Kelly O'Neil Henson Car Accident in NW
#451 Guest Anarchist Kelly Larkin_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 04:38 PM
It's very hard to know what to say, but want to add my most sincere gratitude for having known Kelly as a friend and fellow sailor. We will all miss-you deeply, Kelly, but you'll always be with us.
Kelly Larkin
(Ooga-Chacka)
#452 Guest Anarchist Laurie Turay/Sloop Tavern Yacht_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 04:39 PM
Ken Jones is a Sloop Tavern Yacht Club member and works at KING 5 as a photographer. I will check with Grant and see if we might be able to reach him or someone else there.
Perhaps we can get an email to the stations re Saturday.
Laurie Turay
#453 Guest Anarchist Guest Anarchist guest_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 04:56 PM
Guest Anarchist Rob Mitchell, on Mar 4 2004, 03:42 AM, said:
At dinner tonite, Chris Otorowski had a thought:
If anyone knows someone at anyof the local news station, it would be a great story to have the Blakely Rock race covered at the mark rounding where flowers will be thrown into "SMILE" and have someone at the Seattle Yacht Club to show just how much of a part of the community this girl was................. IT WOULD BE A GREAT HUMAN INTEREST STORY in light of all the bad news that we all have to watch........... Here is a story that will enlighten all of the community.
Put your thinking caps on............ someone must know someone.
Rob Mitchell
Does anyone know, with certainty, if Friday's service is private, or only for family?
#454 Guest Anarchist Guest Anarchist guest_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 04:57 PM
#455 Guest Anarchist Auburn Friend_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 05:11 PM
The world feels a little emptier with a good friend gone. Kelly you will be missed. Every time I get on the chair lift skiing I can imagine your smile sitting next to me, and you will be there. God Bless you.
#456 Guest Anarchist Dorothy & John Guzzwell_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 05:36 PM
Your Light and your Love remain forever in all of our hearts and souls. The old words of Chief Seattle keep resounding in our minds....."Death? There is no death. Only a change of Worlds". Your Spirit walks with us all. Thank you, lovely lady.
We send our love....the love of all of us who continue to be touched by you.....
Dorothy & John & your many friends......
#457 Guest Anarchist Karl Schutte_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 05:45 PM
http://www.kingcount...ory/html/157808
Kelly has touched so many people and this thread only reflects that. I have never met another person who was as caring and or willing to lend a helping hand as her. Coming home will not be the same without her and I just wanted to say thanks for everything she has taught me over the years. I will always admire the way her personality brought out the best in people and her ability to make anyone smile, even when things weren’t so great.
Kelly you will be missed and thanks for all the great times.
Karl Schutte
New Orleans, LA
#458 Guest Anarchist Rob Mitchell_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 06:14 PM
YOU ARE ALL WELCOME AND INVITED TO THE SERVICE AT 1:00 ON FRIDAY IN AUBURN AT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.......YOU HAVE TO WEAR A HAWAIIAN SHIRT OR TIE THOUGH............................
KELLY WOULD HAVE WANTED ALL OF HERE FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO BE THERE.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE CHURCH LOCATION AND ADDRESS IS ON PAGE 7
THE MEMORIAL IS SAT. AT 4:00 AT THE SEATTLE YACHT CLUB........ PLEASE JOIN KELLY'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS............
ROB MITCHELL
#459 Guest Anarchist Grant Fjermedal_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 06:23 PM
http://www.kingcount...ory/html/157808
Adds a new layer of sadness. Kelly's death was caused by an intoxicated felon who was free on probation. The felon ran from the scene but was captured.
I hope postings from this site can be used during the sentencing phase.
This all seems so completely unfair.
#460 Guest Anarchist friend_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 06:31 PM
#461 Guest Anarchist Roberta Eckard_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 06:31 PM
There should be more people like you, Kelly.
With your positive outlook on life, wonderful desire to live, and the warm, loving thoughts we sent your way I was so very certain you would pull through.
Thank you for your help, smiles, laughter, and Hersey Kisses over the few years I have know you. You will be remember and cherished forever.
Roberta Eckard
Victoria
#462 Guest Anarchist Bates McKee_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 07:17 PM
Thank you for being you! You are a life-force wherever you are. Your unrelenting smile and enthusiasm has always carried the day. Things just get better when you are around.
