Joy, Gratitude & Celebration!

On September 20, 2005, just a few days after my father passed away, I delivered a letter to Dean Nohema Fernandez at the UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of Arts & Music. Within only a few days, the Dean, Associate Dean Colleen Reardon and various faculty began the work necessary to support the granting of a full Master's Degree to my late father. This post is a thank you to the many people involved in making my father's last wish and final accomplishment on this earth a reality. With all my heart I thank each and every one of you.

How could I not start with Aunt Mary Barrus and her friend Marybeth, who over a discussion in the summer of 2005 created a spark of energy for dad by putting forward the notion of degree satisfaction even in the midst of dad's final battle with melanoma. In those days, dad's eyes often focused on things I couldn't see, and I'm certain often on dark thoughts. When Pam mentioned the possibility raised by Aunt Mary, dad's eyes sparkled again in the way that everyone who knew him remembered- the same sparkle that came when he discovered one of his students making a breakthrough to another level, the same sparkle of passion and energy I remember in his eyes when he overtook a 5.11c move on Tahquitz... and made it look easy.

Thank you, Aunt Mary. And thank you, Marybeth Ward!

And Pam- thank you. Thank you for being my father's conscience and sounding board. You encouraged him to pursue higher education - something he didn't think was possible and something that was discouraged in the environment he had been raised in. Your encouragement, "one class at a time..." starting with 10 years of dad's hard work at Saddleback College to get his AA degree... and then his diligence at UC Irvine to attain his BA - all the while publishing, teaching, composing... dad often talked about the value of a mentor. While at first he was your teacher of guitar, you were his mentor in life. Thank you, Pam.

And I really need to thank Margie Mirken and Pam both for assisting me in authoring the letter of petition for dad's degree. We wrote from the heart and stayed on point on the hardest, darkest day of my life. Thank you Margie.

Rosemary Shadwick- what would this all be without you? You insisted that morning was the last true opportunity for dad to sign the petition- I was fearful, and you helped me beyond my fear. Dad reached out one last time with your words as I held the letter for him to sign. Thank you Rosemary, thank you so much.

Mark Westling! Dad's student and friend- your nearly fanatical level of information organization and structure certainly inspired me to support my father's dream - as did the Orange County Register article that you initiated. Awesome work, Mark. Thank you.

John Schneiderman, dad's colleague, friend, and even professor while at UC Irvine spoke to dad's accomplishments for UC Irvine - his teaching, concerts, publications and more- in support of granting the degree. Thank you, John.

Colgan Bryan- you told me that almost 30 years ago my father changed your life in the classroom. All those years later, you wrote him a letter of support for his degree, testimonial from no other than Warner Bros. of his use of technology in the many arrangements published by Warner Bros. This, in support of granting dad's degree- changed the permanent record of my dad's life some 30 years after you met him. I thank you on his behalf.

And Mr. Frank Lynch- my father would be so proud of your letter of support to UC Irvine. You captured so elegantly the essence of the degree's value and articulated the most powerful of arguments in support of granting the degree to my father. Thank you Mr. Lynch.

Professor Chris Dobrian - dad would be so proud of your review of Isla California in consideration of his degree. He held you in such high regard as his professor and mentor. Thank you Professor.

Dean Nohema Fernandez, Associate Dean Colleen Reardon, Chair David Brodbeck- and of course Theresa, thank you and everyone in your teams for not only coordinating the effort, but more importantly- for establishing that my father truly earned this degree.

And Erika Ritchie- thank you for your time and energy in authoring both OC Register articles that shared this story with our community, including the thousands of students who loved and miss dad. Your passion for excellence in journalism inspires me.

And everyone who posted to this blog in support of the petition. Rock on! You guys are awesome.

Of course, I may have missed someone, so thanks to everyone, everyone who loved and supported my father in this last accomplishment of his life.