The Memorial Wall

Larry Reid never knew a stranger. He loved to chat and share stories with friends both old and new.

Lawrence (Larry) Joseph Reid, 75, of Cape Coral, Florida passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on September 13th, 2023.

Larry was born in Newark, Ohio in 1948 to Martha Grace (Strosnider) and Lawrence O. Reid, who were loving and hard-working parents. Larry grew up alongside his beloved older sister Patricia, and several beloved cousins. He cherished family time and enjoyed growing up in Newark. He graduated from Newark Catholic High School in 1966, then attended Eastern Kentucky University where he graduated with a degree in Physical Education.

Larry met the love of his life Rebecca (Becky) Ohl when they were both teaching for Lakewood Schools in Hebron, Ohio. They both had a passion for teaching and became close during game nights spent with their teaching friends. They were married January 2nd, 1981. In 1984 they had their first child, their daughter Alison. They soon expanded their family with their son Devin, and sometime later their youngest daughter McKenzie. One of Larry’s greatest enjoyments was supporting his children, especially when it came to their love of running. He was a dedicated cross country and track dad who always took their splits, as well as figured out the best spots on a cross country course to cheer his kids on during their races.

Larry had many fond memories of going on vacation with his family and extended family to one of his favorite places, the Outer Banks in North Carolina. He loved Ohio State athletics, Cleveland Cavaliers basketball, and watching Newark Catholic sporting events. Larry was known for his kindness, and his ability to make anyone feel welcomed wherever he went. He was an incredible husband, father, teacher, and friend, he will be greatly missed by so many.

The last few years of his life Larry battled Parkinson’s disease. While being cared for by his family he was also cared for by Cari, Alicia, Susana, and Tressa, who were wonderful caretakers.

In addition to his wife Becky, Larry is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, McKenzie and Xavier Cook, of Newark, and Alison and Dan Hammergren of Cape Coral. His grandchildren Camden and Sophia. His sister and brother in-laws, Phoebe Ohl and her husband Jim Cox, Bill Keck, Priscilla Ohl, and Tom Ohl. His nephews Sean Digman and Ryan Digman. His nieces Nicole DeMoss and Amy Perdue. As well as several great nieces and nephews. His extended family Jamie and Carol Frush and their children, Jon, David, and Katie; and Jon and Missy Morrison and their children, Jared and Jacob.

Larry was preceded in death by his son Devin, and his sister Patricia Keck. His sister-in-law LuLu Leland. His parents Lawrence O. and Martha Grace Reid; and his father and mother-in-law, Harry R. and Esther Ohl.

Robert Amasa Seaman passed away peacefully at home on the morning of September 11th, 2023 in the Banning-Wrigley Historic District of Wilmington, California with his wife of 37 years by his side. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease over 8 years ago, he constantly defied his medical team’s expectations with his strength and determination.

Bob was born June 15, 1935, in Fowler, California, to Rev. Maurice Seaman and Gladys (Lawson) Seaman. Three years later, the family expanded by one with the birth of Bob’s brother, John. Gladys was a lifelong musician and teacher, exposing her sons early on to myriad musical performances. Bob preferred classical music, especially Mozart, as a result.

Bob started his unbelievable athletic exploits at Reedley Grant Elementary school as part of an 880-meter relay team which set a record at the West Coast Relays. He competed in high jump and the standing long jump as well.

At Reedley High School, he was active in student government, usually as the vice president or president of his classes. A three-sport athlete, he excelled in the middle-distance events and relays, took the field as a defensive end and halfback on the football team, and was a forward on the basketball team. It was as a mighty Pirate that he won the state mile at 4:21 on the historic clay track at Ratcliffe Stadium, beating the record set by the iconic Louis Zamperini of Torrance in 1934.

Originally committed to Occidental College, this record-shattering run meant that a spot at UCLA opened for him instead. UCLA was hoping to turn around 30 years of track dominance by USC, which they proudly accomplished by his senior year. Under coach Ducky Drake, Seaman set records his freshman year in the half mile and mile, running 1:49.9 and 4:14 respectively. By his sophomore year, he was getting closer to the four-minute-mile mark, running the mile in 4:01.4 in the Compton Relays. Bob’s little brother, John, joined him on the track team at UCLA. At the Stanford meet, they tied in the mile, crossing the finish line holding hands. In 1957, the UCLA team captain was also named the American Mile Champion of the Year.

