Hill Happenings

Mission Hill mourned the death of their beloved neighbor, Theresa Parks, last month – a week shy of her 85th birthday.

Theresa, a 1954 Mission High graduate, was among the founders of Roxbury Tenants of Harvard, which fought passionately against Harvard expansion in Mission Hill.

 The distinguished Fr. Dabney took a brief respite from his parish at Holy Redeemer in Washington, D.C., to celebrate Theresa’s funeral mass. Father Dabney lovingly sang, “Take Me Home Jesus.” Theresa’s granddaughter, Tess Parks, and Dermot Doyne beautifully eulogized Theresa.

I have fond memories of sitting on the Brigham Circle bench chatting with Theresa and her sister, Anna Adams, on many nice summer evenings. Theresa was a beautiful woman in every way.

On June 9 at a Boston City Council meeting, Councilor Kenzie Bok, whose district includes Mission Hill, and at-large Council member Julia Mejia suggested the implementing slavery reparations for Blacks in the City of Boston. This is a foolish idea. Only a small percentage of Americans owned slaves, and reparations have already been given by the 360,000 Northern soldiers who died in the Civil War, fighting to end the evils of slavery.

Said Councilor Mejia, “Economic inequities in our system can be traced back to slavery.”

This moral melodrama appeals to some, but it’s not healthy to tell a segment of people that they are victims.

 I departed my part-time job at the New England Baptist Hospital last week, after five years in Environmental Services. I’m fortunate to have worked with many wonderful people, including my “leader,” Emerson Chadderton, who taught me the art of swinging a mop correctly. A smile emerged on my face when I’d walk by fellow workers, Michelet Brun and Jacques Jules, and hear, “Maurice, my second family.”

 My first chore every evening was in the Recovery Room, removing the trash and soiled linen. This was a welcome assignment because I got to converse with the awesome nurses. Nurses are the best, and two of my favorites in the Recovery Room are Yvette Anderson and Rachael Doherty, both of whom are so nice. I enjoyed telling them my best Mission Hill jokes.

 When I got vaccinated at the Baptist a few months ago by a young nurse, she said to me, “I’m a bit nervous, this is my first time.”

“Don’t worry,” I said, “give it your best shot.”

A belated happy birthday goes out to my friend, Randace Rauscher, a talented local artist.

By the long arm of coincidence, as we were eating Randace’s birthday cake on June 15 at Mike’s Donuts, Secretary of Labor, Marty Walsh stopped in to say hello.

 We get a plethora of interesting people who visit Mike’s. Shortly after the previous Mayor arrived, former Boston College basketball great Paul Grant came in for his coffee. Paul, who works in Mission Hill in real estate, is a great guy, and I love talking sports and politics with him. Paul played for five years in the NBA, with his last year in 2004 playing for the Utah Jazz

 It was nice of Mary Ann Nelson from the Mission Hill Health Movement to invite me to say a few words about Mission Hill to the Brigham & Women’s first-year residents as part of their orientation at the M.H.H.M. office (across from Mission Church).

 It was an honor to meet these dedicated young doctors.

 The dedication to John A. Moreau Square at Fisher and Parker Hill avenues is planned for Saturday, June 26, at 11 a.m.

John lost his life in Vietnam on Jan. 29, 1970. John was my 1967 Mission High classmate and my baseball and basketball teammate. He was a great guy who loved Mission Hill and coached in the M.H. Little League. He was also the league’s president.

The Mission Hill Post 327 donated 500 pounds of food to the Tobin Community Center on June 16.

 The Tobin Center is a great organization for our youth, which features computer classes, sports and other activities under the superlative guidance of Jon Jackson.

Happy 245th birthday to America, and have a nice July Fourth celebration.

John Adams, who would later become our second president and our first V.P., said, “Apt to believe this day will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.”

What did they call the American Revolutionary who drew cartoons?

 A Yankee Doodler.

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