7 Years Later - Remembering Mr Gysin, Mr. G, Lloyd Henry

Devery, Kathi, and Laurie, at Lloyd Henry's Memorial Service on January, 17, 2009.

Here it is seven years later on the eve of the anniversary of my father’s passing. I have the honor to share, with her blessing, what has remained hidden up until August this year. My dear friend, Kathi, had a memory to share at my dad’s memorial, but we didn’t have time provided for friends to share.  She pointed this out to me in her email and we were aware of this when we planned his service.

Kathi stood next to me as I spoke about my Dad at his memorial. She was my rock/support and helped me get through the wavering parts. She was there again this last August at the WHCC Music Reunion, when I started to cry, as I made a botched attempt to tell everyone I wanted us to get together for the right reason.

Kathi and I met when we were in fourth grade, when the twenty year legacy of my parents as Ministers of Music began at Woodland Hills Community Church. Here’s her memory…

Good  afternoon. My name is Kathi Mowers-Moore and I am so very thankful for the opportunity to be here to share in the celebration of Lloyd's most wonderful life.  

My first memory of Mr. Gysin, Mr. G., Lloyd Henry, was of him walking into Smith Lounge here at WHCC on the first day of the elementary school (4 - 6 grade) choir practice upon the Gysin's arrival to church. Birdie was working with us as a new choir and I have a vivid memory of practicing a song about Zaccheus. Lloyd popped in with his booming heart, voice and laughter joining into song with us. I will never hear that song without thinking of this first moment when my life became eternally blessed by the Gysin family. That day I met Gary, Birdie, Lloyd and Laurie who would become one of my dearest friends and soon after I would meet the rest of the family; Randy and Jeff. From that day on, the Mowers, Ayers and Gysin families would become intertwined forever.  

You see, the Ayers, Gysin and Mowers parents were the leadership of the youth activities of the church: Kathy and Dick Ayers with the Junior High Group; Bob and Jeanne Mowers with the High School Group; and Lloyd and Birdie coordinating all six choirs and all musical productions of the church. It was very simple: Sunday was church day. After Sunday school and church (sometimes us kids would ditch Sunday school and walk to the grocery store), my brother Scott and Doug Ayers would end up either at the Ayers or Mowers house and Laurie and I would end up either at the Mowers or Gysin house for the hours between church and youth group. We would then come back to church with whichever family we were with and Doug, Scott, Laurie and I would be squirreled away in the Kindergarten Classroom here at WHCC while our parents were busy with youth group activities. 

Through these many years, Lloyd and Birdie always welcomed me into their home and hearts as one of their own and I have great recollections of waking up in their home to song; hearing breakfast cooked to song, hearing Birdie call us from the front porch in song; always song and hugs and laughter. Lloyd and Birdie always trusted us and celebrated us being kids: I learned how to roller skate by careening down the hill near their home on roller skates and Lloyd patching me up afterwards.  

During my teenage years, Lloyd became a rock, a center of gravity for so many of us. We always knew that we could return to that rock, either from a hard week at high school, a hard quarter at college, a new love or a broken heart, to be consistently greeted by a hug, a tight squeeze and a big kiss on the cheek.  

As both Laurie and I went off to college and into our adult lives, I often would return to Lloyd and Birdie, that center of gravity, ever to be held close in love. Ever interested in both sharing updates of their lives and hearing of my own.  

Lloyd was probably the first person that joyfully debated Theology with me; laughing with me about important and divergent perspectives of scriptures. I thank him for these discussions and debates and return to them in my head regularly.  

Lloyd and Birdie were two of the first people who I introduced my future husband Bill to and I was so appreciative that Birdie was able to join with her entire family at my wedding the summer of 1989.  

As our lives have carried us away from Woodland Hills, returning to the center of gravity and love of Lloyd was always a homecoming; whether it was arriving for Christmas to find Lloyd's famous fruitcake or attending midnight Christmas service welcoming any moment I could have with the family, or hearing through my parents updates on Lloyd, he always has been and always will be dear in my heart.  

I am thankful that both of my children, Mikayla and Travis have been held in the loving arms of Lloyd. I am thankful that through Lloyd I met Laurie who I will always hold close in my heart.  

I will be a better person if I remember to love as grandly as Lloyd always loved each of us. In Lloyd's last Christmas card to me he shared what I find to be a great reminder to us all.  He said  

"Before I forget, please have the finest each day and be healthy, wealthy, wise and busy."  

Thank you