TO SIMON FROM JON SORENSEN

Simon,

We were fellow model makers..."wigetters" on ALIEN. We sat next to each other for the first few weeks as worked together on the spaceship NOSTROMO.

You were loved. I will really miss you.

Until we see each other again...no speeches...

Save me the seat next to you where you are now...perhaps there will be the big model we can work on together. I'll show up again carrying another suitcase.

Love you very much Brother.

Jon Sorensen

Dear Simon............

Well what a shock it was to hear of your passing Simon, and like all these shocks that are presented to us in life, a sudden flood of memories of days gone by come raining down.
I knew you in Beaconsfiled in 1971 when you used to come barging into my flat while I was asleep on the bay window ledge one summers day to drag me out into the warm summer sun - I declined of course!!
I knew you when we worked together building that model of St. Paul's Cathedral in a pokey industrial unit filled with fibre glass resin fumes, we joked and pulled each others legs as we rolled another cigarette in those heavy fumes, young, inexperienced and very rude we were.
We worked together on 'Alien' and had laughs at life with it's crazy rational thinking.
We went our own separate ways in the mid 80s and lost touch while building our empires and finding new friends.
Thankfully we managed to find each others friendship again over these last few years and I am forever grateful that we did. It was good to recapture the silliness we had lost and find that all that really matters is that we use our time on this Earth to good effect while we are able.

Be good old mate

Dennis

Smiling Sensei

Dear Simon,

In our hearts you will always be remembered for the smile you wore during classes, and the silly but amazing techniques you showed us. Rest in peace, you will be missed. 

Marrie, Emma, Hanneke, Maarten, Jaro & Chiel


In addition, some of us wanted to express some more additional words in your memory. 

Emma's personal message:

Ik heb even bij Simon mogen trainen, veel te kort, sinds september. Zijn Aikido had ik wel eerder gezien, bij stages's, begreep nooit zo goed wat hij nou eigenlijk deed! het zag er zo makkelijk uit, tot je het zelf ging proberen en er niets van kon maken! 
Wat ik nooit zal vergeten, is hoe Marrie en ik zijn verwelkomd in zijn dojo. Het gevoel dat je zo welkom bent is bijzonder geworden, en iets wat ik zal herinneren aan Simon.
Veel sterkte gewenst voor zijn familie en dojo.

Jaro's personal message:

The camper rolled on the field, in there was a man. A small beard, but a big smile on his face. Giru-san introduced me, so I said the first thing that came to my mind. "You want a beer?" The smile grew a bit wider, and so we sat there. My first night at the Yuwakai Summerschool, back in 2007. And my first introduction to you, the broad smile and a few minutes later, an even broader smile and a beer. 

On the tatami, you were the one with the devious tricks, placing your hand a bit different so you can take over, when Tori was attempting a technique. Top speed, a whole lot of words, and always a broad smile. Two three times, and the: "Let's try". Especially with your boken (wooden sword). Quickly, looking around, see us goofing, shake your head. One more show and off again. Putting ikkyo, nikkyo, sankyo etc. in one move. My complete disregard for technique made me hate that exercise. But every training I went which was lead by you, we did it at least once! It was only after I decided to take a different look at techniques, that I started to value the exercise.

In my Aikido journey I met you, you taught me. And the greatest lesson you taught me was the nonchalance, the charm and the smile. You seemed to enjoy every moment of life to the fullest. Although maybe a cliche to say, but you really did it. By doing so you made sure that everybody felt welcome in your dojo, and in your presence.

So Simon, where ever you are: keep smiling.

My Brother

Simon, my brother, I am so glad we re-found each other in later years.
I am so glad that we had warning of your demise, we could spend time thinking, drinking, laughing and roaring at the world before finally the silence came.
You were not perfect, you were flawed, but so are we all and we worked through our differences in a way many brothers never manage to even begin.
Thai food, the shared films, red wine, indian food, fun cars, whisky, pub grub, snooker..... So many adult memories that cannot be taken away, sadly some things never done but no regrets.
I am crying as I write this, I cannot help it but I am not ashamed. You are irreplaceable, you were incorrigible, and always inescapable, and sometimes indefatigable in defence of a spurious argument.
Thank God we hugged, said good bye and told each other we loved the other before you went.
All my love
Matthew

Dad's Party

You are hereby invited to come and celebrate dad's life on the 10th of March 2012. RSVP before 5 March! (As of March 6th, there are still a few seat available!)

The celebration will be split into two dad-like activities. The first will be a special memorial aikido class organised by the Aikidojo Haarlem. The second will be a big dinner party in what dad used to call his 'office': the India Palace in Haarlem.

Memorial Aikido Class 

14:30 – 17:00 at the Oosterhoutlaan 19, Haarlem  

Jack Poole is going to try and come to take (some of the) class. However, if he is not able to manage the trip, class will be led by some of dad's friends and students. RSVP here. 

Dinner Party

18:00 onwards at the Gedempte Oude Gracht 29, Haarlem 

There will be an Indian buffet with a number of dishes, including dad's favourite: Simon Special (hotter than extremely hot! Be careful!). Soft drinks, beer and wine are included. Additionally, a few bottles of whisky will be offered after dinner as a gift from some of dad's generous friends. It might be a nice idea for everyone who has one, to bring along a fun, pretty or silly picture of dad. I'll have some glue and pencils ready, with a big fat book for sticking the pictures in. RSVP here.

To help us cover the costs of dad's party, an envelope, basket, bucket, or other kind of container will be present at the party for anyone willing to contribute to put something in.

Condolences

Where to begin?

I have been coming to the Netherlands since I first met Mr Bacas in 1978 and since 1980 these visits were made from Japan. Whenever I came to the Netherlands and visited Haarlem, I always spent some 'quality time' with Simon: drinking tea at home, testing my mouth against the flaming curries prepared at a number of restaurants (my mouth always failed the tests), eating 'power' breakfasts (always including sausages) or drinking stronger stuff than tea in the dining room / whisky bar of the Carlton Square Hotel, dining at the fort or elsewhere, with or without Martijn and Louison. The whisky bar was once the place of a memorable evening with Simon and especially Liduina discussing Plato and from now on I shall be somewhat lost if I go to a Thai or Indian restaurant in Haarlem, for Simon usually ordered for me.

I think our paths crossed more in Holland than in the UK, but I recollect numerous references in past conversations to M Kanetsuka, the Sekiyas, Hillfield Road, and fishing with K Chiba. Once, however, our paths crossed in Japan and Simon is still fondly remembered in Hiroshima for some of the things he is remembered for in Holland: friendship, good conversation, enjoying good food and drink. I had hoped that the 'bucket list' he was compiling would have included another trip.

But it was not to be and Simon has left us. Condolences to Liduina and all the family -- and have a very good party on March 10.

------------------------------
Peter Goldsbury
Chairman (General Director)
International Aikido Federation (IAF)

The loss of a dear friend

Condolences

We are very sad to hear of Simons passing.  Thank you Tasmin for your blog throughout the past few weeks. You painted such a picture it felt as though we were there with you all, and shared in a precious time.

Out heart goes out to Liduina and the family and we will miss Simon more than you can tell. Simon became part of Jack family when he was little more than a boy and was always a thorn in Jacks side even though he was a loveable one.

As the years went by the bond became tighter and Jack can’t express enough the pain or the feeling that he has, at the loss of Simon. His memory will burn on in his heart.

Good night old friend.

Jack  Marill  Sharon  Emma and Felicity