Saturday, March 06, 2010

RIP Arthur Menzies 1916-2010


My thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Menzies' family.  Mr. Menzies was a great inspiration and support to me over the years.  I remember him inviting me as a student to attend at talk by his teacher J.K. Fairbank at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing in the fall of 1978.  Over my years in China Mr. and Mrs. Menzies were characteristically gracious in inviting us students every year for a much appreciated Christmas dinner.  I later visited Mr. Menzies at his house on Maple Lane on a number of occasions and we met up frequently at meetings on China.  His solicitude for Mrs. Menzies when she was mentally confused in her later years was touching to all of us who knew them.  Last year Mr. Menzies came to my talk at the National Archives in Ottawa.  It took him a very long time to shuffle slowly from the door of the Archives to the meeting room and back at the end of the evening, but he appeared unphased by the effort.  He also asked me a very perceptive question that evening which pleased me very much. 




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