Subject: [Harp-L] Memorial Service for Douglas

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Bobbie writes snipped:
 
"The URL is:  http://www.tfn.net/~bobg/Renaissance.htm
"Welcome"  links to Doug's Memorial pages, and there's still a link to our 
old puny  site I never got around to improving much."
 
...It's a lovely site and link  - made me laugh and cry and gives so  much 
incredibly interesting information about someone I regret I never had the  
privilege to meet.  Thank you, Bobbie.  The photos of his  Michigan Froggy Dance 
with Dennis made me laugh out loud...especially the one  incorporating our own 
"Froggy" (Nicolas Fouquet) into the shot.  They were  all so obviously having a 
really marvelous time....I know I would  have thoroughly enjoyed Douglas' 
veddy British sense of humour.
 
In re your:  ""The recent Harmonica World magazine of the NHL in  England 
also posted 
notice of the event at 3pm tomorrow, April 21, in Olney,  near Milton Keynes, 
England.  
The notice closes by saying, "All friends and acquaintances are  welcome."

Some of you may not have heard about it, but would want to be  there.  
I planned to, but will not, as I was not invited...  specifically 
requested to not attend, in fact.  Nor was I informed of  or invited 
to the funeral either.  If anyone goes, I would nonetheless  be most 
grateful to hear about it."
 
......You can't imagine just how much this frosts me, Bobbie.  Well,  yes you 
can...since we since discovered we share the same birthday and  just spent a 
most enjoyable couple of days at Buckeye finding out  just how much we had in 
common.  If anyone was the epitome of  "friend and acquaintance" of Douglas 
Tate - (carried to the Nth degree of  course), it was you..and I'm being 
deliberately facetious.    Regardless of his prior marriages, your relationship with 
Douglas was real,  long-term, loving and honourable and in no way would it 
have  dishonoured his name were it to have been listed in his London Times  
obituary. Nor would your presence at his funeral services have caused any  
disruption.  I am so sorry, Bobbie. This was pure cowardice and an  egregious lack of 
good manners on someone's part.  
 
Your most lovely tribute to Douglas in Harmonica Happenings exemplified  your 
good taste and ability to rise above the pettiness shown to  you.  It seems 
clear to me as well as based on your own beliefs  that Douglas Tate is watching 
these goings-on with his ever-present humor and  would take immense pride in 
how you are comporting yourself. I can just  visualize - and almost hear - him 
playing  " My Lagan Love" on his latest  tweaked version of the Renny "up 
there".  

I will be visiting the site often, as I'm sure will  the many friends you and 
Douglas made together.  I'm incredibly  proud of you too.
 
With love,
 
Elizabeth