Memorial Wall

Mark W. Nauman, a lifelong resident of Kirkwood, Missouri, has died after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.  He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Vicky (Brennan) Nauman, son Aaron (Marissa Minkevich), grandchildren, Isabel, Tommy, and Zoe, and son Jason (Katie Rinck) and grandchildren, Brady, Quinn, and Harrison. He was preceded in death by his parents John and Wilma (Nowotny) Nauman, brother John and sister Ellen (Schroer).  

After growing up in the Greenbriar neighborhood, graduating from Kirkwood High School in 1967 and attending Southeast Missouri State University, he joined the Marines and was honorably discharged in 1974 with the rank of corporal as an Optical Instrument Repairman.  After his service he and his furry sidekick, Deacon, spent time in California where he met his future wife who also happened to be from Kirkwood.  His mother, Wilma Nauman, a kindergarten teacher at Keysor Elementary School for several decades and a Kirkwood School Board member, was persistent that her grandchildren attend Kirkwood schools. Mark and Vicky bought their first Kirkwood home as Aaron was starting kindergarten at … Keysor!  She did not live long enough to see Aaron and Jason graduate from KHS but would undoubtedly be pleased to know that all six of her great-grandchildren are Pioneers.

During his working life, Mark spent the longest period in the printing business, having worked at the Type House in Maplewood and Messenger Printing in DTK (Downtown Kirkwood).  He later became a salesman and office manager for Balfour, owned and operated by one of his oldest and closest friends Randy “R.T.” Thompson. Mark had no shortage of nicknames in his life so you may have known him as Darby, Snacks, and when he became a grandfather, “Boompa.” R.T. strongly encouraged it.

The corner of West Monroe and South Harrison was the epicenter of wiffle-ball, BBQ, cold beer and loud music. Very loud.  Mark Nauman did not listen to bad music.  He tended to stay in his swim-lane consisting of heavy doses of R&B, soul, funk, blues and rock.  Beatles or Stones? The Kinks, actually.  On any given Friday the turntable would spin Koko Taylor, the Radiators, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Graham Parker back-to-back. Who does that? Mark Nauman.  The last album that he listened to on his deathbed was “Yellow Moon” by the Neville Brothers. If you haven’t listened to it, he would highly recommend that one. Often the party would cross the Harrison Ave. Bridge to Tom and Anne’s because we never knew where Grandpa Brennan would show up.  Sometimes it was 241 W. Monroe, other times 118 S. Harrison. Countless meals together.  Cardinal’s baseball on the radio or TV.  That was growing up in Kirkwood in a nutshell.

Mark was fortunate to have the support of his brother-in-law, Tom Brennan III, during his battle with Parkinson’s who was selfless in helping transport him to appointments within the VA system.  Mark and his father-in-law, Tom Brennan Jr. (Grandpa), loved ribbing each other about their branches of the military, in between watching old westerns and enjoying each other’s company. Those two were very close, no doubt in part to Mark’s own father passing away at an early age. Mark had many childhood friends, nieces, nephews, who we hope will share stories for many years to come.

An obituary is an impossible task to capture everything a person has done or become in their life.  And writing one about your father conjures up a flood of emotions of what was and what could have been.  It was difficult to see someone who was once gregarious withdraw from his wide circle of family, friends, and interests as his stages of Parkinson’s grew worse. Remember him for the time you had together, not the extended pause in your communication. He cared about you whether he had an opportunity to tell you.

Hundreds of people gathered for a special service to celebrate the life of a much-loved Greenock priest who was devoted to his parishioners both at home and in his adopted country of Chile.

Tributes have flooded in for Father Neil Sharp, who grew up in Greenock's east end, following his death last week after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

Bishop John Keenan led a moving Requiem Mass in St Ninian's Gourock, delivering a beautiful homily that spoke to all those who loved Father Neil.

Attendees were joined by priests as well as family, friends and those who remembered him from his time at St Mungo's and St Patrick's in Greenock.

His beloved brother Father Jim Sharp and hundreds more joined the mass via a livestream in Arica in Chile, where the Greenock man passed away at the age of 78.

Father Neil travelled with his brother to serve in Chile 45 years ago, during the military dictatorship of Pinochet, finding ways to help the people, and he remained there for the rest of his life.

Bishop John Keenan said: "In life and ministry, Neil was known for his love of life and sense of fun, with an infectious laugh that could reach to the uproarious when the three Sharp brothers got together.   

"And yet countless, too, are the stories of how he turned lives around by sharing his joy of life and revealing to lost souls their wealth of talent even in their direst straits.

"A true man of God, evident in all that he said and did.  The world over is a better place because Father Neil Sharp lived in it."

In 1979 Father Neil and his brother Father Jim went together to Chile, where they found people to be living in fear of Pinochet and his regime.

Bishop Keenan said: "This was during the Pinochet dictatorship in which the Church was the only place you could speak even mild criticism. 

"To say the poor had rights was to be a communist. But the bishops were strong, and the Sharp brothers found that a wee bit of persecution did the Church no harm and focussed attention on basics.  

