Present. Irene effortlessly mastered one of the most important skills–to be fully present. To enjoy each moment, with each person. I always felt as if time slowed down just a bit when I was with her. An amazing ability I hope to master one day…

Partner. Irene seemed to have such an easy relationship with her love Malcolm. I can’t recall a time when I saw them argue. They allowed one another such personal room to be who they were, but were always so together as a couple and as parents. They weren’t opposites, but certainly had a yin yang balance and modeled a relationship we all should strive for.

Woman. Grounded, strong, outspoken, caring, nurturing. She was and is a presence of goodness.

Fashionista. Irene had such personal style. She was like a fashion private detective and found the best stuff in the most random places.

I love you and miss you,
Cortney

I reflect on this and take solace in her strength, grace and bravery in the midst of her experience. I remember her smile as she answered and carry this thought into deed as often as possible in my life.

For me she is as alive today as ever.

May her memory be blessed

Majida Gibson Petaluma, California

To Sarmad
and Siri Neel Khaur Khalsa

In all things true,
In all things kind,
Of gentle heart
And tranquil mind.

The music of the spheres did blend
The lover, husband, father, friend.

Midst shattered glass thy world did end.

And we, the mourners left behind,
With spirit’s pure yet troubled mind,
Do clasp your hands and kiss your heart,
Your living vessel’s fragile art.

If names be true
Then named you be
For that which is
Eternity.

Beloved Friend,
On bended knee
We do and shall remember thee.
And sing you to
Eternity.

I knew Bryn Beorse, or Shamcher, as I was growing up in Silverdale, Washington and attending Central Kitsap High School; he was working at the navy base at Keyport. I knew his daughter Daphne and son Bryn, but I got to know him after he spoke to our honors history class, commenting about the state of affairs in our country during the first years of Nixon.

For the idealistic young intellectual that I was, Mr. Beorse was my inspiration and mentor. On virtually a weekly basis, I would stop in unannounced in the evening and chat with him in his living room, at times about thermal energy, at times about World War II, but mainly about economics.

He was an advocate of a system of full employment for the U.S.; pointing out how he’d never met a person who didn’t want to work, he developed a plan (which I believe I read) that entailed the creation of a survey (or what might be called a database today) to catalogue the specialized skills of all workers. Then, whenever a downturn would occur in one sector of the economy, there would be a coordinated means to channel those displaced workers into another industry.

While I wasn’t able to attend, Bryn arranged for a Yale professor of economics, John H.G. Pierson, who had written on the subject of full employment, to give a lecture at the University of Washington in Seattle. I remember being quite proud when I was able to arrange a chance for him to speak at Fairhaven College at Western Washington University in Bellingham during my freshman year there.

I remember Mr. Beorse had ideas about money and how most didn’t understand its fundamental nature.

As the staunch anti-Vietnam war teenager that I was, I also remember not being comfortable with his position that, at times, we wait too long before getting into war. At the time, I don’t think I appreciated the groupthink that prevented Europe from taking action during Hitler’s rise to prepare for the inevitable.

I also remember him attacking those who would claim that we can’t lift ourselves up by our bootstraps. His rebuttal was that we could indeed pull ourselves up by our bootstraps when we’ve pulled ourselves down by our hat brims.

Mr. Bryn Beorse had a fabulous, active mind. I loved the conversations that we had and the inspiration that I drew from them.

Jack Longmate
Poulsbo, WA (jacklongmate@embarqmail.com)