We met at the Fourth of July Whing Ding in Greenfield NH in 1963. He was off to Harvard and I was still in high school We dated for three years, then went our separate ways. He got married, moved to Rochester NY, became a teacher, had a daughter, got divorced, and in the 1980s began using computers in education.
We reconnected in 1990, I moved to Rochester, and we got married in 1994. He continued teaching and running EduTech, his software and desktop publishing business. He didn’t know he loved birds, flowers, and creatures of the forest. Over the years he relaxed and began to have fun: nature photography, kayaking, gardening, easy hikes, and traveling.
We moved to Beebe Farm in Albany County, NY in 2002 to be closer to our families, including his daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren in NJ. John became involved in community projects, craft fairs, a barn quilt trail, and the historical society. We co-authored Helderberg Hilltowns for Arcadia Publishing.
When we retired and moved to Midcoast Maine in 2015, John took up the bass ukulele. Through his genealogical research, we developed a class “Preserving and Sharing Your Family History” for senior colleges. Life has slowed down somewhat for him, although he exercises at the Y, goes for walks, and plays his uke. Don’t try to beat Mr. Math at cribbage!
We reconnected in 1990, I moved to Rochester, and we got married in 1994. He continued teaching and running EduTech, his software and desktop publishing business. He didn’t know he loved birds, flowers, and creatures of the forest. Over the years he relaxed and began to have fun: nature photography, kayaking, gardening, easy hikes, and traveling.
We moved to Beebe Farm in Albany County, NY in 2002 to be closer to our families, including his daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren in NJ. John became involved in community projects, craft fairs, a barn quilt trail, and the historical society. We co-authored Helderberg Hilltowns for Arcadia Publishing.
When we retired and moved to Midcoast Maine in 2015, John took up the bass ukulele. Through his genealogical research, we developed a class “Preserving and Sharing Your Family History” for senior colleges. Life has slowed down somewhat for him, although he exercises at the Y, goes for walks, and plays his uke. Don’t try to beat Mr. Math at cribbage!
Key to fabrics and findings
- Apple, Geometry, Graph Paper: Taught biology, chemistry, computers, math, and physics
- Arrow: Order of the Arrow rank in Boy Scouts
- BASIC for Science: Wrote a programming guide
- Beads, Christmas Lights: Loves bling, lights, prisms, rainbows, and sparkly things
- Birds, Birdhouses, Hummingbird: Loves to feed and watch them
- Blueberries: On his cereal every morning
- Books: Listens to recorded books; has written several books about his family
- Butterfly, Flowers, Ladybug, Shears: Extensive flower gardens in Rochester and at Beebe Farm
- Candy Corn, Ice Cream, Starlight Mint: Favorites
- Cards: “15-2,15-4, 15-6…”
- Cat: Raised championship cats at one time
- Cityscape: Cambridge MA, Rochester NY
- Cornell: Alma mater of daughter and son-in-law, grandson currently attends
- Doorway, Gnome: His fairy garden was filled with little people and woodland creatures
- EduTech: His educational software and desktop publishing company
- Eisenhower News: President Eisenhower visited the 1960 Boy Scout Jamboree in Colorado
- Elephant: His parents traveled extensively after their retirement
- Flamingo: We got married on Captiva Island FL
- Football: Played in high school, loyal to his Buffalo Bills
- Fox, Owl: Country life agrees with him
- Gear: Always thinking and creating
- Guitar Picks: For his ukulele
- Hex Sign: He painted 8’x8’ wooden barn quilts in traditional and fanciful designs
- i-Net+: Co-authored several textbooks
- Jigsaw Puzzle: Doesn’t need the picture to put one together
- L. L. Bean Buttons and Tag, Red Flannel: Never without his flannel shirt
- Lego: Lego, Lincoln Logs, Lite-Bright, gyroscopes, magnets, bubbles
- Lighthouse, Lobstah: Our condo in a small Maine town is perfect for retirement
- Massachusetts: Grew up in the Bay State
- Music, Records: Listens to music always and has an enormous collection of recordings
- New Jersey: Home to his daughter Heather and family
- Pencils: He writes and makes plans
- Plug: Computers have been a big part of his life for nearly 40 years
- Popcorn: The real reason for going to the movies
- Screwdriver, Tape Measure: Handyman
- Squirrel with Flower (center): Sweet and kind of shy, just like him
- Stone Heart, Spaceship: Started painting "friendship rocks" during the Pandemic
- VERITAS: Harvard, a family tradition for generations; granddaughter currently attends
Construction Details::
This is a “people” panel. The Folded Star around the center gives way to Pine Burr outer rows. I machine-stitched the guitar picks to fabric triangles, then embroidered them down.
This is a “people” panel. The Folded Star around the center gives way to Pine Burr outer rows. I machine-stitched the guitar picks to fabric triangles, then embroidered them down.
Copyright Jane McLean, 2023