T Vail Palmer Remembered

 Settle DOWN RantWoman. You absolutely are entitled to full-blown rant about things to do with memorials. Just for     now, try to let Vail's presence rub off on you. 'kay? And MAYBE let loose a leading it is perfectly reasonable to wish would land on the right person.

RantWoman has never met T. Vail Palmer. RantWoman only knows him through people he mentored. Usually one only goes to memorials if one knows the deceased or wants to offer specific support to someone close; a time or two RantWoman has gone to a memorial out of a sense of protocol. This time RantWoman had a clear leading to go.

RantWoman jotted down a few impressions.

RantWoman appreciated the music chosen, everything from "There's a wideness in God's Mercy" to something of Bach.

There were a number of remembrances from family. These made it clear both that Vail has a wonderful family and that they havea rich history. RantWoman did not note details beyond that.

RantWoman is touched by one remembrance, something like "he was very gentle, but he knew you would want it to be correct." RantWoman is going to TRY to live up to both sides of that standard whenever her badly calibrated Idiot detector goes off. 

RantWoman always enjoys knowing memorial nods from family members. There were several even RantWoman could see in Zoom

One Friend recalled a belief in "the ministry of all whether recorded or not."

One Friend invoked the Martin Buber quote "not I it but I thou."

One person spoke of how Vail's grandfather loved Ministry and Counsel meetings because he had a bent toward philosophizing

Vail pointed out that Marx 12 times in Das Kapital referenced John Ellers late 17th century Congress of Industry. Vail recognized Christian roots in socialist ideas.

Vail every year read an MLK speech in Albany; he believed in putting out true things. Friends noted that he was an awesome reader and the Lutheran Church recognized this.

Vail had a profound need for meeting for worship. Before the pandemic Friends who helped him get to worship began to have concerns because of his frailty and need for a walker.  The last time one Friend saw him they had a conversation because maybe Friends should not be bringing him out in the pandemic.

Vail's comment, as reported at the memorial: "I can accept the wisdom of that and you'll come for me when it's over."

The Friend continued. "Vail did not believe in hell and was agnostic about heaven, I hope he was pleasantly surprised and is in Meeting for Worship."

Memorial photo album