"A Remarkably Rich Tenor Voice" [VALL]

It came as a great surprise and shock to me to receive notice of the passing of Bruce Montgomery, BSI ("The Red Circle") on Saturday, June 21. He was, for many years, the voice and spirit of the Baker Street Irregulars annual dinner in New York, where he would invariably sing the BSI's unofficial anthem, "Aunt Clara."

Monty, as he was known by all (a name we both shared) picked up where his father, James Montgomery, BSI ("The Red Circle") left off. The elder Montgomery was also a gifted tenor and provided musical entertainment during the BSI's early years. He passed away very suddenly and very prematurely in 1955, as his Christmas Annual was being printed. As a side note, I actually own a copy of that annual, with a note from Jim's wife:

"My husband died very suddenly on November 9th. It was his expressed wish, however, that I should get out this little booklet in the envelopes which he had already addressed."

Constance P. Montgomery
Christmas, 1955

Like his father before him, Monty was a victim of heart failure - which is ironic, because he had a big heart that was dedicated to bringing joy to all around him. A more upbeat and friendly man I have yet to meet. He brought his special variety of joy in a variety of settings, from the University of Pennsylvania Glee Club (which he brought to a BSI dinner one year), to the Gilbert & Sullivan Players of Philadelphia, to the artwork he took up upon his retirement.

An example of his artwork, which can be ordered as notecards, reminds me of one of the illustrations from "The Lion's Mane":

Thankfully, Monty's contributions will not be forgotten. His artwork lives on, and his voice will live on in the BSI's archives - which will now include digital media. Click on the arrow below to hear Bruce give his last BSI performance, recorded at the BSI dinner in New York City on January 11, 2008.

I was honored to stand in his presence on a number of occasions and share the microphone with him. While my singing voice is fairly good, it paled in comparison to the consummate professional who stood beside me. Good night, Monty. You'll be terribly missed.

You can read his obituary from the Philadelphia Inquirer here.

Do you have your own memories of Bruce Montgomery? Please share them as a comment below.

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"A Cry of 'Cooee!'" [BOSC]

It is once again with a heavy heart that I pick up my keyboard to write of another member of the Baker Street Irregulars passing beyond the Reichenbach. This time the Southern Hemisphere has lost one of its own with the death of Alan Olding ("Cooee!").

Alan was the President of the Sherlock Holmes Society of Australia, and his membership extended to other Aussie societies, such as the Sherlock Holmes Society of Melbourne and the Sherlock Holmes Society of Western Australia. An active member of the Hounds of the Internet for quite some time, where his nom was "Holy Peters, of Adelaide, whose speciality is the beguiling of lonely ladies."

According to his biography on his Sherlockian Who's Who page,

Alan Olding migrated to Australia in 1951, after service in the British Army during WW2. He brought with him his new bride, Olive. They lived in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, before setlling in the Adelaide Hills in 1970. Alan is a retired Insurance Executive. He was invested in the BSI in 1988 under the name "COOEE", and President for the Sherlock Holmes Society of Australia.

His loss is a great one for anyone who knew him.

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"The Principal Difficulty in Your Case" [NAVA]

I was just informed that another Irregular has passed beyond the Reichenbach. Earlier this week, David Galerstein, BSI ("Bert Stevens") passed away. A former principal and member of the New York City Board of Education, he was always interested in educating those around him.

I remember meeting Dave for the first time at one of my early meetings of the Men on the Tor at Gillette Castle. He was more than happy to spend time with a young and relatively uninitiated Sherlockian. He suggested that I follow up some of my Canonical reading with other related stories, such as Houseboat on the Styx by John Kendrick Bangs. As he slowed down in recent years, he still kept his keen and innate curiosity about him and was able to faithfully attend the BSI weekends.

