THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 24, 1995 TAG: 9512220188
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 111 lines
Portsmouth lost a good friend, recently. The sad thing is, most of our citizens never knew her, unless you may have been a patient at Portsmouth General Hospital and her smiling face came by to cheer you up or you may have been down on your luck and needed a meal, then you saw her again at the Oasis Social Ministry, feeding the needy.
Then again, you may have seen her at one of Portsmouth's fine museums, volunteering in any way she could (she so very much loved our Children's Museum).
She also was a big supporter of the Portsmouth Police Mounted Patrol. She headed the Friends of the Mounted Patrol and was always there to help - both the horses and riders.
She did all of this as a volunteer. Loretta P. Larcombe was a volunteer to many in the city she came to love. She worked hard to make downtown Portsmouth a great place to live and visit. The people who worked with her truly loved her and all of Portsmouth will miss her.
We wish the best to her husband, John, and thank him for bringing her to Portsmouth. I am sure at this time of year you could hear Loretta say: ``. . . There are many worthy groups in Portsmouth, won't you volunteer?''
Loretta P. Larcombe, beloved wife and mother and volunteer to Portsmouth General Hospital Auxiliary, Oasis Social Ministry, Portsmouth Museums, Portsmouth Friends of the Mounted Patrol and anything else. When the city of Portsmouth needed a volunteer, she was always there.
Richard K. Huneycutt
Auxiliary Police Officer
Portsmouth
Dec. 19, 1995 The passing of friends
I am writing to express my sadness at the passing of two individuals who were dear to me. The Portsmouth Museums lost two fine people this year. In July, Chuck Carpenter, a fellow co-worker and friend, passed away. He was one of the first employees, along with Trish Pfeifer, to be in at the beginning of the Children's Museum. His dedication and his love for children will be missed. Between him and Trish Pfeifer, they were the Children's Museum. They started from scratch and saw their ideas and dreams bear fruit.
The other person is Loretta Larcombe, who passed away on Dec. 12. She was a longtime volunteer who worked tirelessly for the Arts Center and mainly for the Children's Museum of Virginia. Her efforts to raise support and funds for the Children's Museum were very much appreciated.
Like Chuck, I considered Loretta a friend. She gave from the heart and would always lend a hand wherever it was needed.
The Children's Museum has lost a shining light in Loretta Larcombe and she will be missed by us all. The efforts of these two people will be remembered by me, always.
Linda Charbonneau
Woodbaugh Drive
Chesapeake
Dec. 14, 1995 Tradition not followed
This is to serve as a gentle reminder to some of the members of the audience who attended the Dick Barnes Christmas Concert at Willett Auditorium Dec. 10.
When Handel's ``Messiah'' is performed, it is traditional and a custom of many years that when the first notes are sounded the audience stands and remains standing at their seats until the last notes have been played.
From my viewpoint in the balcony, it was distressing to see the aisles below filled with people beating a hasty retreat out of the auditorium long before the inspirational music had ended.
Eula C. Fuller
Briarwood Lane
Dec. 19, 1995 Confusing the Prentises
It's increasingly apparent that your reporters (or perhaps it's their sources) can't distinguish between Prentis Park and Prentis Place.
It may matter to no one but me - or other natives of one of these sections or the other. Then, again, the differences might prove to be an interesting story for your readers.
An enterprising reporter on a slow news day might check the city's old land books, Portsmouth/Norfolk County annexation records, and the history of Seventh Ward, Lee Ward, and Harrison Ward.
The dogleg in Lincoln Street's sidewalk (between Richmond and Parker) is a clue worth investigating - all in the interest of accuracy in properly identifying locations.
Les Fry
Charleston Avenue
Dec. 13, 1995 Finders keepers. . .
We are an elderly couple in our eighties.
We bought a cockatiel bird in May. We had much love for it and got much more love in return. He brought us happiness.
Nov. 11 he got away. My wife walked the streets of Waterview calling him. It turned bitter cold, windy and rainy. We cried, thinking he died in the storm.
Nov. 14 a man called and said he had found the bird. We were happy. Then he said his wife and kids liked the bird and they were going to keep it.
I nearly went into shock from his cruelty. If I could have seen him, I would have asked him if he ever thought of becoming a Christian. If so, to ask their minister if they had done the right thing.
We had put an ad and a reward in the paper.
I thank the Lord that I don't have a conscience like theirs.
Mr. and Mrs. J. Egberts
Shenandoah Street
Nov. 21, 1995 by CNB