Vérité - the Bantry Bay Gig out of Tacoma, Washington
The original WOWers (Women on the Water) have officially passed the "oar" onto the next group of women. Verite has a suitable home and excited and willing rowers - prayers have been answered in a most beautiful way. Perhaps they will call themselves WOW 2.0? It is with mixed feelings we stand on the dock and watch the new crew row down the Thea Foss Waterway.
Remembering with sadness and a smile
She slipped away during one of my low moments. I had a cold that turned into a major deal with a six-week check out of life requirement. When it came time for her memorial service, I was absent from the circle of remembrance. Was it the waiting at home for the CenturyLink repairman to restore our service or the dryer repair issue that distracted me? Regardless there is a void where an closure should reside. I missed being with others to share our mutual feelings of respect and love for her bright shining soul.
While her passing was not a surprise. her timing was good. She didn't need to witness the most recent degradations of American life since her passing. It would have literally broken her heart. Her spirit would not, could not have weathered it. We can only hope in her new place in heaven and in spite of her tiny frame, she is taking a sledgehammer to the walls separating people and replacing it with respect and kindness.
I hope too that Heather will look down from her heavenly perch and send blessings down on Verite, our beloved boat, who is now residing in a new home along the Thea Foss Waterway. Fresh hands and enthusiastic leaders are continuing the community plan of "one for all" of bringing young and old alike into the boat.
Thank you, Heather. We will think often on your spark, your enthusiasm, your kindness and your will power to make this a better world. Let it guide us through the dark waters of our times knowing the power to achieve anything is within each of us, if we have the right mind-set, and if we work together to bring out the best in each of us.
Heather Halabisky Obituary
Heather Coles Halabisky
May 28, 1944 - November 11, 2024
Tacoma, Washington - Heather Coles Halabisky was born in Dingwall, Scotland on
May 28, 1944. She left for Canada with her younger sister Zoe and mum, who was
a war bride, and with her parents they settled in West Vancouver. She went to
UBC and got a degree in English. There, she met a handsome man in the forestry
department, Don Halabisky. Together they embarked on a life-long adventure
living in Virginia, Seattle, France, Montreal, Illinois and finally settling in
Tacoma, Washington. She shared her love for the NW by taking her 3 children on
frequent backpacking trips and road trips up to Vancouver to keep her large and
close family connected (she was the oldest of 9 children!). Heather loved
Tacoma and truly wanted to make it a better place for younger generations. She
worked as a teacher both in the classroom and as a French tutor and was
passionate about her work with women for TCC's Welfare to Work program. She
volunteered for Beyond War, The Sea Scouts helping kids build a sailboat for
the Atlantic Challenge and started their Cambodian refugee program at St.
Mathew's Church. She and Don organized a volunteer group to restore a local
green space, Julia's Gulch. Heather loved her family, the earth and promoted
peace far and wide. She is survived by her siblings, Barbara, Dan, John, Peter
and Nona, her children, Bruce, Nicole and Meghan, her husband Don and their 6
grandchildren, Solianna, Seffa, Paia, Lucca, Anya and Iain. A memorial will be
held at the Browns Point Improvement Club on Jan. 11 at 2 p.m.
It was a beautiful day.
Eight Vérité WOWers met for lunch at the Antique Sandwich Company.
Saucing the thwarts
sounds like a catchy title for a sea shanty, don't you think?
"Oh, they sauced the boat from stem to stern
and then things took a little turn.
They giggled so much the inspector came round,
a few fumes later she joined in making happy sounds."
Oh, boat saucing can be so exhilarating. It means that there are just a few more things on the to-do list:
a little painting of the green and leathers for the oarlocks. Then Verite will go down to the water, we pray, to soak up Commencement Bay.
Thank you to today's crew - Sally, Jan B. and Jan and Leslie (the inspector) and
of course George!
This week some of the Jan's gathered to paint the yellow stripe inside. Up the stairway to heaven and once again we were in the boat. Oh, joy. I feel a song coming on....
Mellow yellow
