Lee Paul Crowley left us on December 13th. His funeral was today at the Peninsula Church Center — well attended as you might imagine. Lee had lived here for his entire 86 years. But, for that very reason, there weren’t as many people as you might expect — so many have gone on before him.
Even I missed his service — a doctor’s appointment, wouldn’t you know. But I made it to the reception at the Cranberry Museum in plenty of time to give Melinda a hug and to meet so many of their friends and relatives who had gathered to remember and to reminisce.
I’m not even sure how long I’d known Lee. It wasn’t for very many years and for that I’m sorry. And yet, in a small community like ours, I felt connected. He was named after his parents’ all-time favorite Peninsula doctor, Lee Paul. That’s a name I grew up with in a way, for even though Dr. Paul was gone from here long before I was born (and before Lee was born, too), my mother often spoke of him. If there was a serious problem, he would come to Oysterville (on his horse, if I remember the stories correctly.) Otherwise, he’d speak to my grandmother (who had seven youngsters) over the telephone, she telling symptoms and what she thought should be done, he agreeing or adjusting and often “deputizing” her to involve the school teacher if the ailment was running rampant among the village children. Dr. Paul was a demi-god in my mother’s childhood. And some of that rubbed off a bit by osmosis when I finally met his namesake.
Too, my friend-since-childhood here in Oysterville, Larry Freshley, was in the same class as Lee — two years behind me, I think. Although I did go to 7th grade here, I was at Ocean Park School while Larry was in 5th grade in Oysterville and Lee was probably at Long Beach School… and yet, we had mutual friends because that’s the way it is on the Peninsula.
I’ll miss the twinkle in Lee’s eyes and his gentlemanly ways. I’ll miss his determination, his perseverance, and his kindness. I’ll miss the times Nyel and I went to breakfast at the 42nd Street Cafe with Lee and Melinda and Ardell and Malcolm… Nyel and Lee stoic about their physical ailments, but always ready to give one of the rest of us a bad time about something.
Missing our friends and loved ones. It’s the hardest part of growing old.
Thank you, Sydney, for this nice article about Lee. I miss his wisdom, his disciplined ways, and his presence daily.
Yes, I feel that same way about Nyel. I often wonder how I was so lucky as to have such a clear-minded, steady-as-she-goes kind of partner for so many years. Some days, thoughts of how he would face this problem or that is about all that keeps me going! I think you and I were lucky to have been similarly blessed! Now, if I EVER get my car back, we HAVE to go to the 42nd Street for breakfast and finish solving the problems of the world (or at least of what to plant in the garden this year!) Sydney
In reply to Melinda Crowley.
Yes, I feel that same way about Nyel. I often wonder how I was so lucky as to have such a clear-minded, steady-as-she-goes kind of partner for so many years. Some days, thoughts of how he would face this problem or that is about all that keeps me going! I think you and I were lucky to have been similarly blessed! Now, if I EVER get my car back, we HAVE to go to the 42nd Street for breakfast and finish solving the problems of the world (or at least of what to plant in the garden this year!) Sydney