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Comments from the guestbook

Name:    Adrienne & Mike Malley
Email:    mikad{at}comcast.net
Where are
you from:    Ann Arbor, MI
Comments:    We knew George and Jane from the pepita in Cozumel. We sure miss them down there.
 September 8, 2006 18:15:12 (GMT Time)
 
Leon and Marion Despres
by snail mail
Chicago
Dear Friends;
I was saddened to read that George Mather died and that therefore I would not see him again. In my days at Montgomery Place, we were messmates (lunch companions). At each meal, we enjoyed each other's company. I enjoyed his intellect, knowledge, wit and irreverence, which I shared.
My caretaker and I enjoyed his outdoor activities. His pigeon friends, although mute, must miss his open-handedness dreadfully.
He was a person of enormously rich internal resources.
We miss him.
Sincerely,
Len Despres
July 26, 2006 
[Leon Despres, now 98 years old, is the legendary independent Chicago Alderman who stood alone against Mayor Richard J Daley.] 
 
 
Pat and Lee Leibik
shuey{at}telus.net
Vancouver,B.C. & Chicago (Hyde Park) & Evanston
Comments: I can't actually remember meeting George for the first time - but we knew him a long time.And since George always liked me (which I found very flattering!) we always liked George-and dear Jane - who we've known even longer. We were sad to learn of George's death and send all the family our sympathy. A donation was made to B.C. Children's Hospital in George's memory.
With love, Pat & Lee
July 30, 2006 01:26:30 (GMT Time)
 
 
Mark Mather
nwmipi{at}charter.net
Pentwater Originally, Now Traverse City
Comments: I am so sorry to hear of "Uncle" George's passing. In fact, I went past the Pentwater place last Monday night and saw lights on inside, and planned on stopping by next week to inquire about "Uncle George." I met "Uncle George" somewhere between 1975 and 1978 in Pentwater. I was tending bar at the Antler Bar, then owned by Don and Wanda Baker. I had many fine conversations with him there on quiet afternoons, and looked forward to seeing him working in the garden later in years, when I would stop by for a quick hello. Christine was quite young when I met her. My condolences to your family. Mark Mather
 July 15, 2006 20:11:39 (GMT Time)

 
I first became acquainted with George when I was trying to get a siesta at Hotel Pepita, having partied all night and then some as was my wont in my careless youth when on vacation in Cozumel. George's basso profundo voice from the courtyard, shaking the walls of the hotel and giving all the sleeping devils and angels fits, made that siesta hope impossible. Being a clever lass, I reasoned that I needed to make friends with the loud lout to get him to keep it down a bit so I could recover. And so I met George and Jane and was initiated into the Hotel Pepita happy hour parties - which far outdid any of the mischief that was keeping me up at all hours. And George's origami gifts became a highlight of my life - especially the Santa Claus. Jane seduced my good opinion with chocolate-covered ginger. I fell hopelessly in love with the two of them. I too am a teacher of English - at Austin Community College - and a mad artist with a CD of outrageous tunes in praise of the re   ...[?]
Tina McGaughey
 tinamack{at}austin.rr.com
 Austin,Texas
July 5, 2006 22:28:47 (GMT Time)
I was so very, very sorry to hear the sad news about George. As a child, I was charmed and a little bit alarmed by him -- charmed by his readiness to engage in decidedly un-grown-up-like fun and a little bit alarmed by the abandon with which he did so. I remember watching anxiously from the doorway of his and Jane's bedroom as he and Christine lay on their backs on the bed, pumping their bare feet in the air and roaring "Feet! Feet! Feet, feet, FEET! THAT is the SONG that the FOOT soldiers sing!" For a shy six-year-old, it was all too much.

And I vividly remember one New Year's Eve that we spent at the apartment on Blackstone when I was nine years old. At some stage during the evening, George decided to take me and Christine out for a walk. We were all carrying toy horns (the kind that unfurl and make a rude tooting noise when you blow into them), and George terrified me by tootling his horn loudly at every passerby we met, encouraging us two girls to do likewise. 

A 'Quiet, Please' sign in the window of a bookstore we passed was far too provocative to resist: We all paused, faced the sign and tootled with vigour while I quaked in my rubber boots, fearing that a policeman would come around the corner and arrest us for disobeying the rules. 

