Geoffrey MacLean
(20 June XLI/2006)
it is with heavy heart indeed that i pass on the news of the passing of jeff wilson / geoffrey maclean, as he has fallen in battle against the dread cancer.
i will miss him greatly. -dd HL Sylverstone the Traveller
Thoughts from a fellow Sergeant.
He was a fighter - a Sergeant - a Squire.
He was a lover - you saw it in his eyes when he looked at Patti.
He was a friend - by lending a hand, an ear, or a shoulder to lean on.
He made you smile - with a song, a smile, a laugh.
He made you think - with his ideas, his knowledge, his teaching.
He made you duck - from an axe blow, or a sword, or a spear.
He thought big - with his gur, his pavilion, his castle.
He gave his time - at work week, on retinue, just about anywhere.
He was Geoff - The Baron, The Bard, My Friend.
God bless you Geoffrey - I will raise a toast to you.
Sergeant Cyneric Bearson of the Clan McBean
Geoffrey Maclean was one of those larger than life types that find a true home in the SCA. The Clinton Castle , Bath houses and Showers are amongst his legacies. So however were the nightly parties at his encampment all through work week. Clinton work week will go on but it can never be the same. Rest well my friend.
In sorrow and grief
HL Sargeant Yeoman Gallant Colin Mackay of Balmaghie
(in reply to a query as to how Geoffrey died):
Cancer of the Kidney. A number of us have known for quite some time that the prognosis was grim, but Geoff fought as long and as hard as he could. He had hoped to be well enough to make Clinton work week and war and was apparently concerned that a motorised scooter would be out of place and sought permission from Mistress Maelen to ride that during Clinton! That was the true sprit of the man, more concerned about others than himself even on the most trivial of matters even at the grimmest of times.
my friends
As many of you have heard, Geoffrey MacLean lost his battle with cancer. It is a very sad time for Lions Gate and we will be respecting him as his family wishes. There will be a memorial held him.
Lions Gate has lost a friend, for he would give up his right arm for you.
Lions Gate has lost a sergeant, and he was Aurora's first.
Lions Gate has lost a piller, someone who not only built, but could be the foundation on which you built things.
Geoff didn't merely befriend you, he challenged you, he made you think, he pushed the traditional limits to find out how far we as a group could go. There are people in the SCA who blindly follow, and Geoff was never one of those - and the SCA was the better for it.
and now we his passing we are poorer.
Devin
Baron of Lions Gate
(20 June 2006)
Last night, after Geoffrey had passed, Davin and Banjo were talking about building a bridge at the Clinton site (with permission from the site owners, of course) wherein all of Geoffrey's friends would bring in a slab of granite to contribute to the memorial. I don't know if this idea will come to fruition, but I thought it sounded cool. I'll see if I can find out more from Banjo.
And, of course, a party/wake is a great idea.
I'll miss the Captain of my Guard. He did so much for Davin and I, both in the SCA and out of it. And Patti...what a brave, beautiful girl she is. Her strength astounds me. And Cornelius, a kind of second father at Geoffrey's bedside, it broke my heart to see him lose a second squire. But there was also something amazing and wonderful about his steadfast vigil at Geoffrey's side, where I saw the bonds of fealty and friendship blur into something transcendent.
Forgive me. I'm not articulating my thoughts well.
I'll miss Geoffrey.
Groa