In Memory of John R. Elwood

John Robert Elwood- Eugene
No local service is planned for John Robert Elwood, who died April 7th at home after a prolonged illness. He was 84.

He was born November 4th, 1922 in Portland, Oregon to John Arthur Elwood and Lenore Mary Peters. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1943, was trained as a radar operator and navigator for C-47 paratroop/transport planes, and saw action on D-day and all the other major airborne campaigns in Europe during World War II. In September 1947, he married Karen Elaine Hardin in Portland (1927 - 1985). He received a Bachelors degree from Lewis & Clark College (Portland, OR), a Masters Degree in English from Washington State University (Pullman) and a PhD in English Literature from the University of Illinois (Champaign–Urbana). He worked as an English professor in the Washington State University Dept. of English from 1951 until his retirement in 1987, including 20 years as the Departmental Chair. While at WSU, in addition to his teaching and administrative duties, he facilitated the purchase of the Leonard and Virginia Woolf Library for the University, for several years hosted a widely distributed weekly radio program on books called Literary Scrapbook for KWSC radio (now KWSU).

He was a member of the Washington Commission for the Humanities from 1980 to 1997, including 2 years as Commission Chairman in (1985/86). He married Jean Coberly in September 1986, and in 1987, relocated to Seattle, Washington where he was and advisor to the Pacific Jazz Institute and hosted a weekly Jazz radio show on the Bellevue (WA) Community College station, KBCS. In 19__ he relocated again to Port St, Lucie, Florida, before returning to the Northwest in 2004

Survivors include his wife, Jean Coberly Elwood of Eugene, three sons: Sean Elwood of New York City; Eric Elwood of Eugene; and Kirk Elwood of Harrisonburg, Virginia. He is also survived by three sisters, Margaret Murnane and Rose Wall, both of Portland, OR and Diana Schroeder, of Flagstaff, AZ and six granddaughters: Shannon, Erin, Caitlin, Karin, Elise and Gwen.

For Eugene: Remembrances to Sacred Heart hospice and the Greenhill Animal Shelter (Both of Eugene, OR)

For Pullman: Remembrances to WSU. Specifically to:
The Department of English Department for. . .;
The Holland Library to maintain the Virginia & Leonard Woolf Library, or the John Elwood Jazz Collection; and
The Museum of Art to maintain the John & Karen Elwood Collection of Art

The Elwood Family

To further encourage family at home to visit this blog, I am including their photos from recent family get-togethers, including my cousin Shannon's wedding in Seattle on September 8th, and my grandfather's memorial service in Pullman, WA in June.

Las Vegas, Summer 2007

Attached to the post title above is a link to an album of photos from one of the highlights of this summer - the annual Kerr family trip to Las Vegas! Five days of perfect weather, mornings by the pool, great food, plenty of drinks, and all the good times Vegas has to offer. Only 11 months until next year's trip - time to get planning!

First Post

As a preface, this blog has been created as part of a class assignment. I'm not normally one to broadcast and record my life's events, but I figure that with so many of my friends and family being across many miles and time zones, they may want to check in on my happenings from time to time. Family and friends - this is for you. Please feel free to leave comments, notes, etc. I'd love to hear from you, and it makes me feel more like we're engaged in a dialog, and not just me putting on the "Erin Show"....