Seaman toured with the Los Angeles Track Club after his graduation from UCLA. In 1962, he became the eighth athlete in history to run a sub four-minute mile, at 3:58 in London. He proved his talent once again in 1963 at the Compton Invitational, running the mile in 3:59.1. At the time, it was considered the “Greatest Mile Race in History,” with 6 men being timed at under four minutes.

His world class run ended with an Achilles injury, but Seaman did not leave the world of track and field. In 1968, he joined the Amateur Athletic Union, moving from a competitor role to establishing the qualifying standards for national championships. He was the women’s track chairman with the AAU from 1972-1990. Involvement in Olympic and World Cup track teams came naturally, and he assisted in both Latvia and Montreal. Seaman was assistant manager of the US Women’s Olympic team in 1984 and the head manager in 1998. He was also an award-winning meet official up until his retirement in 1996.

In 1986, Bob married Simie Hollis and they settled into their Spanish-style home in their historic Wilmington neighborhood. They loved hosting parties and often displayed their impeccable home on home tours. They donated much of their time to the Banning Mansion and Museum and loved going to the museum’s events.

Bob worked at SC Johnson for nearly 38 years and Allied West Paper Corporation for an additional 15. Post retirement, he was an extra in several movies, regaling us at the holidays with amusing stories from on set.

Bob was a meticulous man. He carried himself with elegance and was never seen with a hair out of place, his beard perfectly groomed. He loved his yard and his cats, the official pets and the strays. He cheered on the Bruins in every sport he could catch on television. When home, he liked to spend time in his office and on the adjoining balcony.

While Parkinson’s disease did strip him of some of his autonomy, it did not take his memories or his quick wit. He could remember dates and times and the weather of any event in his past, and always the full names of his acquaintances. He was always able to make connections between people and places and had the most unbelievable, but ultimately true, stories of his exploits.

Bob is survived by his wife, Simie. He is missed by his brothers-in-law, Gregory and Rock (Theresa); his niece, Desiree (Matt); nephew, Rock, and his grand-nieces and grand-nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Gladys; his father, Maurice; his brother, John; his sister-in law, Lana; and his most beloved feline, Daisy.

Ian Wilmut, the British embryologist who led the team that created the first mammal cloned from an adult cell, popularly known as Dolly the Sheep, died at the age of 79. Wilmut died after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2018, according to the University of Edinburgh.

Wilmut, Keith Campbell and other members of their team are credited for what is arguably one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs in the 20th century—the creation of the cloned sheep Dolly from an adult cell in 1996. Campbell passed away in 2012. Dolly’s cloning was the first time that scientists were able to make a mature adult cell behave like a cell from a newly fertilized embryo, according to AP. This meant that they were able to create an animal genetically identical to the “donor.”

The researchers used a cell from the mammary gland of a dead adult sheep to create a new living animal, according to BBC. They stimulated the cell with electricity and added chemicals, which changed the adult DNA into an embryo. They then put this into an empty sheep’s egg before implanting it into a surrogate sheep.

Dolly’s birth nearly 30 years ago was an epic scientific achievement, but it also sparked debate about the ethics of this research. A year after Dolly’s birth, then US President Bill Clinton announced a ban on human cloning experiments, stopping short of banning all cloning research. Dolly’s life came to an end not long after. About six years after birth, the sheep developed an incurable lung tumor and it was euthanized by scientists.

After the terrific success of the Dolly experiment, Wilmut focused his efforts on using cloning technology to make stem cells that could be used in regenerative medicine. His work was critical to research into treating genetic and degenerative diseases by helping the human body repair damaged tissue.

While his research did trigger anxieties about the ethics of cloning technology, many of those fears haven’t really panned out. Wilmut is a hero of the scientific community and his research laid the groundwork for new medical technology that could save lives.

Retired Summit County Common Pleas Judge Paul J. Gallagher, who worked in public service for more than 40 years, died after a long illness. He was 80 years old.

“He had Parkinson’s,” said his wife, Diane K. Evans, an attorney. “So it’s over. He’s not suffering anymore, so that’s good.”

A Cuyahoga Falls resident, Gallagher retired Dec. 31, 2018, after 12 years as a judge. During his distinguished career, he also served as a Summit County Council member and Portage County assistant prosecutor.