From Ben & Sue Vizoskie, of the Three Garridebs - one of the many scions that Dave belonged to - comes this writeup:

We were saddened to hear this morning that David Galerstein, a long-time Sherlockian and member of the Three Garridebs, died on April 29th. Dave was very active in the New York area and belonged to many scions, including the Long Island Cave Dwellers, Mrs. Hudson's Cliffdwellers, the Montague Street Lodgers of Brooklyn, the Priory Scholars of Manhattan, the Retired Colourmen and the Epilogues of Sherlock Holmes.

He was invested in the Baker Street Irregulars in 1972 as "Bert Stevens."

Dave was a frequent contributor to The Baker Street Journal and to Prescott's Press. In 1990, he and Marlene Aig co-edited A Singular Set of People; and in 2002, he compiled and Caroline Bryan edited A Singular Sense of Humor: A Compilation of Stuff and Nonsense by and for Sherlockians.

He is survived by his wife Roz and their children. According to the death notice in today's New York Times, memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association.

You can read his death notice in the New York Times.

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"The Chaplain, No Less!" [GLOR]

Once again, it is with a heavy heart that I take up my pen to write of the passing of another member of the Baker Street Irregulars. Benton Wood, BSI ("A Scandal in Bohemia") passed away in Florida on Saturday, December 8. Ben had been in failing health for years and passed way very peacefully, according to his wife Joan.

For many years, Ben was the official chaplain of the Baker Street Irregulars, presiding over the dinner's blessing. By trade, he was a headmaster of an Episcopal school, which made his local investiture in the Pleasant Places of Florida - Dr. Thorneycroft Huxtable - all the more appropriate. His accomplishments include the publication of The Philatelic and Numismatic Holmes (that's stamp & coin collecting). Ben received his investiture in the BSI in 1979; his wife Joan was honored as 'The Woman' at the 1991 dinner.

While I didn't know Ben personally (I only met him a couple of times), fellow Floridian David McCallister, over at the Sherlock Holmes Social Network, writes:

Ben was the second invested "Scandal in Bohemia" of the BSI, and its chaplain. He followed Leslie Marshall in this investiture and role, and also as the long-time head of the Pleasant Places of Florida scion. He was given the Two Shilling award by Tom Stix, and will be remembered by his many proteges and friends as an indefatigable apostle for Sherlockiana. His wife Joan, is one of The Women, to whom our condolences are expressed.

There are no funeral services planned. If you would care to do so, you may write to Joan at:

9840 Sucia Circle
Parrish, FL 34219-9080

I join other Sherlockians around the world in remembering Ben and wishing Joan and their family my heartfelt condolences.

If you have any other information about Ben, or memories that you'd like to share, please use the comment link below. I'm sure other Sherlockians would like to know.

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"Keenly On His Guard" [HOUN]

Sadly, the Baker Street Irregulars have lost another one of our own, just over a month after the most recent obit. Paul Smedegaard, BSI ("The Randall Gang") passed away suddenly on November 14.

Paul, who proudly hailed from Racine, Wisconsin, received his investiture in the BSI in 1977 and had been a stalwart member of a number of Sherlockian societies of the Midwest - too many to mention, really - but if you check out his profile on the Sherlockian Who's Who site, you'll see what I mean.

Paul was not only a joiner, but a leader. And everything he led, he led with a fire-in-the-belly passion that ignited similar feelings in others. It was a joy to see Paul get truly excited about things.

If you didn't know Paul, here are a few of his Sherlockian activities worthy of note:

• His involvement in Hugo's Companions, where he was was one of Vincent Starrett's own picks and served as Sir Hugo XIII (lucky 13!). You can read Paul's thoughts on "What Is a Sherlockian" in Sir Hugo's Literary Companion: A Compendium of the Writings of Hugo's Companions, Chicago On the Subject of Mr. Sherlock Holmes, the volume just edited and released by David Humphrey.
  
• Paul's honorary membership in the Sherlock Holmes Klubben i Danmark, as it hearkened back to his father's roots in Denmark.
• His membership in the Master's Masons, a group founded by Ron Fish for Sherlockians who were also Master Masons. Paul took great pride in his affiliation and was an officer in his lodge.
  

