Post it |
Leave Your Thoughts Here! |
-- 12/22/2011 | ||
Always thinking about you Jboy. Love and miss you.
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-- 12/07/2011 | ||
| I had a vivid dream about you last night and my morning thoughts led me to this special site, thinking of you xx js | ||
Thinking of you today.... -- 03/16/2011 | ||
| ... remembering your warm smile, kind eyes and the way you touched my life. Miss you~ | ||
Hey J-Boy -- 03/02/2011 | ||
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It’s 2011 now and despite promises from Popular Science magazine in 1995, our cars still do not fly. Oh, and the hover-board from Back to the Future still hasn’t arrived either. The good news is that the X-Ray Vision Glasses are here and you can totally see through a woman’s clothing, but unfortunately only the TSA can use them and that’s what makes it creepy instead of cool. Finally got that house with some land I’ve been dreaming about and it actually has the exact steel building on it that I’ve fantasized about since our car-pool days. We’re settling in now but Megennis and I are still deciding where your photos will be hung. I wicked miss ya buddy and think of you all time. -Eric Muldowney | ||
-- 04/03/2010 | ||
Jboy Its hard to believe its been four years, I think of you every day. Saw some moose while I was skiing the other day and thought one of them looked like you (just kidding). Miss you buddy.
Joe | ||
-- 10/21/2009 | ||
| Gilly Gally I miss you and think of you often. I have a daughter Hannah now and think of all the silly things we used to say and do and continue our silliness with her! You had such a positive happy outlook on things and I respect you so much for that. I keep that in mind everyday. Life is too short to not be silly and happy you taught me that. Miss ya Muffin!!!
Love,
Kate Fagan | ||
-- 09/21/2009 | ||
| Jboy you are such amazing person. I love ya so much. You are in my heart my brotha dust | ||
Jonathan's Legacy -- 04/03/2009 | ||
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The 2nd annual bike ride in Hollis is coming up. Ride with us and join the fun. Jonathan's scholarship helps people to do the work he believed was so very important. The ride takes place in the town that meant so much to him and his friends. Check out www.jonathangilmourfund.org and join us in Hollis on May 9th, 2009. Jill | ||
Three years -- 03/30/2009 | ||
It was three years ago today that Jonathan died. Today I read his text messages....he was very funny sometimes, and he still can make me laugh. But, I miss him terribly. I love you Guy. Mom | ||
Send copies -- 05/14/2008 | ||
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Dave, Can you send some copies of those pics? We are looking for pics of Jon to use both for promotion and fundraising purposes. Any would be appreciated. Jill | ||
I'll miss Jon at my wedding -- 05/08/2008 | ||
| I'm getting married in a couple weeks. If Jon were with us he would definitly be at the wedding. We had some great times in college. As I was going through pictures for my wedding slide show I found a bunch of great pictures of Jon in the woods. He was a great guy. -Dave Kovall | ||
The Bike Ride -- 03/27/2008 | ||
| At www.jonathangilmourfund.org you can now download the brochure for the ride and a handy sheet to keep track if you are collecting donations too. THE RIDE IS ON MAY 10TH! Hope you can make it. | ||
Emilie Cram, Hollis -- 02/21/2008 | ||
I'm in college now, I knew johnathan when I was born; he is my older brother, Nat's good friend. Oh the memories of kiddie-camping with all you kids!! And I was always the youngest, but everyone always took care of me. Thanks to Johnathan and Wes, I think I have the most bizzar and funny, and "will bring a smile to your face everytime" memories that our Mums' may or may not want to know their husbands let their kids do.... :-) Wish we could go back again. Trying to study at the moment, but went off looking at Johnathan's comments and photos... hit me hard, but like Lesil said, Hollis is a family- a different town than others. Even though I wasnt even close to him in age - oh I knew Johnathan! That is how Hollis should be. Only one way to look now- that is up. *Life is a chance. Love is infinity.* Hope to make the bike ride this spring! -Emilie | ||
Dreams are good -- 02/12/2008 | ||
| It is our hope that the ride in Hollis this spring will bring people together to celebrate Jonathan's life. Then, yearly, it will become a reunion of sorts. Help if you can. Come if you can. Support the ride if you can. And keep dreaming! | ||
-- 01/23/2008 | ||
| You know, sometimes it just hurts. I think of all the things that should have been his and I want to do them for them. Things like this aren't supposed to happen and it still seems like it didn't... really. I have those dreams where he comes back to life and everyone around him knows that he has died but we don't talk about it. Just hang out together. It is usually some bizarre situation like I am about to go onstage or something and we improvise our way through it. I guess that is what we all do with this now. Improvise our way through remembering, mourning, and living. Man, it's tough sometimes.
