159 Warwick Avenue, Rochester, N. Y.

Gordon Stanley Hancock was born in Rochester, N. Y, July 14,
1890, son of John E. and Caroline Hancock. He attended Public
School Number 10, West High School, and the Rochester Business
Institute.

For some time he was connected with the Reynolds
Library administration, and later entered the employ of the Taylor
Instrument Companies. Later he began business for himself as a
building contractor. He was a member of the Church of Epiphany.

He entered the service at Rochester, N. Y., December 16, 1917, at the
age of 27 years, as a Private, being assigned to Battery F, 57th
Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps. He was trained at Fort Hancock,
Sandy Hook, N. J.

He was given a furlough to return to Rochester to attend the
funeral of a relative, and became ill before he could return to his post.
He died of lobar pneumonia, April 19, 1918, at the General Hospital,
Rochester, N. Y. Buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery, April 23, 1918,
Section W, All 145.

Source:  World War Service Record Rochester and Monroe County, Vol 1, The Du Bois Press Rochester, NY, Published by the City of Rochester, 1924

© by Daniel DeMarle 2018

It’s amazing to me how many heroic things happen right around me everyday. Times when just regular people step up and go beyond what is expected. They do so with no thought of acknowledgement, with no desire for fame or fortune, just because they are good people who find themselves in situations that call for more. It’s a good thing because they hardly ever get a hero’s welcome, and sometimes get the opposite. Two recent cases come to mind, although there are many more. It is funny, however that many of the events that come to my mind involve women being the heroes. Maybe that’s just me and how my brain recalls things.  For example I know of two of  my neighbor’s who have been heroes, just on my block. One chased a robber down the street in her bare feet in the Fall, the second drove around and reunited a lost child with his family. Another neighbor was saved by a hero (male) who broke her car window and started CPR when her heart had stopped.  She’s fine now, and I see her almost everyday.

Of the two most recent, the first occurred last week when a neighbor, Margy Meath, was in a park and stepped into the middle of a domestic violence situation and ended it. She did not know the couple, but stepped in and stepped up, so the woman could safely leave the situation. That was heroic.

The second occurred two days ago, when a man shooting heroin on a city street dropped down dead or dying. A group of city residents immediately took action. With one of them performing CPR until the emergency vehicles arrived and gave him 2 doses of Narcan and brought him back to life. The difference here is that a neighbor caught the CPR in a picture. That woman (I believe it was a woman) may have just come out of her house to administer the CPR. She is a hero. The people helping are also saviors.

I often think as I walk or bike my city that the person I pass or talk to, maybe the person who may save my life someday. You may look at a group like this and walk away. I want to give them the key to the city.

© words by Dan DeMarle 2018 – photo by Judy Patches Camp-Baker 2018

My neighborhood touches downtown on one corner. Touches a beautiful river on two sides. Touches a historic canal on another side. Touches an historic Olmstead designed park. Has a street designed by Olmstead as a major thoroughfare. Has two places to launch boats from. Has five bridges that cross that river, three of which are pedestrian bridges for walking or biking, Has miles of walking/biking trails. Is across the river from a major university and is within walking biking distance of a community college and another major university. Has two year round ice rinks. Has two outdoor public pools. Has two awesome public libraries. Has four other public parks. Has 5 to 6 neighborhood associations. Has two hospitals within walking/biking distance. Has 8 baseball diamonds, and 2 football fields. Has the Susan B Anthony House. Is within walking/biking distance of a public golf course. Has eight outdoor tennis courts. Has bus lines, and is within a good walk or bike ride from an airport (but better to drive). Has bike lanes and sharrows for biking to work. Has a very helpful neighborhood service center. Has 6 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school. Is in a city with 3, count them, 3 beautiful waterfalls, and has its own unbelievable gorgeous gorge. You can actually catch, real to goodness spawning Salmon in the Fall. Or just go have great fun, fly fishing, underneath a waterfall. Has its own seasonal public market. Has numerous restaurants and diners. AND many, many, more things. I haven’t even gotten to the nearby music and art scene, MAG, MUCC, RPO, Lyric Theater, GEVA…. Let alone the great PEOPLE of all races, colors, sexual orientations, and nationalities. How about your neighborhood?

© words by Dan DeMarle 2017

The news comes endlessly.

Bad news upon bad news upon bad,

the reason is that “Baby born in Brooklyn” doesn’t sell anything,

unless the baby has three heads,

or is born to the man who was just arrested and sent to jail,

but hey there was baby born in Brooklyn.

Her name is probably Jada or maybe Tashara.

I bet she has green eyes, and her mother cried tears of joy.

Oh yeah, by the way, you survived another day,

smile!

© by Dan DeMarle 2010

The shooter yesterday did not have an assault rifle. So just banning assault rifles is helpful, but not enough. There were two police officers in the school. So just having more police in schools isn’t enough. The school practiced for active shooters. So just drills aren’t enough. The school participated in the 17 minutes of silence to honor the Parkland students. So just protesting isn’t enough. The two police officers were armed. So just having highly trained police with guns isn’t enough. His guns were legal. So just going after illegal guns isn’t enough. All that and 10 people died. What’s left? Oh yeah getting rid of guns. And voting out every politician in the pockets of the NRA!

The Country of Israel, its leader, its cabinet, and the heads of its military should be investigated and held accountable in the World Court for its actions this past week. The Holocaust occurred and is rightfully condemned as an atrocity that should never ever happen again. However the Jewish occupation of Palestine is equivalent to what occurred in the Warsaw Ghetto.   The only difference is that they have not yet begun to drag the Palestinians out to the concentration camps yet, BECAUSE they do not need to.   The failure of both Democratic and Republican elected representatives to condemn this long standing situation and the recent murders is contemptible!  Do not be silent on this issue.   There are Palestinians who were born in this situation, who are now adults and have never, ever been allowed to leave the small area of land they are locked into. These are basic human rights that they have been denied their entire lives.  Our President directly caused these very predictable killings. He also should be held directly responsible.  Come November remember to vote, and vote these people out of office.

© words by Dan DeMarle

The snow falls,

and falls,

and falls.

The world is white outside my window.

The garden plants lie covered in snow.

Spring seems,

like a distant faded memory,

but hot chocolate and friends await.

Bundled up and out the door.

The winter day awaits.

© by Dan DeMarle 2016

The cold tries to sneak into our minds.

It creeps like soft, little mice feet,

insinuating itself into our psyches.

Whispering stay in, stay in, stay under your blankets.

But friends, wake, the whole gorgeous world awaits.

Only in this moment are you alive.

Yesterday is history and tomorrow never becomes today.

Oh what fun we will have today.

© by Dan DeMarle 2009

“There hadn’t really been any decision. As she dragged the round topped trunk up the steps and propped it’s lid against the table, she was thinking that you never really made up your mind to anything, you simply bent where the pressure was greatest. You didn’t surrender because surrender was annihilation you gave before the pressure.”

The Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner March 1, 1991 by Penguin Books – originally published 1943. 

The cold hits as soon as I step out the door.

It snakes around looking for any chink in my armor.

Like an ancient serpent of lore,

or like the whisperings of a heretical saint.

Stay inside, stay inside.

But long before the day begins.

I am off, embracing the flow of endorphins.

As I walk, I think I bet its not this cold in North Carolina.

Thinking of you Peter and Lynn.

© by Dan DeMarle 2009