Paul was progressive - well, as progressive as a midwestern Sherlockian could be. He advocated for bringing women into Hugo's Companions, and when he did, he was voted off of the executive board. But he hung tough and supported the decision of Tom Stix, BSI ("The Norwood Builder") in his decision as head of the Irregulars to make the group co-ed in 1991. And Paul was very proud of that fact. You can read something of the drama - and of a good deal of Paul's life in the excellent two-part interview that Gael Stahl did with him in 2000.

I had many occasions to chat with Paul during the BSI Weekends, and I even saw him last year in Philadelphia, when I visited the Copper Beeches. Paul had driven all the way from Wisconsin to be there. He was that dedicated. And during teh 2006 BSI Weekend, Paul decided to have an "episode" at the Gillette Lunch, where he turned ghostly white (even for a Wisconsoner) and had to be whisked to the emergency room. True to form, though, he showed up for the BSI Dinner later that night.

So I'm sure the crew at From Gillette to Brett II is going to miss Paul this weekend. The Illustrious Clients of Indianapolis were part of his roster and I'm sure he would have made the drive down to Indiana to take part in such a wonderful event.

Paul was one of the nicest Sherlockians out there and he will be missed by many people around the world. He leaves behind his wife Margaret, who is also an Irregular ("The Criterion Bar") a son, a daughter and six grandchilren. Paul's funeral will be Saturday morning at 10:00 AM at Unitarian Universalist Church, 625 College Ave., in Racine. Visitation will be Friday night and Saturday morning from 9 to 10. The full obituary is available from the Racine Journal Times.

Please consider leaving a comment below that we can forward on to Paul's family as a sort of guest book.

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"She Is Swift" [NOBL]

One of the most difficult tasks I undertake with this blog is reporting on the deaths of fellow Sherlockians, and this one is no exception, as I knew her personally. Francine Morris Swift, BSI ("The Wigmore Street Post Office") has passed beyond the Reichenbach. She died this morning after a brief illness.

Those who knew Francine remember a woman who could be at times outgoing, at at other times quietly pensive. She was a true Sherlockian, being a long-time member of the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes ("Hatty Doran") and having received her investiture in the Baker Street Irregulars in 1994. I don't know about any of her local involvements - perhaps those who lived near her could fill in the gaps.

What I do know is that she found her perfect mate when she met Wayne Swift, BSI ("The Giant Rat of Sumatra"). The two made up one of those rarities in Sherlockian circles: a couple comprised of two individuals who equally enjoy the Canon. Wayne wrote about a great many subjects that he and Francine enjoyed, including trains, music, P.G. Wodehouse and horse racing, to name a few. In fact, he authored the 2000 Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual: History of the Silver Blaze, in which he recounted the first 50 years of the horse race associated the BSI. While Wayne himself was the historian behind the Annual, he noted in his Acknowledgements:

"Overall, my wife, Francine Swift, the real Swift family authority on horses as animals, has been a central bulwark throughout the effort."

When Wayne passed away suddenly following the BSI Weekend in 2001, I remember how difficult it was for Francine. The following year, as I manned the table in the vendors' room, she came by the stacks of BSJ Christmas Annuals new & old and lovingly passed her fingers over Wayne's contribution. I could see the tears welling up in her eyes and her lip began to quiver before she quickly moved away. Clearly, Francine had lost the great love of her life.

Francine continued in her own right in the Sherlockian world, contributing to the Baker Street Journal from time to time, but in the end, it seemed as if her heart wasn't in it quite the same. I recently received a number of orders from her for the BSI's Manuscript Series and International Series, so I inferred that she was getting back into the game in full force.

It is my sincerest hope that she and Wayne are together again, eternally blissful and at peace.

If you have any personal memories of Francine, or if you can fill in any relevant details about her life, I invite you to share them in a comment below.

