On Saturday, November 29th, from noon to 4 pm, Terry and I will host an open house wake in memory of my parents, Bill and Genie Calkins. My parents, "the Captain" and first-mate Genie, purchased the Milton Moore house at 741 Lynds Hill Rd in 1984, made some renovations and additions, and retired to Vermont in 1987. The Captain became involved in the Plymouth community soon after. For over a decade, he could be daily seen walking to the Notch post office with his faithful companion, JoJo, a spirited border collie, where he would chat with other Notch residents. For years, the Captain also participated in the old weekly Saturday recycling program. The Captain became known for his delicious carrot cake which he frequently made for the group's weekly potluck.
My mother, First Mate Genie, was not as outgoing as my dad, but she put her nursing training to work while serving a term as Plymouth's Health Officer, and she was a source of steady friendship and help to a small circle of close friends in the area.
Bill and Genie lived and worked overseas. As a young woman, my mother was very adventurous and wanted to see the world. Together, she and I traveled throughout Europe, East Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Central America. In their travels, my parents picked up many wonderful artifacts and had some great adventures. If you knew my father, you know that the Captain turned many of his experiences into sea yarns readily told to entertain his friends, as well as to amuse chance acquaintances.
The First Mate died in August of 2012. The Captain died in July of 2014. In keeping with their wishes, we buried them in a private family ceremony. But we know they are missed by many Plymouth townspeople, many of whom have shared remembrances and condolences with us. In my parents' honor, we invite Plymouth residents and other friends of the family who wish to do so to join us in an informal gathering of friends and neighbors, to greet one another and to see if I can do as good a job of making Bill's carrot cake as he did! Our home, so lovingly built by my parents, will be open from noon to 4 pm on Saturday, November 29th. You are welcome to stop by at any time during those hours.
--Willow Bascom
672.5390
willowbascom@gmail.com
Oct 26 to 27, 2024
Arts and Crafts Fair at Reading GreenhouseOct 26, 2024, 10 AM to 4 PM
Story Time at the LibraryOct 30, 2024, 10 to 11 AM