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One more addition! -- 12/13/2007 | ||
| This advantage offered by Amazon is an all year bonus. It is not only for the holidays! So please continue to use this link throughout the year! And remember...please tell your friends. | ||
One addition -- 12/07/2007 | ||
| Thanks everyone for supporting the Scholarship. There is one change in using the Amazon link. There is no longer an itsy bitsy Amazon in the corner. Once you click on the link....it goes into the Amazon site. Thanks and please use this option. And remember the ride on the 10th of May! Happy Holidays to all! Jill | ||
Jonathan’s Scholarship Thru Amazon.com -- 12/07/2007 | ||
| Friends, I have great news. We have worked with Amazon.com to allow each and every one of our purchases to generate a percentage donation to Jonathan’s Scholarship! All you have to do is go to www.zoonewengland.com and click on “Support the Zoo” which will give you a drop down menu. Then click on “Jonathan Gilmour Fund” and just under the information about the “Hollis Bike Ride” is a link to Amazon. Enter, for example, “electronics” and you will be taken into Amazon. Then, what ever you fill your basket with and buy, is tagged (invisibly) and credited to the scholarship! The zoo gets a report from Amazon regularly, as they give the scholarship a percentage of our purchases. PLEASE ONLY BUY FROM AMAZON THROUGH THIS LINK. Also, if you don’t mind spreading the word to all of your friends and family, it doesn’t cost anybody anything and the Scholarship benefits. We are in negotiations with Barnes and Noble to do the same. Right now we only have Amazon and we wanted to get this info to you while you (hopefully) hadn’t finished your holiday shopping. I’ve been waiting for this to happen so I am going to be busy buying tonight. NO ONE ON MY LIST IS GETTING ANYTHING THAT I CAN’T GET FROM AMAZON! Thank goodness they have such a wide assortment of stuff. I’ve bookmarked Jonathan’s Scholarship Fund so it is really easy for me to get to Amazon that way. If you have any questions just email me or call 914-475-7435 ANYTIME! Happy Holidays and thank you all a hundred times! Jill | ||
Jonathan Slideshows -- 07/10/2007 | ||
Finally...Click to play! | ||
A final email from Jon to Wes -- 07/10/2007 | ||
| Thanks for the email Wes... Sounds like you are having quite the experience in Africa. I was just watching something about the old apartied (spelling) in S. Africa and kept thinking about what a foreign place Africa is from the Western World. You must see exciting and crazy new things everyday. Well...sounds like you do. I've been busy here just trying to prepare for my dissertation in Greece. I haven't actually gone yet..not until May 17. I'm going back to Hollis for a week or so before. That will be a bit weird since I've been cut off for a while. I bet it will be twice as weird for you when you go back...for however long. I'm going to try and get a job with Earth Watch after this so that I can travel as well. Maybe I will and get to go to the big A....not Antartica, but actuallly Africa. That's the Animal Mecha. How is Isla? Sounds like you guys are really getting on well...any plans for...ya know....the big M. I guess that might be a little ways away yet. I'm dating a Norwegian girl at the moment. She's a litlte cutie. Man....You mus be TAN by now. I'm jealous, I'm whiter than your creamy smooth ass used to be. Don't worry, I'm hairy as ever...in case you were worried...?? Yeah, back hair and tons of chest hair...the whole bit. Good news is that I've gained about 20 lbs and now weigh about 175, which is a record for me. I can't tell why, but I guess it's because I'm not taking pain killers anymore and I eat like a horse...sometimes. How's the Wes muscle status? I actually had a bad dream about you the other night. You came to visit and gave me a huge bear hug that took all the breath out of my lungs...made me wake up. I wonder how Christian is doing. Haven't talked to the bugger in about a year. I know he's living in Flordia with Eric, but that's about all. If you talk to him, tell the guy to email me or something. Well wuzzle. Oh yeah, I have MSN chat if you want to download that as well as Skype. I keep meaning to get Skype, but MSN works well too and my parents are on the one. As soon as I get my Mic. new batteries...it needs those fucked up watch batteries...then I'll get on Skype. Well Africa Landing....have fun today and I'll talk to you soon. Send your family love and tell your dad thanks again for helping me. I'll get in touch with him and let him know how the dolphins are. You as well. Fuck shit up old school and don't take no for an answer...remember....you are the BIG White Meat Eater! Love ya guy. Jonny G | ||
