[Oe List ...] Celebration of Life of Roxana Harper

[Evelyn Kurihara Philbrook]

Dear Geoffrey, Stuart, and Elena, 

Larry and Evelyn Philbrook arrived in Taiwan after those great years in Kenya and I can still remember giving some youth, of which Stuart was one, our coveted bottles of soy sauce, ketchup, and the mustard went to Andrew Knutson, as I recall. This was just as we were leaving and packed up to go to Nairobi and the airport to leave Kenya. Lela was a baby in a kanga on my back, Lloyd was always running from place to place staying out of the reach of the Wiegel twins in Kamweleni. 

We went to the Philippines, and then Malaysia and lived and worked with Gordon in Taiwan. I, Evelyn,  got a job at Taipei American School. Someone came and told me that Roxanna worked in HR office and has many friends upstairs. After settling in to my job at TAS after a month, I received a call from the Deputy Superintendent, Mr. Weislow through his secretary, Sandy. She said you know Roxanne right? Yes. However I have never worked with her directly.  Your husband is with ICA Taiwan right and works with her husband Gordon? Yes. Okay so Mr. Weislow has a question for you. “What is your mission in Taiwan?” That was 1991.

So her memory still lives on with those people who worked with her in TAS, even when she had gone. I am retired from TAS, 2016, but this just shows the impact of who she was when she cared for people, or that would not have come up.  
I am sorry to hear the news, but glad you could support her to do what she wanted in the final days.

Blessings to all, Love and Peace, 

Evelyn Kurihara Philbrook 


> On Oct 29, 2020, at 6:18 PM, Mary Kurian D'Souza via OE <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
> 
> Dear, dear Geoffrey, Stuart, and Elena,
> I can still hear Roxana's laughter
> I have deep respect and love for both your parents. 
> For the last couple of days I have been remembering how Roxana facilitated the conversations that allowed international interns to get a stipend a long time ago. She was in the finance office. This happened in 1972. Strange that it should show up in my mind around the time of her passing
> 
> Also, they were standing in for Cyprian's parents at our wedding. They lead the conversation the evening before we were married at the rehearsal dinner when we presented our family document. 
> 
> May you be well as you receive and appropriate the fullness of this transition. 
> I know Gordon prepared you for this. 
> 
> Thank you for everything you did to care for Roxana
> 
> I hope we get to see you sometime soon in this part of the world. h 
> Love,
> Mary
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On 29-Oct-2020, at 2:02 PM, James Wiegel via OE <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
>> 
>> “Marvelous”. So Roxana. 
>> 
>> How was such a woman, such a human being created to live amongst us??  I am so grateful for her, so grateful for Geoffrey, for Stuart, for Elena.  So grateful.
>> 
>> Jim Wiegel
>> “The old dreams were good dreams; they didn’t work out but I’m glad I had them.”  Robert James Waller
>> 
>> 
>>> On Oct 28, 2020, at 12:06 PM, Roxana Harper via OE <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> After a severe case of shingles and diminishing physical and emotional reserves, Roxana Harper passed away in her sleep this morning as she wished: in her own bed, with her family surrounding her. When we asked her last night what she thought the afterlife would be like she answered, “Marvelous.”
>>> 
>>> Go with God, Mom, and be at peace. Know that you are loved.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -Geoffrey, Stuart, Elena
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