[Oe List ...] Remembering your Dad, Kjell

[Marilyn Crocker via OE]

Dear Andrew,

 

We just learned today of your father's death way back in November, and are
deeply sorry for your loss.  

 

Joe is about two months older than your Dad, as his birthday is in April.
Both guys born in 1928 and have enjoyed amazingly long lives; Joe will turn
89 this year, and we will have been married for 50 years in June, assuming
we will both last that long J.

 

We have such wonderful memories of your Dad's ministry in KL as a United
Methodist Missionary, then appointed by Bishop Yap Kim Hao to Kuala Lumpur
and the staff of the Ecumenical Institute.  (Bishop Yap was Joe's seminary
classmate at Boston University Theological Seminary, as was MLK.)

 

Your Dad's appointment to KL and his willingness to invite other EI staff to
come to the "KL Religious House" (one of the first international RHs) made
it possible for the spirit movement of church renewal to take root in
Methodist churches up and down the Malay peninsula as well as in East
Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. 

 

I remember Joe and Kjell were stranded in East Malaysia (1969) for several
weeks when riots broke out in Malaysia and a curfew kept us in lock down
save for a few hours in the morning when your Mom ventured out to the local
store (Chop Chuan) to purchase whatever food supplies were available.
Joanne Slicker, then in a private high school in KL, was sent "home" to
Petaling Jaya and became my roommate.  I think your brother Lester stayed in
place at the American School in Singapore.  As always, Bernhard kept us
smiling with his offers of cinnamon toast and you were the quintessential
"cool dude bro."  During that East Malaysian teaching trek Kjell excitedly
told Joe one morning that he had his first dream in English the night
before!

 

We joined Kjell as staff colleagues for many International Training
Institutes.  The first was in Singapore in 1969, then in Jabalpur in 1970,
and finally in Addis Ababa in 1971.  Kjell was a solid man of faith and
deeply committed to the Order.  We will all miss him.

 

Grace, peace and love,

 

Marilyn and Joe Crocker

 

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.wedgeblade.net/pipermail/oe-wedgeblade.net/attachments/20170217/b0021ac7/attachment.htm>