The Southbury Public Library will be virtually showcasing the artwork of artist Patti Maher for the month of May 2025
Artist Patti Maher works primarily in watercolor
though she also enjoys pen & ink and graphite
In most recent years her artwork has developed into what she describes as her version of minimalism
There is a simple elegance that she creates by using a limited palette and sparing
Maher’s subject matter tends to be the emotions and feelings one gets from a scene or object
She thinks of both her writing and artwork as a conversation
She loves to hear or see the reaction to her work
and when it touches someone deeply she feels that she is being “heard” and she feels connected to the world in a deep and meaningful way
She views her minimalist artwork as a type of visual poetry
You can find more of her artwork at www.PattiMaher.com
Please visit us at www.southburylibrary.org to view this exhibit virtually and for any updated hours and information. Or you may call us at 203-262-0626. Patti’s Bio: https://www.southburylibrary.org/using-the-library/spaces/art-gallery
The full gallery: https://www.southburylibrary.org/gallery
This press release was produced by the Southbury Public Library
The views expressed here are the author’s own
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born in 1946 and a rock icon of the Seventies and beyond
speaks with deep affection and gratitude about Pope Francis
the American singer-songwriter composed a short poem in his honour
describing him as a dandelion: humble yet strong
I reflected on the past twelve years with Pope Francis
doing his best to follow and preach the teachings of Christ
It is fitting that his final words to the public were strongly centered on peace
Smith had travelled to Rome in 2013 to shake Pope Francis’s hand
she speaks with genuine sorrow at the news of his passing
to sow seeds / to reach out to those in need / when the soul yearns for love / it comes from above / mercy
humility / these are the words to live by every day"
her song co-written with Tony Shanahan for Wim Wenders’ documentary Pope Francis: A Man of His Word
Patti Smith told Vatican News she feels grateful for the time Pope Francis was with us
she remains hopeful that his legacy will live on for the good of all
A dandelion blooming among the stones inspired you to write a few lines for Pope Francis – a man you described as strong and humble
How deeply did you connect with his message
Patti Smith: I felt it as close as my heartbeat
to pray from the heart — not to be a parrot
I have always listened from my heart because he speaks from the heart
Pope Francis’s final public words were a call for peace
How can this commitment to human fraternity be carried forward
Patti Smith: I think that we are living in very troubled times
and it’s really up to the people — every day
in every way they can — to be kind to each other
We have to fight the outside forces of greed and power with kindness
and make it radiate — cut through what they are doing
but if we can be peaceful with our neighbor
We have to start from the most humble gesture
And that is one thing he taught us — that small gestures are greatly meaningful
You met Pope Francis early in his pontificate and later sang for him at the Vatican
Was there an immediate understanding between you
How do you remember those moments of connection
because he has so much to share with so many people
One thing I noticed from the very beginning was his love of children
golden gifts — all with their hands outstretched
It made me feel very comforted that a man with such simplicity and such an expansive view was here with us in the world
you wrote the lyrics to These Are The Words for Wim Wenders’ documentary
Which words do you think defined Pope Francis’s pontificate
Patti Smith: The words I associate with Pope Francis are mercy
Today marks the 80th anniversary of our freedom from fascism
we feel the terrible seeds of fascism once again around us
When I think of empathy — maybe of all the words
He felt the joy and sorrow within the Scriptures
We have to take the words he cherished — love
compassion — and believe them with our hearts
To imitate Francis is to be that much closer to God
but I also feel happy that we had Francis among us — and that we still have his words
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When they explain why they aren’t joining or returning to a project
they may not work with or for a specific person this time
An unfortunate side of the business is that people have to keep up appearances and play nice
even if they don’t like somebody or what they’re about
Then there are people like Patti LuPone who have no time to mince words
Yes, American Horror Story is still going
I never made it past Jessica Lange singing Nirvana in a 1950s sideshow
The show often creates a lot of buzz with each season’s premise
but they often don’t stick the landing
I’ve met plenty of people who still stand by the series
but even they won’t act like it’s anything close to what it was in the early seasons
there are rumors the newest and thirteenth season will (appropriately) be its last
and creator Ryan Murphy wants to get a lot of the old cast back
LuPone appeared in the third and 11th seasons of the show. She recently sat for an interview with Gold Derby and was asked about a potential return for the show
with the interviewer noting that Muprhy wanted “to bring the group back together for Season 13.” “What group is that
” LuPone still did not show any interest
“I think he was probably talking about the guys.”
Is that as blunt as LuPone has been known to get
Is it still blunt for “Hollywood talk?” Absolutely
LuPone doesn’t try to butter up Murphy with any flowery language
but…” It’s LuPone saying that not only will she not return
but she thinks the creator is more interested in working with other people
It’s about as no-nonsense as it gets
and I would expect nothing less from Patti LuPone
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went to be with our Lord and Savior on April 25
Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 A.M.
Lawrence Catholic Church in Flasher with the rosary / prayer service to begin at 6:00 P.M
Joseph Catholic School for 8 years and went on to graduate from Williston High School in 1972
She loved cows and horses and would be outside all day if she could
She met the love of her life Mike Herring while she was attending Veterinary Technology School in Thermopolis
She started her first job as a vet technician in Dayton
She and Mike started their story at the Padlock ranch in Sheriden
living amongst other cowboys and girls on the mountain caring for cows
Joseph's Catholic Church on September 3
they moved to the armpit of the Oklahoma panhandle for Mike to start working for Northern Natural Gas company
they welcomed their second daughter Tina on October 2
Patti continued to work with animals at the vet clinic in Shattuck
Patti and Mike never missed a game as both the biggest cheerleaders and strictest coaches for not only their girls but the children of their friends
Surrounded by her Okie “family”
Patti and her friends loved going to rodeos
the Herrings moved back to Patti’s homeland amongst the Breaks of North Dakota to be closer to family
She taught her girls to sew and bake and all the life lessons 4H teaches a child
Patti helped the girls as an advisor to the 4H club for older members called the Junior Leaders
She advised the kids on community service opportunities throughout Williams County
helping to foster a love of community and leadership
They moved to their place in the twelve-mile township and Patti got to work remodeling the farmhouse that they had moved onto the place
and the girls raised cattle while still working in town
Following their retirement with the goal of being closer to family
Mike and Patti moved to south central ND wanting to be always present and supportive to their grandchildren
Patti attended every event the grandkids did
Her ability to sew and her background in medicine made her the go to for questions of all kinds
They got a place close to the girls all their own and Patti got to work remodeling another farmhouse
Mike and Patti were always running from one event to another for the grandkids but found the time to help Jaci with her farm
She loved helping with the cows and calves most of all
Working alongside her daughter and granddaughters brought her so much joy and pride in the young women they are becoming
Between Jaci’s girls and now Tina’s kids entering sports
Going home to her little slice of heaven with Mike provided the rest she needed to get up and run another day
Patti also loved to sew and would make all the girls' holiday dresses and any other special occasion outfits that they needed
What started out as one quilting retreat a year quickly became two or three
She would stop at any fabric store she spotted
She enjoyed this time because she got to spend time with her sisters and sisters-in-laws
Jacalyn Hartman (Jason Bachmeier) and her three girls: Hayli
Tina (Kelly) Hetzel and their two kids: Noah and Lily of Flasher; brothers: Mike (Laurie) Brunelle
Lane Knudsen; sisters: Kathy (Scott) Soderstrom
Jayne Knudsen and in-laws George and Toy Herring
Memorials in Patti's name are suggested to benefit the Flasher Fire and Ambulance
The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude for all the care this organization provided to Patti and her family.