Photo credit: Dorothy Stix

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"The Great Scientist" [CREE]

I recently received an email from Lars Falk, a correspondent in Sweden, who informed me that physicist and Sherlockian Hans-Uno Bengtsson passed away. He was a great popularizer of physics and was famous for his fakir stunts performed to demonstrate the laws of physics, like lying on a bed of nails and walking barefoot on burning coals.

And I even found a very personal remembrance of Bengstsson on another blog, which recalled a very simple yet human occurrence to which he responded with the utmost grace and generosity.

Here's what Lars had to say:

Hans-Uno was a great Sherlock Holmes fan and his book “Trepiporsproblem och bagateller - 7 studier i Sherlock Holmes” (1993) (“Three pipe problems and trifles - 7 studies in Sherlock Holmes”) has done much to increase interest in Sherlock Holmes research in Sweden. Many of these contributions were published in Baker Street Journal. I was personally stimulated by his article "And the Calculation Is a Simple One" (The Baker Street Journal, Vol. 39, No 4, p. 232, December 1989) to propose an alternative solution: "The Two Percent Solution" (The Baker Street Journal, Vol. 52, No 4, pp.5-18, December 2002) and was very happy when Hans-Uno responded with a truly academic comment: “Extremely elegant article: I was almost convinced.”

And Bengtsson's influence certainly did not end with The Baker Street Journal. Indeed, he brought his physics expertise to bear on his love of Sherlock Holmes, with a piece called "The Depth Which the Parsley Had Sunk into the Butter" which was included in the second volume of the Baker Street Irregulars Manuscript Series, Scandinavia and Sherlock Holmes.

He was clearly a brilliant man who had many talents. Just the kind who would be drawn to Sherlock Holmes.

If you'd like to get a hold of his past BSJ articles, you can get the BSJ CD-ROM, which contains the first 50 years of the publication, or you can simply order a reprint of the article. Both are accessible over on the Baker Street Journal web site.

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"Moriarty Had Reached the Bottom of the Reichenbach Fall" [EMPT]

Moriarty himself has passed beyond the Reichenbach.

Author John Gardner, BSI ("Moriarty") has passed away at the age of 80. He died following a collapse at his home in England and his obituary is available in The Independent. Gardner was invested into the Baker Street Irregulars in 1988.

Best known for reviving the James Bond franchise in 1981 with License Renewed, he continued that success with 13 other Bond books and penned some 35 other thrillers.

His Sherlockian work, while less known than his James Bond collection, contain some intriguing contributions to the pastiche world and center on the Napoleon of Crime, Professor Moriarty. First up was The Return Of Moriarty, which looks at the organization that Professor Moriarty had built up - much like a Victorian-era godfather - but with a twist. The second was The Revenge Of Moriarty, which picked up with the Return left off.

Gardner finished the third and final volume in the series, The Redemption of Moriarty, shortly before his death. Since there has been a dispute about the publication, it's uncertain if fans of the series will ever get to see it.

You can read more about the man on his web site.

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"A Little More Information" [STUD]

While my original post about Ely Liebow contained a good deal of information and garnered some great comments (thank you!), more information as been pouring in. I have added two updates to the entry. In case you don't feel like scrolling down, here they are:

On April 12, the Chicago Tribune did a very nice feature article/remembrance of Ely with comments from Otto Penzler, Bob Mangler and Ray Betzner.

And Peter Blau kindly identified an interview with Ely that aired on Wisconsin Public Radio's University of the Air on April 8, 2007. They dedicated the show to Ely's memory. It can be heard as a RealAudio file.

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"Stand With Me Here Upon the Terrace..." [LAST]

Alas, this type of news is never easy to break. Nor is it one of the tasks of this blog to which I look forward. But I believe it's a part of the responsibility I've taken on in the Sherlockian community.

Ely M. Liebow, BSI ("Inspector Gregory") passed away this weekend. For those who knew him, Ely was a deeply thoughtful and intellectual man with a superb sense of humor and a deep knowledge of Sherlock Holmes. I didn't know him well, but I did manage to raise a few glasses with him in a suite at the Iroquois Hotel some 10 or 12 years ago after my first BSI Dinner (and before the Iroquois went upscale). He was quiet in that room of rabblerousers (you know who you are!), but when he spoke, he was heard. And then there was usually heard a thunder of laughter.