“He was a good man,” Evans said.

Born August 16, 1943, in Roslindale, Massachusetts, Gallagher was a baby when his Irish American family moved to Akron. His father, John, was an accountant at Firestone. His mother, Mary, taught at West High School.

He graduated from Archbishop Hoban High School in 1961 and earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame in 1966 after spending a year in a monastery wearing a cassock.

No wonder that judge’s robe felt so comfortable in later life.

He started out as a journalist, working as an intern for the Record-Courier, a reporter in Connecticut, West Virginia and Maryland, and then as a press secretary in Maryland, earning a master’s degree in administration science from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Gallagher returned home to Ohio after the 1970s.

Gallagher served as Tallmadge safety service director from 1980-82 before going to law school at the University of Akron. After earning a law degree, he worked as a defense attorney for several years.

He was elected to Summit County Council in 1984 and served until 2006. Gallagher also served as assistant prosecutor in Portage County from 1991 to 2006, starting in juvenile court, then moving to municipal court and common pleas, where he was one of the lead prosecutors.

“He was a guy who always spoke his mind, which is good, and had strong convictions in what he believed in,” said retired Judge Tom Teodosio, a longtime friend. “I think that’s what I’ll always remember Paul for.”

Teodosio served with Gallagher on the County Council from 2000 to 2006, and remembers how the local media labeled him “a watchdog” because he was a straight shooter who sometimes disagreed with the county executive’s office.

Drawing on his journalism experience, Gallagher published a newsletter called County Watch and used it as a platform to raise issues.

After they both were elected to Summit County Common Pleas in 2006, Teodosio said Gallagher earned “an excellent reputation as a fair judge who worked hard.”

“As Common Pleas judges, he was on the third floor and I was on the second floor,” Teodosio said. “We’d get together if I had a break or he had a break. We’d often show up in each other’s courtrooms and share a cup of coffee, and either chat about the law or about other things going on in the community.”

When the Summit County prosecutor obtained a federal grant in 2011 to start a new felony domestic violence court, Gallagher stepped up to become the presiding judge.

Gallagher was 69, one year shy of Ohio’s cutoff for a judicial seat, when he last ran for election in 2012. He retired from the bench in 2018, advising his successors: “Be patient. Everything works out. Be patient.”

Not everyone knew that the judge was grappling with an illness. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in November 2011, and the condition slowly worsened over the last decade.

Gallagher spent the past six months at Regina Health Center in Richfield. His wife praised the staff for its “excellent, excellent care.”

An agency caregiver, who apparently had some familiarity with the court, recognized the judge and treated him with the utmost respect.

Evans said the worker told her: “I couldn’t believe when I got here and saw it was Judge Gallagher. I am so honored to have been able to have cared for him. He’s the best.”

Evans described her husband as quiet and mild mannered, a rather private person who became an extrovert when campaigning.

And he was a big fan of Notre Dame football.

“He liked sailing, he liked walking, he liked exploring, whether it be an issue, like digging into an issue, or whether it would be going to a city and just kind of wandering around,” she said.

She said he was a guy who liked “to sniff his way through life.” If he saw something he was interested in, he pursued it.

It’s hard to believe, but the judge even garnered the respect of defendants.

“They said he was fair,” Evans said.

She remembers going to an event at the courthouse after Gallagher retired. Defendants were waiting in the lobby for a proceeding to begin when they saw Gallagher. Their faces lit up.

“Oh, judge!” they exclaimed. “Oh, judge!”

Teodosio and former County Council member and former judge Clair Dickinson went to see Gallagher at Regina Health Center last week.

“I’m glad Clair and I were able to visit him,” Teodosio said. “We had a nice little chat.”

Evans said funeral arrangements were pending at Newcomer in Akron. A Mass is tentatively planned for Saturday, Sept. 16, with the time and church to be announced. 

Preceded in death by his parents, John and Mary, and brother, John J. Gallagher, the judge’s survivors include his wife, Diane, sister, Madeline Hebert, brother-in-law Lee Hebert, sister-in-law Margi Gallagher and a host of nieces and nephews.

“He’ll be missed,” Teodosio said. “No doubt about that.”

Veteran journalist and author Peter C. Newman, who held a mirror up to Canada, has died at the age of 94.

