Well Helen, from the "cemetery House," as John puts it, to the top of a warehouse, then an old abandoned school in Ivy City; you certainly made your mark on Washington, DC. You and Bill quickly became the continuity and an invaluable resource when the House was moved to Ivy City and we launched the Ivy City HDP. Your fearless presence and tenacious work ethic was visible in the house and throughout the community. Most notably, I remember how you worked in kinding food, goods and services and involved community people in shadowing you. You enabled them to feel a new kind of power and ownership as they took responsibility for their preschool and youth programs and community wide events. As Fred Wilson, one of the saints of Ivy City use to say, "That's one feisty little woman." I salute you and pray God's Blessing and His Peace for you and your family. Joyce On Sun, Feb 3, 2013 at 3:29 PM, John Cock <jpc2025@triad.rr.com> wrote:
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Dear Helen,****
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I am go glad to sing your praises, maybe the Queen of the cemetery house in DC. I remember you as a leader in corporateness, in playing the necessary role, in living your life. When we were all dragging, you and Bill were cheering us on. What a couple.****
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We love you. Journey on in gracious peace.****
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John****
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And your “kids” are chips off the off block of what you (and Bill) are made of, and I’m sure the grandkids are too.****
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*From:* dialogue-bounces@lists.wedgeblade.net [mailto: dialogue-bounces@lists.wedgeblade.net] *On Behalf Of *Carol Crow *Sent:* Sunday, February 03, 2013 10:43 AM *To:* Colleague Dialogue; Order Ecumenical Community *Subject:* [Dialogue] Helen Newkirk****
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Dear Friends,****
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I have been asked by Patricia to forward this letter from her sister, Linda Knutsen. Helen lives with Linda and Lester in ****Virginia****, (DC area) and is nearing the end of her life. They would love to hear stories from any of you who have lived with Helen and Bill - please send them to ljknutsen@gmail.com. The family will read them to Helen and share with each other. Patricia leaves this afternoon to share these last days with the family. By evening Lisa will also have arrived. Dave and girls are already there and Jim will not be able to come from ****Serbia** ** but was here last summer. Other extended family are there and arriving.****
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Attached is a letter Linda sent out earlier this week.****
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*Subject: **Update on Mom/Helen - Feb 1, 2013*****
*Reply-To: *ljknutsen@gmail.com****
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Hello everyone,
I am sorry that I haven't kept you all in the loop more frequently on how Mom is doing...it has been a good, but challenging month.
As anticipated, Hospice has been just simply wonderful, and has made this last few weeks so much more manageable than I could have imagined. While Mom continued for most of January to make her way, usually on her own, out into the living room into her recliner to watch her favorite shows, record her life stories, read, or just hang out, her strength steadily declined. Thankfully, we have gotten her pain well under control, and she claims to have little to none. Starting last Saturday for 4 nights she 'traveled' all night long, talking constantly for most of 7 hours (!) with family members and some strangers in all corners of the globe. These episodes were mostly typical, illogical dreams with memories woven in, and were often quite funny! I have many quotes from those nights that I have shared with my siblings, and we have laughed and laughed! My favorites are:
"Oh, this is just terrible...my tacos are FREEZING!" ...and... "LINDA, JUST TELL ME WHAT THE PLAN IS!" (yes, very loudly!)
We have lots of family help here now to be with her. She has slept well for the past two nights with little dream-talking, and her spirits are excellent. Her humor and her intellect are most definitely intact! But she can no longer bear any weight, and sleeps most of the time. She slept nearly 15 hours yesterday after her 4 days of 'traveling' and even then was still quite tired. But today she was quite responsive and interactive, though for very short periods between naps.
She is ready to 'go home' and quite at peace with the most **amazing** life she has had, and she has SO enjoyed hearing from all of you, her ***MOST*** amazing hoard of much-loved, far-flung, wild and wonderful friends and family.
Many of these I mention are gathering here as I type to wish her yet another blessed journey, and she will definitely be thinking of all of you, near and far. (As I write this I realize that neither she nor I have checked her email for maybe a week or more, so I will do that now and share with her all your loving communications.)
Love and peace, Linda
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Thank you for sharing in this special time in the Newkirk family.In caring community,****
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Carol Crow****
Patricia's Housemate in ****Bothell**, **WA********
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