We walked on to Lab School, where George asked me the name of my teacher. "Virginia Kuhn," I whispered. "Here's to Virginia!" shouted George, and tooted his horn. He asked Christine the names of her teachers (having ascended to the giddy heights of middle school, she had more than one), but she prudently refused to divulge this information. This didn't deter George: "Here's to Christine's math teacher!" he bellowed. "Here's to Christine's English teacher! (toot!) Here's to Christine's science teacher! (toot!) …."

I can recall the whole scene with perfect clarity. It was one of the best New Year's Eves I've ever had.

How wonderful of Penney to set up the website -- I learned many things about George that I didn't know before, loved the photographs, and was both heartened and saddened by the various postings on the condolences page. I wish so much that I'd had the technological knowhow to set up something similar when my mother died in January 2004. 

Jane's letters, which she sent almost daily, cheered my mother immensely during her last days in hospital, and were such a help and consolation to me at a very tough time. I'm terribly sorry that owing to distance and distraction I haven't reciprocated with the same level of thoughtfulness. My heart goes out to all of you.

Sarah Allen McQuaid
(from Chicago, now living in County Wexford, Ireland)


Sarah McQuaid
10 Village Gate
Ballycanew
Gorey
Co. Wexford
Ireland
Tel (mobile): +353 86 827 3810

 

 

 

Condolences from:

Rita Johnson Lowe
rlowe{at}ccc.edu

 Harold Washington College - CIS Dept.- retired

July 5, 2006 06:08:51 (GMT Time)

 

 


I met George through Jane before they were married and well remember the night he helped me break into my own apartment because the babysitter was so sound asleep we couldn't wake her. After calling the Chicago cops and telling them I was breaking into my own apartment (!!), he carefully taped the glass in the door so it wouldn’t shatter and all fall out, he cut the glass like a professional burglar, lifted it out, opened the door and we were in.  It’s one of many memories of his inventive helpfulness.

I will miss his wise and sometimes sardonic comments and observations.  He was a pleasure to know.  My love to all the family but especially Jane – we’ve been through many of life’s passages together but this is one of the hardest even though inevitable.

Beverly Williams
 bevieata{at}sbcglobal.net

 N.California to Chicago to Austin, Texas

June 29, 2006 21:47:20 (GMT Time) 

 

 

I visited George at Montgomery Place for a week. I enjoyed feeding the pigeons with George and talking about Chicago politics.  We also talked about Terry Patchett, as I remember.  I enjoyed the conversations greatly.

 

Paul Elmore
elmore{at}svn.net

Marshall, CA

June 27, 2006 

 

George did indeed love babies and I will always remember the joy with which he greeted my first, Daniel Hollander. I saw a new side:  gentle, loving, happy. George also taught my kids how to shoot a gun responsibly, one of my fondest memories of him in Pentwater, a visit also graced by amazing mushrooms. I had full confidence that they were not poisonous as George knew things that grow. Dahlias in the yard in Pentwater shine for me as well.   

Liz Hollander
Email:    ehollander{at}compact.org
Where are
you from:    Chicago and Providence
 
June 25, 2006 14:25:38 (GMT Time)

 

I had to pause for a few days to remember my colleague, friend, office partner, and sometimes protector. I remember him as an on-time kind of guy. He arrived at the college at the same time everyday, which, no doubt, meant to him on time. He always started his classes on time,  left the college on time to arrive at Jimmy's on schedule.

Della Burt-Bradley Email:    dbbradley{at}aol.com
Where are
you from:    Harold Washington College
 

    June 26, 2006 18:28:27 (GMT Time)
 

 

We loved his sense of humor. he always enjoyed a prank or two when he was here.  He was diplomatic,kind and a gentleman. The roses and day lillies are in bloom at the Mathers'    house.

pam and tom mcguire
Email:    walker1{at}core.com
Where are y ou from:    pentwater, mi

June 26, 2006 22:47:59 (GMT Time)

 

 

I fondly remember George from the '70's when I sat and talked with him at Jimmy's. I loved his stories. My longtime companion, Ken Laitinen, (who died in January) told many more stories of his adventures with George and Jane in Pentwater. One in particular involved Ken's purchase of a large carved loon, which George carried around to a local bar. My sympathies to Jane and the rest of the family. 

Gerry KettersonEmail:    GKetterson{at}aol.comWhere are
you from:    Currently in Park Ridge, IL
 June 26, 2006 

My condolences to your family, Jane.
We are in England now--but our thoughts are with you. I think I met you before I met George; but I enjoyed the company of you both.
eunice and bill rosen    rosen (highland park, il)

June 23, 2006

  
    I send my condolences to Ms. Jane Mather and family. May George rest in peace.
Pamela Walker's daughter.
    Jennifer Partington (Chicago, IL )
jenniferpartington{at}yahoo.com

June 22, 2006

   
    My condolences to Mrs. Mather and her family. May George now REST IN PEACE.
    Former U of C Hospital roommate.

