From Norman Vickers:
I am sending copy of Bill Westfall’s obituary, courtesy of wife Jeanette and son Fritz. Likely this will be of limited interest to those who didn’t know him but.. he was a remarkable man. I got to know Bill and Jeanette when they were living in Biloxi, MS and associated with the Mississippi Coast Jazz Society.

Bill’s day-gig was internist/psychiatrist with the VA Hospital in Biloxi. Bill was a large man, over six feet and had body-build of a football lineman. He was happiest when he was playing with a jazz group.

Jeanette was also a jazz activist. She was on the original board of the American Federation of Jazz Societies and served as secretary for a number of years. She was also active with the New Orleans Jazz Club, serving also on a board position there. ( for those unfamiliar with the geography of the Central Gulf Coast, Biloxi, MS is about 70 miles from New Orleans—an easy drive on I-10. )

As the obituary states, the left Biloxi and lived a few years in the Texas Rio Grande Valley. Then they moved to Ft. Walton Beach ( 40 miles east of Pensacola) FL to a retirement home and near their son who lived there.

The Westfalls came to a number of Jazz Society of Pensacola functions when they were living in Biloxi and also when they moved to Ft. Walton Beach.

Bill was also an e-mail correspondent. I was on the list, and might get ten or twelve jokes/day. Jeanette, I believe, likely appreciated that Bill had this diversion.

He will be missed!

------------------
Norman and Dear friends of Bill Westfall,
Our husband and father Bill Westfall passed away on Tuesday, September 29. He had been in the hospital for several days with heart failure, did not suffer and died peacefully. We thank you for being such a good friend to him and we're sure that, like us, you will miss him very much. Below is his obituary as it appeared in the Ft. Walton Beach, FL, newspaper.
Love, Jeanette, Fritz and Nancy

Dr. R. William Westfall, age 92, passed away Tuesday, September 29, 2009, at the Ft. Walton Beach, FL, Medical Center. He was born on December 14, 1916, in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. He graduated from Boone, Iowa, High School in 1934. After receiving his B.S. degree from Carleton College, Northfield, MN, in 1939 he studied medicine at the Des Moines Still College of Osteopathy, graduating in 1943. He entered general practice in Ackley, Iowa, until 1945 at which time he began his medical practice with his father, Dr. Ralph P, Westfall, in Boone, Iowa.

As a member of DO CARE International he served as its president from 1981-82. Working with DO CARE and the Partners of the Americas for over 25 years he helped establish and maintain medical missions (clinics) in many remote areas in Mexico, Guatemala, and Haiti. Bill and his wife Jeanette also organized and developed the Partners Travel Program, which resulted in the transference of an estimated $2,000,000.00 worth of medicines (donated by pharmaceutical companies) and about $1,000,000.00 worth of medical and dental supplies and equipment taken to Yucatan. Through their efforts in the organization, many more U.S. citizens became interested in Latin America and got involved in the activities of the Partners of the Americas. In 2004 they received the Special Lifetime Achievement Award presented at the 40th Anniversary celebration of the Partners of the Americas.

In 1972 he joined the medical staff of the Veterans Administration hospital in Danville, IL, and in 1976 he transferred to the Biloxi, MS, VA where he practiced until he retired in 1982.

He was a member of the Presbyterian church in Boone. His hobbies included photography and jazz music. As a jazz musician he was elected to the Hall of Fame of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Jazz Society. He had his own Back Bay Jazz Band which opened the 1984 New Orleans World’s Fair at the Mississippi Pavilion.

He and Jeanette lived in Alamo, TX, from 1998 to 2003. As a resident of the Alamo Country Club, he continued his hobbies. He played saxophone with a number of musical groups, including the Texas Trails.

A 58-year member of Lions Club, Bill has served as President of both the Boone and Danville chapters, and was a member of the Biloxi Lions Club. Through Lions Clubs in Iowa and Illinois he was responsible for a project, in conjunction with the Partners Programs, in which over 100,000 eyeglasses were collected and distributed to clinics in Yucatan.

Bill had a wall full of trophies and ribbons for his prizewinning photographs, among them first prize in 1975 in both the categories of colored slides and of black-and-white and colored prints from the Central Illinois Camera Clubs (which includes the area of Chicago). An exhibition of his black-and-white prints was presented at the Iberoamericana University in Mexico City in 2004. As a world traveler, he took over 50,000 slides and photographs of the over 80 countries he and his wife visited.

A resident of Westwood Retirement Resort in Ft. Walton Beach, FL, since 2004, he enjoyed taking pictures of the residents and activities. Many Westwood residents will remember his jazz saxophone entertainment at the weekly Social Hour.

Bill is survived by his wife of 70 years Jeanette, his son Dr. Fritz Westfall and wife Jan of Shalimar, Florida, his daughter Nancy W. Gurrola and husband Juan of Mexico City, Mexico, five grandchildren (Juan R. Gurrola, William Gurrola, Nancy Liz Alonzo, William M. Westfall and Jennifer Logan) and six great-grandchildren.

