John and I go back to kindergarden. Cub Scouts (his mom was our Den mother). Cunningham Elementary
school, Jane Long Jr. (we were in the same car pool), and of course Bellaire High. We had a group that played together a lot in the summer as kids. This was back in the days before things like "summer camps" (we didn't need them); when we all ran around bare footed and rode our bicycles with no "safety helments". We had never heard of safety helments for bicycles back then (besides kids were made out of rubber in those days).
John was a real good friend of mine and an all aroung great guy. A much better man than me. He is very much missed and never forgetten.
I first met John at the old Bellaire pool when we were fourteen, as he often reminded me. One day (can't remember the year) I picked up the phone and it was John, telling me he was coming to visit Alaska on his quest to visit all 50 states. I had not spoken with him since high school or maybe college years. He wanted help with his itinerary. I handed the phone to my husband, whose family has been here since the Gold Rush, and he helped John figure it out. I told him I could spend a day with him on whatever adventure he chose. We ended up going to Seward and taking a glacier cruise. It was a disaster of sorts as everyone but us seemed to get seasick. Every few minutes the staff had to throw water over the windows to clean them off as people were going up on the deck outside to throw up and it would fall down on the windows. John and I could not stop giggling even though if you've been seasick it is really no laughing matter. How we escaped it I don't know. It was a rough ride. I have a picture of us taken before the boat ride. I'll post it to my page.
Anyway, that reignighted our friendship and everytime I would come to Houston we would go out to dinner. He always picked me up in his little sports car. When he found out about his cancer, he was so hopeful about it. He was sure he would beat it, but it was not to be. The whole time he was fighting the cancer, he was working on plans to turn his mom's previously flooded Bellaire home, which he owned, into a beach house style home that he wanted to move in to. I guess he wanted to make sure it never flooded out again, and it gave him something to look forward to.
He was truly a very sweet and thoughtful person and when I come to Houston these days to visit family, I really miss our little dinner dates. Rest in peace, John.
Mitchell Allen
You are missed by so many.
Steve Driscoll
John and I go back to kindergarden. Cub Scouts (his mom was our Den mother). Cunningham Elementary
school, Jane Long Jr. (we were in the same car pool), and of course Bellaire High. We had a group that played together a lot in the summer as kids. This was back in the days before things like "summer camps" (we didn't need them); when we all ran around bare footed and rode our bicycles with no "safety helments". We had never heard of safety helments for bicycles back then (besides kids were made out of rubber in those days).
John was a real good friend of mine and an all aroung great guy. A much better man than me. He is very much missed and never forgetten.
Kristina Dolan (Johannes)
I first met John at the old Bellaire pool when we were fourteen, as he often reminded me. One day (can't remember the year) I picked up the phone and it was John, telling me he was coming to visit Alaska on his quest to visit all 50 states. I had not spoken with him since high school or maybe college years. He wanted help with his itinerary. I handed the phone to my husband, whose family has been here since the Gold Rush, and he helped John figure it out. I told him I could spend a day with him on whatever adventure he chose. We ended up going to Seward and taking a glacier cruise. It was a disaster of sorts as everyone but us seemed to get seasick. Every few minutes the staff had to throw water over the windows to clean them off as people were going up on the deck outside to throw up and it would fall down on the windows. John and I could not stop giggling even though if you've been seasick it is really no laughing matter. How we escaped it I don't know. It was a rough ride. I have a picture of us taken before the boat ride. I'll post it to my page.
Anyway, that reignighted our friendship and everytime I would come to Houston we would go out to dinner. He always picked me up in his little sports car. When he found out about his cancer, he was so hopeful about it. He was sure he would beat it, but it was not to be. The whole time he was fighting the cancer, he was working on plans to turn his mom's previously flooded Bellaire home, which he owned, into a beach house style home that he wanted to move in to. I guess he wanted to make sure it never flooded out again, and it gave him something to look forward to.
He was truly a very sweet and thoughtful person and when I come to Houston these days to visit family, I really miss our little dinner dates. Rest in peace, John.
Mitchell Allen
Kristina Dolan (Johannes)