Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion ~ In Memoriam ~ THE LIST

Hello friends:

I have been putting this off for too long, but it is a task which I have very little patience for. I'm a crusty old dog and totally out of tears, but going through these memories just hurts my heart!
I want everyone to know about the history of this site and introduce You to the founders and members who were instrumental in making KA what it is today!

George McCaffery helped finance the initial portion of this site directly through Pete Younghusband, now departed, and Tony Browneller (unknown).
George also funded two lectures given by Professor Ebringer here in the USA: The first in 2000 in San Antonio and next in Las Vegas featuring Carol Sinclair 2001. He is retired and living in Northern England last I heard from him.

Pete Younghusband lived in Texas when I met him at our gathering circa 1999 at Gladstones in Malibu (CA), and he wanted to relocate to the desert, so I invited him to stay at my place which was in Anza, not far from Palm Springs where he grew up. He spent a VERY COLD winter there while I was in Philippines. He made quick arrangements to move to Palmdale and within a few years he moved in with his daughter to help with his beloved grandchildren; Tucson I believe. Pete traveled to Wisconsin perhaps, and met with another member, Beth who was an Episcopalean minister but very antagonistic to the dietary suggestions. She had some ideas related to KA, and he wanted to investigate teaming up. Regret Beth died only a few months after, and Pete later told me that he did not want anyone in charge of KA who was dismissive of the diet, so he turned over ownership to me.

Timo Markkanen, whose name still appears as WebAdmin (webmaster) was a force of nature and I met him in Las Vegas we were instant friends and spoke often after that. He helped keep KA alive when I was thinking of turning it into a reference library because just about all the argumentative stuff was behind us and patients really don't need DEBATE, especially since the FB groups are so active today. He left us on 29 December, 2015 aged 64. He left KA in good shape to weather our notorious lack of funding and the traffic slowdown plaguing the site now.

I met Eric and Heather Pomo at the San Antonio lecture, and it was very difficult to learn of his passing just barely a year later! And then suddenly Heather was also gone, perhaps of a broken heart!

BETTY RAWKER (aka Andrea Wyckoff) came to Reno to visit along with her little puppy Ginger (?). She had just moved to Shasta from Oregon and was excited about her new little cabin and roughing it there. She went to the local Steamboat Springs (a moniker attributed to Mark Twain). We had discussions about arranging an outing for fellow patients to take the waters also, and also especially about her work in developing great recipes without using starch. She had subsequently posted some odd things that were beyond the scope of things we shared interests in, so I think she got sidetracked somehow and before I knew it, she had been killed in a car accident! I am so sad about her passing, but one of our very kind members has taken up her mantle. Janneke Phung has composed a wonderful tribute to Andrea and is carrying on her work. https://starchfreefeasting.com/?p=4794

Janneke's work is there also: https://starchfreefeasting.com/?fbclid=IwAR1QihreSmQ-Zh5ChaqBIeoGMGqE2i2lbrUfunNHFyNfi_ik0Zm93QffZQA

These are the people who helped make KA what we are today, and I love each one--TO THE MOON!

Perhaps I should begin my own preparations that is I am considering writing my book online and making it an interactive effort that will evolve into something that can easily be understood.

Blessings, comfort, and HEALTH to everyone

John

Thank you. I am so sorry to hear about all of these. I haven’t been here often in several years. These losses are very sad.
Possi
From Oklahoma.

Oh John, Thank you for this information. Andrea was so helpful to me personally, I didn't know she had passed away. We had kept in touch through the years. Thank you for posting this.

Also, I want to Thank You and those members who shared their success stories here. I found this group when life was literally kicking my a$$ and have managed for more than 11+ years to stay super low on the pain chart, because of you, Andrea and many others. I check in and look around.

Thank's for the story. Facebook can not compare to this forum.

I am so out of touch and behind. I always wondered what happened to Andrea. We talked a lot for a while. She asked if I would write about my journey with AS. She wanted it for her book. In condensed form I am sure. I remember all of the sudden I stopped hearing from her I assumed it was because I was slow in getting it done. She was a bright light, people like her are good for the world.
ETTE
Darrel.

Thank you (belatedly but heartfelt!) for this list. Gone but not forgotten, their memories are blessings.