June 11, 2009 - ChaddsFordLive.com

John M. Cloud of Kennett Square

John M. Cloud, 86, of Kennett Square, died Wednesday, June 10 at the Chester County Hospital. Ten days earlier Mr. Cloud had been moved from The Friends Home in Kennett where he was a resident and he never regained consciousness. The cause of death was determined to be a stroke.

John was the husband of Dolores Elling Cloud who died in 1998 and with whom he shared 48 years of marriage. He is survived by three sons: Norman Cloud of Ames, Iowa, Drew Cloud of Landing, NJ, and David Cloud of Houston, Texas, five grandchildren and one great grand child.

Born September 24 1922 in Toughkenamon, he was the son of the late William E. and Edith Carpenter Cloud and served in the U.S. Army during WWII.

Mr. Cloud was a machinist, an amateur inventor, and an avid gardener and outdoorsman. His 40-year career at the DuPont Experimental Station in Wilmington, included service as a machinist, millwright and mechanical trainer. He retired from DuPont in 1985 and spent his remaining years gardening and visiting friends and relatives. After a series of strokes in November, 2008 he moved to Friends Home, but continued, with his new acquaintances, to visit and tend his garden on an almost daily basis.

As a Quaker and member of the London Grove Friends Meeting in the 1960s and ‘70s he actively advocated for peace and equality, and was a long-term supporter of many civil rights and environmental organizations.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 10, at the New Garden Friends Meeting, Newark Road, New Garden Township. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution in his memory may be made to the Charity of your choice.

Arrangements by the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home, Kennett Square.
Online condolences may be made by visiting www.griecofuneralhomes.com.

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Unionville grads told to be brave and never quit

Local News

It’s not usual for a commencement speaker to strip down to his shorts, but that’s what Joseph Herman did while speaking to the Unionville High School Class of 2009.

Herman is the chairman of the Phys. Ed Department and was named 2009-2010 Educator of the Year by the students. He was the guest speaker for the June 8 graduation ceremony held at the University of Delaware’s Carpenter Center in Newark.

“It’s come to my attention that after four years of seeing me in gym shoes, and shorts and Unionville PE shirts, that some of you feel that you wouldn’t recognize me in these fancy clothes here. So I did check the dress code for teachers,” Herman said.

At that point he removed his dress shoes and donned a pair of gym shoes. He then walked out in front of the podium and peeled off his dress slacks to reveal a pair of cargo shorts.

“The dress code said shirt, coat and tie,” he said before leading the audience in a foot-stomping, hand clapping and whistling round of appreciation for the 346 graduating seniors.

Herman then asked the graduates to think of their favorite condiment.

He said he had witnessed students attempting amazing feats, like jumping over the tennis nets and not making it, falling in creeks, planting trees on the football field and jumping into a pond to get out of running on the track.

“But I’ve also seen you not allow mental or physical challenges to stop you. I’ve seen you rehab injuries, recover from surgeries, work hard, play hard, help each other, give back to the community, overcome adversity as a class [and] achieve great heights. … There is so much potential in this room. But potential and $10 will get you an expensive cup of coffee and cover a tip for the barista.

“Each of you has a potential for greatness. Embrace this fact. It’s there. Don’t hide it. I encourage you to not allow high school graduation to be your greatest achievement. Going after your own personal dreams takes guts and takes courage. … Risk can be scary. Be brave.”

Herman, a former Marine, told a story about a tattoo he has with an eight ball.

“The eight ball reminds me that as long as I have air in my lungs I will not quit,” he said.

Herman then told the graduates to tell their neighbor what their favorite condiment is.

“When life serves you a big dirt sandwich, you have a choice. You can throw your barbecue hot sauce combination on it and eat it and digest it, get rid of it and grow stronger, or you can let it sit on the counter and rot. Class of 2009, be brave, take a risk, never quit.”

Also speaking was School District Superintendent Sharon Parker who quoted several family members about what advice to give to the class. She discarded the suggestions by clergy, psychologist and academic members of her family, choosing instead to go with the advice given by her 5-year-old granddaughter.

Parker quoted her granddaughter as saying, ‘Tell them to say please and thank you. Tell them to eat their vegetables and brush their teeth.’

Parker then told the graduating class to remember the concept of please, to ask for assistance and to remember acts of kindness by saying thank you.

“As you accept greater responsibility for your own lives, treasure your minds and your bodies… Love yourselves, care for yourselves as we love and care for you.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.

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One dead, another missing in Brandywine kayak accident

Local News

The search for the body of a second kayaker believed dead in an accident on the Brandywine Creek Tuesday was suspended late Wednesday afternoon, police said.

Officials identified the two kayakers as brothers Christopher Miller of Yonkers, NY and the Rev. Chad Miller, of Wilmington.

Christopher Miller, 28, was pulled from the water between Route 926 and the Brandywine Picnic Park Tuesday afternoon. He was taken to Chester County Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Chad Miller, 34, an associate pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wilmington remained missing and was believed killed by the time the search was suspended about 4 p.m. Wednesday.
West Chester Police had been leading the search, but that has now been turned over to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. That agency will decide what to do next.
Tuesday morning’s heavy rain had swollen the creek, but apparently the brothers decided to take a kayak run despite being warned of dangerous water along the normally calm Brandywine.

Employees at the park reportedly saw the brothers near a four-foot dam and warned them to stay away. Officials believe that’s where the men got into trouble.