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Wishing you a joyous holiday season with peace & cheer in the New Year
Committed to Excellence in Funeral Service Since 1934
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Patti Lucas
a daughter of the late Kenneth and Ruth Marsh Martin
Patti graduated from Wash High in 1972 and still had dear friendships from school. She briefly attended Clarion University before moving into the world of work.
One of Patti’s most significant accomplishments was raising her daughter. She taught her to fight for what is right
hard-working and most importantly to be unapologetically herself. Patti supported her through the highs and the lows of navigating life. She was always in her corner and would come out swinging if she felt there was injustice
Patti was compassionate and would help others in many ways. She often was trusted to care for the elderly. Patty provided an ear to listen or offered advice
even when you didn’t want to hear it. She was a doer and was not afraid of a little work
listening to music (especially her brother)
easy on the vodka. She also enjoyed being a “good cook”
which she often reminded us about and being the “favorite” aunt
She is survived by her boyfriend of 27 years
and Christy Lane Miles; nieces and nephews
Coury (Emily) Miles and Clay and Brett Martin; great-niece and nephews
Patti was preceeded in death by her sister
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Patti graduated from Bentley College in 1990 and had worked as Senior Vice President of Retail Operations for Ralph Lauren and most recently as Vice President Internal Audit at Nordstrom in their Seattle corporate headquarters. She loved to travel and had lived in England for 6 years
Patti was the daughter of Teresa (Lopez) Felz and the late Abraham J.” Jack” Felz
the longtime partner of Jean-Christian Philippi
and sister of Lillian Felz and Eric Felz and his wife Colleen. Dear aunt of Charlotte
Gabriel Felz and Logan and Clarissa Lambert
A visiting hour will be held on Sat Dec 21 beginning at 10 AM in the Eaton & Mackay Funeral Home 465 Centre St Newton Corner followed by a service beginning at 11 AM
a donation in memory of Patti to the Pan Mass Challenge 77 4th Avenue Needham
MA 02494 (give.pmc.org/EF0138) would be appreciated
Pan Mass Challenge77 4th Avenue, Needham MA 02494Web: http://give.pmc.org/EF0138
went to be with her Lord and Savior on the morning of November 4
and nephews as she entered the gates of Heaven
With a sweet reunion with her precious Timmy
Patti was also known as "Mobaw" to her three precious granddaughters
She loved her grandbabies dearly and was always so proud to show them off whenever she could
Patti poured her heart and soul into her family and her faith
Anyone who knew her knew how deeply she valued both family and the love of Christ
She never met a stranger and always opened her home to all those in need
She was a member of Madison Avenue Baptist Church for many years
Patti loved her church family dearly and was grateful for the unconditional love and support she received from its members through the years
She was preceded in death by her love of 48 years
Patti is survived by her two children and their spouses
and Cate and Joseph Cascarella; three grandchildren; four siblings
and Michael Myers; as well as their spouses and many wonderful nieces and nephews
please make donations to: Madison Avenue Baptist Church Benevolence Fund
TN 37804 or text “give” to 865-238-4373 in honor of Patti and Tim Denton.
The family will receive friends from 4:00 until 6:00 PM
Funeral service will be at 6:00 PM with Pastor Greg Heisler officiating
Family and friends will assemble for interment at 11:00 AM
Live Cast
Lisa Chmura (Gary); three grandchildren; one great-grandchild; sister
February 11th at 10am at Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church
To view a live broadcast of the Funeral Service
please visit www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “Live Cast” button at the top of the home page
________________________________________________________
Patricia Ann “Patti” Muller was a loving wife
Lisa (Gary) and Mark (Suzanne); grandchildren: Chelsea (Dillan)
Patti met Dave during her junior year at Benson High
and the two became high school sweethearts
they tied the knot and were happily married for 58 years
Patti was a selfless person with a heart of gold
Patti cherished her friends and adored her family
She was active as Lisa’s Brownie and Girl Scout leader
and managed to get both kids through school with her proofreading and tutoring skills–they thought she was the smartest person around
She loved decorating every room with things that were meaningful to her
In one way her personality was displayed in the decor: inviting
and relaxing while watching a football or baseball game
completing a variety of different word puzzles
She collected many memories traveling the globe with Dave to places like Europe
with regular trips to Kansas City with her longtime group of girlfriends
It is hard to mention everything about Patti because she was so many things to so many different friends and family
She was a one-of-a-kind individual that we all had the special opportunity to have blessed our lives
We were so sorry to hear of your wife/mother’s passing
have great memories of the times we shared together
We will remember you and yours in our prayers to help you through this difficult time
The Lynch family is so sorry for your loss .
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The family of Patricia Ann Cross created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories
With profound sadness and cherished memories
we announce the passing of Patti Ann Spatcher (née Hildebrand)
Born to Howard and Maxine Grant Hildebrand in Onawa
Patti carried the warmth and genuine spirit of her roots throughout her life
Her relationship with her mother was extraordinarily special
marked by decades of travel and nightly phone conversations that spoke to their deep and enduring bond
Patti's legacy of love continues through her husband Dave Spatcher
who found in her the love of his life; her son
Shannon (John) Weaver and Amy (Jason) Akers whom she loved as her own; five granddaughters who cherished her and were by her side when she passed; Steven (Betsy) Hildebrand and Carol Hildebrand who treasured her as a sister and sister-in-law
She was a devoted and beloved aunt to Christy Rutledge
She was preceded in death by her first husband
whose early passing left her to raise Chris with singular determination and boundless love; her brothers Mike and Jim Hildebrand; and her parents
Education was her calling with a Master of Education degree and a gift for nurturing young minds
Patti devoted 35 years to generations of students at Fair Park Elementary in West Bend and schools in Madison
Parents sought her classroom for their children
"She never stopped being a teacher or a mom
You couldn't spend any time with her without loving her."
