a MAY DAY to remember…

1-year + anniversary post for Maureen Helene (Shapiro) Thompson

                                                                   

When I semi-recently learned from Peter Thompson that he had commissioned a sculpture in memory of Maureen and was working to get it placed in a public garden in their hometown (The Palomares House and park in Fallbrook, CA) I thought that a most worthy endeavor. I hope to see it someday, and want to THANK Peter and family for sharing some of their precious moments & thoughts of this very special person...

 

Located at The Palomares House in Fallbrook, CA

http://www.recreationparks.net/CA/san-diego/palomares-house-and-park-fallbrook

3 generations: maureen, Adrieene & Bea

Many of you “really” knew Maureen Helene (Shapiro) Thompson, and were touched by her life. Me? Not as much: I certainly didn’t know about her many accomplishments post-Burbank High School (keep reading), or that she’d become an accomplished Baroque recorder player, her favorite composers were Bach, Handel, Mozart, & Telemann, or that she’d performed at the San Luis Rey Mission with “Ancient Airs Consort.” I’m afraid our ships passed-in-the-night a long, long time ago. (BTW- a sample of her beloved genre of music is found via the link at the bottom of this post)

I found the story of Peter & Maureen heartwarming: he was in the Royal Air Force 1967-70, then he “Met Maureen 2 weeks after I was out. She was hitchhiking, I gave her a ride. 4 days later quit my new job, sold my car, bought a backpack, & went with her. Longest time we were ever apart from that 1st. day was the 3 weeks she was in the hospital before she died.”  Maureen, “here is lookin’ at you kid…”   (family photos courtesy of Peter R. Thompson)

                                         

Dear Maureen:

When I first glimpsed the photo of you from the early 90’s “down unda” (shown in the 3/22 post), I was speechless (yep, still after all these years): my 1^st reaction was “OMG, I know this lady… and not from high school.” I was sure that this Ranger had re-met you via some later connection: maybe the National Interpreter’s Workshop (in San Diego in ’88 and I coordinated the educational media awards competitions). Fire: how about when I was the Safety Officer for the Angeles/Cleveland Incident Management Team? Surely, not while doing special investigations? Then again, I was building a rep as a recoverer of “lost & stolen” scared objects & art (repatriating our patrimony), and I understand you were a patron of the arts. Or, maybe it was sometime when you and Peter sailed into an exotic port and I was making bubbles (diving @ GBR, Bonaire, Caymans, Fiji? Many possibilities). Truth is I lost touch with you a long time ago and it appears you continued your journey into being a remarkable person: spouse, mother, aunt, teacher, cultivator, musician/artist, sailor- lover of life.

As I told your husband (Peter): “Its’ not like we had an ‘I know you're out there somewhere’ (Moody Blues) relationship by any means (or creative stretch of the imagination), but just the thought of you being out there, cheering up lives, always made me feel better.” I miss that. Peter (BTW- seems like a great guy) has shared some photographs of the family that are seen throughout this post. Anyway, here is to you-n-yours Maureen!

                                                                                    

Kevin, Maureen, Peter & Adrienne

You have been, and will be, well remembered by many. Thinking about you, my memories are from long-ago at Burbank High School. Some recollections include: you were a young energetic effervescent being with sparkling eyes and a smile that warmed hearts & cast light upon the shadows; your mom was Bea(utiful) and it was easy to see you would be too; I think you know that I was but one of scores of young boys that had a crush on you; I recall the warmth you brought to Mr. LiPera’s Eastern Civilization class;  bumping into you once on the beach- you were with the Rupprecht sisters & Andrea Foley (?);our conversations were always very brief (though sometimes memorable); we almost had a date once- due to the actions of a friend (and a plot worthy of a “coming of age movie” or a covert operations plan). You cancelled…and we both went our ways traveling towards the loves of our lives: You with Peter… and me with Meme (Mary K. Medici)*; I still pinch myself when thinking about my invitation to visit me in Montana 36-years ago and she said “yes.”

Looking at the postings of your obit from a year ago, it was easy to see you had many interests that touched people: counting-coup in positive ways. A mother to Kevin & Adrienne, a life-partner to Peter, a teacher to so many, it has been noted that you were also an accomplished gardener/grower, musician, and sailor of seas.

Let’s revisit some of those memories:

Mrs. Thompson was my daughter's sixth grade Math Teacher. My daughter finally understood the Math thanks to Mrs. Thompson….was always there for her students, talk about being engaged and involved, WOW! This must be such a shock for all of the Thompson's, and Friends I will miss seeing Mrs. Thompson, and I really feel that she has made a mark on everyone with whom she frolicked. My heart weeps for her kids, if she was such a divine Teacher, imagine what kind of Wife and Mother she was. Oh my this is really sad.( Mama C)

My family was lucky to know Maureen. She was inspirational in so many ways. My daughter Jaclyn learned how to play Santana on the recorder from Maureen. She was a force of light on this earth that will be missed. My blessings to the whole family.  (Jennifer C)

I will always remember Maureen's infectious smile, her deep laugh, and her love of life. Truly, we have lost a wonderful soul. This lovely lady will be missed in so many ways, but in so many ways she will never be forgotten. My love to Peter, Kevin, Adrienne and the rest of the family. (Amy)

My friendship with Maureen was 'born' in 9th grade at John Muir Jr. Hi in Burbank during the early 1960's. Her wonderful mom, Bea took us on trips to Yosemite, Laguna, Mammoth and Squaw Valley. Maureen and I shared time in NYC seeing a play and visiting a World's Fair. We were room mates for a while in UC Stanislaus. She was my maid-of-honor and godmother to my daughter. I remember visiting Fallbrook days after Kevin was born. We always kept in touch over the years and miles. My heart is broken at our loss. (Dale [Michel] Flint)

                                                                                       

A memorial (statue) says a lot about a person and the impact they had on people; it says even more about those that commission the work in order to remember. Looks like you had a prince in Peter. (He tells me his therapy is staying busy and that the recent Ensenada yacht race was “very sobering.”)

                                                    

On March 10^th I chaired a college tennis match between BYU & UNM, and noticed that one of the players for BYU was a freshman from Fallbrook, CA; I couldn’t help but imagine that he “could” have been a student of yours and prospered in part due to your positive spirit.

You know, there is a theoretical physics hypothesis that says there are parallel universes where everything that is possible… is. I believe that you are out there somewhere, and I can even picture you and Peter sailing exotic places (with him singing this Dan Fogelberg [another sailor] ballad to you):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U979UYoZA7I

BTW- I think you would’ve liked this music too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2_TTKk7Us0

*- As you know, I was working at Petra when you sailed-on… the location used for Indiana Jones to encounter The Holy Grail (I still tell folks that it is safe & being protected by the Grail Guardian Knight). When I think of you & Peter and Meme & I, I think the knight would tell us: “You have chosen wisely.”