from Irwin Venick:
There was a large gathering of family and friends to remember and honor J.W. last night. Taylor led off the gathering after echoes of a recording of Nature’s Lamentation sung by Billy Christoper faded.
Taylor shared that J.W., as we all know, was passionate in his beliefs about what needed to be done in his part of the world, and was insistent on bringing others into the struggle. That was a theme that carried into the evening. J.W.’s brother and brother-in-law, echoed that theme with their own recollections of J.W.’s lifetime work against coal industry exploitation from the beginning of SOCM to his last days. His family did not shy away from his courage and persistence, as aggravating to some it might have been at times.
His preacher shared a story of his own: as you remember during the first T administration, Nancy Pelosi ripped the President’s speech from the podium. His preacher apparently regularly drove J.W. to Sunday services. On the Sunday after the State of the Union, the preacher commented that perhaps Nancy Pelosi’s actions were “a little disrespectful”. Well, that launched a tirade from J.W. that lasted all the way to church. After services, the preacher recalled how much J.W. commented about how much he (J.W.) enjoyed church that morning, including the ride to church. The preacher commented that there were no more even off handed references to the then President in their future rides to church.
J.W. was dressed in a SOCM t-shirt with a SOCM banner nearby. There were many pictures of family and friends, including many of this SHC friends.
We were all family last night.