Dad's Friends

Dad told me he had 92 friends who died last year!
I quoted the Cleveland Playhouse and Harvard Business School and Michelle to show some of the breadth of his reach. Wait till you hear about his Play Reading Group. A couple of significant memories of mine include building a radio with him and my sisters. He was Google decades before there was a Google, accompanied by wonderful sketches. He and my mom had the talk with me, telling me how good it would feel when a boy touched my breasts and what a difficult decision I would have to make, over and over again. For my 16th birthday, dad wrote me  20 pages, handwritten, of his thoughts about life and leading a good one. It was he I went to in times of crisis, having to do with school, honesty, health, finances or personal relationships. Sometimes it was really hard because he never got angry. Disappointment was a much more devastating reaction when I let down his high expectations of me. And logic was a very strong hand he played often, telling me it was safer to dive with the sharks than to cross the streets.
A couple of times in my life I was terrified that dad was at the end of his life. But he kept on going for an extra 20 or 30 years. I know it's pretty selfish for a nearly 70-year-old woman to be sad that she is an orphan. But the touchstone of my life is now gone.

Some amazing thoughts about Dad from his former Secretary

I now live in Minneapolis.  I've been here two years.  

My kids flew the nest, I got divorced and I started over.  I met someone from Minneapolis and jumped at the chance to move with him.  

Your Dad was right.  My ex would never change and would always disappoint me.  Bill was a good friend at a time when I had nobody else to tell my sorry story to.  

He was definitely a man that had a lifetime surrounded by women.  He was just a month younger than my dad so, I found his young mind fascinating.  Up until then, I never though much about aging and what the elderly were thinking.  My Dad was very much a mystery.  Your Dad showed me that people of different generations really aren't that much different.  I loved hearing his stories that he would dictate for me to type.  

He sure did love Betty.  It was very sweet how he cared for her.   She was a gem of a woman.  I remember how much she loved her kitty and her generosity to animal charities.   I was surprised when she wanted two kittens!  They were a handful.   

I'm grateful to have known your parents. Although I spent a short amount of time with them, it was a profoundly positive experience.  

I'm glad I got to see him last year.  Best to you and the rest of the family. 

Michelle

Happy Birthday, Dad

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What the Cleveland Playhouse and Harvard Business School Thinks of Dad

Dear Members of the CPH Board:

I have just received word that Bill Jones passed away last Friday evening after a brief bout of pneumonia.  Bill was a great champion of The Play House, a lover of theatre, and a successful and pragmatic businessman.  He first became involved with CPH sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s, and was President of the Board from 1982-84.  It was during his time as President that we opened the Bolton Theatre as part of the Philip Johnson-designed expansion, for which he later chaired the “Finish The Theatre Campaign.”  Years later, in 2009, it was Bill that brought the Board Resolution to the floor authorizing our move to Playhouse Square, a move that he felt was the right business decision for us despite his hard work on the property that we were leaving behind.  I last spoke with Bill at a luncheon for former chairs last November organized by Beth Rankin -- his primary concern was that Laura should be sure to produce classic plays along with our repertoire of new work.  Even at 90+ years of age, after nearly 50 years in the CPH family, he was still asking questions and challenging us to be our very best.

Sincerely,

Kevin

Kevin Moore

Managing Director

Cleveland Play House

It is with a great deal of sadness that I send this note to let you know that

Bill Jones passed away on Friday, January 16, 2015.

A memorial service will be held on February 16, 2015 at 4pm at The Country Club.

Bill served as President of the HBS Club in 1969-1970 – was a recipient of the HBS Club of NEO Leadership Award –

Founder of the HBS Club/Jones Award for Excellence in School Management – most recently served as Trustee Emeritus. 

Please keep his family in your thoughts.

Joan McCarthy

HBS Club of NEO

Dad Died

He wasn't ready to die and kept saying, "I have so much to do." But it was quick and he seemed not to suffer. Though he leaves storms of tears in his wake.
Since I got my date for surgery yesterday, it seemed easy enough to settle on just before February 23, for his service. Everyone is very solicitous of me in my weakened condition. I would have a few weeks to recover from chemotherapy before going under the knife.
I thought I didn't need to go to Cleveland now. They are going to write Dad's obituary and I can leave that to them. Just, please, don't list his club memberships. They are going to plan his funeral and Bambi gave me the responsibility of how it will look. I told her I wasn't up to that, unusual for the one who is mentally redecorating everywhere she goes.
But the need to mourn is immediate. Bambi went yesterday, wanting to say goodbye, but did not make it in time. Becky is going this morning and Bobbi arrives tonight. I want to cry with them. And with Jane, whose daily life will be impacted more than anyone else's.
I just told Allison, whose reaction was wonderful. She held Dad on a pedestal and will miss him terribly. I suggested a gathering tonight with the kids, but she thinks George is away. He sobbed when I told him. Blake and Anna have out of town guests.
The once a day, non-stop flight to Cleveland has already gone today. Andy offered to drive me. I can't decide.

