IN REMEMBERANCE:

OUR FALLEN COMRADE

CAPTAIN AL MYERS

(1951 - 2009)

     Father, husband, son, brother, comrade, dedicated educator, thespian, enthusiastic amateur historian, brother in arms, passionate, mentor, amazing, inspiring, special, wonderful, nicest, friendliest, warm, welcoming, humorous, role model,  infectious sense of humor, humility, amazing, courageous, great man, ...these are just a few words that have been used to describe Al. While he was not in charge of CVHR, he was our leader. He will be sorely missed, his jokes and breaking out in character, his traditional Ben & Jerry's night, his tent at the end of the street, his harmonica playing and his beautiful voice when he sang.  In his own way, he enriched each of our lives in one way or another. For this we thank him and will remember  and honor him, always and forever, in our memories and hearts.

-Sue Brown             

O Captain, My Captain!

a poem by Walt Whitman

O Captain my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up--for you the flag is flung for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribboned wreaths for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You've fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchored safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ADDENDUM

TO THE SENATE and HOUSE CALENDAR OF

Thursday, May 7, 2009

H.C.R. 160

House concurrent resolution in memory of Allen S. Myers

Offered by: Representatives Webb of Shelburne, Lenes of Shelburne,

Lippert of Hinesburg, Macaig of Williston, McCullough of Williston and

O’Brien of Richmond

Offered by: Senators Lyons, Racine and Snelling

Whereas, since 1973, when Allen (Al) Myers graduated from the University

of Vermont and became a teacher at the Williston Central School, students at

the school were privileged, and also delighted, to be assigned to his classroom,

and

Whereas, he mastered the art of teaching as an imparter of knowledge and

developer of academic skills and as a champion of child-centered and

student-empowered learning, and

Whereas, he contributed to the educational curriculum of many schools as a

co-author of the Vermont Geography Book, and

Whereas, his life at the Williston Central School extended beyond the

classroom to his role as director of the school’s vibrant drama program that

presented a broad menu of theatrical performances ranging from musicals to

Shakespeare, and

Whereas, Al Myers demonstrated his love of the theater on his other home

stage, the Lyric Theatre Company of Burlington, which he joined in 1976, and

Whereas, although his Lyric Theatre colleagues thought affectionately of

Allen Myers as the company’s class clown who could recite excerpts of Monty

Python routines and had perfect comedic timing, the scope of his duties was

broad, encompassing acting, directing, producing, designing sets, and working

on the technical crew, and

Whereas, in honor of Al Myers’ unique and beloved role at the Lyric

Theatre Company, in 2005 he was designated a lifetime member, and

Whereas, his rich and multi-faceted life had a dimension apart from the

classroom and stage, as he was a member of the Champlain Valley Historical

Reenactors, in which he served as commander of Company A of the Second

Vermont Volunteer Infantry Regiment, and

Whereas, the group’s members devote much time to drills and other

preparations for the reenactment of Civil War military history, and Allen

Myers had traveled to Gettysburg as a reenactor, and

Whereas, he was also a devout individual who was an active member of the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Burlington, and he served as the

scoutmaster of the church’s Boy Scout Troop, and

Whereas, Al Myers died on Saturday, April 25, at the age of 57, and by

Thursday, April 30, more than 2,000 persons had joined the In Memory of Al

Myers Facebook page, and

Whereas, a celebration of Allen Myers’ life will occur at the Williston

Central School on Saturday, May 16, at noon, and

Whereas, the Williston Central School has lost an extraordinary teacher,

drama director, mentor, and friend, and

Whereas, most especially mourning his unexpected death are his wife,

Deborah, and three children, Briana, Eli, and Meredith, now therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:

That the General Assembly extends its sincere condolences to the family of

Allen Myers, and be it further

Resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this

resolution to Deborah Hardy.