Fallen Friends
Thomas Bruce Reese, Director and long time patron of the arts leaves behind a legacy of artists who benefited from his generosity of spirit. We will miss you Tom, as well as those who follow.
George Meyer Johnson was a frequent player at Beaux Arts and freind of Mike Moore. His interests comprised four main areas: music, motorcycles, computers, and animals. He played lead guitar with many bands and operated a stringed instrument sales and repair shop, Guitar Enterprise, Ltd., on North Monroe Street, Tallahassee. He died of a heart attack at his home on Nov. 16, 2008. He is survived by his daughter, Caitlin H. Johnson, and her mother, Llyn C. French, both of St. Petersburg; and by his former long-time companion, Linnie J. Osborn of Tallahassee.
In the Saturday, June 2, 2007, Obituaries section of the St. Pete Times is an obituary for Michael Moore, age 58 who died at Palms of Pasadena Hospital. I am sure that most of you remember Mike reading his poetry and strumming his guitar at the Beaux Arts Open Mike's in Pinellas Park and St. Petersburg. It was an excellent obituary which filled in details that I was only vaguely aware of. It even mentions his appearances at Beaux Arts and that he was known as 'The Hectic Eclectic'. Mike was a wonderful person and will be sorely missed.
Bill "Oz" Martin Poet Bill Martin passed away in San Fransisco in the spring of 2007, after a heart attack. There was a Memorial Open Mike for Bill at Jake's Java Joint in Tampa Florida, on Sunday, May 27. Bill found his voice at Beaux Arts, then followed his heart out West.
Eric Von Schmidt was one of those singer/songwriters who inspired a generation. He was also a very talented painter and designed many an album cover. He spent a lot of time in Florida. Unlike Kerouac, he could hold his liquor, and he lived to sing about it for a long time. Eric was a very approachable and kind soul, who shared his time with everyone. Llyn French wrote a story in 1969 one the occasion of the group shot.
I am sad to announce the passing of yet another Beaux Artists of longstanding devotion to the cause. Bill Wasel has succumbed to illness that plagued him for a number of years. I was able to meet him and hear him perform at the Beaux arts Memorial Concert last October. Unfortunately it was his last. His friends will miss him.
Plans to Honor Beaux Arts, Thomas Bruce Reese and his family at or near the original Royal Palm Hotel site, are ongoing.
Beaux Arts Memorial Concert
Date: 12 Noon - 6 PM. on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2006.
Venue: King of Peace Metropolitan Community Church, 3150 Fifth Ave. N., St. Petersburg, Florida, 727-323-5857 (concert details)Trees Planted in memory of Tom and Beaux Arts
The Tampa Bay Reforestation and Environmental Effort, Inc., planted 850 bare root South Florida Slash Pine seedlings in memory of Thomas Bruce Reese and the Beaux Arts Center.
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