-- 07/04/2007 | ||
I am looking for stories about Jonathan and have started a blog for that purpose only. Would you please take some time to write about Jon either here or there. We'd like to collect stories for publication.....hopefully to support his scholarship! Thank you!http://jonathangilmour.wordpress.com | ||
Nikki, Zoo New England -- 06/09/2007 | ||
Last night was Zootopia, the annual fundraiser for Zoo New England. I had a fantastic time telling "Jonathan at the Zoo" stories with his parents and they asked me to share them with the website so here goes... I'm sure many of you have seen Jonathan do his turtle impression but if you haven't try to visualize this and it will make you laugh. Jonathan would crane his neck out as far as he possibly could, roll his lips over his gums and then attack a piece of lettuce. His impression was perfect, it was exatly the way our tortoises, Mo and Swifty would eat their lettuce every day. I used to get Jon to do this for me if I needed cheering up and even now I think of this when I'm having a bad day. We all miss you so much Jonathan! I tell the new keepers and interns about you every year so they know just what they missed out on. And your zebras and giraffes in the forest painting that you found is still hanging in the Hooves and Horns trailer...we'll never take it down. | ||
Jill Berkowicz -- 04/08/2007 | ||
| Last night was the inaugural awarding of the Jonathan Gilmour Memorial Scholarship. For those unable to attend, be assured that the event honored Jonathan's life as well as his dedication to all animals. Senior Keeper Erica Farrel was the proud recepient and will be working at the Pandrillus Drill Rehab and Breeding Center in Nigeria. I would like to begin to organize those of you who have the interest or desire, to develop ways to continue to fund the scholarship. I have some ideas of my own, but think some discussion would be helpful as we grow our ideas. The friendships you have forged while growing together either from your youthful beginnings or along the way, can fuel this initiative. I welcome your thoughts and encourage your participation. Thank you! jillberkowicz@hotmail.com | ||
Eric Muldowney, Orlando FL -- 04/07/2007 | ||
Please see below for details on the Jonathan Gilmour Fund. Jonathan Gilmour Fund Award Application
Who is eligible?
Instructions:
The program may be related to any animal species research, welfare, conservation or rehabilitation.
Applicant must submit an essay, not to exceed two pages double spaced, to include:
Selection Committee
The selection committee will make a recommendation to the President and CEO who will approve the final award (s). The committee may request an interview with applicants in the selection process.
Award Schedule
If there are any questions, please feel free to contact Ellen Slotnick at 617-989-2013 or eslotnick@zoonewengland.com | ||
Jill Berkowicz New York - Support the Zoo -- 04/06/2007 | ||
| Great news! If you go to the ZooNewEngland site and click on "Support the Zoo" and then click on the Jonathan Gilmour Scholarship, you can make a donation on line! If you would like the donation to be in someone's name, if you call the zoo (the number is right there on the page) they will send a note to the person you indicate in order to notify them of the donation made in their, or their family members name! Let people know! http://www.zoonewengland.org | ||
Eric Muldowney, Orlando FL -- 03/20/2007 | ||
Hi Peggy, Christian and I have been thinking and talking about you and David a lot recently. I’ve got that hilarious photo of Jon in with the bird that you sent me framed with our other photos of him. Thanks so much for sending me a copy. That one in particular really helps.
As for Christian and I we’re on the cusp of big change. Our quest to be closer to the water as landed us a 12 month lease in a 3 bedroom house right off the intercoastal and 1 minute from a boat launch. We’re moving in April. I think Christian may already have a job out there with an internal transfer with his apartment management company which would be incredibly convenient. I’ve got a little motor boat for fishing, crabbing and shrimping but of coarse we’re looking to get a bigger boat. A sailboat! We’ve found a place that rents little sailboats in Orlando and on windy days we both play sick and go sailing for the day. So we’ve agreed that a sailboat is really what we need for our next adventure. Our new home base will be 907 Darwin Lane, Malabar FL. I don’t know the Zip code but I’ll be sending everyone a location update soon.
