Uncle Raymond Johnson passed away after a prolonged illness. Uncle Raymond was 93, and was a quiet, peaceful man who lived his entire life in the town of Calhoun Falls. Uncle Raymond had married my father’s oldest sister, Mary, who had passed away several years ago. They had one son, Sherwin, who still lives in the area. The funeral was Saturday, so I picked up my sister, Glynda. then my parents for the drive down to Calhoun Falls.