• Home
  • About Me
  • Mission Statement
  • Welcome Message
  • Open Letter to My Family
  • Donate
  • Contact Me

Mike Rinder's Blog

Something Can Be Done About It

  • All Posts
  • Disconnection
  • Idle Orgs
  • IAS
  • Media
  • Books
  • Fundraising
  • Regraded Being

In Memoriam: Amos Jessup

March 18, 2019 By Mike Rinder 9 Comments

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

Share this...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

Filed Under: Scientology, Sea Org Tagged With: Amos Jessup, In Memoriam, Janis Gillham Grady

Comments

  1. Mary Jessup says

    August 5, 2022 at 4:33 pm

    I met Amos when he was a teenager mucking about with his friend Darius Brubeck. They made some music together and had a lot of fun in Wilton Connecticut.For the next 40 years ,whenever we were in the same city or country at the same time, Amos was kind and decent to me and my children. I was very grateful to him for his support and when Amos married Daly , I transferred my gratitude to her. I feel this planet could use another dose of Amos for all the kindness he spread to his friends an admirers. He will be sorely missed.

    Reply
  2. Mohammed says

    July 19, 2022 at 7:10 pm

    OMG.
    I just knew that, I am really so sorry for Daly and his son, I met Amos in 2015 I was living with him and his wife Daly (my mom) for about a year when I was learning English language in San Diego , He was very kind person.
    After that year I came back to my home country and I lost contacts numbers in my phone and today when I planing to finish my MBA next semester I decided to search for him in Internet to say hi to him and invite him and Daly for my graduation but I found this bad news.
    RIP Amos Jessup

    Reply
  3. Tucker Jessup says

    June 11, 2019 at 10:46 am

    Thank you so much for this touching tribute; I’m sorry I didn’t see it earlier. Dad would love to be remembered in such a beautiful way. It was very shocking to find his body the way I did, but I just know it was his time to go. He may have been improving, but his quality of life was minimal. He could barely speak or write clearly, and his walking was incredibly limited. Right before I took the dog out, I tucked him in to his recliner with a couple of blankets, kissed the top of his head and said “I love you”. I’m just very happy those were my last words to him.

    Reply
  4. Bob Burtman says

    March 24, 2019 at 12:13 pm

    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!

    Reply
  5. Ronn S says

    March 19, 2019 at 10:26 pm

    Very nice Janis. Its tough losing anyone, but special friends are a special kind of loss.

    My condolences.

    Reply
  6. Dave Stokes says

    March 19, 2019 at 1:53 pm

    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.

    Reply
  7. Mary says

    March 19, 2019 at 8:40 am

    Never met Amos but heard of him since the 70’s. Always thought he had such a cool name.
    Rest in Peace Amos Jessup.

    Reply
  8. Judi Light says

    March 19, 2019 at 8:03 am

    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.

    Reply
  9. Old Surfer Dude says

    March 18, 2019 at 8:41 pm

    Hey Amos! You’ve shed your body. I’ll bet you’re in one incredible place!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Mike-Rinder-Blog
Click Here to Donate

Important Articles

Dealing With Scientology Critics - L Ron Hubbard Playbook
The Real Story About Disconnection
To Speak Or Not To Speak
Shelly Miscavige Guarded By Armed PIs
Debbie Cook's New Years Email
On David Miscavige's Behavior
Miscavige's Behavior Part 2
A Letter From Garcia

Important Quotes

If the org slumps during this transition period, don't engage in "fund raising" or "selling postcards" or borrowing money. Just make more income with Scientology. L Ron Hubbard From HCOPL URGENT ORG PROGRAMMING
"We own a tremendous amount of property. We own a tremendous amount of material and so forth, and it keeps growing. But that’s not important. When buildings get important to us, for God sakes, some of you born revolutionists will you please blow up central headquarters". L Ron Hubbard Lecture 31 Dec 1960
"Personal integrity is knowing what you know. What you know is what you know and to have the courage to know and say what you have observed".- LRH from Personal Integrity
"It is necessary to happiness of man, that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists of professing to believe what he does not believe." Thomas Paine
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” - Martin Luther King
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” - Martin Luther King
“There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” - Martin Luther King Jr.
“Communication is the universal solvent” - L Ron Hubbard
“When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.” Thomas Paine
"Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world would do this, it would change the earth." William Faulkner
"The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual's own reason and critical analysis." Dalai Lama

Important Reading

Troublemaker - Leah Remini
Ruthless - Ron Miscavige
Going Clear - Lawrence Wright
Bare Faced Messiah - Russell Miller
Counterfeit Dreams - Jeff Hawkins
Blown For Good - Marc Headley
Abuse at the Top - Amy Scobee
Unbreakable Miss Lovely - Tony Ortega
The Church of Fear - John Sweeney
Fair Game - Steve Cannane
Inside Scientology - Janet Reitman
Jenna Miscavige - Beyond Belief
My Billion Year Contract
Ron the War Hero - Chris Owen

Popular Posts

Scientology Photoshops Audience
Tommy Davis and Jessica Feshbach
Shelly Miscavige- Why She Stays
Disconnection and My Mother
Food for Thought
  • David Miscavige Paranoia
    The Church of Spin
    Correspondent from the Bay Area
    Actors Needed to Play Scientologists
  • Recent Comments

    • otherles on Scientology: the Child Friendly Religion: “Narcissists don’t know how stupid they look.” Aug 10, 09:09
    • Melissa Paris on Episode 25: Valeska Guider Paris: “Our mother tried multiple times to get us kids out of the Sea Org and living with her. She was…” Aug 10, 08:59
    • Ladidaah on Scientology: the Child Friendly Religion: ““some of the more untamed areas of North Africa,” in a letter written in _2010_???” Aug 10, 08:54
    • Joe on Thursday Funnies: “Thanks for all that info, I find it fascinating. I’m too scared to go into the org and see what…” Aug 10, 06:45
    • Aquamarine on House of Horrors: “Fred, I’ve observed that when some people want to deny, or believe they MUST deny an allegation which happens to…” Aug 9, 23:29
    • Bill de Carle (spbill) on Correct Estimation of Effort: “Nice to see a positive response, hope COB is reading this.” Aug 9, 21:52
    • FarmerJ on Thursday Funnies: “Most money definitely comes from Sydney, from the same old faces. Some from Melbourne and there’s a couple of Perth…” Aug 9, 21:31
    • Mark Kamran on House of Horrors: “Have you ever heard any one from mainstream religion ( Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Sikhism) ever went to…” Aug 9, 20:46
    • Peridot on Correct Estimation of Effort: “@Bill de Carle: I love your sentiment here. You offer rational points, if one is operating off a sincere desire…” Aug 9, 20:24
    • Joe on Thursday Funnies: “That’s interesting, I heard most of the money from Brissy comes from Sydney. If you Google the Brisbane Building Fund…” Aug 9, 19:39

    Categories

    Archives

    Copyright © 2022 Mike Rinder · WordPress · Log in