For everyone who knew her, Lola Grey passed away this morning at 11AM. Her brother was with her and services are pending.
Posted by jack wills (Member # 521) on :
What a blessing this women was. So much knowledge and loved her place in life.
Thanks for sharing, Kent.
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
I am grieved to hear of Lola's passing! What a wonderful person she was!
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
for those of us who dont know of her, please add some of what she had done.....
Posted by John Arnott (Member # 215) on :
So sorry to hear this. She was such a wonderful lady.
Posted by Miles Cullinane (Member # 980) on :
Well Rick will be pleased to see her again.
I spoke to her on the phone once, A lovely Lady. Rest in peace.
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
The world was a much better place because of Lola. Her passing leaves sadness, but she looked forward to a place that has far more advantages than this world.
For those that did not know her, you missed one of the true ladies.
She and her late husband had a very unique way of rescuing young men off the streets whose lives were going downhill - mainly due to alcohol and drugs. One of her most famous rescues was Rick Glawson. She was a mother to Rick when his own family had given up on him.
She called a lot of folks "her boys" and never failed to brighten the world around her.
Lola was a partner with Rick Glawson in his business and probably knew as much about glass restoration as he did. It was rare to see Rick without Lola at his side.
What a great lady. She will be missed.
Posted by Pete Payne (Member # 344) on :
was it a result of surgical complications? I had called her a couple weeks ago and she was going to have skin cancer removed from her cheek on the 18th, was going to call her tonite to see how it went
Posted by FranCisco Vargas (Member # 145) on :
oops
[ January 21, 2008, 06:06 PM: Message edited by: FranCisco Vargas ]
Posted by FranCisco Vargas (Member # 145) on :
Ah Kent, what sad news, I remember them way back from the early 80's meeting them in San Jose. Then later doing an interview with Lola and Rick at the Conclave 15 for Sign Builders Illustrated. Sorry to hear about her demise. she was a very caring lady and will be missed by many. May she rest in peace...
Posted by Brent Logan (Member # 6587) on :
Thanks, Kent. So sorry to hear that. Lola had a great way of making you feel welcome and at home. She will be missed along with Rick.
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
Yep, that's sad to hear. I always think of her every now and then. I wondered on how she is doing. And now she is gone, but I will still think of her.
Posted by Kent Smith (Member # 251) on :
She has had many health complications, especially this past year. After some hospital stays, she was in a rehab home and her brother was with her. She had a good breakfast this morning then said her heart hurt and she just died.
I will post more once I hear details of arrangements etc.
Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on :
I only spent time with Lola at one Conclave. She had such a passion for life, and for the work she and Rick did together.
I got to sit with her at a meal and she shared with me some stories of Rick and his life and the things she cared for.
Mostly I'll remember Lola by the sparkle in her eyes!
Thank you for enriching my life Lola!
-grampa dan
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Kent, Thank you for letting us know. It truly is a sad day but I have a small smile in my heart knowing that Rick and Lola are together again.
[ January 21, 2008, 06:58 PM: Message edited by: Kimberly Zanetti ]
Posted by Steve Shortreed (Member # 436) on :
I don't know if this applies to others, but I suspect it is true. Most of us have 2 sides.
There's the public side we allow most people to see, but underneath all that BS, many of us are simply garbage trucks. Let me explain.
From the day we are born, we allow people to dump garbage into out subconsious. In many cases we do it ourselves. Every failure, hurt, and negative experience in our lives get tossed into the garbage truck inside our brains. In 55 years, a person can really build up a nice pile of crap that results in low self esteem.
Everyonce in awhile, you meet someone who can see right into your heart. In my life, I can think of 3 or 4 that fall into this catagory. Lola was one.
We were at a hotel in Texas when Rick died. Everyone was calling Lola to offer her their condolances. I'm not good at these types of calls and often end up saying something really dumb. So I put it off. Promised myself that I would call when all the dust settled.
I never made that call. As time went on, it became harder and harder to pickup that phone. The guilt was terrible.
Time went by. We were at a meet with the Percells. The phone was being passed around and it was suddenly in my hand. It was Lola.
I was secretly hoping she had forgotten me. She was pretty old.