Last weekend Adam Coulter was down in Sanibel Island with his family so Christian and I took a little road trip to spend St. Patty’s Day with him and his girlfriend Lindsay. After working with installing solar electric and heating systems he’s decided to go back to school for architecture in Portland Oregon.
My new years resolution was to start a garden in order to be a little more self-sufficient. At Home Depot we found the coolest plant starter kit called the Jiffy Greenhouse (or something like that) that is a plastic tray with 72 little compressed peat patties. You add two quarts water and the patties expand within a mesh sack and you plant the seeds within them. It was really cool. So we’re getting 144 plants started for the garden at our new place. We’ve seeded beefsteak tomatoes, heatwave tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, broccoli, romaine lettuce, cilantro and basil. I forgot beans so I may got back to get some. I think we’re going to put most everything in pots except for the herbs and lettuce and set up an irrigation system in the back yard. The cucumbers are the first to come up followed by the broccoli. I might have to put some of the plants under a shade cloth if the Florida sun starts to burn them up.
Thanks for keeping us updated on the Jonathan Gilmour Fund. That was a terrific idea. We’ll keep you in the loop and wish us luck! Love, Eric | ||
Lisl Hacker -- 09/20/2006 | ||
Hello Everyone... Below is a written copy of the eulogy I gave a Jon's service. I apologize that it has taken me so long to get it on the website. Part of that was technical, I didn't have a computer with internet access, but part of that was emotional as well. It some how seemsed final to put it in print somewhere. It has been hard to acknowledge and accept that Jon is physically gone, easier to put it out of my mind. But I also want to share him with the world and hope that this entry will begin to do that... For J-Boy Hi, so I know a lot of you, but for those of you who don’t know me¼my name is Lisl Hacker a.k.a PeeWee and Jon a.k.a J-Boy was my very first friend as well as one of my dearest throughout the years. However, I realize that I am just one representative of the many incredibly deep, intimate, special friendships that Jon formed with so many people, in particular, many of us who are here today. It is truly an honor to be up here today to celebrate the life of one of the most caring, kind, courageous, accepting, wonderful people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I use the word celebrate because I know that is what Jon would want us to be doing. The essence of Jon is to make people laugh, to make people smile, whether he means to or not. He would want to be making us smile today in spite the pain we are feeling inside. He, himself, is a perfect example of this. One of the last times I hung out with Jon was at our friend Alicia’s wedding. Despite the amount of physical pain he was in with his back, he did not even hesitate in getting down on the dance floor. When I say getting down, I don’t mean shaking his head or hips a little, I mean he was literally on the floor breaking dance, spinning, maybe even a worm thrown in there, shirt untucked, tie behind his head. It was incredible. We were definitely all smiling because of him. Throughout the last few weeks I have really questioned whether I could find the strength to get up here today, but really all I had to do was look back at in my memory to find that strength from Jon, himself. When we were 7 or 8 years old we took karate together, yes this is where all his infamous Karate moves came from. It was really our life and total passion at the time. On the weekends, we would compete in tournaments. There were different events such as sparring or something called a demonstration. Now a demonstration is a choreographed fight between two people that was performed. Now Jon decided (and I know this was his idea) that he and I were going to do a demonstration and he devised this elaborate fight with these wooden numb chuck things involving lots of summersaults and spinning which we practiced for weeks. I remember very clearly feeling so nervous before we performed it in the gym full of people, I felt terrified was that I might screw up or forget the moves or make a fool of myself, honestly, much like I have been feeling this past week. And Jon must have seen the panicked look on my face and he came over, put his hand on my shoulder and said “Don’t worry, it will be ok, just follow me.” These are the words that I have held onto and that have given me the courage that Jon possessed every single day of his life. I don’t think anyone could out do Jon in the category of kindness. He was always thinking about others, putting others first. He is so generous, sincere and genuine, which brings me to another memory. Another reason I think Jon and I got along so well was our equally unique shall I say “sense of style” as children, I think we both got better with age or him at least. I remember, it was around my 10th or 11th birthday and I ran out to meet Jon in my driveway like I always did. He was carrying a gift for me that he was obviously very proud of. You could tell in the way he was carrying it. I ripped it open with excitement, to find the brightest most colorfully clashing pair of jam shorts that I have ever seen. It was also obvious that Jon had definitely picked these out himself, I think Peggy and David might have gone for something a little different, but I tell you I loved those shorts and wore them everyday. I am convinced that Jon knew I would love them and that is why he picked them out. He knew me as he knows so many others so well and he keeps that knowledge with him all the time. He makes you feel so special when you are around him!