Decision Made

Despite hoping and praying for a No Surgery Option, I will have surgery. Neither my surgeon nor oncologist at MGH knows of any study at Dana Farber with no surgery as an option. Katherine Specht recommended a left breast mastectomy. Weighing all the options she laid out, I decided on a double mastectomy with reconstruction (using sacks of liquid) at the same time. The advantages include fewer surgeries, no skin stretching, with instant "evenness".  Not using my own flesh means I can also use the Proton Laser, which is far more accurate than the Photon Laser, keeping my heart safer. I won't need a bra ever again, unless I change my mind at a later date, when my fat can replace the plastic sacks. If I understood correctly, they may be able to save my nipples. But with no sensation, so what's the point? I'd almost rather have a beautiful tattoo than falsies. I forgot to ask her if she could reshape my earlobes. Darn!

Queen for a Day

On the Cape, I have a bridge game scheduled for every Wednesday. So far, I've gotten to 2 of them. The first was at Peg's charming antique house, where I asked if I could sit on the sofa instead of the regular chair. All agreed and sidled the table up to the couch, where I snuggled in the cushions and listed against the arm, conserving my energy for the ride home.
The next week, I arrived first at Jeanne's charming antique house and found our game set up on the wonderful side porch, but with an arm chair for me, making me feel like a queen. I am so grateful for the lovely care dear friends are providing.
And not just for one day.
For the past several months, other acts of kindness have included:
Nora, our dear cleaning lady wouldn't let me pay
Hairdresser Gino wouldn't let my pay OR tip for my haircut, saying, "I don't know how long it will last.'
Ginger brought picnic over on moving day and helped me pack
Danny, Denice and Deb spent days packing. The best project was clearing my balcony of the pots of plants and the rock garden, with tons of dirt and plants. They also recruited an electrician to remove the beloved sail chandelier.
Mark took truckloads of stuff to the new place in Boston.
Connie gave me dishtowel and pink shirt for Chemo
Denise, Deb and Sandy took me to dinner and gave me necklace and earrings.
Sue Carstons made me 2 hats and sent cute socks
Anna directed Blake, George and Katie in the biggest job of the move, getting the Big Green Egg to James and the precious dining set to Boston. On another occasion she installed the sound system while George and I raised the bed to plan the Gear project.
Mary Ann hosted 'Bridge over the Bridge', with bridge contest, lunch and presents (games, pajamas, soaps, nail polish, inspirational readings, tea, handmade mug, special dish for Dexter, hats). Everyone brought frozen dinner for us. We are getting very used to delicious dinners, with no forethought or cleanup. I won the Boobie Prize for lowest score, sad since it was I who taught most of them how to play bridge in the first place.
Mary Ann took me and Sandy to dinner at The Ocean House."
Eddie made up beef stew and clam chowder.
Reenie helped pack.
Gayle made us dinner.
Becky gave me hats and helped with move, built closet system, brought meals, on 2 different weekends.
Bambi installed bookcases, removed closet doors, brought meals
Barbara brought worry dolls to lunch, which she, Bonnie and Joan treated me to.
Cards from Joy and Master Gardeners, Gay, too many to remember.
Cancer survivors reached out - Eleanor Goldberg, Maureen Shaffer, MGH patients,
Even our pharmacist Valarie asked if she could bring dinner over to us.
Sunday brought more acts of kindness. As I pulled up to my Boston destination, the car started acting funny. The valet, who threw me out of his space, suggested transmission trouble. I called AAA for help and waited for hours. I called back a couple of times, playing the Cancer card the last time. AAA contacted the police who sent over an officer, who sent me into my party and waited for AAA. He and 3 of the valets managed to wiggle the car nearly into a parking space. Chris Martin and I went out a couple of times to check on progress. When AAA finally had the car, Bill and Chris drove me directly to my door. Rosemary even offered to have me sleep over.
Tony at European Engineering, our beloved, former car guru, will dispose of it for us. That ends the debate on whether or not to keep 2 cars, one of which does not have a parking place.
Dexter had a little excitement this week, too. Window workers came in to do final sealing of the new windows. Dexter spotted an escape route and was extremely unhappy when I gabbed him from behind, preventing his escape. He's never been that angry before and my hands have many a slash as proof.