Stories
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Update of Culture of Peace Corporation
After her divorce, my sister Connie lived with her dogs, the last one named x, in an old house dating from early in the 19th Century in Florence, Massachusetts. In fact, the house had a fascinating history as it was a safehouse on the underground railway for the transportation of slaves escaping from the American South. A statue of Sojourner Truth around the corner from the house bears witness to that history. And upstairs in the house, there was a secret door in a closet leading to a hiding place in the attic.
As she grew older and her parkinsonism symptoms worsened, it became more difficult to manage the house alone. Finally, in June 2022, she was hospitalized, and our brother Jim sent an urgent message to me in France that I should come quickly to be with them before the end would come.
Here we are, Connie wearing a hat that Kiki had given her previously and that I brought her from home.
For several days, the three of us reminisced about our childhood growing up in Neosho, and we were joined by her daughter Annie whose bright spirit cheered us up.
But the end came soon.
In November, Kiki, Armand and I came from France for a wonderful memorial service. As always, Jim played the piano, and recalled the cat named Thomas Anonymous who accompanied our childhood. The service was presided by Reverend Ives who had a rich history with our family, going back to when he was the pastor of a church on the Green of New Haven, and continuing over the years in the church in Northampton where my parents were deacons and where they celebrated their 50th weddiing anniversary.
The service gathered together many family and friends, including my former wife Nina and her husband, Moreson. Nina had remained close to my family in Florence over the years despite our divorce. My mother always said, "once a member of the family, you are always a member of the family."
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Stages
1986-1992
Fall of Soviet Empire
1992-1997
UNESCO Culture of Peace Programme