July 4, 2009 the Pensacola Jazz Society lost one of its founding members – Dr. Vernon (Smitty) Smith. My husband, Robert, and I lost a dear friend of nearly 40 years. I met Jan Smith, his wife, on the tennis courts in the early 1970's. We invited them to a party and when they danced out the door in the wee hours of the morning and back inside to the sounds of the Creedance Clearwater Revival, we knew we had made a couple of friends that we could relate to.

Smitty loved his wife and his family as can be said of all good men; but Smitty loved Jazz, dancing and a good rum and tonic as much as anyone can appreciate those life essentials. My husband and I received the benefits of having a friend like Smitty.

He was an excellent sailor, had the right to charter sailing vessels, as he qualified as a "captain." Robert, Jan and I, along with "Captain Scope," as we affectionately called Smitty, sailed around the British Virgin Islands. One can bet that jazz and rum and tonic flowed freely! We rented sailing vessels; sailed to the Wolf Bay lodge; spent the night viewing the sunset, after eating a meal fit for the gods! Life was good; but jazz was always playing in the background.

Smitty, Jan, Robert and I did not miss a Jazz Festival at the New Orleans Fairgrounds for many years. We trudged through mud and much, got sun-burned, ate Mufflelates (I challenge all but Jerry to spell that one!) on the grounds of the Art Museum and, over the years, saw so many great musicians that every time we hear them, we raise a glass to Smitty!

The crowds got to be too much for all of us at the Fairgrounds, so we took to the streets of New Orleans as the Jazz moved downtown. Oh, did we have some good times, staying in rented "condos," etc. as we continued to eat excellent food and listen to excellent jazz on every street corner!

We went to Jazz Gumbos on Monday nights; long after our good friend Smitty could remember the names of the society's members. He never forgot the names of the music or the musicians! He also wanted to dance at every opportunity! I fondly remember dancing the last dance with him at one of those occasions.

But more importantly, I remember every one of the events we shared; every dance, every hug, every time he made me feel special. He loved JAZZ! Isn't that what jazz is all about?

In loving memory,
Glenda Marshman

(Note: Glenda and her husband Robert became members of the JSOP on Sept. 10, 2009. We welcome them both, and look forward to seeing them at JSOP events!)

What a lovely letter we received from new members Nancy and Marty Holmes from Canada! I'll let you read their story for yourself:

With love from “the other London”

Planning for our first trip to Northwest Florida, I searched for musical events that we might be able to attend while in Pensacola (Apr 13-24/09). I discovered the Jazz Society and was immediately hooked!
In response to my initial e-mail inquiry, Kathy Lyon – the finest ambassador an organization could wish for - called me. She provided detailed information on all of the events taking place, and encouraged us to consider the daytrip to the French Quarter Jazz Festival, for which we immediately signed up.
Our New Orleans traveling companions gave us a warm welcome and we were particularly grateful for the extra kindness and attention shown to us by Dave (Jenson) and Norm (Vickers).
We then attended the thrilling Jazz Gumbo on the following Monday night, and went to see Kathy and her band perform at WillCall Grille on Thursday. We also followed orders and took Huntley Johnson’s exciting “more power” tour at the National Aviation Museum!
Unlike most vacations, when you might make brief, soon-forgotten acquaintances with the people you meet, we feel that we made new friends; people we hope to spend time with on our future visits to Pensacola – hopefully next in Spring 2010.
To all the members of JSOP, we say from the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for your genuine Southern hospitality and friendship, and for making us feel like “one of y’all, eh!”

Nancy & Marty Holmes
JSOP Corresponding Members
London, Ontario, Canada

Gladys Paulk Williamson Dies at Ninety-two

Gladys Williamson was a happy jazz-fan. Her smiling face could be seen at many of our Jazz Society functions—gumbos, jazz jams and picnics. She was a longtime member and loyal supporter of the organization. She was always excited by new experiences—cruises or trips she had taken and delightful people she had met. She was a widow who had been employed by the City of Pensacola. She is survived by several nieces and nephews. She was a longstanding member of Trinity Presbyterian Church. Graveside services were held Saturday May 16 with Rev. Frank Beall officiating.

Jazz Society Mourns Loss of Sara Williamson

Sara Williamson died May 4 after a brief illness with cancer at age seventy-five. She is survived by husband Bob, four children and their families, six grandchildren and three sisters. She was a native of Tallahassee, a graduate of Florida State University and UWF. She had taught school in Florida and Alabama. She and Bob were longtime members of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church and frequently served as host/hostess at the St. Christopher’s table at Jazz Gumbo. She assisted Bob as treasurer for Pensacola JazzFest for two years. A memorial service will be held at St. Christopher’s on Saturday May 30 at 11:00 a.m. with reception in the parish hall immediately following the service. Our sympathy goes out to Bob and the family.