This was the second kayaking accident with fatalities along the Brandywine in a year. In July 2008, a Kennett Square resident was killed when a tree fell on him near Thompsons Bridge in Delaware.

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To the graduates: It’s your life

Opinion

Congratulations go out to the Unionville High School Class of 2009. You’ve achieved a major accomplishment on your way to living the rest of your lives. You’ve survived the 12-year sentence of government run education.

Some of you worked very hard to get to this point, others, did the minimum necessary to pass classes. And at this point you should all be able to write a simple declarative sentence, understand one when you read it, and perform basic math functions such as adding a column of figures.

It’s all just a beginning, whether you’ll now start your working life, enter the military or continue your formal education.

More than 340 of you graduated in a splendid little ceremony at the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, on June 8, receiving sound advice from School Superintendent Sharon Parker and from Phys. Ed Department Chairman Joseph Herman. It was advice to take to heart.

As Ms. Parker said, invoking the suggestion of her 5-year-old granddaughter, do remember to say please and thank you. Basic civility is always in order, yet often lacking in contemporary society. It’s a matter of being considerate.

And it follows from two principles most have heard before. One principle is the Golden Rule: Treat other people as you want to be treated. The other is a corollary to the first: That which is distasteful to you, don’t do to others.

And know that Mr. Herman was dead on when he told you to be brave and never quit.

Those of you who worked hard to get good grades have already been following that advice. Good for you. The rest of you need to learn the lessons of perseverance, of resolve. Dreams don’t come to fruition just by wishing. It takes work, more than what’s demanded for high school graduation.

But there’s more to learn. Learn to distinguish between objectivity and subjectivity, between truth and fact. Reality, truth, is objective, universal and eternal. Facts are transitory. Personal perceptions of reality are subjective. Don’t confuse your own opinion with truth. Always question your premises when faced with new facts and admit when you’re wrong. Be a seeker of truth no matter what you do for a living.

And with all that, take time to enjoy your friends, your families and your own abilities. It’s your life. Live it to the fullest.

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Blogging Along the Brandywine: Sally’s motor running for an old Mustang

Along the Ford

The scene: One of those sparkling celebrations at the Brandywine River Museum.

The dance band was set up outside the windows of the main lobby. I looked up, recognized Lenny on tenor sax and gave him a little wave.

In a few minutes the unmistakable slow, driving, bluesy beat began to electrify the courtyard…

“Mustang Sally… guess you better slow your Mustang down.“

It happens a lot when your name is Sally and not Sarah.

I actually was “Mustang Sally” for a while, well sort of. My second car was a silver 1978 Mustang II. It was the last of the second generation of Mustangs to actually look like the classic before the designers got stupid in 1979 and turned the third generation of Mustangs into squared-off shoeboxes.

But 1978 was also one of the years when some models began to develop mechanical problems. Mine had the unfortunate quirk of only going forward. It wouldn’t back up. Really! I had to take it back (or forward as the case may be) to the dealership several times until they finally fixed it.

“All you want to do is ride around Sally…Ride, Sally ride.”

A few summers ago I got together with two childhood friends at Ocean City, NJ. We were there the weekend of the Mustang Show. Mustangs parked up and down the boardwalk. Every model was present, and each one in pristine condition. It was like a walk down memory lane as we looked at the cars that had defined our youth. We compared notes about the songs we were listening to, what we were doing in school and who we had crushes on that year.

I bought you a brand new Mustang…a nineteen sixty-five.”

A few weeks ago I was driving through Chadds Ford and happened to glance over at Leader Sunoco – and there it was right out front… the bare bones chassis of an old Mustang. One of the good ones – not the shoe box variety.

Station owner, Jim Leader is restoring it.

“When I bought it,” Leader admitted, “I broke my major rule by not checking it out first. It’s turned out to be a lot more work.”

Leader bought it from one of his friends and said, “It was just sitting in his garage under a bunch of junk. He needed to sell the car to pay for an addition to his house.”

Ford named the original color of this classic 1965 Mustang Fastback, “Poppy Red,” which as Leader explained, was actually more bright orange.

Leader expects to be working on this project for another year.

The next time you’re in need of a fill-up, stop by Leader Sunoco, pump some gas, say “hi” to Jim and reminisce a while next to a real classic. (The car, not Jim.)

And despite its problems, I really loved my silver 1978 Mustang II.

I bought it during the years of the OPEC Oil Embargo, before locking gas caps were standard, so I had to order a special cap from the JC Whitney catalogue. It stayed with the car when I turned it in.

And somewhere on a shelf in a closet I still have the original gas cap with that classic Mustang logo on it.

About Sally Denk Hoey

Sally Denk Hoey, is a Gemini - one part music and one part history. She holds a masters degree cum laude from the School of Music at West Chester University. She taught 14 years in both public and private school. Her CD "Bard of the Brandywine" was critically received during her almost 30 years as a folk singer. She currently cantors masses at St Agnes Church in West Chester where she also performs with the select Motet Choir. A recognized historian, Sally serves as a judge-captain for the south-east Pennsylvania regionals of the National History Day Competition. She has served as president of the Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates as well as the Sanderson Museum in Chadds Ford where she now curates the violin collection. Sally re-enacted with the 43rd Regiment of Foot and the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment for 19 years where she interpreted the role of a campfollower at encampments in Valley Forge, Williamsburg, Va., Monmouth, N.J. and Lexington and Concord, Mass. Sally is married to her college classmate, Thomas Hoey, otherwise known as "Mr. Sousa.”

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