Lake Archibald (“Up North”) served as the backdrop for some of Patti's most treasured moments
Her lakeside home was a sanctuary for family and friends who gathered annually
laughter and quiet conversations that stretched into evening were the simple joys that Patti cherished and shared so freely
A devoted Iowa State Cyclones alum and member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority
Patti approached enduring friendships and sports fandom with the same enthusiasm and loyalty she brought to every aspect of her life
Her cardinal and gold spirit never wavered
Patti’s abiding kindness and warmth made everyone feel like family; a woman who met the world with open arms and left it infinitely better than she found it
Patti's spirit remains a gentle reminder that the greatest legacy is love freely given
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the James R Hildebrand Women's Basketball Scholarship
The family will be celebrating Patti's life privately; there will be no public service
Myrhum-Patten Funeral & Cremation Service has been entrusted with Patti’s arrangements
Additional information and guest book can be found at www.myrhum-patten.com
Patti works with organizations to navigate complex political and policy matters at both the federal and state levels
Prior to joining Brunswick in October 2019
Patti had a long career in political campaigns and public service
She was a senior advisor to the Obama-Biden presidential campaign in 2012 and managed Vice President Joe Biden’s operations during the 2008 election
Patti also served as the campaign manager for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential bid and ran her successful Senate re-election campaign
she worked in the Clinton Administration as a senior advisor to the First Lady
Patti holds a degree from Northwestern University and is a political commentator for CNN
With a diversity of experience and backgrounds – including former CEOs
and more – we have built teams of sector experts that operate seamlessly across regions and global practice groups
Patti Lynn Elder passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Thursday
2025 after a year long battle with lung cancer
the daughter of the late Bobbi Abrahamian (Hopewell
Virginia) and the late Eugene Bailey (Birmingham
Her personal life was full of love and joy
Sandra Aldridge and Christy Adams; and she is survived by her sister
Patti spent many years teaching students Drivers Ed at Thomas Dale High school
After obtaining a degree at Key Business College
She was a devoted apartment assistant manager and manager for many years
and retired from the Rohoic Woods Apartment community December of 2022
Her generosity shined most through her love of cooking and caring for family
she was cooking for others and delivering food and love to those in need
Patti was an active member of Western Heights Baptist Church
A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m
Entombment will follow in Southlawn Memorial Park’s Mausoleum
The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m
please make donations to Western Heights Baptist Church
E Alvin Small Funeral Homes and Crematory - Colonial Heights
Alabama to the late Charles and Betty Roden
She graduated from the University of Alabama in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in child development
After teaching kindergarten for four years
Patti attended the South Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville
Kentucky and graduated in 1981 with a master’s degree in religious education and an emphasis in children’s ministry
She served as Children’s Director at Walnut Street Baptist Church in Louisville from 1981-1983
and then came to First Baptist of Augusta in 1983 to serve as the Minister of Preschool and Children
She transitioned to Minister of Weekday Education in 1992 and served in this role until her retirement
Patti loved working with preschool children and taught with Bill for many years as a 3-4 year old Sunday School teacher and also led the preschool choir
She also sang in the Sanctuary Choir for many years and was most “at home” in church and serving the members there
Two of her most special canine companions were Cinnamon
a chow they adopted after their baby died; and Tippy
and Patti’s constant companion during her last years while battling ovarian cancer
Patti enjoyed walking their dogs in the neighborhood and in her retirement years found great joy in being outside in God’s world
and spending time with God in His creation
Patti is survived by her husband: Bill Fowler; children: Will (Mary Catherine) Fowler
and the late Christopher Fowler; grandchildren: Anna Cate
A celebration of Patti’s life will be held on Tuesday
in the Sanctuary of First Baptist Church of Augusta with Dr
Interment will follow in the church memorial gardens.The family will receive friends following the interment in the church Fellowship Hall
You can watch Patti's service here at the following link: Discoverfbc.org/pfowlerservice
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the CSRA Gyn Cancer Support Group, P.O. Box #3485, Augusta, GA 30914 or to Caring Bridge at www.caringbridge.org/give or to First Baptist Church
Sharad Ghamande and the staffs of Augusta Oncology
and Southeast Hospice for their care and compassion
Click to watch
Patti Coppess and her husband moved to Portage in 1995
a big believer in giving back to local communities
volunteers in various ways for the Portage community
“I always felt that if you don’t give back to your community
Her husband retired approximately four years after the couple moved to Portage
resulting in some new extra time on his schedule
As such it was the perfect time for Coppess to get her husband involved in volunteering with her
I was already doing Rebuilding Together in Michigan City,” Coppess said
The couple participates in several volunteer opportunities together
“We both belong to the exchange club and do several things with them,” Coppess said
Coppess is particularly passionate about her volunteer work with the Portage Township Food Pantry
she volunteers there at least five days a week
I more or less devoted myself to the food pantry,” Coppess said
“I do pickups from different stores to locations
I also help distribute just to help out in any way I can
The food pantry is a necessity for the community
Coppess said that most people who come to the Portage Township Food Pantry are seniors
Volunteering there makes Coppess happy because it puts a smile on the face of others.
“It gives me joy because it gives other people joy,” she said
“It kind of rubs off on you to help out in the community
and it’s enlightening to see people joyous over getting fresh food.”
While volunteering at the food pantry is a passion of Coppess’
she has additional hobbies that she enjoys
The couple likes to travel together and have a trip planned in the coming months to Tennessee
The couple travels one to two times per year together
Coppess loves traveling and wishes she could do it more
which is a project that facilitates postcard sending between people that do not know each other
Coppess’ impact on the Portage community through her volunteerism is significant
This is particularly true at the food pantry
where each week other local community members depend on her time and work to fuel themselves and their families
She sets an example of giving back that is admirable to many of the people she helps out
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Texas passed away at Hopkins Court on Saturday
to Charles Lee and Margie Myrtle (Thurmond) Crawford
She envied her big sister getting to take piano lessons and crawled up on the piano bench after her
Her father was in the other room and when he discovered who was playing
he declared she was going to have music lessons
the church learned she could also sing and provided a means for her to get voice lessons as well as keep up her music lessons
As a young girl during WWII she sang and played piano for servicemen at Travis Park United Methodist Church in San Antonio
For many years she was a member of The Walnut Hill United Methodist Church choir in Dallas
she enjoyed singing her hymns and watching the wildlife from her front porch in Arbala
Patti was always a good student and served on the newspaper and yearbook staff of Brackenridge High School
Shortly after high school she married Gilbert Joe Huston
whom she had known since she was six years old
She worked while he attended college at Texas A&M
She enjoyed auto racing and traveled around the southwest United States supporting her husband’s drag racing for many years
She became a huge fan of the Dallas Cowboys
selfless mother who spent countless hours distributing Girl Scout cookies
serving as room mother and attending football games
soccer games and drill team functions – all while holding down a full-time job as secretary and office manager
Patti considered seeing the world one of her life’s greatest blessings
When not traveling she spent many hours volunteering for the North Dallas Shared Ministries
She enjoyed helping in their food pantry and helping children find clothes in their store
Most of all she loved helping raise her grandchildren
When she wasn’t near them she was praying for them
Her greatest pride and joy were her children
She will be remembered as someone with a song in her heart who was willing to share it
Samantha Boswell; eight great-grandchildren
Briggs Boswell; and the father of her children
The singer, songwriter, poet, author, and musician Patti Smith was in residence at Penn’s Kelly Writers House for two days
telling stories about the people in her life throughout the decades
Smith, who rose to fame in the 1970s through the New York City punk rock movement, gave two public appearances to capacity audiences but most important was meeting with the 22 undergraduate students in the unique Kelly Writers House Fellows course, now in its 27th year and taught by Al Filreis
and the future,” Smith said about her Writers House experience
noting the “sense of curiosity and community
Everyone that was here was either thinking
All the things that people were doing here
Fellows spend Monday afternoon in class with the students and hold a public reading in the evening followed by a private dinner; Tuesday features a one-hour public conversation with Filreis
The program with three guests started in 2000; the first Fellow
The roster of 70-plus Fellows is a who’s who of authors
“The Writers House has always been known as a place for new, emergent, and even unknown writers,” said Filreis, the Kelly Family Professor of English in the School of Arts & Sciences
“But our visiting Fellows each year remind us that super-eminent writers are excellent guides and advisors and
they all fall into the scene and become teachers and mentors.”
