Lionel Barthold; a couple of MANY remembrances
Nancy Piper Jenks
How did the Barthold-Piper connection begin?
It is 1955. Bill Piper is helping Barbara, his wife, hang some pictures on the walls of their newly built home in East Glenville. The door bell rings. Bill opens the door and there stands a tall, slim, good looking 29 year old man who introduces himself,
“Hi, I’m Lionel Barthold. I am here to gather support to build a community swimming pool.” And there it was, the beginning of life-long Barthold-Piper friendship. The Glen Hills Swim club came to fruition, founded in 1956 – a member-owned, non-profit cooperative. Lionel and Bill, among others, with determination, brilliance, dedication to community and know-how made this happen. Skip, Scott, Beth and I spent hours at that pool every summer -including early morning swim-team practice. The Barthold and Piper adults would cheer us on. Skip and Scott often won, Beth probably did too. If you are in Alplaus, go to Bruce Drive and you will see that Club still stands (there is another good story about Lionel visiting it not too many years ago – as I recall, they wouldn’t let him in since he didn’t have a card).
Lake George
It is Memorial, or 4th of July, or Labor Day weekend in the late 1950’s -60’s Bartholds, Pipers, Keges and Minors, have all taken over the Stratford’s dock on Andrew’s Bay. Lionel is describing an upcoming plot for a midnight sail to Black Mountain under a full moon. Sailing is the perfect sport for these engineer/physicist/scientist types and they loved to sail together! Our holiday weekends, which also included time at Pilot Knob with the Hunts, included races up Buck Mountain for blueberries (to add to the pancakes), sailing, waterskiing and no evening would ever end without a rendition of “Irene Goodnight”
BHBL Ski Team
Skip, Scott and I were avid high school ski-team members. Lionel often came to our races. At one race, Lionel was at the top of the course as I started out through the gates. He wished me good luck and I started down the GS course. I remember so well, skiing off the course and into the woods. Pauline DeMello, who was next to go after me – couldn’t figure out where I had gone. I was in ravine, on my back, skis and poles strewn around. I remember looking up, and Lionel was on the ridge, looking down and I started laughing. With a wonderful twinkle in his eyes, he proceeded to take off his skis to rescue me. “Nancy, I don’t think you won this one.”
Piper-Jenks wedding
Lionel was brought in on the secret in 1985 that Bruce and I would leave our wedding reception at Glen Sanders by canoe. “Well, I need to take over the canoe decorations”, he said. The canoe was not only beautifully decorated, but there were connected helium-filled balloons – programmed somehow to detach after 90 seconds into the paddle. Not surprisingly, it all worked – the balloons rose with the sign “Canoe believe it, they are wed!”
Birthday
At Lionel’s 90th birthday celebration, Bruce and I let Lionel know that he shared a birthday with the great Roman poet Ovid, also born on March 20th, but a few years earlier. With Lionel’s incredible facility to write poetry, a skill we all witnessed over the years at various occasions, we realized that there must be a connection! Quoting Ovid became a bit of joke between us!
Compassion and caring
With his quiet and unassuming support and caring, Lionel was always someone we could count on. He seemed to be an eternal optimist and if there was a problem, it could either be solved or at least the situation could be improved.
When I returned from the Peace Corps and wanted to get a job in Paris, Lionel contacted some colleagues, wrote a beautiful letter supporting my candidacy and got me a job (that is another story!).
When our father was hospitalized for 2 years before he passed away, Lionel not only visited him often, but sent him an email everyday for 2 years, that came through the hospital email, was printed and delivered to our father’s room. He spoke at our father’s memorial service and with his wonderful story-telling gift, had us all laughing and crying.
Lionel often told Beth and me that he considered us to be his surrogate daughters and we have always felt that great love. What an incredible man were privileged to have in our lives!