[Oe List ...] Anne's completed life on earth

[Lynda Cock]

Marilyn, your stories of Anne's gracious presence reminds me of one that we
heard when we were in India a few years after Maliwada.  Apparently the
consult team lived for a time in tents.  The story  we heard was about her
not leaving her tent each morning until she was fully dressed and  with
make-up on.  (Imagine applying make-up by lantern light in a shadowy tent!)
This included blue eye shadow which was "in" at that time.  Anne's
reputation of "always dressed" was a good reminder to us all to not let lack
of water or a well-lighted mirror or the dust keep us from being ready for
the day.  
 
We send our care to all of the Slicker family as they send out this
remarkable woman onto a new journey.  Lynda Cock
 
  _____  

From: oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net [mailto:oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf
Of Marilyn R Crocker
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 6:40 PM
To: joseph.slicker at gmail.com
Cc: oe at wedgeblade.net
Subject: [Oe List ...] Anne's completed life on earth


Dear Joe, Bill, John, Joanne and members of the extended Slicker family,
 
The Crockers --Joe, Ben, Jon and I -- received the news today of Anne's
completed life on earth with both sadness and thanksgiving, and we hold all
of you in our thoughts and prayers at this time of separation and
remembering, losing and cherishing.
 
Although Joe and I met Anne much earlier, our family came to know and love
Anne in very special ways when we were in Maliwada for the first Human
Development School in 1976-77 .  My vivid memories of Anne include her
intentional role as "the wise woman" assigned to the Maliwada auxiliary.
Her thoughtful perspective, years of experience in mission, and gracious
style contributed to her being a kind of "magnet" for many of us youngsters
on the journey, especially the women.  
 
My enduring image of Anne will be her, sitting quietly in the sunbathed
courtyard of the Castle in Maliwada during our brief lunch time break,
writing in her journal or answering enviable volumes of correspondence (all
by snail mail in those days) with a pink flair pen .  
 
Her mentoring qualities continued in the post-Maliwada years when Anne (who
was a gatekeeper to her husband's ear) often counselled some of us that our
burning issue du jour was simply NOT on her priority list of topics to raise
with Joe Slicker.  And I became clear that Anne served as a very important
clearinghouse for our Order's agenda at critical junctures.
 
Anne claimed and deserved the "set apartness" of our Order's first among
equals, the Mathews and the Slickers.  (I appreciated Jack's reference to
her as the grandaunt.)  Joe and I experienced her as a beautiful,
exquisitely groomed (even in a dusty village), gracious lady, whose ability
to stand tall and take on any assignment (even cleaning and cooking rice in
the Castle kitchen in Maliwada) inspired and encouraged us and others.  Her
"strength in gentility" (Joe Crocker's term) insisted that the revolutionary
culture of our Order continuously reflect and re frame.
 
Because Joe and I had the good fortune to live with John (in Singapore and
Australia) and Joanne (in Malaysia and NYC) we are able from this
longitudinal perspective to see in them, even at those distant times, so
many of their mother's wonderful qualities.  And so her presence continues
to the next generations.
 
I understand (though the family should correct me if I am misinformed) that
Anne was an accomplished musician in her early career, a pianist who studied
at the esteemed Juliard School of Music in NYC.  Clearly Anne must have
chosen "being mission", as our Order understood it, over becoming a concert
pianist.  That decision hold volumes of meaning for me about this woman, my
friend and mentor, Anne Slicker. 
 
Joe and I will celebrate Anne's manifold gifts on Saturday by playing our
collection of  Chopin's piano preludes and nocturnes in her memory.
 
We love you.
 
Grace and peace,
 
Joe and Marilyn
 
Marilyn R. Crocker, Ed.D
Crocker & Associates, Inc.
123 Sanborn Road
West Newfield, ME 04095
(207) 793-3711



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