In addition to the Baker Street Irregulars, Ely was a member of Hugo's Companions, the Hounds of the Baskerville and 140 Varieties of Tobacco Ash. He appeared at a number of conferences over the years and was known for his signature Sherlockian book:Dr. Joe Bell: Model for Sherlock Holmes, which has just been re-released. And the estimable Brad Keefauver has him listed at #70 on the Hundred Hottest Sherlockian Writers of the Last Century.

Ely's obituary ran in the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times:

Ely M. Liebow, husband of Phoebe, nee Recht; father, of Wendy (Scott Burson), Cynthia and Franette Liebow; grandfather, of Allison and Esther Burson. Funeral Ceremony Monday, 10 a.m., at Congregation Solel, 1301 Clavey Rd., Highland Park, IL 60035. Interment Shalom, Arlington Heights. In lieu of flowers memorials in his memory to Northeastern Illinois University, 5500 N. St. Louis Ave., Chicago, IL, The Cancer Wellness Center, 215 Revere Drive, Northbrook, IL 60062, PanCAN, 2141 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 7000, El Segundo, CA 90245, or Congregation Solel would be appreciated. For more information please contact Congregation Solel, 847-433-3555.

There is an online guestbook which you may sign for Ely's family. It will remain open until March 31, 2008.

And please, if you have any memories of Ely you'd like to share, please do so via the comments link below.

Update (4/15/07): the Chicago Tribune did a very nice feature article/remembrance of Ely on April 12th.

Update (4/16/07): Wisconsin Public Radio's University of the Air has an interview with Ely that aired on April 8, 2007. They dedicated the show to Ely's memory. It can be heard as a RealAudio file.

Photo credit: Ray Betzner, sent courtesy of David Morrill

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"Stand With Me Here Upon the Terrace..." [LAST]

Sadly, the Baker Street Irregulars have lost one our our own. Richard D. Lesh, BSI ("The Fatal Battle of Maiwand") has crossed over the Reichenbach. He was a holder of the BSI's prestigious Two-Shilling Award, given for service above and beyond the norm to the Irregulars, and also a member of the Master's Masons. Hailing from Fort Collins, CO his obituary is available from The Coloradan. I have reproduced it here:

Richard D. Lesh passed away Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007, at Centre Avenue Health and Rehabilitation Center following a lengthy battle with cancer. He was born May 3, 1927, in Grand Island, Neb., to Ethel Darling and Charles Wesley Lesh.

He grew up in Omaha and graduated from Benson High School in 1945. Following graduation from the University of Denver, he married his high school sweetheart, Marilyn White, on June 19, 1949. They lived in Denver while he completed his master's degree at the University of Denver, and he accepted a position as an art instructor at Wayne State College in Nebraska in 1951. Together, they raised five children in Wayne, until he retired to Fort Collins in 1982.

He was a Master Mason, Scottish Rite Mason, a member of El Jebel Shrine and a Jester. He was also an active member of the Baker Street Irregulars, an international Sherlock Holmes Society. He was a member and former president of the Nebraska Arts Council and had his paintings exhibited throughout the Midwest.

Richard is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marilyn; his children, Linda (Dan) Payton of Fort Collins, Dr. Kurt (Rosa Mery) Lesh of Colorado Springs; Lisa (David) Bey of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Lori (Alfred) Willett of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Kipp Lesh and partner Hallee Fish of Longmont; his sister, Darlene (Terry) Reynolds of Omaha; and nine grandchildren, Harrison, Emma, Ross and Julia Payton of Fort Collins, Kevin and Jennifer Lesh of Colorado Springs, and Emily Bey and Amy and Clayton Willett of Cedar Rapids.

A private family service is planned. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Shrine Children's Hospital in care of Goes Funeral Care.