Jon also had this natural acceptance about him. He truly cared for everyone and everything around him, especially those things that needed extra attention or love. He always knew exactly who and what those people and things were. For example, we would spend hours in the woods fighting these giant trees (who were actually vicious monsters) with our bare hands and sticks and stones in order to protect the “little people”. Mind you we never actually saw these little people, but we knew that they existed and lived there in the underbrush and that they needed our help. That was who Jon was, always sticking up for the underdog and caring for those that couldn’t always care for themselves. Jon continued to do this throughout his life most recently through all the work he has done with animals. I’d like to take just a minute to talk about Hollis because I know how important Hollis is to Jon. Jon often said how lucky we were to grow up in such a special place. I try to describe Hollis to others, but they just don’t seem to understand. We are much more than a town, but more like one big family. Oh geez, I am sounding like a Hollis snob and would like to include Brookline in that as well! I didn’t realize until I left here that all towns aren’t like this. What other place would think up something like kiddie camping¼a weekend where all the dads herd all the kids into the woods far away so that the moms can stay home to relax and read and whatever else it is that Moms do. But what an incredible bonding weekend it was for us kids. There was no TV or video games, just the wilderness and each other, we really had no choice but to bond. I would like to state for the record though that I believe it was the dads who egged Jon on to eat the live crayfish, not the kids. Jon was afraid of nothing and wanted to experience everything. As a result of this special place, I know that we all feel the lost of a son, a brother, an uncle, a BEST friend. However, also as a result of this unique upbringing, I am comforted to know that Jon will always live on because he is a part of me. When you go through lifesteps, developmental milestones and learn the lessons of life together, you can’t help but become part of one another. He is part of who I am and who I have become. I mean why else would I feel tempted to eat dog food every time I see it. Yet, another thing Jon did to make us laugh (except I don’t think Stephanie, the Gilmore’s dog was too pleased.) If I continue to share this part of myself with others then Jon will continue to live on and influence others as well. Finally, ironically I was listening to a book called “The 5 People You’ll Meet in Heaven” by Mitch Albom, when I heard about Jon. One short, simple phrase from the book has really stuck in my head and I am constantly reminding myself of everyday, repeating it over and over again¼”Life has to end, but love doesn’t.” I love you Peggy, I love you David, I love you Rebecca, I love you Racelin and Amen. Most of all of I LOVE YOU, J-BOY, now and forever. Thank You! | ||
Jennifer Lynn Connell Brookline, NH 03033 -- 09/03/2006 | ||
| This is difficult because I have not written about Jonathan yet. I've had a very hard time knowing that J-boy and I can no longer share all of our laughs together, the best hugs, and finding out after we both graduated from High School that we had had crushes on eachother for years. Playing video games and drinking margaritias on a very well planned "Let's get snowed in night!!!" when we knew a huge storm was to hit. It doesn't feel right that we all should lose him so young. You just don't think its possible.I hope this page stays alive for us all, and for him. I know that he touched everyone he crossed paths with with all of his amazing traits. Jonathan, I miss you with all of my heart and soul. When the house burnt down, Sierra was able to find my high school photo album and I couldn't stop crying. I think there is a reason that it didn't end up in ashes. Precious pictures that mean so much to me are in there. Not just the ones of my J-boy but also (HB High students may remeber) Angel. Jonathan, I will remember you always and know that you live in my heart forever. All my Love, Jen~ | ||
Kathryn Enright -- 08/30/2006 | ||
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Jonathan’s Words from a Small Green Notebook (copied as they were written, spelling and all!)
