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Jeanne
Jeanne was born in a small town in northeastern Washington
near the Canadian border... Her father, George Washington Duncan, a World War I
veteran was working in a lumber camp where he met Jeanne’s mother... Jeanne’s
life from the beginning was austere, and for years afterward Jeanne and her
family lived in near poverty... Even when Jeanne’s mother remarried, the
family had very little... They lived in small towns, and for quite some time
lived on a farm... Little to do there, and Jeanne developed a passion for
reading, a pleasure she still enjoys, reading four or five books each week...
She's smart, Jeanne is, and I'd like to think she can take care
of herself in any situation... I hope she will after I'm gone...I've told the
kids she'll probably need help, and if they don't respond to her needs, I'll
come back and haunt them...
Jeanne got her education late in life, just as I did... After I
retired from the Navy, I attended college working on a degree in Political
Science... Hardly any money during those years, and Jeanne took in ironing
besides caring for two young boys and two baby girls... She was wonderful, and I
wouldn't have been able to complete my education without her devotion...
When I finished undergraduate school and got a job, Jeanne started school...
She was a great student, and it is too bad she wasn't able to go to college when
she was younger... But she got a BA in Theatre, with a minor in Psychology... In
a few years she would attend graduate school in Washington, DC and get her
Masters in Social Work... She has been a social worker since that time, and if I
might say, a very good and competent one... She is admired for her work by
colleagues and superiors alike, and has an excellent relationship with her
clients...
Jeanne is a great Mom, sometimes I think too good, because no matter what the
situation is with our kids, they can count on Mom to be there for them... I'm
there, too, but often times I respond to their needs with a great deal of
skepticism... No question, though, if I were one of those kids I'd certainly
want Jeanne for my Mom...
Jeanne and I have a superb relationship... We are sincerely interested in
each other, and will never tire of each other's company... There are a great
many recreational activities that we enjoy doing together... Notably, theatre
and travel... Those activities have given us our greatest pleasure... At last
count we've attended over 600 plays during the past 25 years... And then our
travels, which lately have been on cruise ships, have provided us with lasting
memories, exciting times, and warm friendships with people we've met...
I hope this is the autumn of our lives... I do not want a winter...
In 1961 we lost our beloved Pennie... Leukemia... This lovely fifteen
year-old teenager was taken from us... Just three months prior to her death, she
was diagnosed with the disease for which there was no known cure... Her mother
and I were shattered, we couldn't comprehend this tragedy... Neither of us had
ever faced such a tragic event before... Jeanne was heartbroken and devastated;
but it appeared that I was handling this terrible situation better than she...
However, I never accepted the reality that Pennie was going to die... As I stood
by her bedside in the hospital and she spent her last few minutes fighting for
life or death, I could not believe she would die... I was in denial up to the
very last moment of her life...
Pennie was buried in Golden Gate Cemetery near San Francisco... Her grave
will also be the final resting-place for her mother and me when our time has
come...
It's not a natural thing for a child to precede their parents in death, and
it hurts... The hurt will never heal, and we will never forget our Pennie...
Each and every day we pray for the repose of her soul...
Shannon
Soft as a kitten, and just as lovable... This lovely young lady has had more
than her share of problems, mostly as a result of severe medical conditions... It
has been difficult for her to overcome these setbacks, but her perseverance and
courage has prevailed... A few years ago, while working as a home care
professional, she fell in love with Aaron Faust, one of her patients... This
young man had been severely injured in a surfing accident which left him
paralyzed... He has been a quadriplegic since the accident...
Shannon and Aaron married in November of 1994, with the sincere blessings
from Aaron's parents, as well as Jeanne and me... Shannon knew at the time of
her marriage that she was assuming a very heavy burden, one that would require
nearly a total commitment to Aaron in order to provide the love and care he
needs...
It's been rough for Shannon, and for Aaron, too... Aaron is a great guy;
smart, intelligent, and reasonable... He has trained himself to use a computer,
can type 15 to 20 words a minute using a mouth stick, and from time to time
takes college courses... Nothing wrong with this guy's brain, it's just his
paralysis that gets in the way of his leading a somewhat normal and productive
life...
One cannot help but loving Shannon... She has a wonderful personality, she is
kind and considerate, and has a deep, sincere love for her family...