He died in hospital in Belleville, Ontario from complications related to a stroke he had last year, which caused him to develop Parkinson’s disease, his wife Alvy Newman said by phone.

“It’s a big loss for Canada,” she said. “He has no peers. There’s no one to fill his shoes. Who is there that’s an author and a journalist that can show Canada to themselves?”

In his decades-long career, Newman served as editor-in-chief of the Toronto Star and Maclean’s, covering Canadian politics and business.

Often recognized by his trademark sailor’s cap, Newman also wrote two dozen books and earned the informal title of Canada’s “most cussed and discussed commentator,” said HarperCollins, one of his publishers, in an author note.

Newman was born in Vienna in 1929 and came to Canada in 1940 as a Jewish refugee.

In his 2004 autobiography, “Here Be Dragons: Telling Tales of People, Passion and Power,” Newman describes being shot at by Nazis as he waited on the beach at Biarritz, France for the ship that would take him to freedom.

“Nothing compares with being a refugee; you are robbed of context and you flail about, searching for self-definition,” he wrote. “When I ultimately arrived in Canada, what I wanted was to gain a voice. To be heard. That longing has never left me.”

That, he said, is why he became a writer.

The Writers’ Trust of Canada said Newman’s 1963 book “Renegade in Power: The Diefenbaker Years” had “revolutionized Canadian political reporting with its controversial ‘insiders-tell-all’ approach.”

Newman was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1978 and promoted to the rank of companion in 1990, recognized as a “chronicler of our past and interpreter of our present.”

His popular histories and biographies brought to life people, places and events that shaped Canada, his profile on the Governor General’s website says.

He was also dedicated to passing on the craft of creative non-fiction to a new generation as a professor at the University of Victoria, it says.

Newman won some of Canada’s most illustrious literary awards, along with seven honorary doctorates, his HarperCollins profile says.

“It’s such a loss. It’s like a library burned down if you lose someone with that knowledge,” Alvy Newman said. “He revolutionized journalism, in business, politics, history.”

On a personal level, Alvy Newman said, her husband had a sharp wit and generous spirit.

“He had a love of the absurd which was so wonderful,” she said. “I think that’s what brought us together. We both had the love of the absurd. We could just find the humor in anything.”

George Frederic Lefont died peacefully on September 5, 2023, from complications related to Parkinson’s disease. He was 85 years old.

George was well known in Atlanta as the owner of movie theaters featuring classic films and independent cinema. His first movie theater, The Silver Screen, showed the kind of classic film double features he had enjoyed during his childhood in San Francisco and quickly became an iconic part of the Atlanta cultural landscape. George later acquired other movie theaters in the Atlanta area, with some devoted to foreign and art films and others showing new releases.

George will be deeply missed by his many dear friends, his daughters and his grandchildren. He is survived by his daughters Stacey Lefont, Audrey Lefont and Paige Lefont, and his grandchildren Cole Lefont, William Biggar, Annabel Biggar, and Juliet Biggar.

Dean Esslinger, a Towson University history professor who started an international faculty exchange program, died September 5th, 2023 at a Towson assisted living community of complications from Parkinson’s disease. He was 81.

“He was really easygoing and had a very quick, dry wit but was quiet,” said his daughter, Regina Esslinger Hall of Baltimore. “He was very capable and calm. He was a happy man. He was always a happy man.”

Born in Clifton, Kansas, he was the son of Lucy Esslinger, a homemaker, and Firmin Esslinger, a businessperson. Mr. Esslinger met his wife of 59 years, Sandra, at what was then Clifton High School and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1964. He earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in U.S. history from the University of Notre Dame.

After graduate school, Mr. Esslinger moved to Towson in 1968 to teach U.S. history at what was then Towson State College, where he worked for 38 years until retirement. He acted as the director of faculty development and later created the university’s international faculty exchange program, becoming an associate vice president for International Programs. It started when Mr. Esslinger took a trip to China in 1985.

He “made some connections with universities there and brought some Chinese faculty to Towson to teach,” Ms. Hall said. “And then [Towson] sent some of their faculty to China and then that opened up to other countries as well. So there were exchange programs in Germany and Poland and Korea and Japan.”

“Then some of the other Maryland state universities used that as a model to do the same thing,” Ms. Hall said. “So it became a program throughout several local state universities.”

