More Pope slides

Here are more of the Pope slides.  I'm pretty sure these were Jim and Marjorie's slides, which might explain why Jim isn't in many of the shots...  I haven't had time to clean them up but I'll do that later.  Elmer Pope was Frances' cousin and Grace tells me that Myrl is a cousin too.  Enjoy!

[Click on photos to enlarge]

Myrl and Frances

Myrl, Frances, and Elmer

Myrl, Jim, Frances, and Elmer

Marjorie, ??, Myrl, Frances,  ??, ??

Jim, Elmer, ??, Clarence, Paul

Dinner

Pope Slides

These slides were found in the deepest, darkest part of the laguna attic.  They were housed in a really cool looking slide box, with six drawers of slides.  The good news is that someone wrote a list of what is on each slide.  The bad news is I can't always read their writing.  I don't know who this belonged to, and I don't know many of the names.  So any help with deciphering the code would be greatly appreciated.  My favorite is the last one - of Frances laughing...  [click on photos to enlarge]

Clarence Pope (Frances' brother)

Jean Pope (Clarence's wife)

Grace (Pope) and Bill Tiernay

Sandra, Jean, Grace, Bill, Clarence

???, Jean, Grace, Bill, ???, ???

Jean, Clarence, Sandra

Marjorie Pope

Mryl, Frances, Paul

Frances

Frances

Frances (definitely click on this one!)

Balboa 1964

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Grandma and Paula

Betty

Nancy

Jack

Paula

Tommy

Susie McPhail

Anne, Tom, Jeff

Jeff, Nancy, Jennifer,  Paula

Kemp Boys 1965

Tom, Dick, Paul, John, Jack

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Kemps in Washington circa 1969

I love this photo - signed by a mystery (to me) Congressman no less.  I remember my dress.  I remember my pin.  I think I just ran across mom's camera in the attic.  And, oh, her white gloves!  Love Jeff's tie, too!

(click on photo to enlarge)

Nita's Rolls and a note to Dickie

I'm scanning all of Frances' recipes and will make them available to you all in the months ahead.  Fortunately for us, on many of the recipes she wrote the name of the person who gave her the recipe.  So far we have recipes from Nita, Doll, Dorothy, Caroline, and Mary.   (click on images to enlarge) 

On the back of this recipe for Nita's Rolls, I found a note from "Mom" to "Dickie."  It reads:  "Dickie - Mom & Dad have gone to Long Beach with a trip.  We will be back about 9.  Eat your breakfast & don't wake Tom or Jack.  Why don't you set up your train.  Love, Mom"  Wonderful!

Betty Benson in the snow

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Ahhhh... on a hot summer day, there's nothing nicer than finding an old negative to scan and discovering that it's a photo of mom in her late teens/early twenties throwing a snowball at the camera.  Heaven.

4th of July news

 Dad with two of Daoud's sisters, Najla and Lema, holding Sameel, Najla's son

[click photo to enlarge]

Rob called Daoud today, on the 4th of July, just to let him know that we are thinking of he and his family this day. His wife Nadia answered the phone. Daoud has left his job as car salesman and now works for the US Army in Afghanistan! His proficiency with languages and Afghan dialects, along with the fact that he is now an American citizen, makes him a wonderful asset to the army. No matter where he goes in Afghanistan, people think he's from that region. Plus he speaks at least 7 other languages. Most of his work is top secret so when Nadia goes over there with the children (tomorrow!), there's a chance she may not see him.

How proud dad would be of what Daoud has chosen to do - using his unique talents for such an important cause. We will keep Daoud, his family, and Afghanistan in our prayers.

Frances in the kitchen

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Since my last post was about grandpa, I thought I'd give grandma her turn in the spotlight.  I love this photo. She seems to be in deep contemplation of that bird.  The platter is ready at hand.  As are the half-filled glass milk bottle, the upside down can of "Butter Kernel Succotash," strawberry jam, some potatoes on the windowsill.  I'm sure the orange rolls are in the oven.  I tried to make out the year on the "Lindy's" calendar but couldn't.  It's November, so chances are pretty good this is Thanksgiving.  I love that she's got her good jewelry on.  Along with an inside-out apron.  Perhaps she's thinking - all this work and it will be over so fast.  Anyway, I love this little quiet moment in time.

A wonderful and surprising find!

As you know, the TPK kids are in the process of dividing up the contents of the laguna house.  I had claimed the carved wood table that sat in the living room between the two blue plaid chairs.  It has a great secret drawer which I emptied out.  But when Tom Jr carried the table out to my car, we heard something rattle and realized that there must be more inside.  I managed to get my arm in there and found a few pieces of jewelry.  Then Tom noticed that at the very back, tightly wedged up against the furthest wall, was a piece of paper.  Turns out that it was a letter from Paul Sr. to dad.  It was written as if to the Coca Cola Bottling Co. upon dad's promotion to president.  It is vintage grandpa.  And I wonder if it's been sitting inside that table since 1975...  Here's the letter.  Click on the image to enlarge it.  (Transcript below)

3-15-75
To whom it may concern: -

I would like to congratulate the Board of Directors of the Coca Cola Bottling Co in their selection for President: He is young, aggressive, honest, brilliant, kind, humble, intelligent, loving, a great compassion for his fellow-worker, a devoted husband and a marvelous father:-

Page after page could be written extolling his outstanding qualities, but I know you are aware of them.

The new President is one of four of the world's greatest young men.

From one who is not predjudiced.

P.R.K.

Adventureland, 1955

Here's a great photo of Lorraine, me, and dad at the entrance to Adventureland in 1955.  See the photo below for comparison.  [Click on photos to enlarge.]

121 Ridgewood Photos

Here are some slides from when Dick returned home in uniform, and the Tom Kemp and Paul Kemp Jr families were there to greet him.  What a great welcome! [Click on photos to enlarge.]

