by Janis Gillham Grady (Sorry for the delay, as most of you know, I was out of touch on a cruise for the last week)…
Sadly, we all get older and there is a time when each of us will decide it is time to go.
With that said, it is time to say goodbye to someone many of us have known and loved – Amos Jessup who passed away today – March 14, 2019.
Amos had been sick recently, which I had announced about a month ago to many of his friends. It was thought that he was recovering as he was getting his motor skills back along with his speech, however, after a rough night last night, he was in a lot of pain, he refused to go to the ER and wanted to just remain in his living room chair. He seemed okay, so his son took the dog out for a short walk – only to find upon his return that Amos had moved on to a new world.
I first meet Amos when I was 11 years old on the Royal Scotman. As a Commodore’s Messenger I interacted with Amos many times during our Sea Org years together, when he was the Captain of the Avon River/Athena, later the Chief Officer and even Deputy Captain of the Apollo and again in 1975 when I did the mission to Toronto org and put him on post as the Executive Director.
After being a successful executive for many years, Amos kept returning to the auditing chair, where he loved to help people by auditing them. Even after Amos left the Sea Org over 30 years ago, he continued to audit and help people.
Amos was one of those people that I and many of his old shipmates will greatly miss – at our reunions, he was always the one to arrive with his guitar in hand, ready for any song we could throw at him for everyone to join him in song. He was well known to bring laughter and joy to the room with his fun-loving smile and joyful character. He cared about people and wanted to make them happy.
Amos was also very helpful with my first two books about growing up in the Sea Org – he was a behind the scenes reminder of various things that occurred and always offered whatever help he could in editing and improving my books for which I will always be grateful.
Only two years ago, Amos and Daly moved from San Diego to North Carolina and in that short time Amos made dozens of new friends. Upon hearing the news of Amos’ passing a bunch of them showed up at his home yesterday and kept proposing locations for his memorial “party.” As they discussed it, each proposal would be shot down in favor of a bigger place (starting with his big back yard). On Sunday, a special memorial program about him will be aired on the local radio, where he was featured many times, with music and poetry.
In Daly’s own words, that ability to make friends really created a new life, in a place 3,000 miles from San Diego, within less than a year.
Amos is survived by his wonderful wife (for putting up with us all!), Daly and his son Tucker.
We will be missing Amos jamming on his guitar at the June 22 Burbank Reunion where instead we will remember and honor him along with our other big loss – Bill Franks.
The radio tribute to Amos will air tonight from 7-10 on WHUP in Hillsborough, where he spent a fruitful couple of years after moving to San Diego. We’ll be rebroadcasting his five appearances on WHUP between September 2016 and December 2018, all of which I had the privilege of hosting – two of those were music sessions (one solo and one with band) and three shorter segments featuring his poetry. You can listen live on whupfm.org or any time after that on demand via the website – it’ll be posted within a couple of days along with the five individual shows, just type Amos Jessup in the search box. A remarkable fellow indeed!
Very nice Janis. Its tough losing anyone, but special friends are a special kind of loss.
My condolences.
Amos Jessup relieved Emile Gilbert as the CO of the Toronto Org in 1975, April or May, as I recall.
I was the full time (D and F) Basic Courses supervisor at that time and had been since November, 1973.
The other Basic Courses super was Real Laplaine.
My senior was Cyndy Nelson, D of T.
My Tech Sec was Gary Jepson.
My Dir I and R was Blair Sisson.
Morning roll call at 8:30 a.m. was mandatory for the 50+ staff at that time (all of us were Full Time staff).
Roll call was held in the large open space of Div 6, first floor, 124 Avenue Road.
We did the usual Org Board chanting drill.
Then Amos Jessup (straight from Flag) was introduced.
I was shocked.
Emile Gilbert was removed!
Who was this new guy?
Amos stood up to face this large morning gathering of usually sleepy but now wide awake staff.
For 3 or 4 minutes he lit into us.
He criticized our collective efforts, products and intentions.
He questioned our ethics.
He challenged our commitment to KSW.
Very harsh.
He then said, “There will be changes.”
“Who is Dave Stokes?”
Oh oh!
I stood up.
The entire room went silent.
Amos said, “You are no longer the Basic Courses Supervisor.”
“You are re-assigned to the Book Unit” (selling paperback copies of DMSMH on the street).
And then, the knife to the heart.
Amos Jessup, looking from side to side at all the faces of the assembled staff, declared, “Maybe now he can get STRAIGHT Scientology into the hands of the public!”
The inval, the eval, and the sarcasm, dripped off every word of that last sentence.
As did the hate.
The meeting continued.
Other staff members were removed, reposted, busted and excoriated that morning.
None of which I remember.
IMO, 1975 was the high-water mark of Scientology in Toronto.
It has been downhill ever since.
Amos Jessup was only the CO for a few months.
Then HE was gone.
No data as to why.
Amos Jessup’s legacy in Toronto is very simple: He was in command at the beginning of the long decline of the Toronto Org.
Anybody wishing to improve my memory and/or fill in the surrounding contextual details may email me directly at davestokes02 at gmail dot com.
Never met Amos but heard of him since the 70’s. Always thought he had such a cool name.
Rest in Peace Amos Jessup.
OMG no! The last I had heard from Daly a few months ago, Amos was doing quite well and was out and about – improved physically and playing his music . I am so sorry for your and Tucker’s loss Daly. Amos was a kind, gentle, loving man with gobs of talent. HIs book is amazing and his writing is delicious.. a tapestry of words and a fabulous read. For those of you who want a tremendously touching read…”Beyond the Cascade” is superb.
Hey Amos! You’ve shed your body. I’ll bet you’re in one incredible place!