“The Fellows seminar is my favorite teaching experience
We are not there to tell the literature what it means
We are there to prepare to meet the person who made it
the class reads and discusses the Fellows’ work
the more than 1,000 pages they read included her nonfiction book “Just Kids,” which won the National Book Award in 2010
about her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe
and “Year of the Monkey” (2019) and “listened closely to
and in one case danced with” her albums “Horses” and “Easter,” and watched videos of performances
This semester’s teaching assistants are Penn alum Sophia DuRose and poet Laynie Browne
Students spent three hours in class with Smith
along with her longtime collaborator guitarist Lenny Kaye
“We talked with her about absolutely everything we read
We spent a good deal of time reading her gorgeous
Students described Smith as “humble,” “down-to-earth,” “personal,” “wise,” “genuine,” “effortlessly funny,” and “like a normal person despite being so famous and an iconic superstar”
Students Kyle Grgecic and Natalia Castillo were seated next to Smith at Monday night’s event
prepared and served by Writers House students and staff
Grgecic is a second-year majoring in English and communications with a minor in data science and analytics
Smith’s 1975 song “Gloria” popped into his music streaming a few years ago
‘Horses,’ is probably my favorite album,” Grgecic said
he made sure he signed up for Fellows: he hadn’t previously read her books
and now the memoir “M Train” is his favorite
Grgecic said he talked with Smith about his love of writing comedy sketches with the Mask and Wig Club
“She was very affirming of that and was talking about how important it was to write comedy
“She really listened to everything that we asked and everything we had to say and took the time to really address what we did.”
Castillo is a fourth-year from Corte Madera
She had read two of Smith’s books before coming to Penn: “Just Kids” in high school and “Year of the Monkey” during a gap year
“Every time that I am kind of going through something in life
I am always returning to Patti’s work,” Castillo said
“It’s just been an unreal experience the last month of going through her work and knowing that we were getting the opportunity to interact with her.”
Students asked Smith questions about specific passages in her books and music and about her experiences writing in cafes while living in the Chelsea Hotel in New York in the late 1960s
The conversation became more personal as the session went along
“I remember exactly how that moment felt when she was giving us advice
My hand hurt from writing down all of what she was saying in my notebook,” said Erin Jeon
we all really opened up to her and shared how her work has impacted us and moved us and why she just meant so much to us and how this past month and a half was just so moving,” Jeon said
“She was giving us such great advice and approaches to life.”
get good.’ She’s one of those people who can take something so simple and turn it into something so profound.”
a fourth-year from Kuwait majoring in political science and Middle Eastern studies
“It’s hard not to mourn when losing something
“I think I’m definitely going to take that with me.”
Smith’s description of how her writing evolved and the discipline in her practice impressed fourth-year Lila Shermeta
an art history major and creative writing minor from Philadelphia who has always wanted to be a writer
“Being able to bring the topics that we talked about with her
what it means to be an artist and a writer
being able to actually discuss it with her was incredible for me,” Shermeta said
Shermeta said she has learned from her classmates through close-reading of text and close-listening to each other
“You gain so much more from a work of literature when you talk about it collaboratively than if you just read it by yourself,” she said
The students collaborated to make and bring in dishes that Smith referenced in her books
they asked Smith to guess the reference in her books for each
Castillo introduced Smith Monday evening before a packed-in crowd
“We have experienced Patti’s art intimately by exploring themes of memory
Patti’s brilliant light is refracted each class discussion
forming a mosaic of our lived experiences.”
Castillo said that “getting to listen to her sing and share some of her work and read the words out loud that we had been reading for the past month was just the ultimate experience.”
Smith told stories about people she has met and worked with throughout her life: about first seeing Bob Dylan sing with Joan Baez; about hearing Kris Kristofferson sing “Me and Bobby McGee” for Janis Joplin for the first time; about her relationship with the actor and playwright Sam Shepard
And she told the story of writing the lyrics for Bruce Springsteen’s “Because the Night” while waiting by the phone for a call from Fred Smith
which hit 13 on the Top 40 charts in the summer of 1978
She also described how she fulfilled a promise to Mapplethorpe just before he died in 1989 that she would write their story
“Our bond was a vow that we took together to be true to ourselves and to give our life to art,” she said
With no formal education beyond high school
Living with her husband and their young son and daughter in Detroit
Eventually that effort would become “Just Kids,” her most successful book
Smith has been writing poetry her entire life
She wrote “People Have the Power,” her encore on Monday night
describing how her husband said that phrase to her while she was peeling potatoes for dinner
“And what I realized was the things that I wanted we didn’t have yet,” she said
within a dream but projected with the strength that the people unified can make these dreams come true.”
