On February 25, 2010, a very good friend made the next step on his life journey when he passed from this world to the next. Lance Kennedy was a gentle giant of a man with a truly wicked sense of humour and a need to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. He was a fan of ‘truth in packaging laws’, whether it was for food, politics, friendships, family or any other situation. He had little time and less patience for those who played politics with the lives of others.
I remember meeting him for the first time. He was leaning against a wall with this cheeky grin on his face and a cup of coffee in his hand. It took about 30 seconds for the first zinger to leave his lips. I was to learn over 15 years that the cheeky grin was a precursor to a small gem of a response that always left you wondering when you opened the door. After all, you knew that he was always going to have all his ducks in a row.
Lance was a wood artist. He made the most fabulous jewellery boxes, tea boxes, tables and the most beautiful pictures using a technique called intarsia. His pictures were detailed and so real that the animals could have physically been in your house. He also made a beautiful table that is the ‘board room’ table in my office. Every time I look at the table, I will remember the man who made it.
Karen, his wife, is my very good friend and we were so fortunate that our husbands got along. Karen and I would be doing some project or another while Lance and Terry spent time sharing interests and comparing notes on life in general and our obsession with all things project management related. They would roll their eyes and head for the hills when MS Project entered the conversation. If they were really bored, they would let us know by discussing in great detail, information contained in a Lee Valley publication of obscure factoids (physics, measurements, et al).
Karen, Lance, Terry and I became great friends. Lance and I had heritage in common. We both came from good Scottish stock. He from the Kennedy clan and my family connections are Clan Wallace and Young. We often joked that we had a family connections somewhere. I am glad to claim him, family connection or not, as one of ours.
We know that in 6 months, Lance will have all the roads, dams, bridges and drainage systems in the after life scheduled for repair. He will also have located all the gravel necessary to make the repairs.
The nugget for Friday, February 26, 2010 is “learn from everyone you meet. You never know when the lessons will take a turn that you aren’t prepared for.” Thank you, my friend, for all the wisdom you shared. I am a better person for having known you.
Remembered by: Sandra, Terry, Shirley, Kevin, Nathaniel, Ashleigh, Nicholas, Teato, Stephen, Andy, Mark and the rest of the Kellan family.