- I emplore you, my fellow man - To clasp this problem at hand - We are Threatening this great planet - And all those living upon it - As we conquer our doubt equating - We are erasing many things out - Things which will not return, no matter how hard we yern - No matter how long we mourn-we will leave nothing but scourn - What cause for the reason - This betrayal, this treason - For the mess we have made- and the soiled ground we have laid. - We will look forward only in demise, for the mistakes we contrived. - And when our friends are all gone - Our path will become ever more lonely and long - For who then will travel beside us - Offer comfort, or provide us - If not for meerly a reflection of our own evolution - These things of which I speak- These friends who seem so meek –They - Are simply all God’s creations forming each side of the equation - The formula that is earth-in each death and each birth - It is the animals I say- - A vital part of our stay - The other half of God’s game - And yet- we are nearly one in the same. - We are all made of hair, and of flesh and of blood- - We all have our needs, and our wants and can all learn to love - We’re all living creatures, with many similar features- - And with each brand new day, it becomes more easy to say- - That with each closer look, we must rewrite the book- - And correct each mistake of our historical take- How could man made in haven have such a wild, beastly bretheren? - It was clear from the start, that we stood well apart- - God formed man in his likeness - We alone were the richtouse. - Yet- our stand has now changed- our perceptions rearranged - It is our science, our knowledge, our intellect that has brought us in check- - Man may have proved beyond a doubt, how all life came about- - And if there is truly a God, stairing straight down- - Judging each and every creature, - whether sky, sea or ground- - And if it is also God’s will to create from the heavens above us, then there is - Still no denying - That God made all creatures from the same earthly substance. | ||
Eric Muldowney, Orlando, FL -- 05/23/2006 | ||
Hello all. This past mother’s day Christian Magennis, Joe Gartner and I sent flowers to Peggy on behalf our buddy J-Boy. We were all in the same car pool together and drove 45 minutes each way to Derryfield and back for 2 years. Driving to and from school was definitely the best part each day and we formed a brotherhood that time couldn’t break. Below is some email correspondence detailing a time that J-Boy once sent flowers on my behalf. Thanks again to Dusty and Brandy for setting this website up and keeping us all connected. What a fantastic gift. -Eric Muldowney -----Original Message----- Dear Christian, Eric and Joe.....I cannot thank you enough for the Mother's Day bouquet "from the carpool, on behalf of Jonathan". It touched me so...and made a difficult day much brighter. Your mothers' all will be proud that you remembered another mother on that day. Thank you. And, thank you again, for participating in Jonathan's service. It was very meaningful to David and me that his good friends carried him on his last journey in Hollis.
Let us know how and what you are all doing.
Peggy -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Peggy, About 2 years ago, I fell in love with a girl that was vacationing in Orlando. Her name was Michelle; she was born in China and was getting her master’s degree in statistics from Harvard Graduate School. She had brains and to accompany her beauty queen (literally) appearance. I met this irresistible siren at a club in downtown Orlando and we danced that night away together in bliss. She was flying back to Boston the next day and I met her at the airport for a departing cosmopolitan the Hyatt bar. I was so enraptured by this young woman that I had a flight to Boston booked the next day. We talked on the phone nightly. It happened that Valentines Day was to occur a week before my arrival. I sent her a Valentines Day card and thought that my efforts were sufficient. However, upon Valentines Day some of my female friends here in Orlando informed that an out-of-state boyfriend who did not send roses on Valentines Day would seriously jeopardize his position, particularly for a beautiful college girl surrounded by eager suitors. Even with the miracles of the internet, getting a dozen roses delivered to a college dorm on Valentines Day is next to impossible, and if possible at all, the costs would have been exorbitant. But with one call to J-Boy, I had a dozen roses delivered within 2 hours that were very, very well received. Not only did J-Boy bail me out with the roses but he also gave Michelle and I an outstanding behind the scenes tour at the zoo the following weekend. With Jon’s help, Michelle and I had such a fantastic weekend that she forgot to study for her test on Monday. This was apparently was the first failure in her academic career and was also justification for dumping me on Tuesday. I was informed via email that there wasn’t time to balance a boyfriend and the demands of Harvard Graduate School. The poor girl probably still has no idea what she let slip through her fingers. Ahh well, it was a shooting star that burned brightly for a fleeting moment but was destined to fizzle out. Anyway, the point of this long-winded story is that it was an honor to get flowers for Jon for the woman he loved the most, his Mom. If there is anything you ever need, all you have to do is call. Take care. Love, Eric