Filreis asked her to read a passage from “Year of the Monkey” about the people she cared about who had died
“Yet I still keep thinking that something wonderful is about to happen
following a whole succession of tomorrows,” she read
a sentence the students discussed in class
“How do we go from all that loss to tomorrow?” And Smith replied
and keep them with me and give them to other people.”
the ambitious Dakar Greenbelt project seeks to create an extensive network of ecological infrastructure in and around the city to sustainably address environmental concerns and enhance urban life
With support from David Gouverneur and Ellen Neises
candidate Rob Levinthal in the Weitzman School of Design led two courses that included a field trip to Dakar
that culminated in students presenting their visions for parts of the Greenbelt
The new Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology boasts adaptable laboratory spaces to support the dynamic needs of pioneering research
Millennials, prepare your knees: Juvenile and Patti LaBelle are the headliners for this year’s AFRAM festival
taking place June 21 and June 22 at Druid Hill Park
Mayor Brandon Scott announced Tuesday afternoon
Other announced performers include the rapper Saweetie
which started in 1976 and occurs on Juneteenth weekend
draws more than 100,000 attendees each year
Produced by the city’s Department of Recreation and Parks
the family-friendly fair celebrates Black culture with art
Scott said AFRAM is one of the largest festivals on the East Coast to celebrate Black culture
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and because of the state of the world we’ll probably be even more loud and Blacker to remind everybody that no matter how hard they try to erase us from the history books
they can’t erase us,” Scott said during the press conference at City Hall
The second event in Baltimore’s festival season
After AFRAM are the Baltimore Caribbean Festival on July 12-13 and Charm City Live on Sept
The 49th annual AFRAM, scheduled for noon to 9 p.m. each day, is accepting applications for its community row
religious groups and city or state agencies can set up informational booths during the festival
Last year’s AFRAM performers included Busta Rhymes
Big Daddy Kane and Morris Day and the Time
Wesley Case
wesley.case@thebaltimorebanner.com
Wesley Case is an arts and culture reporter for The Baltimore Banner
and covered Baltimore’s arts and nightlife as a reporter and critic at The Baltimore Sun for a decade
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Patti previously worked at Circle K and she enjoyed spending time with her family
and especially enjoyed spending time with her grandsons
Patti was preceded in death by her brother
She will be laid to rest at East Akron Cemetery
Those who wish may make memorial donations in Patti's name to The Alzheimer's Association
To share a memory of Patti or leave a special message for her family
WI and attended Memorial High School and was a graduate of U.W
She won many track and field events at Memorial and state competitions
she graduated with a dance and physical education degree
During her short career Patti worked as a trainer for the Y.W.C.A
She prepared and tested all female police and fire department job applicants for physical fitness
At the age of 26 Patti suffered from kidney failure
Patti had many years of kidney dialysis and 3 kidney transplants
Her last transplant was one of the first transplants done where the blood type did not match
Patti enjoyed cooking and inventing new recipes
If you wanted to make her happy all you had to do was give her cookbook
She never measured her spices and seasoning
but rather smelled the mix to decide to add more or not
start dancing and challenge Jamie to express himself with dance
Jamie eventually became a famous Hollywood dancer and choreographer
in his work out book titled ‘Rock your Body’
Patti will be greatly missed by her husband Alan
She also survived by her siblings Robert Fox
She was preceded in passing by siblings Gary Fox
A Celebration of Patti’ s Life will be held 12:00 P.M
To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com
Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services
To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com
TO VIEW PATTI'S FUNERAL SERVICE LIVE PLEASE CLICK HERE
following a courageous battle with giant-cell myocarditis
to Ken and Marie Toombs Lindquist in Logan
She graduated from Logan High School in 1980
she married Keith Walker in the Salt Lake City Temple
Together they raised four children: Joni (Kyle Harris)
Patti was a loving grandmother to eleven grandchildren whose lives she enriched with her love and dedication
The grandkids loved going to Grandma Patti’s house where she was always ready to play
and she grew up lifeguarding and teaching swimming lessons at the Lindquist family’s pool
She was a constant source of encouragement
teaching her grandkids to swim and sharing playful moments in hotel pools
Patti lived her whole life in Cache Valley
but she had many opportunities to travel the world with family and friends
sharing with her family the lessons of planting
Patti’s dishes and desserts were famous at family gatherings and ward parties
Patti served faithfully in many callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
including the last eleven years as an ordinance worker in the Logan Temple
she met many people who became lifelong friends
Keith built and maintained homes and apartment buildings
and Patti handled much of the day-to-day operations of apartment management
Her surviving Walker family includes her mother-in-law
and Keith’s siblings: Brent (Rocelyn Flores)
please make a donation to the Cache Community Food Pantry at cachefood.org/donate or to the Missionary Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
at Allen-Hall Mortuary at 34 East Center Street from 5 to 7 p.m
On December 16 the family will receive visitors at 9:30-10:30 a.m
at the Mount Logan Stake Center at 565 East 100 South in Logan
Patti will be interred in the Providence Cemetery
The family is deeply grateful to the Cliffside Ward and the Providence Hollow Ward for meals and compassionate service
*Disclaimer: If for some reason the livestream of the Funeral Service does not work we will record the service and upload the video and/or audio recording at a later date.*
Salvatrice Ann “Patti” Johnson
“Patti” Incontro- Johnson was born in Omaha
She was raised in an Italian Catholic family,Dad
Nellie Caniglia- Incontro and younger brothers
Patti was attending Westside High School when she met Larry Johnson from Benson High at the age of 15
They eloped to California at the youthful age of 17 and started a family
Patti worked as a unit secretary in Labor and Delivery at Bergan Mercy Hospital for 33 years and then moved to Overland Park
Luke’s Hospital for another 20 years
Larry and Patti moved back to the Omaha area to be close to daughter
Patti loved to shop and would never pass up a bargain
Family gatherings were very important to her
It was her favorite time of year because gift giving gave her so much joy
Her greatest accomplishment was being a Nana to 12 grandchildren and three great- grandchildren
Larry and Patti have an 11-year-old fur baby named Skeeter
They just celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary with a traditional Dairy Queen vanilla cone
Kimberly Peterson (Ryan) and Jamie Johnson (Tamra); grandchildren: Dakota Zickefoose (Kelsi)
To view a live Broadcast of the Service, please visit www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “LiveCast” button at the top of home page
I had the Joy of knowing Patti when her kids were young
Praying for Larry and family to have strength and comfort in this great loss
I did not get to spend much time with Patti
but I have the privilege of being friends with the incredible daughter she raised
May God provide you all with comfort that only He can provide
It is with a very heavy heart I send our condolences in losing Patti to God
I will forever remember her as my best friend for over 50 yrs
I remember the cold.Hslloween we spent taking the kids trick or treating
the sound of her Volkswagen van coming down the street to pick the kids up for school
Being your insurance agent I got to talk with Patti so many times
I was deeply saddened to hear the news of Patti’s passing
I can’t imagine the pain you’re experiencing
I enjoyed meeting Patti some years ago and wish her entire family peace and comfort during this difficult time
May the Lord’s presence be with you in the days ahead and as you celebrate her life
I enjoyed reading all the kind and fun memories about her and what a strong and giving person she was
Prayers to her family as they miss her loving presence today and forever
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but her parents couldn’t afford the tuition
“Mom suggested going down to our church hall and teaching kids tumbling like I did in the backyard,” she said
Patti’s All-American Gymnastics in Dyer has become a leader in the national gymnastics community and a staple in Northwest Indiana
Named National Gym Owner of the Year twice by USA Gymnastics
Komara has helped shape the industry as youth athletics transformed into a nationwide movement
She has earned several honors along the way
including Client of the Year by Action International
Most Influential Business Woman of the Year by Northwest Indiana Influential Women Association and Small Business Person of the Year by the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center
Komara has spoken about her success at every USA Gymnastics National Conference since 1981
and was named to the USA Gymnastics Region 5 Hall of Fame
As founder of "Patti Komara’s Tumblebear Connection," Komara has produced more than 150 videos for instructors and owners
Komara was approached by an audience member who praised her presentation
He mentioned that he had wished his coaches were present or that he had videotaped the presentation
“The light bulb went off and I said to myself
I can go home now and videotape this lecture
I will put the notes in a book and give it along with the training video,’” she said
Komara has also developed fast-track training systems that other programs use to teach their students
and has written more than 50 articles published in industry magazines
Her blog and weekly eblast tips reach more than 9,000 subscribers
She credits her own thirst for education as the driving force that has allowed her to excel in a field that’s constantly shifting
conventions and seminars I can find,” she said
She has also expanded her business to include sports and activities that have found life over the past five decades
Komara also spearheaded the Patti’s All-American/Breast Cancer Research Foundation fundraiser in 2021
Some of her most recent honors include the Summit Everest Award in 2023 for her achievements in the sport of gymnastics
the Indiana Half-Century in Business Award in 2020
and a member of the Society of Innovators of Northwest Indiana in 2016
students and their families have walked through the doors and have been greeted by many of the same faces
Four staff members have been with Komara for at least 27 years
“If you create a family relationship as a staff member
it’s harder to leave a family than a job,” she said
“I try in every way to create the feeling of ownership
I trust them and I empower them with decisions they make.”
