Friday, May 8, 2009
Friends for years
Welcome. For this first topic I (the administrator) am requesting those persons who have known Woody for years to make a short entry about him. Perhaps a short story of some interest or simply a muse upon your impression of the man.
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I am looking forward to this event and will post a comment in the next few days. I encourage everybody interested to take the time to join.
ReplyDeleteHe was the best influence on two of my pupils, both of whom were struggling with their positions in life. Woody showed them that one can be gracefully ancient and still be deeply loved.
ReplyDeleteWoody. Glad to see this coming along. I've been hanging around Prime Timers for years and only recently met you, so I guess i should wait to comment until there is a category for newer friends. Bravo Woody. Keep on keeping on!!
ReplyDeleteA lot of us old codgers still remember what life was like before Prime Timers came to town. In 1987, the year Prime Timers emerged from the womb, older gays were about as close to the pits of gay [and straight] society as it was possible to get.
ReplyDeleteWe've come a long way and now somebody has even made a blog about me — the guy that was just fortunate enough to be at the historical beginning. Well, I'm looking forward to seeing what gets said here.
Thanks in advance for your insights.
Woody,
ReplyDeleteI'm pushing 86 and I well remember when the single man was singled out for derision and the status as a social outcast. When the sexual revolution began in the 60s we thought there would be quick progress, and there was in some areas. But the older man was still relagated to the sidelines and made to feel worthless. I've had (in the old days) a few fellows I knew who took their own life, rather than suffer through a miserable existence.
Then along came people like yourself and started to make a difference. Thanks for being a pioneer. You've enriched so many men's lives and those of their friends who appreciate their still being around.
WOODY, words are pitifully inadequate when it comes to thanking someone for offering hope and human contact during the bleak period known by some as the Golden Age or Sundown Years. I met you when you were touring Ohio during the early part of this decade. I was able to travel to Columbus and Cincinnati and to finally be a part of the Cleveland Chapter that hosted you on the final leg of your sojourn. Sean was with you on that trip. The glow of love and appreciation for each other was inspiring. I could tell by the time you reached Cleveland how exhausted both of you were but it did not prohibit you from enthusiastically sharing stories about the early days of Prime Timers and participating in the dinners and receptions we arranged. Jim Williams, President of Cleveland Ohio Prime Timers.
ReplyDeleteWOODY, you have been an inspirational part of my life. When I joined you as a charter member of the Austin Chapter of Prime Timers in November 1989, it was the beginning of an exciting, fun-filled adventure. I shall be forever grateful for your compassionate assistance during the formative days of the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter in 1990. Thanks for helping me "herd those Dallas cats!" I believe we were the first to bestow our highest honor: Unanimously voting you as a Lifetime Member of the DFW Prime Timers Board of Directors. And how could we ever forget that inaugural event -- the first Labor Day Bash at the Habana Inn in Oklahoma City in September 1990? Your suite gave new, in-depth meaning to the term "Hospitality." Your heartfelt commitment to Prime Timers has been contagious; because of work-related job transfers, I have had the privilege of chartering with four chapters: Austin, DFW, Tri-State (Cincinnati) and Miami Valley Ohio (Dayton). There will always be a special part of my heart reserved for Woody Baldwin -- my friend, mentor and inspiration.
ReplyDeleteRod Hargo (STRAC)...20 Years and Counting...
Posting for a non-member:
ReplyDeleteI am Carl Krause, Secretary of the Boston (Founding) Chapter of Prime Timers WW. Here are some of my memories. I discovered the chapter in 1988 a few months after it was organized, when I was 58 yrs. old. I am now 79. Within the first year, Woody had established chapters in both New York City and Chicago, and organized exchange visits with both of them for our members. He organized travel for us to New Orleans for Mardi Gras every year, and while there, encouraged every person he met to go home and establish a chapter.
He attended all of the other "gay conventions" organized by Cyron Rising, Centaur or Swan magazines and their descendent club "Celebration of Friends," and again encouraged all participants to go home and start a chapter in their city. When they would call him and ask for help, he'd fly to their city at his own expense and get them going with his "Startup Kit for New Chapters." Woody's partner, Sean had a beautiful baritone voice and would entertain at many of our meetings and dinners singing humorous as well as romantic songs.
He pointed out to us that there were even "younger men" who preferred the company of older men, and took us to Cocktail Lounges in New Orleans that catered to that crowd. He'd encourage us to travel to other cities that were celebrating their anniversaries or hosting regional events, which I did; and I've been hosted in 18 different cities in the past 21 years of membership. Prime Timers has literally changed my life. I would never have traveled this country as much or met so many hundreds of like minded people in those short amount of years.