We are astounded, overwhelmed by the energy you created in this forum and in the community. Who else could ever do that? It gives us all a real sense of connectedness. You have done more positive good from the hospital than most of us do in our time!
I can't wait to throw those daffodils to the wind at Blakely Rock. I have seen some discussion of naming, memorializing something for you. What could be more appropriate than the Blakely Rock Classic? The daffodils just happen to be blooming! It is the race of races, the centric sail on the Sound. It is annual and forever.
Bates McKee (and Kristin, Carlen and Eric)
#463 Guest Anarchist L_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 08:25 PM
On this first, “Kelly’s Blakely Rock Race”, we drop our sails at the mark and have a moment of remembrance. What could be more moving than a few hundred of Kelly’s closest friends rafted up side by side at the rock? The Blakely Rock race is, I think, the essence of NW sailing, as is Kelly. Just a thought I had. Why not, it’s just a sail boat race after all. There’s another one next week. This one is kind a Special don't ya think? See you there.
L.
#464 Guest Anarchist s_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 08:35 PM
L, on Mar 4 2004, 08:25 PM, said:
On this first, “Kelly’s Blakely Rock Race”, we drop our sails at the mark and have a moment of remembrance. What could be more moving than a few hundred of Kelly’s closest friends rafted up side by side at the rock? The Blakely Rock race is, I think, the essence of NW sailing, as is Kelly. Just a thought I had. Why not, it’s just a sail boat race after all. There’s another one next week. This one is kind a Special don't ya think? See you there.
L.
With all due respect, please don't. I think a moment of silence prior to the race
and leaving flowers at the rock are excellent ideas but a mid-race raft-up at
Blakely Rock is a little scary as well as I think she'd want us to keep racing..
#465 Guest Anarchist Guest Anarchist Rob Mitchell_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 08:58 PM
Laurie Turay/Sloop Tavern Yacht, on Mar 4 2004, 04:39 PM, said:
Ken Jones is a Sloop Tavern Yacht Club member and works at KING 5 as a photographer. I will check with Grant and see if we might be able to reach him or someone else there.
Perhaps we can get an email to the stations re Saturday.
Laurie Turay
Ken has called and I am trying to get him together with Gerry and others.
Thank you for the help.
Rob
#466
Posted 04 March 2004 - 09:11 PM
Ah Kelly, you left us far too soon....there was still so much to be done! But in the tragedy of your unfairly shortened life we can take comfort in knowing it was one very, very well lived and one that touched many, many others - we should all be so lucky. When I think of you it's hard not to "Smile" and that has gone a long way to displace the sorrow I know we all feel.
Bon Chance my friend and your spirit will live on among us for all our days - I know you'll be waiting for us just beyond the horizon; camera in one hand - Hersey Kisses in the other!
To Kelly's family and very, very extended family that seems to include all of us; my deepest heart felt sympathies from myself and all Kelly's pals and my fellow crewmates on Occam's Razor. She will be missed but never forgotten.
Doug Wardrop - aka: Maxx
#467 Guest Anarchist Guest Anarchist Rob Mitchell_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 09:13 PM
Here is what Gerry and Louie are planning................and anyone can participate or NOT.........
Gerry and Louie will be out at the start of the race in SMILE............throwing kisses to all of you as Kelly did..........once the race is started, SMILE will be anchored just off of Blakely Rock.
It will NOT (WILL NOT) be a mark of the course but it will be there as if Kelly were there.
If you chose and would like to, throw a flower into SMILE upon rounding. (If you can........... don't go out of the way or create a wreck--------- Kelly will be upset if you hit her boat)
The boat will be picked up after the race and taken to the Seattle Yacht Club and parked out in front of SYC ----------- FULL of flowers that you have all cast, setting her free with all the love that you have given her...........
#468 Guest Anarchist Bill and Lou Lenihan_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 09:46 PM
We are deeply sadened to have learned of Kelly's injury an death today. Her passing is tragic and sorrowful. We will always remember her for her constant optimism, generosity and irrepressible sense of humor. Every day we are reminded of our friendship with Kelly when we look at several of her wonderful pictures of Paddy Wagon hanging in our den. May God bless you forever, Kelly.