Her efforts to create a positive environment extend to the students Komara teaches as well
whether they are toddlers learning the fundamentals or teens refining their skills
Seeing the students’ self-confidence grow has been the most rewarding part of working with generations of young athletes
“I watched the students and staff grow up and achieve so much,” she said
the International Association of Child Development Programs awarded Komara with a Lifetime Achievement Award
the success of her business has been about more than sports
It’s been about connecting with kids on a personal level
“All kids just want to be loved,” she said
“They just want attention and they need kindness
I have always said that kids are the neatest people
They might not represent 100% of the population
Komara said she hopes Patti’s All-American Gymnastics continues to leave a lasting effect for another five decades and beyond
there is still a Patti’s All-American to teach kids how fun gymnastics
and that they can gain so much confidence from the classes,” she said
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by Lynnanne Nguyen
— Interim Chief Patti Jackson was sworn in as the new leader of the Tacoma Police Department Wednesday morning
who has held leadership roles in patrol operations and the corrections bureau
said she is still in the early stages of observing and accessing the needs of the department
"I think priority one is kind of trying to figure out what it is that I don't know
There's a lot of things that I don't even know and I don't know yet
and I think just really kind of coming in and assessing what our agency members need the most to be able to do what it is they do the best
which is serve the community," Jackson told KOMO News
adding one of her top priorities for her first few weeks on the job is to fill 22 vacant positions the department currently has
Addressing the city's crime reduction efforts
"I believe that people think that we're just going willy-nilly and that we don't have any plans and that is not accurate
We are responding to the crime that's out there and I think what we really need to do
the best plan now is being able to answer the crime
The city's crime reduction plan was a focal point during Moore's tenure
with reported successes in reducing violent crime levels
As Tacoma searches for its next permanent police chief
Jackson has shown interest in making her interim role permanent
this might not be the best fit for the department members
you need to step aside and be able to afford people an opportunity to be led the way that they deserve to be led," she said
The family of Patti Nelson created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories
You can reach us 24/7/365 at
Copyright © 2025 Snell-Zornig Funeral Homes
to the late Erick and Violet (Crass) Walbeck
where she was an accomplished clarinetist and pianist
She joined the United States Air Force where she excelled in Russian Language School in Monterrey
she was stationed as a Russian Linguist in Misawa
where she met Thomas Jackson while riding dirt bikes
The military took them to Hawaii; Virginia Beach; Maryland; London
Patti owned Suncoast Reporting and enjoyed working as a successful and well-known court reporter in downtown Pensacola
Patti also earned a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo and was extremely involved in her local dojo as both a student and an instructor.
and they built a beautiful farm outside of Marathon where they raised cattle
and experimented with innovative farming methods
They loved watching shows at the Guthrie Theater with family and friends
Patti enjoyed being an involved grandma to her beloved grandchildren
She loved manicures and shopping with Grace; indulging Tyler’s love of fishing and winter sports; talking football and getting big hugs from Jackson; and attending Joy’s theater shows in Maryland
Patti loved thrifting and lunching during her “sister” dates with her baby sister
and she was thrilled to share a sweet cat with her brother Erick.
She will truly be missed by her family and friends because she made everyone in her life feel like the most important person on earth
Patti loved Jesus Christ and trusted in him from an early age
Her tremendous faith carried her through many trials and her legacy lives on through her family who seek to follow Jesus as she did
Brett (Jeannie) Higgins and Travis (Jennifer)Higgins; grandchildren
Erick (Kay) Walbeck; as well as many nieces
She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband
A memorial service will take place at 11:00 AM
A visitation will be held from 10:00 AM until the time of services
Military honors will follow services at the funeral home
Patty will be laid to rest at Northwoods National Veteran's Cemetery at a later date.