We would be hard pressed to find another man in this country who has improved the lives of so many thousands of men by continuing to create more chapters of Prime Timers World Wide. Kudos to you, dear friend. Saying thank you is not enough, but we'll try to continue the wonderful work that you started.
Carl K. Krause
I am not sure if you are the Uncle Woody I used to know...in your pictures you look as I remember, striking as ever.
ReplyDeleteMy mother was Vinette Skjelstad. I believe the two of you met through UCLA. My mothers smorgasbords were always an event and your presence was one of the bright spots. We last saw you at your brownstone in Boston, you made me a gingerale and cranberry cocktail ooh I felt so grown up.
I was pleased to read your bio and discover all that you have done.
I would like to wish you a happy birthday.
Fondly,
Emily Skjelstad Schimmel
Woody Baldwin:
ReplyDeleteMy memories of Woody and Sean go back a long way, all the way back to 1969 actually. Where did those 40 years go? My late partner Carl Banks and I first met Woody and Sean around February of 1969 when we were among the founding members of a levi / leather would be motorcycle club that became known as the Vikings MC.
At the time, the leather community hung around at a bar on Huntington Ave. in Boston known as "The Shed." It was fashionably located about 500 feet from Symphony Hall. Anyway a leather club from New York City known as the Cycle MC came to Boston for a visit in February of 1969. They held a party at
"The Shed" and that visit was the spark that made we Boston guys think why not form a club of our own.
A week or so later a number of us met in a basement apartment in Boston's South End and started the formation of the Vikings MC. It should be noted that at the time the gay community was still pretty much closeted. I don't think there were any gay social organizations in Boston at the time so we were in effect trailblazers. Over the next few years we enjoyed many social get togethers including camping trips to Sturbridge where we hosted similar clubs from other East Coast cities for weekends of good food, drink, musical productions staring our club members and much debauchery. Woody and Sean were present at just about all of our events and they hosted many Viking functions at their beautiful duplex at 98 Pembroke St. Outside of club events Woody and Sean, my partner Carl and I and our mutual good friends Ted and Jim often got together hosting dinner partys at our respective homes.
In later years the leather club scene faded and Woody and Sean moved to Reading Mass. During those years we enjoyed going to theater and trips to Ogunquit with the Reading Showgoers a group that included both Gays and Lesbians. Every New Year's Day Woody and Sean would host a Yankee Swap Party which was great fun. Eventually Woody and Sean moved to Austin and we kind of lost touch. In November of 1992 I lost my partner to cancer and in later years Woody lost Sean. As it turned out we both had memorial services for our partners at the Unitarian church in Reading.
At Seans memorial there were several speakers who spoke eloquently of Sean and Woody and what an elegant couple they were when they appeared at the Lenox Hotel where Sean would sing on amateur night.
For those of you who have heard Sean sing he was anything but amateur.
At the reception after Seans memorial Woody came over to me and said David Evans thank God you didn't get up and tell them about our less elegant side. It seems that a number of years before I ran into Woody unexpectedly at a certain well known club known as the MS on New York's lower west side. The details of the encounter will remain a secret but Woody and I have a good laugh about it when ever we meet
Woody has been an inspiration to us all. He has lived life to its fullest. We have he and Sean to thank for forming "The Primetimers" and it is amazing how it has spread around the country and overseas
Heres to Woody as you approach 90. Thank you for being a friend these past 40 years and for your good consul at a time when I was in need.
Fond Memories
David Evans
Chelsea, Mass.
PS I will be foewarding pictures by mail later
Hello Woody,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say "hello" from Boston and to let you know that I enjoyed your website tremendously. I told my friend of 27 years Ray Pierce that I was checking this out and I also told him that "he would enjoy it as well." I loved the old photos and especially the Boston related ones. I met you briefly one night at The Lenox but I was on my way out with Ray so I didn't get to talk to you or Sean. Someday I will sit with you and share a few stories of mine as well. {Hopefully}
Like I mentioned, I will try to hook up this site so that Ray can check it out. You are a well respected man and you have many exciting stories. I am happy that you documented them so well on this site. Keep up the great work. All the best and Merry Christmas to you.
Robert
My email is ledzepjune1977@yahoo.com
Hello Woody,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to let you know that my best friend of the past 27 years plus passed away on July 17 of this past summer. I will miss him more than the world. I know it has been quite a while in between this letter and Ray's passing but I wanted to tell you just in case you did not know by now.
At a time like this I would wish that you lived a bit closer. I know you would be able to share some stories and warm memories of Ray that both yourself and Sean shared with him. I would love to get together with a friend who knew Ray before me. Its very hard for me at this time but hopefully it will get better with time.
I hope you are doing well yourself and I would love to hear from you soon. Please write to me anytime Woody.
Thanks, All my love, Robert
Quincy, Mass
ledzepjune1977@yahoo.com