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Monroe Gilmour, Black Mountain, NC -- 05/19/2006 | ||
Hi Everyone, This is Jonathan's uncle, Monroe. Above is a link to a beautiful tribute to Jonathan from the Ionian Dolphin Project, where Jonathan was to have been a researcher this summer. They have named one of the dolphins they track, "Jonathan." My best to all. Jonathan's Dad is having surgery today to remove a melanoma on his leg. It's outpatient procedure at Dartmouth Medical Center. Thank you all again for this beautiful site. Best wishes, Monroe mgilmour@main.nc.us | ||
Wes; Dakar Sénégal -- 05/12/2006 | ||
Dear Jonathan, Hakkunde mi Allah!!! God darn it all!! I have been wracking my brain since the day I heard that you passed on as to something, if anything, that really all encompassed everything that you and I have been through during the 28 years that we have been dear friends. There has to be one finite moment, or even a series of random events or acts of humor that has to encompass everything that we have been through, experienced (both good and bad), or even talked about. All that I can come up with right now, four days after, is that this is all TOO MUCH. This is TOO MUCH for me to handle, TOO MUCH for your family to handle, and TOO MUCH for most anyone associated with you to handle. Those who knew you, knew you well, those who only knew you during specific points in their lives like at Skidmore, the two Zoos, the Aquarium, or at your program in Edinburgh, would have had the great fortune to know the person that I knew. You were The One who was never afraid of bringing someone’s frown upside-down, or by being the most wholeheartedly random person that you were. You knew just how to get under( and into) each and everyone’s funny bone, but never under their skin. There was a fine line that you always walked between the funniest person I have ever known, and the most completely random person the world has ever known. You know exactly what I mean, dude, the way in which you would tense up your face to the point that it its self was twitching and then proceed to practice whacked out Karate moves on me or whomever was in your presence. The times that we had I will keep near, dear, and close to me and will share and exchange them with the friends we had in common (with Christian, Lisl, or Adam) because they are the ones who would appreciate that the most and that is undoubtedly what you would have wanted. Just for us to keep on laughing; for humour was the glue of our friendship. Well, that and the fact that we devoted much of our lives to each other. I will bring this one small idiosynchrosity up, and you will either laugh about it from above or decide that it is something cool for you to keep:
· You had Tourette’s your whole life, and you took your meds to keep it under control, and for the most part, it never really affected your daily life. I can remember, after a long day of goofing off at my house on Orchard Dr., I was walking you back home through BeeBee’s Pond Passageway and I began to copy your infectious head tick/twitch. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world and that you could definitely get any girl to magically like you if you did the head tick. At any rate, I did copy that and many other of your traits growing up: hairstyles, fashions, trends…all because I thought you were the coolest.
J-Boy, what I never told you just how much I loved you and cared for you. I think we all need to take time out every so often to tell each other that; to those who are close to us. J-Boy, I know you always wanted to be a Keeper at a Game Park in either Australia or somewhere in Africa because you cared for animals as much as my father does. You probably are already doing that with all of the animals you had lost during your time the Big Game Park in the sky, eh? I’ll leave you with this quote, Jon, but know that your presence will never leave me. Not for a second. I consider it an honour to have known you my entire life.
“If I had one gift that I could give you, my friend, it would be the ability to see yourself as others see you, because only then would you know how extremely special you are."
You have touched and reached so many lives ma’ man.
