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PLAQUE: Colleen Savitzky AKA Mama Colleen

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Barry Gold

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Jul 12, 2021, 8:40:31 PM7/12/21
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It's not like Mama Colleen and I were close, but I feel like I've been
kicked in the gut. She was just such a presence, part of the glue that
held BArea filkdom together until they moved to the Seattle area. Always
with an assortment of different teas for people. Fixes for an overworked
singing voice. A virtual lap to sit in (probably real too, if that was
what you needed).

I expect the Mandel Bear will also post something when he feels up to it.

From Riley Savitzky:

It is with great sadness that I report my mother, Colleen Savitzky, has
died. I'm horrible with words, and am still very much in shock.

Here is my dad's take on it via his dreamwidth: Mdlbear's Dreamwidth
https://mdlbear.dreamwidth.org/1778858.html

Naomi posted this earlier to the Emerald Forest Filk List.

I'm devastated to have to report that Colleen Savitzky, member of the
Filk Hall of Fame and "Mama Colleen" to three generations of fandom,
died last night of multiple medical complications at about 4:30AM.

Can somebody who has contacts within the SF Bay Area filk community
where she lived for forty years please post the information on their
equivalent email list to this, if they have one? There are a lot of
people still around there who loved her and would probably want to be told.

Lee Gold added:
FILK HALL OF FAME: Steve and Colleen Savitzky – 2008
https://filkontario.ca/savitzkycands-2/

Alan Ralph

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Jul 13, 2021, 4:55:25 AM7/13/21
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I follow Mandelbear's posts over on Dreamwidth, saw the news the other day. :(

"To Flowercat."

*CRASH*

—Spiffy the big blue alien.

Jim

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Jul 13, 2021, 8:11:41 AM7/13/21
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On 7/12/2021 7:40 PM, Barry Gold wrote:
> It's not like Mama Colleen and I were close, but I feel like I've been
> kicked in the gut. She was just such a presence, part of the glue that
> held BArea filkdom together until they moved to the Seattle area. Always
> with an assortment of different teas for people. Fixes for an overworked
> singing voice. A virtual lap to sit in (probably real too, if that was
> what you needed).
>
> I expect the Mandel Bear will also post something when he feels up to it.
>
> From Riley Savitzky:
>
> It is with great sadness that I report my mother, Colleen Savitzky, has
> died. I'm horrible with words, and am still very much in shock.

D.J. tosses his drink into the fireplace.

>>>Crash !<<<

--
Jim

Barry Gold

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Jul 13, 2021, 11:52:51 AM7/13/21
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When I first posted this, I didn't feel like drinking anything to get a
glass to throw into the fireplace. I'm a bit closer to "normal" now, so...

> > > C R A S H < < <

Wayne S Garmil

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Jul 14, 2021, 10:42:56 AM7/14/21
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In article <scindt$9fv$1...@dont-email.me>, Barry Gold <bg...@labcats.org> wrote:
>It's not like Mama Colleen and I were close, but I feel like I've been
>kicked in the gut. She was just such a presence, part of the glue that
>held BArea filkdom together until they moved to the Seattle area. Always
>with an assortment of different teas for people. Fixes for an overworked
>singing voice. A virtual lap to sit in (probably real too, if that was
>what you needed).

Ah, shoot!! I think that I met her through Festival of Living Rooms
over the last 16 months. She will be missed.

*** CRASH! ***


--
_ __ _ __ | I see the girls walk by dressed in
' ) / // / / ) / | their summer clothes; I have to turn
/ / / o // __/ / __. __ __/ | my head until my darkness goes...
(_(_/ <_</_(_/ (__/ (_/|_/ (_(_/_ | -Rolling Stones, "Paint It Black"

chythar skyfire

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Jul 14, 2021, 12:56:49 PM7/14/21
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A silvery grey wolf pads in, the greyish green of his eyes blinking back tears as he makes his way to the bar. "God's Blessing, whipped cream." Once he has the drink, he takes a sip to honor the one who introduced him to the drink in the first place then makes his way to the line.

She always told me that the degrees of separation in fandom were limited to one, because if you knew her at all you were connected to at least one thousand others. Whether it was your mandatory hug at a con, a cup of tea, or her little wolf in a gofer suit reminding you to hydrate during said con or your concert, you knew she was there all the time. She never sang, but would always be smiling at you or making moose ears to get you to laugh while you did. She would call you up randomly to share a recipe she'd found and wanted to share, or just check in because you hadn't been around the weekly shenanigans for a week or so. If you needed a hug, she was always there to provide it. The funny purple hair, the outrageous and colorful fabric of her shirts or dresses, and the nestling of small fannish children at her feet were sure signs you were in the right place for whichever con it was you happened to be at.