Mr. Esslinger wrote five books about Maryland, including a high school textbook, a history of Friends School for the Baltimore Quaker school’s 200th anniversary, and a history of Towson University. He contributed to other books.

“His Ph.D. and his field of study was on immigration. And Baltimore was one of the biggest ports of entry on the East Coast for immigrants, second to New York City,” Ms. Hall said. “When he started working at Towson he really dug into learning more about Maryland history.”

Dean Esslinger, Towson history professor who spearheaded the university’s international exchange program, dies.

Dean Esslinger, a Towson University history professor who started an international faculty exchange program, died September 5th, 2023 at a Towson assisted living community of complications from Parkinson’s disease. He was 81.

“He was really easygoing and had a very quick, dry wit but was quiet,” said his daughter, Regina Esslinger Hall of Baltimore. “He was very capable and calm. He was a happy man. He was always a happy man.”

Born in Clifton, Kansas, he was the son of Lucy Esslinger, a homemaker, and Firmin Esslinger, a businessperson. Mr. Esslinger met his wife of 59 years, Sandra, at what was then Clifton High School and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1964. He earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in U.S. history from the University of Notre Dame.

After graduate school, Mr. Esslinger moved to Towson in 1968 to teach U.S. history at what was then Towson State College, where he worked for 38 years until retirement. He acted as the director of faculty development and later created the university’s international faculty exchange program, becoming an associate vice president for International Programs. It started when Mr. Esslinger took a trip to China in 1985.

He “made some connections with universities there and brought some Chinese faculty to Towson to teach,” Ms. Hall said. “And then [Towson] sent some of their faculty to China and then that opened up to other countries as well. So there were exchange programs in Germany and Poland and Korea and Japan.”

“Then some of the other Maryland state universities used that as a model to do the same thing,” Ms. Hall said. “So it became a program throughout several local state universities.”

Mr. Esslinger wrote five books about Maryland, including a high school textbook, a history of Friends School for the Baltimore Quaker school’s 200th anniversary, and a history of Towson University. He contributed to other books.

“His Ph.D. and his field of study was on immigration. And Baltimore was one of the biggest ports of entry on the East Coast for immigrants, second to New York City,” Ms. Hall said. “When he started working at Towson he really dug into learning more about Maryland history.”

As a professor, Mr. Esslinger taught that history is about people’s individual stories, not just dates and names. “There’s always something interesting to learn by listening to people’s stories,” Ms. Hall said.

Gary was an American musician and composer best known for his 1976 hit songs "Dream Weaver" and "Love Is Alive". Wright's breakthrough album, The Dream Weaver (1975), came after he had spent seven years in London as, alternately, a member of the British blues rock band Spooky Tooth and a solo artist on A&M Records. While in England, he played keyboards on former Beatle George Harrison's triple album All Things Must Pass (1970), so beginning a friendship that inspired the Indian religious themes and spirituality inherent in Wright's subsequent songwriting. His work from the late 1980s onwards embraced world music and the new age genre, although none of his post-1976 releases matched the same level of popularity as The Dream Weaver.

Gary Wright died after a long health battle. He was 80.

His son, Justin, said his father had been suffering with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia for the past six years.

The singer-songwriter died at his home in Palos Verdes Estates surrounded by his family and loved ones.

Word of his death spread on social media with many fans and fellow musicians sharing their memories of Wright, including singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop.

"The attached photos hold precious memories from the very first and last time we shared the stage together, alongside our mutual musical pal John Ford Coley," wrote Bishop on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Gary's vibrant personality and exceptional talent made every moment together truly enjoyable. His legacy will live on for many years to come ..."

Ronnie Gene Morton died just three days shy of his 77th birthday. Inside his Bible is the handwritten thought: “The Lord may not come when you expect him to, but He’s always on time.” Ronnie died September 2nd 2023 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease and a stay in the nursing home. Yet, he achieved much in those almost 77 years. 

A United States Air Force veteran, Ronnie served during the Vietnam War era. After his military career, he moved his family to Richmond, Va., where Ronnie worked for a time with Clinchfield Railroad. However, the family eventually moved back to Elizabethton and he went back to school at East Tennessee State University, earning a degree in education. 