When Shannon finally conquers problems that continue to trouble her (and I am
confident she will), she will certainly have a happy and tranquil life...
Neither Shannon nor Aaron deserve any repetition of their tragic pasts... Jeanne
and I love them dearly, and pray for them each and every day...
Janine
Here is a piece of work... No question about it, she is her own person,
but she is often times her own worst enemy... Ever since she was a little girl
she has had a penchant for perfection... No matter how hard her mother and I
tried, she refused to settle for anything less than perfect... Especially with
her schoolwork, no one could convince her that perfection wasn't always the best
way to accomplish a goal... In seventh grade, she missed a spelling word -- the
first spelling mistake she'd ever made -- and she was devastated... I can still
remember the word she misspelled -- "lieutenant." Janine probably has
not forgotten it either...
But Janine is mellowing lately, thinking better of herself, and enjoying life
a little more... She is a loving, caring person... Very generous and kind,
especially with her family...
But don't cross Janine... If you do, she'll fight like a tiger... She's
extremely loyal, but has difficulty forgiving people who have mistreated her...
I do not see this as a blemish on her character, but rather a reflection of the
way she is and the strength of her beliefs...
Janine married John Palmer in June of 1989... For the reception Janine chose
to have a string quartet play for part of the evening... This quartet was
comprised of young students from China, who learned that the infamous Tiananmen
Square riots were taking place in Beijing as they were playing... These talented
musicians, not knowing whether or not their friends or relatives had survived
the brutality, played magnificently, pausing between selections to wipe away
tears... I mention this event because Janine, a truly sensitive person in her
own right, shared her moment with these young people from China, caring as much
for their plight, as she cared for herself on that important day in her life...
John Palmer and Janine Weston are happy, they love each other, are reasonably
successful in their chosen professional careers, and certainly know that Jeanne
and I love them dearly...
Bill and Mike
These Weston Family pages would not be complete without prominent mention of
Bill and Mike, my sons... Bill is pictured above with his pride and joy, a 1967
Impala... And Mike is shown as the clown he always was... Be sure to check out
my Circus page on this site for some stuff on Mike... No question, they have
inherited their intelligence, their intellectual capacity, and an abundance of
great qualities from their Mom... And me? I just hung around...
Case in point... When they were little, they got connected with Mensa, that
group that prides itself on being so smart their measured IQ's are off the
chart... All well and good, except my boys found out early on that Mensa members
were snobs, who because of their superior IQ's didn't want anything to do with
rest of the mortals in the world... We untouchables...
Well that was enough for my boys, and to their credit they bailed out of that
organization fast!
Wisdom? These guys, who had the capacity to be wise, didn't apply themselves
wisely in many situations and that potential for wisdom lay dormant... Not so
anymore... I see wise choices, wise actions, other examples of wisdom being
manifested in their everyday lives...
And yet, perhaps a quote from one who was truly wise is appropriate:
That which seems the height of absurdity for one generation
often becomes the height of wisdom for the next. -- John Stuart Mill
Bill, my oldest, is recovering from a stroke, and I'm so proud of his
determination to rehabilitate himself... He is overcoming physical problems,
making an effort toward rehabilitation , and as difficult as it may be,
maintaining a positive outlook... A remarkable person, Bill...
And Mike... Ahh yes... The laid back, devil may care, slow starter... What of
him? This guy has always had a most remarkable gift for charming everyone he
comes in contact with... But he doesn't just hang out and sit on his charming
behind... He is physically active, getting out and about, and thoroughly
enjoying life... How this guy manages to read four or five books a week, keep up
on almost every happening on the planet, promote domestic tranquility within his
home, and be truly happy, I'll never know... And he loves animals! Given that,
he can't be all bad, right?
To better understand Mike, his personality and his character, access his
website by clicking
here... You'll be glad you
did...
David and Shari
David, a retired IBM employee is happily
married to a lovely girl... Shari has a sweet personality, is smart, and loves
her home and husband... David is one lucky guy! David and Shari golf, take
care of their dog, Bandit, and a cute kitty... Here is a bonus picture of Shari
and Bandit...
Recently, David and Shari undertook an ambitious project and
completely modernized and upgraded their kitchen... As a proud parent, I
inspected the job when it was 95% complete and gave them a very high mark...
David and Shari deserve all the best... We love them both...
Sister Harriette, Mom, Dad, and Me
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