Jackie Horgan's report on the wake:

Leah and I found a number of tapes from Revelcon Follies over the years, plus one of a puppet show Ann did at one of the other library branches, and I made about a 40-minute video. The funeral home supplied a TV and VCR, and we played it at the viewing. In one room was the coffin & body, along with a CD boombox playing various filk tapes she loved, and in the other, the video.

Leah wasn't sure that this was the right time or place. I insisted that it was exactly the right time and place. I thought we'd show it once or twice. Instead, every time it ran out, someone was trying to see how to start it over again. Mary Stanton, one of her library friends (she has two hearing aids, to Elaine's one), said she couldn't bear to watch when she first saw it. Later, she sat and watched.

The aunts & uncles said that the performing was exactly Ann. In fact, both asked for a copy. Even Leah agreed that most everyone found it comforting.

The aunts particularly loved the ballad of Captain Janeway (Oh My Captain, to Oh My Darling Clementine), when the audience was laughing and applauding too loudly to hear the lyrics, and Ann kept motioning them to stop so you could continue.

Big turnouts for the wake and the funeral. I hope Elaine knew how many people loved her.

You can find the Ballad of Captain Janeway and other songs we used to perform here.

I remember Ann shushing the crowd; she spread her arms out and moved them slowly downwards (as football players do to get a crowd to quiet down) and when there was finally near-silence she intoned dramatically, "And there was peace." That got everyone laughing again! <
--ACS


About the funeral, from Linda Sparr

Several of us wore bright purples to the funeral. (Elaine was particularly fond of purple, especially in clothing and jewelry.--acs) It just seemed appropriate somehow

A large chunk of the Houston children's librarians showed up, as did her entire branch staff, two of the Regional directors, and a couple of reps from downtown.

Then, on the other side of the church, were the fannish friends. I sat with Laurie Keeper, Candy, Lorelei, Jamie, etc. Quite a mixture of personalities available, and it was so obvious that Father Jim really KNEW Ann and had been to her place several times. It was a beautiful, crisp, sunny day--so gorgeous.

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