Poet Obituaries

John Pray
Memorial Service
There will be a memorial for John Pray on March 12th at 1 p.m.  It will take place at the ranch at 5337 Suisun Valley Road, approximately five miles west of Highway 80.  There will be light refreshments, contributions accepted but not required.  Thank you, Chris Pray.  For more information:  mrchrispray@hughes.net
Jehanah WedgwoodJehanahWedgwood
January 28, 1941 - November 15, 2010 
Another friend of the First Tuesday Poetry group has unfortunately died.  Jehanah read several years at our poet's picnic and was a dear friend to several of our members.  If you want more details on the service, please contact Ronna Leon at ronnaleon@mac.com or the contact for her family is given in the obituary that appeared in the Chronicle listed below.

 

Jehanah Wedgwood (January 28th, 1941 - November 15th, 2010)
Born Stephanie Virginia "Jenna" Hillard, January 28th, 1941.  Passed just after midnight (12:18 a.m.) Monday, November 15th.  She is survived by her loving children, Mary Shea, Thomas Wedgwood and Susannah Wedgwood, daughter-in-law Jill Raznov, and her cherished grandchildren Ely, Colby and Evan.
She was a treasured member of the SF community and lived in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood for 39 years.  She was a Poet, Editor of the Sacred Grounds Anthologies 1-15, Master of Ceremonies of the Sacred Grounds Poetry Readings weekly for 19 years.  A book of her poems, Next Century's Child (Meridien Press Works), was published just days before her passing, and she left us in the most joyous time of her life, surrounded by loving friends.
She studied comparative literature at the University of Indiana, Bloomington.  She was a Druid in the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids.  She was Grove-Mother of the Monarch Bear Grove and of the Manannan Mac Lir Grove in San Francisco, and Minister of Shamanistic Poetry, ordained by the Association for the Integration of the Whole Person. 
A memorial service will be held Sunday, November 21, 10:00 a.m. at the Monarch Bear Grove in the Golden Gate Park.  We will have a special service to celebrate the life of our mother Jehanah, conducted by her mentor and spiritual companion, Rodney G. Karr, Ph.D. Rodney is the leader and founder of Five Shaman Circles and chief Druid of the Grove of Manannan Mac Lir Grove in San Francisco. Contact:  swedgwood @hotmail.com
John Pray
1940 – 2010
John Pray, a charter member of Benicia’s First Tuesday Poetry group, died of a heart attack in Fairfield on 18 October 2010.  He was raised in San Francisco and graduated from Lick Wilmerding High School and San Francisco State College. John retired from a San Francisco social services position to pursue his interests in poetry.  John was also an active member of the Valley Writer’s group. He read his poems at several poetry venues throughout the Bay area - Benicia, Crockett, Walnut Creek, San Francisco, Martinez and Vallejo.  Author of a poetry chap book, Bodily Aware and many thoughtful, well-crafted poems, he will be remembered with love by all who knew him. John’s home was on the family’s gracious country estate on the rolling hills west of Fairfield.  A memorial service will be held there in spring when the wild flowers are at their most beautiful. John is survived by his brothers Ford and Chris.
Joel Fallon
Photo: Ronna Leon