June 21, 2006
 

 

Name:    Raymonda Johnson
Email:    <raymondajohnson{at}mac.com>
Where are
you from:    Chicago
Comments:    George taught us younger faculty at Harold Washington College so many lessons about what was really important about life and teaching--and more importantly about what was not important. His sometimes gruff comments were always heard with the gentle humanity he possessed. I wish I had known more of his love for flowers and gardening. It fits.
    June 22, 2006 03:49:46 (GMT Time)

 

June 20, 2006
My deepest sympathy to Mrs. Mather and family. It was a pleasure and honor to know George.

Kelly - Mongomery Place Nurse

Kelly Weston - Knutson (Chicago, IL ) kknutson{at}montplace.com 

 

Name: Bob Deaver
Email:    doctrbob1{at}aol.com
Comments:    I was very saddened to hear of Mr. Mather's passing.

June 20, 2006 18:16:03 (GMT Time)

 

Name:    Penney Hills
Email:    pchills{at}msn.com
Where are
you from:    Grand Junction, Colorado
Comments:    What a wonderful wake-site! Lucky George, to have such weddingful, baby-making family--why does he look suspicious? Or maybe about to say something funny. I remember him almost always reading. That summer I drove Jane and George from Chicago to Pentwater, the servitor fainted instead of fixing the leak in the bathroom. It was OK. George was AOK, and much loved. Lucky man.
    June 20, 2006 02:59:54 (GMT Time)

 

Name:    Paul Hruban
Email:    zhruban{at}midway.uchicago.edu
Where are
you from:    Hyde Park
Comments:    I remember sitting next to George at Jimmy's once and he asked me what I thought of religion.  After I had answered, he said,  "That's not what I would have said at all, but I agree completely."  That's the kind of wonderful and challenging friend George was.  I hope nature does in fact abhor the vacuum. 

June 18, 2006 20:02:45 (GMT Time)

 

Name:    tom and pat mchugh

Email:    patmchugh1{at}charter.netWhere areyou from:    Pentwater, Michigan

Comments:    Our earliest recollection of George was when he walked into the bank one day and had just sprayed his roses but missed the roses and sprayed his eyes. He was quite a mess!..Christine was with him and we quickly arranged a ride to the hospital for a visit to repair the bad eye. From this moment on over 25 yrs ago...we would catch up every summer to compare notes on the last yr..what had transpired with each of our families...He truly loved his Pentwater home..and he was well known by everyone as the man out in his garden every day working on his roses!..with the farmers hat on!! We just live two doors down from the home and do enjoy checking on the house as we pass back and forth... Every time we look at our day lilies out front we think of the day George brought over a big white bucket with 20 plants in them..and he said..Plant them and they will spread nicely for you...Was he ever right!!..we just keep spreading and spreading the day lilies..all over the property now..We constantl    June 18, 2006 18:44:19 (GMT Time)

 

Name:    Rev. Dr. Robert Petite

Email:    rpetite{at}montplace.com

Where areyou from:    Chicago

Comments:    I was very sorry to have been away from Montgomery Place when Mr. Mather died. I would have liked to have been a support to Mrs. Mather. Over the years George and I had struck up a very pleasant friendship, mostly around things we had read. I was also always very impressed by George    June 18, 2006 13:59:32 (GMT Time)

 

Name:    Michael Brehm and Susan Phillips

Email:    mabrehm{at}sbcglobal.net

Where areyou from:    5701 S. Blackstone Ave

 June 17, 2006 20:17:27 (GMT Time)

 

Name:    Kimberly McPherson

Email:    kimmypond{at}yahoo.com

Where areyou from:    Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada

Comments:    I really looked up to George. He made a lasting impression on me in a short time. George is my Grandfa. When I think of him, I imagine him in Pentwater. Sitting in his chair reading with his bird on his glasses reading with him. He taught me alot in 2 summer visits to Pentwater at age 12 & 14. Took me on walks, educated me on poison ivy and roses.(Thank You). He had lots of patience with me and could some how relate to my awkward young age. I have many funny memories (good times) with Grandfa. He will surely be missed by me. My heart goes out to Grandma, Penney, Dylan, and Christine    June 16, 2006 11:48:04 (GMT Time)