Ronnie’s first teaching job was at T.A. Dugger Junior High School, however, he eventually became the technology coordinator for the Elizabethton City Schools. “He enjoyed working with all students, but especially junior high students. He took them to state competitions and did a lot of photography with them, teaching them how to develop film. He was a very smart and innovative person,” said his wife, Lucelia. Even after he retired from teaching Ronnie worked with the state curriculum group in technology in Knoxville. He worked for five years with them and according to Lucelia, loved it. 

Ronnie and his wife were the parents of two daughters, Kristie, who has four sons, and Teresa Jeanine, who had cerebral palsy and preceded her father in death. “He loved his daughters, his grandsons, and four great-grandchildren. They were a big part of his life,” said Lucelia. In addition to teaching, Ronnie enjoyed singing, and was part of a quartet for a long time. “He enjoyed Southern Gospel, and among his favorite songs were ‘In the Garden’ and ‘Beulah Land,’ both of which were sung at his funeral. The quartet was a fun-loving group, who loved the Lord and loved to sing about him,” shared Lucelia. She also noted that Ronnie loved his church and constantly read and studied the Scriptures. He also enjoyed genealogy. However, his love for the scriptures and learning new things in the Bible was number one with him, his wife said. Ronnie was a member of Hampton Christian Church but attended Roan Mountain United Methodist Church. “He was a person that loved all Christians regardless of the church they attended and wasn’t much for denominations. He had Christian friends in all churches,” Lucelia said. He continued to sing even after he went to the nursing home. “His cousin ended up in the room with him and just a couple of weeks before he died, they were in the room singing ‘Proud Mary’ and the staff was singing with them. He was a hoot at times,” his wife noted. “Ronnie loved his family, loved the Lord, his church. He really loved life in general. He was a lifelong student,” Lucelia added. 

Ronnie grew up in the Gap Creek community, the son of the late William Henry and Ruth Morton. In addition to his wife and daughter and her family, he leaves behind two sisters, Brenda Hart and Debbie Miller. Ronnie Gene Morton achieved much in his lifetime and touched many lives, even when he was in the nursing home.

 “Parkinson’s is a cruel disease and Ronnie struggled with it for 20 years. But, he made the most of it. He was an upbeat person most of the time and lived as if it was his last day,” Lucelia shared. No doubt, Ronnie Morton would tell you he was a blessed person despite his struggles with Parkinson’s disease and the loss of a young daughter to cerebral palsy. He gave to life all that he had and made the days count.

Jane was an artist. She graduated from Art College in 1968 and was awarded a travel scholarship to study temple art in India. We met as students and were married in 1969 after her return from her travels. She originally taught in special education schools before moving to teach Art, but after 10 years she gave up teaching altogether and became a freelance artist, craft maker, machine knitter and silk painter. We moved into in our current home in 1975 as it provided her with the studio space she needed after she went freelance. She was known to her many friends as Flossie.

Flossie continued to paint, draw and make collages for the next 40 years, but as well as this she learnt machine knitting and produced a huge variety of knitted pieces bearing the label ‘Designed and Made by Flossie’. She loved sourcing good wool - hand dyed, hand spun, as well as different specialist wools. She sold her work at the Country Market and at a variety of craft events and craft shops in the area. No two pieces were the same except that is for the soft, fine lambswool lace shawls, which always sold well. She also learnt the skills of silk painting and produced for sale many hand painted scarves and other items. She really enjoyed singing in a local choir and was also a member of an art class for many years.

Flossie was a remarkable and fiercely independent woman and thinker. She would never follow convention for the sake of it and always determined her own course. In her art and in her life, she was independently minded. She was strong and adventurous. Her paintings and collages were drawn almost entirely from her imagination and were made to meet her own creative needs. They were a most important part of who she was and how she saw the world. She never exhibited them.

The diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease came about ten years ago. We were both helped enormously not only by Parkinson’s UK but also by the specialist PD nurses, whom we saw regularly. We were also members of a great local PD support group. Eventually the disease, and the associated dementia robbed her of her motivation, her enthusiasm, her energy and her courage. She lost her ability to write, and most importantly lost her drawing and painting skills. She also lost her love of reading, even her beloved Jane Austen. 

It was a huge privilege to have been married to Flossie for over 50 years. She was kind, caring and very loving. We had lots of laughs and lots of fun. Don