Bill and Lou
#469 Guest Anarchist ballard mallard_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 09:47 PM
I ran into Kelly by chance at the Seattle Boat show a few weeks later. She spent over an hour talking with me about Willy and helped fill in some holes in that chain of events that I was too afraid to ask anyone about. She was so open and willing to share........I was truly amazed. And grateful.
I remember pondering the "Willy Lives!" pin she was wearing and I said to myself, You're damn right Kelly, he does live. He lives in the hearts of all who must carry forward in his absence. You will too Kelly.
Brian Lull
#470 Guest Anarchist South Sound Sailing Society_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 10:15 PM
We send our deepest, heartfelt condolences to her family and friends.
South Sound Sailing Society
Olympia, Washington
#471 Guest Anarchist Guest_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 10:16 PM
ballard mallard, on Mar 4 2004, 09:47 PM, said:
I ran into Kelly by chance at the Seattle Boat show a few weeks later. She spent over an hour talking with me about Willy and helped fill in some holes in that chain of events that I was too afraid to ask anyone about. She was so open and willing to share........I was truly amazed. And grateful.
I remember pondering the "Willy Lives!" pin she was wearing and I said to myself, You're damn right Kelly, he does live. He lives in the hearts of all who must carry forward in his absence. You will too Kelly.
Brian Lull
Sounds just like Kelly!
I can only imagine how many :) buttons we will see around the yacht clubs and the number of :) stickers we will see on transoms and booms this sailing season.
Kelly, we will miss you but you will always be with us :)
#472 Guest Anarchist steve higgins_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 10:17 PM
Steve Higgins
#473 Guest Anarchist Kathryn Farron_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 10:26 PM
the Dragonlady
#474
Posted 04 March 2004 - 10:26 PM
I want to make some suggestions/ideas which seem to be good ones:
At Columbia Yacht Club, in Chicago, when I was a member they had (and probably still do), a program called Skipjacks. Every Tuesday, new and prospective sailors would come to the club and receive an hour or less of classroom instruction, then would be assigned to sail on various volunteer members' boats, usually racer/cruiser types. Owners and more-experienced crew would provide a sailing experience and provide on-the-water instruction. Skipjacks would pay a program fee. Skipjacks was a blast, always, and brought many into sailing in a great way.
This program was run by Edward Mooney, an altruistic man of intense loyalty to both Columbia YC and human beings generally. Race Commitee Chairman, man in charge of labor to move a Clubship, countless hours, days and years devoted to Skipjacks, and friend of all he met. He was a great man, and Kelly's life reminds me of Eddie's.
You, in Seattle, could do worse than to implement a Tuesday or Wednesday event, like Skipjacks, that introduces new sailors to sailing and brings Kelly's importance to light throughout the ages. If Beer Can racing is Wednesday, then perhaps on Tuesday you could have a race or race/cruise with Kelly's name on it, maybe even the "Kelly O'Neil Smiles" Regatta. (Photos could become your collective specialty.)
Maybe an event like Skipjacks could be named the "Kelly O'Neil Sailing School," and from the immense number of donations, you could fund its operation at your club, even offer it for free.
Or maybe name a "Kelly Night" Race. If the yacht club is closed on Monday, maybe it can be opened up on Mondays during the summer and those can be "Kelly Days."
These are ideas only, but represent my small contribution in honor of Kelly, a lady I have come to respect, then deeply admire, somewhat like all of you.
And I wish I could be with you at Blakely Rock.
P.S. I don't know if it's possible, but in another time I definitely would have thought about a "'Kelly O'Neil Lighthouse." Is there a light on Blakely Rock?
#475 Guest Anarchist Kathleen Hopper_*
Posted 04 March 2004 - 11:31 PM
I am so saddened by the tragic loss of Kelly's death, especially so soon after losing Willy. We were all childhood friends at Hermosa Beach, where our family has had a cabin for 60 years. There were many happy summers with all of the kids, parents and grandparents from several families. We grew up together, and moved on with life - but we will NEVER forget the summers at Hermosa!
The last time I saw Kelly was at my grandmother's funeral and I was so happy to catch up with her, to see that her infectious smile was just the same! I live on Bainbridge Island will somehow get some daffodils out near Blakely Rock this Saturday.
I will be thinking of you.
Kathleen Hopper Peters


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