Welcome to TEAM LESLIE – a blog created in October 2011 by some of Leslie Bowman Marcus’ many friends. In the months leading up to her death on May 29, 2012, this was a place Leslie often visited whenever she wished to be reminded of the vast community of people who loved her, and it remains as a place where family & friends can come to read or post reminiscences of the dear friend who was such a vital presence in our lives.
This Obama 2012 Photo Essay, originally sent by Bob Stetson to Leslie (tireless Obama campaigner, circa 2008) has been transformed by our other tireless worker, Bob Nelson, into a Video Slideshow, complete with public domain music. Here is Leslie's original reaction on getting the email from Bob (S), and thanks to Bob (N) it is posted here in its new state with her approval. Make sure to follow the instructions to enjoy the whole sequence. -Ann G.
From Leslie: "Bobo -- this is wonderful -- it made my whole day. Shelley and I sat and read it together, and once again we are proud that (1) we voted for him, (2) we worked to get him elected, and (3) we'll work like hell to get him elected again.
"Keep sending this out, as the months go by, Bob - lots of people need to be reminded of what a fine President he has been for us!"
Note - This video, which was adapted via a pictorial e-mail from "Bobo" (aka Bob Stetson) that Leslie is referring to above, can also be viewed by clicking on the photo of Leslie with the Obama cutout below in the "Breaking The Ice?" blog post...
As the Media Technician for Leslie's group of high school classmates, here's my attempt at demonstrating some of the capabilities of this on-line forum... For one thing, I'm deviating from the standard text font. For another, I'm planning to share a couple of pictures and videos. Pictures and videos can be inserted into any "Blog Post" or along the right hand side...
I'd probably never have become acquainted with Leslie at all without Elwood Gerrits, the WONDERFUL longtime English and Geography teacher at Piedmont Junior High School. The late Mr. Gerrits and I had a mutual interest in a local listener supported radio station, which led me to reconnect with him a few years ago. To my great surprise, Mr. Gerrits was full of praises for the Piedmont High School 1969 Class that Leslie and I belong to, and did his best to convince me to get involved with that group, which had never held any attraction for me until then. This led to deep involvement with the recent 40th PHS 1969 reunion, where I found a niche as the Media Technician! :-) Leslie was a very important driving force for that event... Following are three of the many videos I helped produce for the 40th reunion. Leslie appears in all of them:
This YouTube movie was made from photos and video clips shot by Leslie at a Piedmont reception for revered retired PHS English teacher Jim Killian. The title is "JIM KILLIAN RECEPTION":
(Apologies to Anne Cobbledick Gritzer, whose first name is misspelled in the video... Another corrected video was issued, but couldn't be placed retroactively on a popular FaceBook site, so this one with more views seems to take precedence in the "blogspotland" media soup we're wading through here...)
Here's a YouTube movie based on a wonderful, creative greeting card from Leslie to me. I have discovered that custom, highly personalized and DELIGHTFUL graphic greetings (hard copy like this and electronic too) are a specialty of Leslie's. The title is "BART TICKET THANK YOU CARD":
The 40th Reunion gathering wasn't enough for some classmates, who got together four months later at Fenton's on Piedmont Avenue to welcome classmate Cliff Nancarrow to town. Cliff couldn't attend the official gathering in October 2009... Leslie reads comments from classmates who couldn't make it to Fenton's that day, but an amazing turnout of a couple of dozen (about 10% of the class) did come. This YouTube movie is called "FENTONS SUMMIT":
I tried to put my best still pictures of Leslie in the line-up on the right, but here are a couple of others:
A snapshot from high school years
given to me by Leslie, who appears
on the left. At right is Leslie's
longtime friend Sylvia Simpson.
Leslie with Barack Obama during the election season of 2008. This somewhat partisan picture was given to me by Leslie, and I include it here unashamedly...
Hopefully this "Blog Post" provides an idea of the capabilities of expression here... Contact me (e-mail is good, click on my name below) if you'd like some assistance with composing and posting messages... We'll learn together, because I don't feel too comfortable yet with this "blogspot" system...
