Remembering Our Dear Friends
by Bead Society member, Lois Rose Rose
Within the last six months the bead society has lost five long time friends.
Marjorie Butell was the lady you looked for at our bazaars when you wanted to see primo asian treasures.
And, she was the lady you looked for at our meetings for a warm welcome and a bit of good conversation.
I have a particularly happy memory of her lovely husband doting on her at a netsuke conference that we all attended in hawaii.
Marjorie was well and in fine form, and I mentioned to her husband that it was sweet to see him take such good care of her.
He replied, "that's my job, and I love it." Good to know that a friend who shared so many beautiful things with us was so
well loved and appreciated.
We lost Elaine Feldman, a past president of our bead society. She was interested in people as friends and as colleagues.
Elaine was a notable hostess, and, according to her children, a dynamite mom with a very light touch and an understanding heart.
When one thinks of elaine the image that comes to mind likely includes her sensational silver jewelry. Elaine had style.
In the last years of her life she needed a wheel chair. Elaine was not in the wheel chair, she wore the wheel chair as one
more shiny accessory. That was Elaine Feldman's style.
Ricky Pecker is lost to us, we learned of her passing late. Ricky had a dramatic life. When I first met her she was one of the
founders managing the united nations store on westwood boulevard. That store made retailing history. Ricky, along with the
other visionary founders went way beyond just offering the famous united nations holiday cards, they created a boutique
of marvelous clothes and jewelry and hand crafted objects. Judy Weinstein, Ricky's co-manager, and Stella Krieger used that
merchandising philosophy to open the shop at the natural history museum, and that store inspired museum stores world wide
to become centers for artist made items. Ricky, who went on to co-own a bead store, to nurse an adored husband, to create
several stunning homes, still always, always had energy to give to social issues large and small. She had the gravitas to
represent the united nations, and the kindness to sell a few earrings in the united nations store that were made by my eighty
four year old grandmother, thrilling grandma with her first commercial success. Ricky Pecker, a smart, kind person.
Edith Wachtel, petite and elegant, born in austria, the daughter of a successful merchant, edith studied ballet as a girl,
but then came the second world war and the family fled to London. Her parents were injured and at the age of twelve edith
had to find work and get the family through the terrible years of the London blitz. Eventually they joined an uncle in the United States.
Then edith's fate took her to Peru as a bride. When she returned to the states it was with indigenous Peruvian art, some favorite
Peruvian recipes, and old school European manners. She was always the first guest to call with thanks after any visit to your home.
Edith Wachtel loved her arts organizations and her enthusiasm brought energy to all of us.
Last to be remembered tonight, in alphabetical order, is Lou Zeldis. Exotic, brilliant, talented Lou Zeldis. A bead society member
who drifted in and out of our sphere as his travels permitted, lou was unique. Born in Los Angeles, six foot five inch Lou studied
ballet and that gift took him to the Broadway stage and then to the avant-garde dance troupe "La Mama". With them he danced for
royalty in the Iranian desert. Next, he moved on to become a jewelry artist, working with stones that he found in the stream
that ran in front of his South American jungle hut. From the jungle he moved on to Indonesia, to design with craftsmen there.
Then he came home to his distinguished family, bringing his precious wares to galleries and museums, and his friendship to a host of admirers.
Memorials sometimes end with a moment of silence, but it seems more appropriate to celebrate our much missed friends, our colorful,
creative, vibrant friends, with a moment of applause for lives well lived.
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The Bead Society of Los Angeles is the oldest of its kind in the United States.
Welcome to the official website of
the Bead Society of Los Angeles,
the oldest of its kind in the United
States.The society has undergone
many changes over the years as our
society has grown from fifteen
members to more than 300 strong.
In June, 2010 we celebrated our 35th
anniversary.
The Bead Society of
Los Angeles is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that supports the study,
discussion, and shared knowledge of beads in the United States and
throughout the world.
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