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Posted by Kate Enright -- 05/12/2006 | ||
Below is the letter sent out by Jonathan's family confirming his death. | ||
Kate Enright New York City, New York -- 05/12/2006 | ||
| Here is a copy of the poem I read at Jonathan's memorial service. I hope you all enjoy- it truely captures Jonathan! SHUFFLING SON by David Gilmour We are off to see the sights. But where is Jonathan? We wait, and we wait. Here comes Jonathan shuffling along His elbows and shins swollen, Black and blue. What are those all about, my son? “Some kids heard I’m into Kung Fu, and invited me to do some sparring. We had a great time, see my bruises.” We eat a quick lunch, nod a thanks, and out the door. But where is Jonathan? We wait and we wait. Back through the door There is Jonathan, surrounded by bus-boys, waiters, the maitre de. Midst thanks, good-byes, he shuffles along. What was that all about, my son? “Oh I was just asking about the music they were playing. Wasn’t it nice? I wave off a rickshaw driver. Down the street, and around the bend. But where is Jonathan? Back around the bend, Is Jonathan, with the same rickshaw driver. The two having a great laugh as they wave good-bye. “What was that all about, my son?” “Oh, he asked where I lived, and I asked him. He said, “The rickshaw hotel!—Get it, Dad?” We walk through the market. If I move right along, I keep just ahead of the children asking for coins. But where is Jonathan? I look back and see a mound of screaming, squealing kids. Crouched in the center is Jonathan. He stands slowly, his elbows bent, Carrying aloft four, perhaps five Clinging, giggling kids. He labors along with his noisy load, He crouches, deposits the load, only to pick up another. Finally he pleads exhaustion. Midst many good-bye’s he shuffles along. “What was that all about, my son?” “Oh, I figure it’s better to give kids a ride than a coin. We visit a temple high on a hill, Along with many worshipers. We enjoy the beauty, the sights, and it is time to go. But where is Jonathan? In the center of a gathering crowd is Jonathan and a cow. A shoe-shine brown cow. Each facing the other Foreheads lightly touching. Each kneeling, Chins inches from the ground. The cow is held by Jonathan’s strokes--- Under the chin, behind the ears. People come forward, Touch the cow, then their chests, while speaking softly, reverently. Jonathan gives the cow a good-bye pat, And shuffles along. “What was that all about, my son?” “Oh Dad, don’t you know cows love to be scratched?” We are off to see the sights. But where is Jonathan? I fuss as I wait for my shuffling son. Will he shuffle through life, Get anything done? I stop. I scream almost out loud. “Grow up,Grow up, you father of the son. Can’t you see what your shuffling son has done?” | ||
Brando - Johnson, Vt -- 05/12/2006 | ||
| So I woke up this morning thinking about Jon. I was thinking about how someone is remembered. I find it funny that a person is always remembered by what they had accomplished last. As we all know, wildlife preservation was a major passion of Jon's in his later life. Just then I dreamt back a bit and remembered and old memory....must have been like 5th grade maybe...Mr. Pratt’s class?? My bro and I had begun a small journey in entrepreneurship. However, sorry to say, it was in finding and selling small creatures such as turtles and salamanders to our friends and classmates. We would go out hunting for the animals and bring them into class, and for a small fee anyone could take home a new pet. Jon began coming to class with pockets full of change to purchase our pets one by one. It wasn’t long before he became our best customer. Jon wasn't buying these animals for pets. Well...Jon didn't like this idea at all. He felt like these creatures belonged with their families and homes in nature, not in a student’s lunch box or fish tank. He was buying them and setting them free. So in the end, are people really just remembered for what they did last, or has what they did last been deep within them the whole time? As life goes on people become closer and closer to their passions. The closer they get the greater difference they make. We love you J-Boy. We will always remember your passions in life and will continue to carry them with us. Thanks man Peace to you now and forever- Love Brando | ||
Whale and Dolphins -- 04/05/2006 | ||
Jonathan Gilmour received a BA in Psychology from Skidmore College in New York. Since then he has interned at the New England Aquarium, working with various penguins, and recently completed nearly 5 years at Zoo New England. He has worked with a varitey of taxa including giraffe, zebra, lions, camels, cranes and many more. In 2001, Jonathan won a national zoo keeping award, earning the Zoo New England $20,000. Jonathan is currently involved in a masters course, Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare, at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He has a strong interest in whale and dolphin conservation and loves working with people who care about animals and the environment. | ||
Brandon Rich - Johnson, VT -- 04/05/2006 | ||
Please use this as an updateable memoir. Feel free to post stories, comments, pictures, and thoughts. Jonathan Gilmour...a man who walks softly, tying nature with spirit. We love you J-Boy! Peace Brando | ||
Dusty Rich - Jtown VT -- 04/04/2006 | ||
Jon you meant so so much to me; your calm spirit, demeanor
and warm loving heart consumed all who knew you. Our encounters since we were little boys were always such a
pleasure. We would always go into “enter
the dragon mode” and face off, keeping true to over exaggeration and deep
animation, even in our late twenties and after not seeing eachother for a year
or two. Words were never needed. You
would have been the best dad on earth, and this playful warm heartiness will
remain within me as a gift from you to me until the end of time. I luv ya jonny, please tell the folks up
stairs to keep the home town crew intact down here on earth, for my mortal heart
can not bare this pain of anymore loss at this young age. Jon I do believe you were angel among us and we were blessed to
have experienced your person. thank you thank you thank you, Forever luv. | ||