"Hello Steve", she said. "How are you and Barb doing. I haven't heard from you in a longtime."
I started to apoligize and go down a list of excuses, but she stopped me, told me to forget about all that and pretty well removed a load of guilt from my shoulders.
She went on to talk about her faith in God and people. It was almost as if she was looking inside my soul and telling me about myself. One can only imagine the effect she had on those fortunite enough to be called one of Her Boys.
Lola will live on through all the people she touched. That includes Her Boys and their Children as well as Letterheads everywhere. Well done Lola.
Posted by Pete Payne (Member # 344) on :
thanks for pics Kim, wish i'd taken some when i was at her place a couple years ago, seeing rick and lola together again sure brings back alot of memeories of TWO great mentors
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
You're welcome Pete, I will look around and see if I can find some more.
Just found this one (fantastic picture of her!)...Rick Sacks, did you take this?
[ January 21, 2008, 07:22 PM: Message edited by: Kimberly Zanetti ]
Posted by Bob Noyes (Member # 8317) on :
Lola sounds like quite a person, someone to inspire us all.
May she rest in peace
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
She was a kind helpful lady. She'll be missed.
Posted by kent moss (Member # 4295) on :
Rest in Heaven Lola.
Posted by Sonny Franks (Member # 588) on :
Sad news, she was always a true Letterhead....
Posted by Jon Butterworth (Member # 227) on :
One in a million! What a fabulous woman. Sorry to see her passing.
Sue and I got to meet her when Si took us over to Rick's Shop.
Lola immediately took Sue & Marty under her wing and gave them the grand tour of the shop, proudly showing them what Rick (and she) had achieved.
Unfortunately Rick died next morning. At least they are together again.
Posted by Neil D. Butler (Member # 661) on :
My deepest Condolences... Nice Story Steve.. and I know exactly how you feel about these sort of things... some times just a "I'm Sorry" is enough is'nt it.
Posted by bill riedel (Member # 607) on :
I am one of the lucky ones who met her years ago and it was at that first meeting that she told me the whole story of how she got involved with Rick. If it weren't for her, we all would have missed out on one of the best people to enrich the Letterhead experience. What a blessing she gave all of us. Bill
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
Behind every great man there is a woman. Lola was the lady behind a lot of great men. Her life was encouraging others.
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
Lola is my friend. Lola didn't have but one side to her, and whether she was in a letterhead environment or at church or in a restaurant or in the bank or the market, she was the same person, with the same love and message. It was always sad to watch her hurt and become more swollen and immobilized, yet none of the hurt seemed to compare to loosing her husband or Rick. Last time I saw Lola was eating home canned peaches in her kitchen and those incredible peppers she grew along the fence line. Lola lived in her home longer than anyone else in that neighborhood, there before most of the others were born. She was the only remaining anglo in that block. I loved to hear her tell of the changes she saw over the years, but mostly, her love for people. I'm glad this forum is here for this type of sharing, and yes Kimberly ZP, I did take that photo.
Posted by Ricky Jackson (Member # 5082) on :
I had met Lola at meetings when she came with Rick. I never asked why Lola was always with Rick; they just were. I didn't really know about the depth of her love for our craft until later. Every meeting I went to, if Rick was there, Lola was there. When I hosted the "Mad SIGNtist Symposium meet, they both came. I was living in Missouri when "Daddy Fine Gold" died and I didn't find out about it until months later. Words can not express how thankful I am for the contributions Lola made in keeping Rick's incredible achivements in tact - and to the Purcells, Kent Smith and others for their "rescue" efforts. Lola was always so sweet. I didn't post this here on the board but I lost my mother less than a month ago. It's hard to give someone up but it makes it a lot more bearable knowing they didn't live their lives invain and unprepared.
Posted by Pete Payne (Member # 344) on :
don't forget her persimmons, had to eat some last time there, she just wouldn't let me leave empty handed. She used to tell me about a woman who moved in next door and would bring her meals and spend time with her but i never got there phone number. Does anyone have contact info for them, or for Yoder, he was there for her too and i'd like to thank them for that
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
I think Yoder went to visit Lola weekly. I admire him. There were so many conversations I had with Lola over the years that I wished I could have had with my mom that is still alive. We felt very connected and her love for my kids was always touching, and yes, I remember those persimmons.