She is, and always will be, one of the greatest forces of nature the world has ever known. You will always be near and dear to our hearts, Mom.

People Who Wish to Attend the Zoom Memorial of Karen Colleen Savitzky. March 16, 1958 - July 12, 2021. Her memorial will be held via Zoom on August 3, 2021, at 3 PM (PDT). We will be recording at least part of the festivities. In true Colleen fashion, expect a filk circle and party-like atmosphere and a slideshow of pictures and tributes to her life which will be set to music after and displayed on her online obit and my father's website. Expect the festivities to run around an hour. The zoom will likely stay open past that for people who just wish to hang out and connect (and possibly play online party games).
Topic: Memorial for Karen Colleen Savitzky
Time: Aug 3, 2021 03:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5253275944...
Meeting ID: 525 327 5944
Passcode: PurpleTea
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,5253275944#,,,,*186362873# US (Tacoma)
+13462487799,,5253275944#,,,,*186362873# US (Houston)
Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 525 327 5944
Passcode: 186362873
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdLo5EfNMR

*CRASH*

Freyja

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Jul 15, 2021, 2:12:26 PM7/15/21
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Oh, God. She helped with our wedding plans, and we got married in her
house in San Jose. Yup, we had a Starport wedding. We talked to her on
the phone last week. My sympathies to Steve and everyone. She was special.

Colleen, may you be pain free forever more. We'll miss you.
*****crash*****

--
Freyja the NurseWench
http://freyjaw.dreamwidth.org
Twitter: @FreyjaRN
Death is turning out the lamp because the dawn has appeared.
-Rabindranath Tagore

Barry Gold

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Jul 15, 2021, 10:56:47 PM7/15/21
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On 7/15/2021 11:12 AM, Freyja wrote:
>
> Oh, God.  She helped with our wedding plans, and we got married in her
> house in San Jose.  Yup, we had a Starport wedding.  We talked to her on
> the phone last week.  My sympathies to Steve and everyone.  She was
> special.

You had a Starport wedding? Envy!!

--
I do so have a memory. It's backed up on DVD... somewhere...

Freyja

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Jul 18, 2021, 6:18:06 PM7/18/21
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On 7/15/2021 19:56, Barry Gold wrote:
> On 7/15/2021 11:12 AM, Freyja wrote:
>>
>> Oh, God. She helped with our wedding plans, and we got married in
>> her house in San Jose. Yup, we had a Starport wedding. We talked
>> to her on the phone last week. My sympathies to Steve and
>> everyone. She was special.
>
> You had a Starport wedding? Envy!!
>

It was great! Colleen handled my flowers and the potluck reception.
Steve presided over our wedding. We had a full house.

--
Freyja the NurseWench
http://freyjaw.dreamwidth.org
Twitter: @FreyjaRN
There is greatness in doing something you hate for the sake of someone
you love.
-Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

chythar skyfire

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Sep 24, 2022, 6:59:23 PM9/24/22
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The silvery wolf pads in once again and orders another drink, taking a long swig of it before making his way over to Colleen's memorial plaque. Beneath it, he appends a clicky button that looks kind of like a digital link, the sort of HTML-style hyperlink design on it.

For those of you who missed the memorial zoom call, mdlbear wrote up a page on our household's Rainbow Bridge with links at the bottom. https://rainbows-end.net/Bridge/Colleen/

Then the wolf walks back over toward the Line, knocks back the remainder of his brew and says

"I miss you, mom."

*crash*

D.J.

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Sep 25, 2022, 11:35:32 AM9/25/22
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D.J. tosses his drink into the fireplace.

My condolences.
--
Jim

D.J.

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Sep 25, 2022, 11:40:56 AM9/25/22
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On Sun, 25 Sep 2022 10:35:30 -0500, D.J. <chuckt...@gmnol.com>
wrote:
At WorldCon in 1993 I bought the Carmen Miranda is Hauting Space
Station 3 cassette tape and book from her.

Kitten and I had stopped by your table.
--
Jim

Freyja

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Oct 2, 2022, 1:28:08 PM10/2/22
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*****crash*****

I'm so sorry.

--
Freyja the NurseWench
http://freyjaw.dreamwidth.org
Twitter: @FreyjaRN @DuchessHonor
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