Mindy and I made our way from central NY through
Vermont to Burlington yesterday to attend the Unitarian memorial service of Bill
Klock. It was a fairly large gathering of family and friends with his wife Anna
and three sons, Ian, Eric and Bill Jr. together with their families. It was
great to hear various remembrances of Bill from family and friends that helped
paint a fuller picture of my remembrance of him as teacher, mentor, optimist
and friend. It was easy to see why so many were in attendance to celebrate
Bill as he made friends easily enough though discerningly and kept those around
him for a lifetime. Mindy and I knew Bill for nearly thirty years but we
learned even more about him and his willingness to share, engage, support and
defend the land and property he held dearly at Klock Hollow. Though I will miss
Bill and his "Hello, Craig Bird" every time we met or spoke there was
a great comfort in knowing how many people he touched and now carry him with
them moving forward with their lives. Thanks again Bill.
Illustrated is a Shino mishima teapot made by Bill
Klock soon after arriving home from sabbatical in South Korea studying the
mishima and Onggi traditions. I have always thought the Korean influenced
mishima on an English teapot under an American Shino glaze summed up Bill and
how he thought about pottery and its making.
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