"Throughout it all the ups and downs, Neil remained contented in his priesthood and peaceful in his ministry.  

"Schooled in the Saint Mungo experience of authentic religion, Father Neil saw Arica as the Gibshill of his altar boy years and tried to build it up with real religion and no frills. "

In Aria, Father Neil took his love of God and his ministry into the prisons and hospitals.

Bishop John added: "He was well received by the people and formed a rapport with them; they took to him and liked him, feeling he was interested in them, and he responded to that."

Father Neil set up a monthly magazine and embraced technology and was popular on the radio.

But he never lost touch or his love of home and remained very much part of the Paisley Diocese.

Father Neil Sharp, or Padre Andrés Sharp Langan, to give him his Arican title, was born in the east end of Greenock in November 1945, the third child of six to Ellen and Neily Sharp, and was baptised and raised in the St Mungo’s parish.

His life of service began as an altar boy and culminated in his ordination to the priesthood at his church in 1970 after studying at St Peter's Seminary in Cardross.

Father Neil was then Curate at St Margaret’s in Johnstone from 1970 to 1974, then in St Patrick’s in Greenock from 1974 to 1978.

Father Neil is remembered for his love of life, his love of football and as a life long supporter of Greenock Morton.

At school his family recall he was a champion bogie maker and used to love the rough and tumble of life in the east end. 

In 2010, he developed Parkinson’s which remained manageable until 2017 when, after a knee operation, he felt a gradual slide. 

At the beginning of the year, the disease finally took its toll and he died peacefully in the home of the Little Sisters in Arica on May 3 with his funeral a day later in St Mark's Cathedral in Arica, Chile.

Following his death many people who remembered his time in local parishes, friends and family paid tribute to him, calling him an 'inspiration' in their own lives.

At his Requiem Mass in St Ninian's Gourock, his sister Betty gave a greeting in Spanish at the end of Mass, which was then played on the morning programme on Radio Montecarmelo de Arica.

Afterwards she said: "I would really like to say is thank you to Bishop John and Bishop Moses of the Arican diocese, all the clergy and friends who have expressed their sympathy. 

"He was a wonderful priest and man and it was a privilege to be his sister."

Jimmy James, whose ballad Come To Me Softly won him fans in Jamaica and the United Kingdom, died in London yesterday at age 84.

His family told the Jamaica Observer that James passed away at Northwick Park Hospital. They said James had Parkinson’s disease and a heart condition which caused him to retire from performing.

Born in Brown’s Town, St Ann, James moved to Kingston in the late 1950s and got involved in music, recording songs for producers including Lindon Pottinger (husband of Sonia) and Clement Dodd.

Pottinger produced the original version of Come To Me Softly, a soul ballad that remained James’ signature song. He was lead singer of The Vagabonds, a band led by bassist Colston Chen and included Phil Chen (later Rod Stewart’s bass player), Colston’s cousin.

James and the band moved to the UK in 1964 at the height of The British Invasion, led by bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Later that decade, as he and The Vagabonds established themselves, they performed on a number of shows with a young American guitarist named Jimi Hendrix.

In the 1970s, James had two solid pop hits with I’ll Go Where Your Music Takes Me (covered with great success by Tina Charles) and Now is The Time.

In 2010, Jimmy James was honoured by Tribute To The Greats, an organisation operated by Kingsley Goodison, for his contribution to Jamaican music.

He is survived by his wife Paula, five sons, two daughters, grandchildren, two sisters, nieces and nephews.

David (Dai ) Davies, passed away surrounded by his family on Monday, May 6, aged 74 years.

David was the Community Policeman in Norton for 30 years and was often seen cycling around his beat.

Later on David worked for Beecham's Pharmacy delivering prescriptions to people at home.

He was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2014.

A few years later he joined the Dancing With Parkinson's group at Kirkham Henry Performing Arts Centre in Malton.

Angela Kirkham, who runs the classes said: "Dave loved the music and enjoyed the comradery of the group. His sense of humour often came to the fore.

"We will fondly remember Dave for his sense of humour and initially questioning the reasoning behind some of the movements. Sending love to you and the family."

Joan Elaine Robin Resident of Rossmor, formerly of Oakland Joan Elaine Robin passed away after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease March 3, 2015. Born in Ross, CA July 10, 1931 to Clarence C. Bennett, Sr. and Angela C. Bennett. Joan lived most of her life in Oakland and then became a resident of Rossmoor – Walnut Creek where she lived for 17 years. Beloved wife of Arthur F. Robin, Jr. Devoted mother of Jilinda and Kimarie Robin. Loving sister to Clarence C. Bennett, Jr. and sister-in-law Ann M. Bennett.

Joan is survived by her children, Jilinda and Kimarie Robin; her brother and sister-in-law Chris and Ann Bennett; her brother-in-law Tom Hayes. Grandchildren Tara, Kendra and Keely Tietjen, and Lisa, Joseph and Sara Cosso.