I didn't have the honor of knowing Dick Lesh personally - I don't even know why he was granted his second shilling in 1990 , so I would appreciate hearing from anyone who knew him. Feel free to leave your personal memories in the comments section below.

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"...Good Wishes, Miss Winter." [ILLU]

This has not been a good year for the Baker Street Irregulars. Once again, we have lost one of our own: Maureen Green Van der Flaes, BSI ("Kitty Winter") passed away yesterday, October 18, after suffering severe head injuries from a fall. Maureen was also a long-time member of the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes.

As a Toronto-area Sherlockian, her husband, Edwin Van der Flaes, BSI ("Victor Trevor") has indicated that he doesn't want it to affect the ACD@35 weekend which is starting today.

I'm sorry to say that I didn't know Maureen personally. Any recollections of her are welcome in the comment section below. I'll add her obituary when it's published (see below).

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"...A Fine, Robust Old Man..." [GLOR]

Robert S. Schultz, BSI ("The Gloria Scott") crossed over the Reichenbach on September, 7, 2006. Bob was a long-time contributor to the Baker Street Journal and an early attendee of the annual Baker Street Irregulars dinner.

His first contribution to the Journal was in the BSJ's infancy in the mid-1940s, and until his investiture in 2002, he hadn't attended a BSI dinner in over 50 years. Even in the midst of the January weather we've come to dread at the BSI weekends, Bob would venture down from Vermont (I suppose it was warmer, coming south) and, as a late octogenarian, navigate the streets of New York himself.

He was a gentle and kind man, soft spoken, yet rugged as any outdoorsman. He witnessed the BSI of old and the current BSI, contributing to the schloarship in both epochs. His efforts were not without merit: in 2002, his article Upon the Dating of Bloodstains was granted the Morley-Montgomery Award.

His obituary, courtesy of the Burlington Free Press:

ROBERT SPENCER SCHULTZ III - Robert Spencer Schultz lll, 89, of South Burlington, died Sept. 7, 2006, at the home of his daughter and son-in-law in Ripton. Born July 1, 1917, in LaSalle, Ill., he was the son of Robert Spencer Schultz II and Elizabeth Letts Schultz. He was a proud and loyal graduate of Williams College, Class of 1939. After graduation, he worked for Econometrics in New York City and then for the War Department in Washington, D.C. during World War II. He returned to NYC and Econometrics where he met his wife, Jane Stern Schultz. He spent most of his career as an economist for Union Bag (Camp) Paper Corporation. He later worked for Mackay Shields and served on the New York Council of Economic Advisors under Governor Hugh Cary. He taught briefly at Fordham University. In 1983, he and Jane retired to South Burlington.

Bob had numerous local involvements. He was a volunteer for Shelburne Farms, the Shelburne Museum and the Champlain Shakespeare Festival and was an active member of the Chittenden County Historical Society. The fellowship he found at All Saints Episcopal Church in South Burlington was extremely important to him as were his friends in The Goose Club of the Alpha Inn, a local Sherlock Holmes group. He was a member of the Baker Street Irregulars and a contributor to the Baker Street Journal. An avid outdoorsman, he loved hiking and skiing and shared this love with his family. He learned to ski while at Williams and by the early 1960s, he was a Mad River Glen diehard. He was very active in the Scarsdale Ski Club before moving to Vermont. He and Jane were longtime members of the Appalachian Mountain Club and Green Mountain Club and both were members of the AMC's "Four Thousand Footer Club."

Bob was predeceased by Jane, his wife of 59 years and the love of his life. He is survived by his three children and their families: a son, John Schultz and his wife Annette of Moretown; a daughter Barry (Barbara) King and her husband Warren of Ripton; a daughter Teddy (Edna) Ben Said and her husband Bechir of Lee, N.H.; and six grandchildren, Megan and Katie Schultz, Eliza and Amanda King and Azziza and Ramzi Ben Said. He was also predeceased by his brother Willard Jackson Schultz and is survived by his sister-inlaw, Margaret Wheaton Schultz; two nieces, a nephew and their families.