Posted by Frank Magoo (Member # 3950) on :
Truly a sad day, I wasn't one of her boys, but she never let on different, she treated us all as if we were part of her family....I feel truly blessed to have known her, I will miss her, and the persimmons, always came home w/at least a weeks worth.....
I have Yoders info if needed....sorry, need time alone right now....
Posted by Judy Pate (Member # 237) on :
Deepest condolences...I never meet Lola but she sounds like a great woman of faith.She will be missed. Judy
Posted by Deb Fowler (Member # 1039) on :
My deepest sympathies also for Lola. She had so many people that loved her and spoke about the closeness of Lola and Rick. I never met her personally, but they both touched our hearts through all of your experiences and stories of the fondest nature. What a fine woman and human being she was; I regret I never made it to the Conclaves to meet her and also Rick. May your memories shine forever in our hearts, Deb
Posted by Cam Bortz (Member # 55) on :
I cannot imagine Rick becoming the man he was, had it not been for Lola. As Rick's partner she made Esoteric Supply a going concern, allowing Rick to turn his attention to the gilding and restoration. They were such an odd couple; this tiny, fiercely protective elderly woman and the endlessly patient and helpful gentle giant. I'm so glad to have managed to attend one Conclave, and regret all the ones I put off "til next year" for one stupid reason or another.
Posted by Adrienne Pereira (Member # 1046) on :
I met Lola at the two Conclave's I attended. She was just as Cam describes above.
I remember her wonderful garden out behind the shop. And the first kumquat fruit I ever tasted, that so amazed me I had to get my own tree, which I still have, up here in the (now) frozen north!
I'm glad to here she's gone on to be with Rick, who I bet is showing her all those golden streets!!
Here's just one pics I was able to find: Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
In 2003 while I was in Long Beach I made the trip (along with Kathy and Bob Gilliland) over to see Lola and to take her out to dinner. I had heard that she loved See's chocolates, so we brought a box along to cheer her up.
Even though we got lost and were about an hour late, she treated us royally and gave the Gillilands the "tour" of Rick's memories.
As far as I know, this is the last photo I have of her (it was taken by Bob). A few years later I dropped by but she didn't feel like going out, so we just visited at her house. She had just had the house exterminated and was pooped from all the preparations.
Posted by Bobbie Rochow (Member # 3341) on :
Thank you, Raymond, for sharing about with me about Lola a few weeks ago. I wish so much I could have met her. A rare find, indeed, in the selfish world we live in. She seems like she was a self-less person, caring about so many, & reaching her hand out to help them.
You were all so blessed to have known her!
Posted by Kellie Miller (Member # 2788) on :
I am so sorry to hear about Lola. Thank you Kent for letting us know and I'm sorry that I didn't see this earlier in the week. Raymond you have said such wonderful things about her (as did everyone) and I know how close you were to she and Rick. I miss them both. Does anyone know about her services? She truly was such a wonderful gentle person. (with a bit of sassiness that we all loved!) Thank you Kimberly for the picture of Lola, Sam and I. She will be greatly missed.
Kellie
Posted by Patrick G. Smith (Member # 3707) on :
Sorry to hear about Lola. She was a wonderful person and shared her love with each of us in her own unique way that made us who knew her feel special. I just know her and Rick are walking along that heavenly beach gathering Moonstones once again. Condolences to all. Patrick G. Smith
Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :
Imagine having as large a "family" who cared about you as those of us who got to know her. She must have felt incredibly blessed.
She always talked the talk - and always walked the walk. Rare these days . . .
Nice story, Steve.
Posted by Bill Davidson (Member # 531) on :
This wonderful woman always had time for you. I will remember that sparkle in her eyes. I had a close calligraphy friend pass away too many years ago, never told him how much I appreciated knowing him. I hope she hears this, how much I enjoyed her company, her smile. I hope everyone I have met thru Letterheads reads this, cuz I want you to know how much I have enjoyed your company and your sharing. Cheers mates.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