Brainard Funeral Home and Cremation Center- Everest Chapel
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This article was featured in One Great Story, New York’s reading recommendation newsletter. Sign up here to get it nightly
I was 24 and had arrived in New York with a vague plan to make films
I ditched the film idea and found a job as a busboy at Serendipity
my desire to live in New York came from watching films
There’s a terrific scene early on in which the two leads
are out past midnight buying fruit from a sidewalk produce stand
As Sutherland reaches for some luscious-looking peaches
Fonda’s sexual desire for him explodes onto the screen
This was the exact moment when I longed to live in New York
But it wasn’t the scene’s eroticism that triggered the longing
It was the idea that you could buy fresh fruit in Manhattan after midnight
The odd thing about experiencing New York for the first time was that it seemed more like the films than the films themselves
but New York did — particularly its element of availability
Not that I needed to have an egg sandwich and a coffee at three in the morning
but knowing I could helped me sleep better
There’s a scene in the film Pennies From Heaven in which an unhappily married man who’s fallen in love with a schoolteacher asks if she’d ever consider having sex with him on an elevator floor
He doesn’t want to have sex on the elevator floor
I was working illegally and living in Queens with a couple of guys I’d met at a kibbutz three years earlier
I’d stuff whatever tips I’d made into my socks and ride the 7 train to the last stop
Needing extra money to rent an apartment in Manhattan
I found a second job as an oyster shucker at a downtown place called One Fifth
This stylish restaurant had recently opened on the ground floor of a 1920s skyscraper at 1 Fifth Avenue in Greenwich Village
One Fifth opened up a whole new world to me
I’d often wake in the middle of the night remembering the two cappuccinos that table No
a busboy called Po Ming was assigned to me
I jokingly gave him an oversize cup for the supposed abundance of tips we were going to earn that night
he silently exchanged the oversize cup for a large wine bucket
That was the moment when Po Ming and I became friends
Humor and integrity are two qualities I value above all others
and one rarely finds them in the same person
But this busboy from Communist China possessed both
Thirty-year-old Po Ming would soon become my closest friend
One Fifth’s customers were surprisingly forgiving once they heard my English accent
I then realized that in America charm played a more important role than ability
One Fifth’s owner was a radiologist called George Schwarz
Schwarz was so passionate about food and wine that in the early ’70s
Although he had no experience in the business
Schwarz trusted his own taste and each restaurant he built succeeded beyond expectation
If only Schwarz had trusted his staff as much as his taste
But he was so convinced his employees were plotting against him that Schwarz would find a reason to fire at least one of them every other week
five months after being hired at One Fifth
I became its most senior employee working in the dining room
he had a quirky sense of humor and seemed to appreciate mine
when he asked one night to have a word with me at the end of my shift
I worked for hours on some disparaging last words
I was 24 and working illegally but suddenly found myself being shot out of a circus cannon into this swanky Manhattan restaurant and being paid handsomely to manage it
Schwarz promised to sponsor me for a green card
Which is why there’s not a day goes by when I don’t fear an authority figure tapping me on the shoulder and saying
We’re putting you on the next plane back to London.”
It’s not often one likes both partners of a married couple to the same degree
Half the married couples I’m friends with I dread seeing together
they’d take me and a few other employees to dinner at a three-star restaurant
George analyzed every ingredient on his plate as if he were examining an X-ray
I learned more about food and wine from him than anyone else in the business
In the precarious world of New York restaurants
bustling dining room combined uptown glamour with downtown cool and was a forerunner to many future Manhattan restaurants
Though I’m loath to attribute changes in character to one pivotal moment — and am suspicious of people who do — I often wonder what turn my life might have taken if I hadn’t been hired at One Fifth
I think most events that have a significant effect on us are impossible to detect until years later
that I realize what a huge influence it had on me
Professional designers like to say that good design “is all about the details.” This isn’t true
Good design is all about the right details
The moment a designer’s hand becomes conspicuous
Restaurant design begins and ends with lighting
I discovered that the less overhead lighting and the more side lighting one uses
the more attractive the dining room becomes
Having many different light sources at low wattage gives a room a terrific glow
seductive lighting doesn’t compensate for tasteless food or inept service
and service never guarantee a successful restaurant
Nothing does except that strange indefinable: the right feel
the right feel can transport a customer like nothing else
One Fifth was the most fashionable restaurant in Manhattan
It opened several months after Saturday Night Live first aired on NBC
and the cast held their original after-show parties at the restaurant
I was responsible for organizing these charismatic events
and many would last until four in the morning (particularly if John Belushi was present)
It was at one of these parties that I met SNL producer Lorne Michaels
whom I’ve remained surprisingly close to ever since
My son Harry was the ring bearer at Lorne’s wedding in 1991
and my daughter Alice was named after Lorne’s wife
Mapplethorpe’s benefactor and at one point lover
lived in an apartment above the restaurant
and all three of them would eat at One Fifth together a few times a week
While Smith and Mapplethorpe had the surly appearance of young
the quietly understated Wagstaff — who was a former museum curator and exceptionally handsome — seemed to embody the patrician values of an earlier period
I found Wagstaff to be the most interesting of the three
On nights when Wagstaff wasn’t at the table
Smith and Mapplethorpe could be very difficult to wait on
It’s impossible for me to listen to a Patti Smith song today without remembering her reducing a waitress to tears because she forgot to put bread on the table
he never tried to belittle them the way Smith did
The only time I saw Mapplethorpe without his leather jacket — when the restaurant’s air conditioning broke down — he seemed strangely reduced and
but without the leather jacket he was also friendlier to the staff
I believe that without Wagstaff’s patronage
his photographs would not be as celebrated as they are today
The last time I saw the urbane Wagstaff was on the subway
We rode ten blocks together on the Lexington Avenue line one evening rush hour
Our car was so full that we stood all the way
It seemed incongruous to see someone this wealthy and refined riding the subway
Wagstaff graciously chatted throughout the journey
It was only after we parted that I realized he hadn’t said a word about himself
There are only two or three people in life that I wish I’d known better
Not long after being promoted to general manager
I noticed something vaguely interesting about a young Englishwoman who came for brunch every Sunday
She was often accompanied by several writers and always ordered the same dish: eggs Benedict
she came in alone a few minutes after the kitchen had closed
to reopen the kitchen and make her eggs Benedict
Chang refused to cook the order because it was given to him one minute after closing time
I told him that the customer came every week and besides
Chang went bananas and threw his sauté pan at me
and for the first and last time went behind the kitchen line and cooked a customer’s order
Although I made a hash of the eggs Benedict
the incident itself had rich consequences: The young woman was future Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour
and despite coming from opposite ends of the English class system
yet we’d often watch movies together in the afternoon
is the most intimate thing two people can do at that time of day
Despite my English accent and passing charm
A few days after I was promoted from waiter to maître d’
a fashion designer who was one of the restaurant’s regulars summoned me to his table
Wearing a fancy tuxedo (which I wouldn’t be seen dead in today)
I went to the table expecting a question about the wine list
the fashion designer eyed me and sneered: “The worst thing this restaurant has ever done is to make you its maître d’.”
