I’ve been wanting to add a few words here about Peace Circle, because it got little mention at Gail’s Celebration of Life (June 29, 2022), yet we know it was supremely important to her, as she was/is to us. Most of our current members were present that day, as well as some former members whose enduring friendship we cherish. What became Peace Circle started on July 9, 1987, when I invited some local (South Bay) people to convene as an affiliate of Interhelp, which was a network of affinity groups inspired by Joanna Macy. She is a well-known environmental activist, author, and scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory, and deep ecology. I had found Joanna’s work by serendipity when I was struggling in the early 1980’s with despair over the nuclear arms race, which was acutely threatening us all with annihilation. Joanna taught that our pain & despair for the world is rooted in our love for the world. Deep engagement with each other shakes off the immobilization of anxiety & opens the way to effective action on behalf of peace.

Other influences included Christina Baldwin (Calling the Circle) & Kay Tift (a teacher of the life cycles of groups.)

Our link with Interhelp didn’t last, but we did. We evolved into the Peace Circle based on our own vision.

Five of us gathered on that first day, 3 women, 2 men. Gail joined a few months later & became one of our guiding lights. She particularly insisted that we meet every month without fail, and we have for these 36 years! She knew how important regular commitment is to the bonding & continuity of a circle, as well as how important our circles are for our health & wellbeing. She was an example of consciously putting peace & love forward in every aspect of life.

Members came & went in the early years, as we strove to increase our numbers & influence. In later years we protected our boundaries by becoming a stable group of 5 women. Over the years we inspired each other to integrate Peace practices into our professional & personal lives. We’ve attended Peace, Climate & Women’s marches, practiced peace arts, learned about other cultures, laughed & cried together, & celebrated seasons—integrating our growing wisdom into our life stages, to this day & beyond. Gail is still a guiding light for us.

Jan McEwan, June 29, 2023.

Two poems for Gail:

***

My friend’s eyes would’ve

overflowed

at the beauty

of her own celebration

“I live close to water,”

she always said

***

She had her every wish

for ceremony

under the Mother Oak

Nothing

is buried there

within Her deep

shade

Ms. Randolph was my 3rd grade teacher at Fremont Older. I struggled as a student, for multiple reasons, in my early elementary school years. As I look back now, I am grateful for how Ms. Randolph helped me through a tough season in my life. She was compassionate and creative in her approach with me, so not to draw attention to me and my situation. Like many, I am a visual learner, and had a difficult time grasping the concept of multiplication. Ms. Randolph brought out a bag of pinto beans and guided the class in grouping the beans… it finally clicked for me! It was something very simple, and likely a common practice, but made such a difference for a struggling child to experience a sense of success.

Ms. Randolph was in the process of adopting Christian the year she was my teacher. She shared her excitement with our class, and this changed my perception of adoption at a young age. Before this time, I felt bad for children that were adopted, that they must be “unwanted”. Knowing a child out there was going to be adopted by someone like Ms. Randolph, caused me to think how very fortunate that child would be. That the child was “chosen” and “wanted”. When we reconnected years later on FaceBook, my first question for her was, "how is Christian". She was surprised I remembered, but I explained to her “how could I forget?”.

To say the least, I was thrilled to have her attend my wedding when I married another Fremont Older student she knew! The positive energy and love she put out in world will be greatly missed, but surely remembered.

My condolences to Gail's family and large and wonderful network of friends. My family  met Gail when she was a young teacher at Carol Murdock Elementary School. She and I started talking when I moved to Broadway and we realized she was a beloved teacher of both my brother and sister. 

We had so many wonderful conversations in front of her charming and distinctive home over the years. And I was the happy beneficiary of many original crafty gifts, left for me on my front porch in artful fashion 

I tried to return her generosity with little kindnesses. I helped her create the image she uses on her Facebook page with a little app that was popular at the time. 

Gail’s gentle spirit and mischievous humor will be well-remembered in this Broadway neighborhood. She’s woven into the fabric of it. 💕