Class Photos

Here are some class photos from various years.  I love the hair!

They were in a painted cigar box where Grandpa kept some notes and articles and a few photos.  I'll be posting scans of some other things from the box too.

Christmas Cards from the Jack Kemp family

I found these while organizing a box of grandpa's old photos.  It's a real eclectic box of stuff, with some special treasures inside.  Here are two such treasures - Christmas Cards from the Jack Kemp family with comments from Joanne on the back.  You can click on the images to enlarge them.

He Done Done

I promised myself that I would try to remember every detail.  But somehow the bits and pieces have all swirled together into one big memory and there's nothing I can do about it now.  So, I'll try to report as best I can, but if you want a lot of specifics, you most likely will have to consult the video.

Rob, Claire, and I first heard about the Jack Kemp Foundation at Ruby's restaurant on end of the Malibu pier.  Jimmy had just come from meeting with Pepperdine.  He was on fire about the Kemp Forum.

The Kemp Forum didn't exist... yet.  But it was pretty obvious to us that this was the new path and Jimmy was the one who was going to lead the way.  He expressed gratitude for Pepperdine protecting and nurturing the Kemp papers and institute.  But he was going a different direction - fast.

So, it was a great joy to be a witness to the Kemp Institute's transformation into the Jack Kemp Foundation.  I don't think anyone knew what to expect.  It's one thing to put on an event with the massive resources of Pepperdine behind and beside you.  But for the Jack Kemp family and associates to put it on themselves was an awesome accomplishment.

What I especially loved about it was that it seemed both extraordinary and simple at the same time.  The lack of pretension, the energy, the passion, the flowers (as put together by Jennifer and Judith), the spontaneous tributes, the overflowing hospitality, the love - all combined to make each and every one of us proud to be a part of an important movement that is definitely moving onward and upward.

One of the songs that was sung a-capella at the event by a young man from Howard University was an old spiritual called, "I Done Done."  The refrain goes:  "Lord, I done done.  Lord, I done done.  Lord I done done.  I done done what you tol' me to do."  I think we all were nodding our heads in agreement - Jack done done.

In closing, Jimmy re-told the story he told at Jack's service.  He and Jack had gone to the golf course to hit some balls.  Jimmy had a brand new 3-wood club, with which Jack took a swing, missing the ball entirely.  Jack then broke off the club head, threw down the shaft, walked to the car without a word, and drove home.  Jimmy was thirteen.

Jimmy then said that there's actually a little more to the story.  He said that at the time it occurred to him that his dad had bought a bucket of balls, and he he wasn't going to waste his dad's investment.  Alone, he hit ball after ball until the bucket was empty.  Jimmy then told the audience that we're now in the same situation.  Jack has gone.  But he left us a big bucket of balls.  There's work to be done.  We need to tee up and start swinging.

Joanne joined the family on the stage and together we all sang "America."  That's when the details of the day started swirling in my head.  It was like a tidal wave of emotion, mission, empowerment, and love of country that swept over the room and filled each heart with the kinds of thoughts that would make Jack proud.

So to Jimmy, Jeff, Jennifer, Judith, Joanne, and all the rest who were a part of that wonderful day we say - you done done.

"Domo Arigato, Mr. Rob....oto"

I'd like to thank the Academy

...for Rob Hummel.

We had a great time at his presentation last night at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills on Behind the Motion Picture Canvas: Film Formats through the 21st Century

Rob gave a fascinating history lesson on aspect ratios, film formats, and film grain. He showed us more film masterpieces than I could count (The Sound of Music and Once Upon a Time in the West were my favorites). As always, his rare sense of humor came through again and again. A great bonus was the panel of distinguished cinematographers that he moderated after his talk -- which turned into an impromptu and fascinating debate on the merits and drawbacks of digital cameras.

I actually have a bit of a history with this presentation. It starts way back in 1995 when I saw him give a talk in London (I remember the Taj Mahal slides and the Little Buddha clip). Then, almost two years ago, after I had arrived and was headed to my seat at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood to see this presentation, Gina called to tell me that her water broke -- good thing I ignored the sign to turn off my cell -- and I raced to the hospital and missed the whole talk (Thomas was born a few days later).

But there were no problems last night. Matt, Jenny, Abby, Anne and 800 others saw the whole thing. We even braved the groupies that mobbed Rob afterward to prove that we actually knew him -- but Rob still refused to sign autographs. I walked up as one guy was telling Rob how he took his class at UCLA and was now working as a cinematographer. I enjoyed seeing the impact Rob has had on the industry.

In many ways this presentation is a perfect representation of Rob's career (at least so far) -- it shows him as a distinguished expert and film buff, surrounded by some of the industry's best and most talented, easily switching gears between uber-geekness and passionate artistry. I remember way back when I thought he was cool because he sent me some Tron stationary...

I learned a ton, although I am glad I slipped away before the test was passed out.

thanks Anne for inviting us!

Tom's 1966 speech to Adventure Unlimited

Here's a link to a speech that dad gave to a group at Adventure Unlimited, a Christian Science camp organization. It's a speech about business and life goals, and except for a dated reference in the opening paragraph to a "beatle-type hairdo," it's as relevant today as it was 33 years ago. I know you will enjoy it. It's vintage Tom. Don't believe what he wrote at the top when he sent this copy to his mom and dad - "Not very exciting but you may be interested. Tom"

CLICK HERE for the link.

More photos uploaded

I have uploaded a few more photos from Grandpa's family album. These are mostly from the 50's and aren't necessarily in order (yet). But I thought that you might like to see them. Click here to be linked to the photos. Then click on SLIDESHOW in the upper left corner. You can set the speed, and you can also pause it. Enjoy.