I now had the responsibility of hiring the restaurant floor staff
seeing as I was illegal and had been working in restaurants for just five months
I was also hiring people whose jobs I knew next to nothing about
Only in America is it possible to get to the top of the heap without knowing anything about the job
Two of the people I hired would play an integral — and often complicated — role in my New York life
One was my older brother Brian and the other was my future wife Lynn Wagenknecht
Brian arrived in New York on Thanksgiving Day 1976
he came directly from midtown’s Port Authority Bus Terminal to One Fifth to meet me
It was my 28-year-old brother’s first time in New York and also his first time in a restaurant this glamorous
He’d never experienced anything as sophisticated as downtown New York and was in awe that
I seemed to have a foot in the door of Manhattan’s high life
Though well read (much more so than me) and well traveled
Brian resented the fact that he was working class and longed to escape it
New York gave him the chance to break free
I found Brian an apartment on Bleecker Street and gave him a job as a bartender at One Fifth
and it wasn’t long before he had an impressive following of downtown’s artists and intellectuals
Brian — like me — also had one foot in the door of the city’s smart life
The only trouble was that at times the opening wasn’t wide enough for both of us
I found myself sitting across from a 24-year-old woman applying for a waitress job
It was clear from her complete lack of guile that she must have been new to Manhattan
Lynn had arrived in the city six weeks earlier from the Midwest
She had long blonde hair and eyes bluer than robin’s eggs
During the interview I discovered that after graduating from Stanford
She’d come to New York with aspirations to paint and perhaps eventually teach drawing at a university but meanwhile needed a job to pay the rent
Wagenknecht to exchange a noble life in academia for a lowbrow one in restaurants
Apart from being the restaurant’s general manager
I was also its maître d’ three nights a week
This meant seating customers in the dining room
where Lynn was one of eight servers waiting tables
Lynn was a brilliant waitress — she was also completely herself when waiting tables
I was so mesmerized watching this midwestern woman work that I quickly fell in love with her
(People become strangely appealing when performing a job with skill.) The only problem was Lynn wasn’t in love with me
there was such an imbalance of affection between us that
I often refused to seat attractive men in Lynn’s section
all men become potential suitors.) I remember scanning the room one night and seeing only women seated in Lynn’s section
What excuse I gave the men for refusing them tables I’ve no idea
I had many difficult exchanges with customers
I told a pushy New Yorker — a John Gotti look-alike — that there wasn’t a table for him
but I can find out for you,” I quickly replied
My worst mistake as maître d’ was failing to recognize Ingrid Bergman
a middle-aged couple graciously asked me for a table
Because the dining room was full at the time
I asked them to wait at the bar and explained that I’d give them the next one available
The man took me aside: “You do know that the woman I’m with is Ingrid Bergman
don’t you?” Having no idea who Ingrid Bergman was (I somehow got her confused with Ingmar Bergman)
sophisticated woman standing several feet from me and just repeated my spiel about waiting at the bar
I watched the film Casablanca for the first time and saw the most beautifully dreamy actress imaginable
I felt like disappearing down the closest manhole
Anna Wintour and I saw each other regularly
she moved to Paris to live with her boyfriend Michel Esteban
a French entrepreneur who’d made a fortune in the record business
After a few months — perhaps out of loneliness — she invited me and Lynn to join her for a week
Anna and Michel took us for dinner every night
usually to some of the best brasseries and bistros in Paris — La Coupole
My favorite was a place called Chez Georges
I loved the smell of escargots drenched in butter and garlic
the waiters with starched white ankle-length aprons
Even the jug of pickled cornichons on the table
I ate ris de veau (veal sweetbreads) for the first time at Chez Georges
which for someone who’d grown up on a diet of boiled vegetables and tinned salmon was like manna from heaven
Although the aesthetically pleasing world of French bistros was a million miles away from my Bethnal Green prefab
something about the experience at Chez Georges that night struck a chord
By taking me to these incredible restaurants
Anna’s plan was to seduce me into remaining in France to work alongside her boyfriend
By the end of a long week of being treated to such terrific bistros and brasseries
I was thoroughly seduced: not by the idea of moving to Paris
but by the thought of returning to New York and
with Lynn and Brian building our own version of a Parisian brasserie
After working at One Fifth for three years
I was now legal and free to do the one thing I came to New York to do: write and direct films
and so I remained in the restaurant business
Schwarz had sponsored me for my green card
and while Schwarz was difficult to work for
it didn’t seem right to leave him the second I became legal
we had a fight over the bartenders’ schedule and I walked out
Lynn and I decided to open our own restaurant
We were fed up slogging away for other people and were anyway bursting with restaurant ideas of our own
The only area downtown we could afford was Tribeca
a neighborhood between Soho and the Twin Towers unknown to most people living above 14th Street
The real-estate broker gave us a list of three available spaces
I noticed a red neon sign that shone so brightly it could be seen from Kansas
The second we pressed our faces against one of its three enormous windows
we’d signed a 15-year lease and roped my brother Brian into being our third partner
It was Brian who came up with the idea of calling it the Odeon — growing up
Between signing the lease for the restaurant and fixing it up
While walking around a shady area outside the French Quarter
we saw a large ’30s-style neon clock in the window of a junk shop that looked perfect for our unbuilt restaurant
The only problem was there was a NOT FOR SALE sign in front of it
The eternally shy Lynn persuaded me to go in alone and make an offer
“Offer a hundred dollars but no more,” she advised
I faced an angry–looking man behind the counter
“I know the neon clock’s not for sale,” I began hesitantly
“but I’d like to make an offer of …” Before I could say “a hundred dollars,” he blurted out
That $25 neon clock was our first purchase for the Odeon and has been hanging in the same position on the wall next to the bar since October 1980
Excerpted from I Regret Almost Everything: A Memoir
by Keith McNally (to be published by Gallery Books
Patti Brown peacefully passed away from complications of ALS in Fulton
She loved to travel both in the US and abroad
She was a Rotary exchange student in Sweden for 10 months during 11th grade
Three years later she hitchhiked for 3 months throughout Europe including Yugoslavia and Greece
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OH and was so proud her birthday was on Flag Day
She was the daughter of the late Estis and Betty Lewis and had been a lifelong Shelby resident
Patti was a 1975 graduate of Shelby Senior High School and was an avid Shelby Whippet football fan
She looked forward to attending games at W
Patti worked at the Shelby Insurance Company
both those she knew as well as complete strangers
was evident as she found happiness in talking to anyone of any age
She would offer to share whatever she had with friends
Patti never met a baby or child she didn't adore and would "ogle" over the little ones
she never lost her love for candy and sweets
She had a childlike enthusiasm for life and loved to joke and laugh
She especially enjoyed spending time with her sisters and their families
always included in their gatherings and holiday celebrations
Patti’s hobbies included shopping with her sisters
She particularly enjoyed vacations in Lake Tahoe
where she would visit her sister and niece
Patti is survived by her sisters: Jean Lewis of Shelby
nieces and nephews: Theresa (Jeremy) Janszen of Chagrin Falls
and great nephews: Xavier and Calvin Janszen
Patti was preceded in death by her parents: Estis and Betty Lewis
from 10:00 -11:00 am at the Barkdull Funeral Home & Crematory
A celebration of life service officiated by Pastor Dave Davenport will be held at 11:00 am following calling hours.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Nevada Diabetes Association
https://collectcheckout.com/r/stllcauhft2afd3cw1kshm00nbwefe
Nevada Diabetes AssociationWeb: https://collectcheckout.com/r/stllcauhft2afd3cw1kshm00nbwefe
or in person at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center box office (Tues.-Thurs.
Each order is subject to a $4 per ticket processing fee
This performance is made possible through the generous support of Humes Chrysler Jeep Dodge & Ram and Knox Law
and the 2024-2025 MIAC Live season is sponsored by Alan & Patti Schaal and VNET
with additional support from the Greater Erie Alliance for Equality and the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority
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LuPone appeared on the "Coven" and "NYC" seasons of the FX anthology series