Several years back W. Bro. Ray Suntor passed a get well card to the secretary. It had nothing to do with any illness of the secretary but was in fact a get well card to himself. Posted by, of all people Geoffrey Boothman. Geoff sent the card to Ray whilst he was in Pinderfields Hospital in 1994 suffering from a scuba-diving accident. We have very little of Geoff’s to remember him by, apart from our memories that is, and I thought it was worth posting a copy of the card for all those who remember Geoff Boothman to see.
Hope you like it.
Geoff also contributed a number of books to the Pendle Lodge Library.
He was a champion cheese eater and may well have been Pendle Lodges first Grand Office had he lived. and best of all,my proposer.
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And, also there are a few books in our Pendle Lodge bookcase which belonged to Geoff.
Also he was my proposer.
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He was the JD at my initiation and conducted my around the lodge. I remember him asking if my pants would fall down if he removed my belt. I wondered what the hell I was joining. He was also a big eater at the social board along with long term visitor Malcolm Bywater. What a pair.
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Thanks Bob,
a nice little memory jerker and very apt as an example of what a lovely caring Man and Mason WB Jeff Boothman was. Jeff was one of the first Masons that I got to know well at Colne Masonic Hall, as he was a permanent visitor to Noyna Lodge No 6447, and I like to think that we hit it off as friends and masons almost immediately.
I became a joining member of Noyna in 1993, but had been introduced to the Lodge as a visitor by WB Keith Harrison in 1992. I was invited to Noyna’s Ladies Night, and Keith said to me I will sit you with Brother Jeff Boothman and his lady for the evening, Pamela. Don’t worry he said, Jeff will look after you, make you welcome, and make sure you are introduced to everyone. Suffice it to say, Jeff did just that, Sue and I had a cracking evening, and soon after I became a joining member of Noyna.
I met Jeff on numerous occasions and he was always the same; good company, a good story teller, and a man comfortable with himself and so obviously liked and known by everyone.
That a man like that should have his life cut short in his prime, just goes to prove what a lottery life is and a reminder that we have to try to make every day count. ( Jeff continued to visit Noyna Lodge even though very ill, and his brother came with him as I recall, as his driver and carer, and he always joined us at the Festive Board).
And, isn’t it interesting that his is a name that crops up in conversation between us quite regularly, and I wouldn’t mind betting that we maybe think to ourselves what an example he left and that, while being ourselves, his is still a damned good example to follow. You are still missed Jeff !
Thanks for that Bob a nice timely reminder of a good friend and brother.
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Came across this posted on the correspondence page which made it visible only to those who had access to the page, and with it being right at the bottom unlikely to have been viewed for quite a while. Ray Suntor handed me this card quite a while back and I cant remember quite why. It probably was to post on the website for all to see.
Anyway here it is again, a rather pleasant reminder of the man Geoff Boothman was. have a read of the card and you will see what I mean.
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