Jean’s Memorial Service contains her obituary and words of remembrance from many.
The year Jean Long joined the ICA Global Archives team…I can’t even remember the year. It always seemed like she had been there forever. Paul and I were very excited, along with the rest of the archive team, when Terry announced that Jean would be moving to Chicago. Her presence was much anticipated and lifted our spirits.
It is wonderful to hear all of your memories of Jean. Thank you…. Jean kept the archive team on its toes. One of her MUST HAVES in the archive space…a square table whenever possible, with decor in the center of the table…ALWAYS a colorful cloth, something growing, even a small piece of growing “greenness” in a tiny vase, a piece of international decor and a candle. And.. she was particular about processes in the archive…”be sure you put an orange paper in the files whenever you take a file out of a drawer.” She took great delight in throwing out unnecessary files that seem to continually accumulate in the archive space. She did not operate easily in the electronic universe and readily gave “us” notice that she was NOT going to dive in to learning how to do everything in cyberspace. She did like email and the archive team “hangovers” as she called the Archives Advisory Council (AAC) weekly on-line meetings. She had strong opinions on most everything…and the team listened. She was the anchor of the archive sojourns, welcoming everyone who could spend time working in the archives with open arms. She handled all the logistics, meal arrangements with Alice, orchestrated housing for everyone and was always up early to put on the coffee. She sat in the same chair, in the same spot during pre-sojourn preparation meetings where she oversaw those who came in early as we created a long list of “to-dos” to keep us out of trouble the weekend before the sojourn.
Two tasks she took upon herself to make sure they got done:
Guiding a team of herself, Marge Philbrook and Sally Fenton to make sure every page of every publication was scanned, then instructed Wendell to put it all on line.
Building the ICA Book Collection – if you have written a book, you no doubt got a request from Jean to “send in your book.” Well…
Every year, since I can remember, Paul and I would keep in touch with Jean as we drove to Chicago. Each time we arrived we would unload “stuff” as quickly as possible and call Jean to meet in the lobby and go to dinner around the corner at DIBs. The last few years Frank Knutson joined us and the four of us would laugh, gossip and talk about the current sojourn.
Journey on…all of us
~~ Beret and Paul
Jean will remain on my meditative council forever as one of the most intentional/decisional women I’ve ever known. During the years we spent together in Denver, Jean worked as an administrative assistant in the Law Dept at University of Denver. She made sure that all the young law students she encountered got the popular preaching version of RS-1. When she received funds from the Order retirement investment, she spent the money on a trip to India to revisit villages she had worked with and to underwrite a Profound Journey seminar for colleagues in Denver. When she discerned that it was time to move on from Denver she embraced the GreenRise community as where she wanted to live forever. Many thanks to colleagues who helped Jean complete her journey. Jean created a life that was a gift to so many people.
~~ Catherine Welch
Spot on, Catherine! Been thinking about you, dear JEAN … for hours! I will never forget our many times together (especially that BIG BEAR HUG when you lifted me off the floor coming in our door to spend the night with us in Greensboro). Your zest, spirit, and love for all of us of OE/EI/ICA, and those you touched globally, will be heartfelt forever. We remember your helping to get the Profound Journey Dialogue going … oh, and your passion for singing.
~~ John (and Lynda) Cock
One day, obviously many years ago, Jean, John Tresise and I were engaged in some task in a small office on the first floor of then Kemper. Suddenly, impromptu, we broke into 3-part harmony on Bye Bye Blackbird. In a few short minutes we had attracted a small crowd, among whom was Joe Mathews. They gave us a standing ovation. (The fact that they were standing through the whole “performance” is beside the point.) Please remind Jean of this and put Bye Bye Blackbird on the list. And give her a hug for me.
~~ Randy Williams
May Jean rest in peace, surrounded by song…. Jean and I, along with Pat Druckenmiller and Yvonne Ford, taught school together at Manley Upper Grade Center on the West Side, for more than a year starting in 1971. Jean and I took turns driving all four of us in my little Volkswagen Squareback. We shared tips and struggles in this very challenging environment. Jean and I also talked our principal into giving us time off to attend a week of the academy in Spring 1973. One of us had the week before the spring break, and the other the week after, so we each got two weeks away. I would always sit as close as I could to Jean in collegiums and other gatherings, because her alto voice would guide me to sing harmony well. Take care,
~~ Jo Nelson
I celebrate the courageous compassionate life of Jean Long. In October at the archive sojourn I found myself on Jean’s interior Life collection team. I hadn’t seen her for a long time. She was not well much of the time but when present she was pure passion. Since then she has edited the other world work in collection. Joe Mathews talk on the Recovery of the Other World was very important to her. Blessings on Jean.
~~ Jeanette Stsnfield
I too remember Manley, Jo. I reconnected with Jean when she moved back to Chicago and the 7th floor. She was much more delighted to see me than I had any reason to expect. She was a great woman of great spirit. I had forgotten her second alto voice, though how I could have, I hardly know. She and I had the same range. I read music, she did not. We, all the group, recorded a few songs at one of the recent Archives sojourn weeks. She sang low alto while I sang high. Where did that recording go? Be interesting to hear it. Rest well, Jean. You have earned it.
~~ Pat Druckenmiller
Thank you Jean for your life of service. Jean was one friendly welcoming face when I first arrived new into the country. She took the time to really notice and saw me struggle to cope in a new time zone, new environment, new culture. She made me feel at home. Acts of kindness that made a world of difference. Truly a saint. I am so very very sad. Glad to know she was with caring colleagues to the end.
~~ Elsa Batica, St Paul, MN
I am moved and saddened to hear of Jean’s death. I remember her writing something on this listserve a while back, in which she said it was very important to her to be “actually poor” as she lived out the remainder of her life. This stood in contrast to my own choice to keep at least part of my focus on generating income to sustain life at least comfortably, and to not be poor. When I think of Jean, I think of those words she wrote. In gratitude,
~~ Marsha Hahn
Jean had found what seemed to me, “new life”, being the Chicago/GreenRise “Anchor” to the ICA Global Archives Team. At the same time, she would demand that Interior Life was the Key Gift of the Order to the world and most precious to sustaining her, and yet push that the next Archives Sojourn Must bring together people who are Doing/Showing ICA/EI/O:E Methods the Work in the World Today. She always made sure there would be a Song Book, and to work together, there had to be time for singing too.
We on the Archives Team worked with Jean until the end, and she fought for what is right and in the right spirit until the end. THANKS, Jean, for all of your hard work and dedication to the ICA Global Archives, and as others have said for so much more.
~~ Wendell Refior, Boston Area/Bedford, MA
I never actually worked with Jean but I always thought of her as “bubbling” and “light”. It is so comforting living through the hard realities of life these days to hear about the care that our community continues to give. It is just lovely to hear how Jean was cared for,
~~ Joan Knutson
In March I talked to Jean about two 78rpm records I had of Order singing. She said they could be included in the archives so I mailed them to her. Had I known it was the last time we’d talk on this side, perhaps I’d have said what a privilege it was to be her colleague. The reason I’m finding new homes for things like the records is that I don’t have that much longer and want to spare my sons the effort of disposing of my many THINGS. Love the thought of the joyous greetings she must have received on the “Farside Banks of Jordan”. Grace and Peace,