A memorial service will be held Oct. 14, at 3 p.m., in All Saints Episcopal Church, 1250 Spear St., S. Burlington. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to: All Saints Episcopal Church, 1250 Spear St., S. Burlington, Vt. 05403; or Addison County Home Health and Hospice, P.O. Box 754, Middlebury, Vt. 05753; or Mad River Glen Single Chair Campaign, P.O. Box 1089, Waitsfield, Vt. 05673.

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"...A Scion of One of the Very Oldest Families in the Kingdom..." [MUSG]

The Baker Street Irregulars has lost its oldest member. Ronald Mansbridge, BSI ("A Case of Identity") has passed beyond the Reichenbach.

His first BSI dinner was in 1936, but he didn't receive his titular investiture until 1998. An Englishman by birth, he traced his family's roots to the Mansbridge Hundred, a pre-Norman district along Southampton Water in Hampshire.

His obituary, courtesy of the New York Times:

MANSBRIDGE-Ronald, 100. On September 1, 2006, peacefully in his home in Weston, Connecticut. Born 11 November 1905 in England, son of George Frederick Mansbridge, inventor of the Mansbridge electrical condenser, and Florence Quye Mansbridge. Educated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, Mansbridge founded the American Branch of Cambridge University Press and served as its manager for 40 years. Beloved husband of the late Georgia St Clair Mullan (d. 1988) and Janet Dunning Van Duyn (d. 2003). Greatly loved by his two children, Jane and Bruce; his two grandchildren, Nathaniel Mansbridge Jencks and Travis Marshall Mansbridge; and by his stepdaughters, Barbara Van Duyn and Ruth Pratt. A memorial service will be held Sunday, September 24 at 2 PM at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Weston. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Amnesty International, 5 Penn Plaza, NYC 10001 or the Tyndale Society, 1000 Regent University Dr, Virginia Beach, VA. 23464.

And an additional obit, from the Independent.

As fate would have it, the Summer issue of The Baker Street Journal contains an article about Mansbridge, written by Marshall Berdan, who visited with him in his home last November. As a service to the loyal readers of this blog, I'm making that article, Senior Fellow, available for download as a PDF.

Thanks to Susan Dahlinger and Roger Johnson for the obits.

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"Stand With Me Here Upon the Terrace..." [LAST]

The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes lost an early member last week as well. Barbara Iris Van Buskirk, ASH passed away on August 30, 2006. She had a large hand in the visual cues we have from ASH today: she designed their pin and the cover of the Serpentine Muse, and helped to write the ASH's constitution.

Her obituary, from the Asheville Citizen-Times:

Asheville - Barbara Iris Van Buskirk, 56, of Asheville, died Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2006, at John F. Keever Jr. Solace Center.

She was a daughter of Samuel Ulan of New City, N.Y., and the late Mildred Lindenbaum Ulan.

Mrs. Van Buskirk was an accomplished craftsperson, specializing in jewelry and fiber arts and was the designer for the Center For Diversity Education. She was an art director at Bantam/Doubleday/Dell Publishers and a beloved member of Beth Ha Tephila. Barbara was a member of Mystery Writers of America and of the Adventuress' of Sherlock Holmes. She was a loving wife, mother, sister and daughter who will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

In addition to her father, she is survived by her husband of 21 years, Charles L. Van Buskirk of Asheville, daughter, Sara Merrill Van Buskirk of the home and sister, Janice Ulan of New York, N.Y.

The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Beth Ha Tephila with Rabbi Robert J. Ratner and Cantor Debbie Winston officiating.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation: The Komen Foundation, 5005 LBJ Fwy., Ste. 250, Dallas, TX 75244.

Morris Funeral Home, 304 Merrimon Ave., is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences may be emailed through their Web site.

Thanks to Susan Dahlinger for passing this information along.

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"The Priory is, Without Exception, the Best..." [PRIO]

I share the following below from Ben & Sue Vizoskie, as forwarded to me. I share their sentiments. Bob w