Travels With An Airhead

Elyse Bolger

— by Notch Miyake

June 3, 2001

Katie left a message on our answering machine at 8:45 Sunday night. She sounded distraught so we called back even though it was after 10:00 when we got in.

It was the worst kind of news. The kind we hoped we would never hear. Elyse was returning from the Square Route Rally with Dick and the Frys. She lost something off her bike and went back to look for it with Dick.

The Frys continued home. After they arrived, they got a call from Dick saying that Elyse had been killed.

That's all I know as I write this. It is enough. The details don't matter.

What matters is that we will no longer hear Elyse at the monthly meeting debating menu selections for the Annual Banquet. We will no longer see her at the Euchre table at the Steak Roast and Pig Roast. We will no longer wish we had more time to talk with her at the Rally because she was always working somewhere.

Over the years, Elyse has been involved in almost everything the club has done. She always volunteered, often for jobs nobody else wanted. She did more than her share, but we never knew it because she never complained. She was one of the people that allowed our club to do so much. She represented much of our wisdom and experience.

Last fall, Dick and Elyse bought a townhouse in Perinton. It was a place they had their eye on for a long time. Dick told me they could live anywhere in the country, but chose to stay in Rochester because of our club. They loved our club and its members even more than motorcycling.

Elyse and Dick were a strong couple. They always treated each other with dignity and respect and love. They both were gentle, caring and generous people. They helped define the character of our club.

Elyse's death will not diminish the goodwill that she contributed to the club. We will honor her memory and support Dick in his grief. We will be gentle, caring and generous. We will remember Elyse.

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