MEMORIES OF ELSA FERNANDEZ
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"Goodbye, Elsa. Until we meet again."
Photo by Weebly,com
Photo by Weebly,com
In Memoriam:
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Elsa Fernandez grew up in Asia. She has lived in San Francisco since 1970 and never gets tired of this lovely city. She has travelled the world and still gets excited flying back home and to finally land at SFO. Her family is scattered around the world—India, Australia, Dubai, England, Ireland, and Argentina. She is a political junkie and majored in Journalism and Political Science. She loves music and plays the piano quite well (one of her dreams was to own a piano bar in upcountry Maui. She would probably call it the Maui Moon!). Writing poetry is an emotional outlet for her.
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As she stated in her biography, Elsa’s favorite form of creative writing was poetry. Here is an excerpt from her poem entitled "Owl on Sixteenth Street," which was published in our Fall 2022 Issue of Vistas & Byways. In the opening stanza of this poem, she describes the gritty and diverse character of San Francisco’s Mission District which she visited many times while living nearby in the Nob Hill District of San Francisco. This poem shows that Elsa had good observation skills and enjoyed her neighborhood.
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Excerpt from "Owl on Sixteenth Street" Lively diversity—cool and hip Mission District—gritty streets, warm fragrance of stewing pork and green chilaquiles with epazote. Mellow summer evening The gods of destiny gift us with parking karma fairy dust. We cross 16th street, dodge the cars, Music and the acrid sweet smell of cannabis indica, (or was it cannabis sativa?) spice up the twilight hours. Neon Roxie sign glows in the night. Birth of the Cool—the Miles Davis Documentary—an hour to showtime. Stop at Dalva for a couple of shots. A dark hideout bar, regulars huddle in the rear. We’ve been here before—look around for the permanent taxidermied residents-- the weasel at the back of the bar, and the squirrel at the entrance. I wonder who shot these unfortunate critters. |
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Elsa served as a reporter for the Inside OLLI section of our literary journal for the past several years. In that role, she would conduct interviews with OLLI staff members and instructors and report the story for Vistas & Byways. She provided an interview with Charles Vella, the leader of the OLLI Human Evolution Interest Group in Issue 16, Fall 2023. She also wrote book reviews of OLLI members who had recently published a book of poems. One review published in the Spring 2023 issue was for Heather Saunders Estes’ book, All in Measure. She reviewed for our Fall 2022 Issue a collection of poems describing peoples’ reactions to the COVID pandemic entitled Pandemic Puzzle Poems, edited by long-time OLLI instructor Diane Frank.
In recent years, Elsa volunteered to find and provide ‘edible goodies’ for the OLLI members who attended our Launch Parties when a new semi-annual issue of our magazine was introduced. Those parties have been held around May 3 and November 3, following the Launch on the first day of each of those months.
The Members of our Editorial Board and Production Staff are truly saddened to hear that Elsa has left this world. We wish her well in her future endeavors--wherever that may be.
A recent essay by Elsa, "The Inevitability of Destiny," foreshadows her departure, but also shows her faith in humanity and the future of San Francisco. It reads in part:
In recent years, Elsa volunteered to find and provide ‘edible goodies’ for the OLLI members who attended our Launch Parties when a new semi-annual issue of our magazine was introduced. Those parties have been held around May 3 and November 3, following the Launch on the first day of each of those months.
The Members of our Editorial Board and Production Staff are truly saddened to hear that Elsa has left this world. We wish her well in her future endeavors--wherever that may be.
A recent essay by Elsa, "The Inevitability of Destiny," foreshadows her departure, but also shows her faith in humanity and the future of San Francisco. It reads in part:
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Excerpts from "The Inevitability of Destiny" by Elsa Fernandez; written in September. 2023, published in Issue 16, Fall 2023 of Vistas & Byways: These last six months have been painful in many ways. I wonder if the stream of negative news, reminders of how fragile our lives are, will ever change trajectory? * * * * Will we ever see the San Francisco that we knew and loved, again? The way it used to be? Not the ghost town it is today. Maybe? * * * * I'm proud of my state, that we generously tighten our belts and send out teams of Search & Rescue Firemen when disaster strikes somewhere around the globe. California sent teams to Turkiye and there are probably several strong, experienced firefighter teams arriving right now at Kahului Airport on Maui. Mahalo and Aloha Nui Loa to all you beautiful guys! What can I say? Things are getting better. My sweet feller got us tickets to An Evening with Jane Goodall at Golden Gate Theater on September 15th. Now, that's a great start to the holidays! Going to the theater on the arm of a 6'4" gray-haired hottie (wonderfully my age!) with delectable long legs!!! Yay—I dared myself to say that! Let's all go maniacally crazy and write our hearts out in the next four months. It will tell the true story. And that helps us see the joys of the positive side of life. |
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Goodbye, Elsa! Until we meet again!
From the Editorial Board and Staff of Vistas & Byways; Spring 2024
From the Editorial Board and Staff of Vistas & Byways; Spring 2024
Friends of Elsa gathered together on March 17, 2024 at Kathy Bruin's home to share memories of Elsa. From left: Heather Saunders Estes, Kathy Bruin, Gretabelle Fernandes, brother Carl Fernandes, Robin Michel. (not shown: photographer Charlene Anderson).
Editor’s Note: Readers of this In Memoriam article can find the full versions of Elsa’s writing pieces quoted above by going into our Archive Files that are included in this web site. Go to the ARCHIVES tab at the top of this page. Click on the Issue you wish to see, such as Fall 2022, or Spring 2023, or Fall 2023. When the selected issue pops up on your screen, go to the CONTRIBUTORS tab for that issue to find Elsa’s bio and the literary works from her that were published in that issue. Click on those titles to see the selected piece.
A collection of 3 of Elsa's poems and 1 nonfiction piece are included in this section of our Spring 2024 issue of Vistas & Byways.
A collection of 3 of Elsa's poems and 1 nonfiction piece are included in this section of our Spring 2024 issue of Vistas & Byways.
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