Uncle George was always full of fun and tricks, one of my earliest memories was in our Grandmothers kitchen in London. I would have been about 9years old at the time. Uncle George and his brother,  uncle Charlie showed us how they could roll a cigarette along the table without touching it!  We were totally fooled of course, and it took some time to realise the trick of one blowing it along while the other moved his finger 2 inches behind it!  We also had good times when we stayed with George and Aunt Cath in the Simi Valley a few years ago...we will miss Uncle George, but remember him forever. Cathie and Clive Worthington and family.

Thank you to each of you for your contributions to George's life. His life was enriched because you were a part of his life.
 
I wanted to share a small glimpse of letter that George wrote over 67 years ago that I read at the service.

The previous night at 2 a.m. the night before the service I was looking through a box of my dad's stuff. Before my dad passed my parents celebrated 67 years of marriage on Sept 2nd, they were married in 1944. They were married for 10 days before my dad was on a ship to India. He did not know it at the time but he would not see my mom for another two years before he returned. In the box I found a letter he wrote to my mom, dated Sunday 30th September, 1944. The letter was hand written in ink pen and thin rice paper with no ruled lines. His penmanship is an art. 

As a preface, in the past few years mom and dad lost their ability to speak due to mom's Parkinson's and dad's Dementia. I read the last paragraph on page #7 at the service as it was as if dad/George was saying goodbye to his wife, Catherine. The words spoken were most relevant today just as they were 67 years earlier.

The letter was hand written in ink pen on rice paper.
 
Page #1... 
Dearest Catherine...

Pages #2 - #6...
My dad writes about life on the ship, not knowing where they are heading or when they will return. The ships are in the Mediterranean and in a V formation convoy. There are destroyers and corvettes leading the way through the fog. They enter the Suez Canal single file and steam towards open ocean. And misc. stories about the chaps on board and what the lads do to keep busy.

Page #7...

The following is a quote from the last paragraph saying goodbye...

I hope you are keeping OK. Darling are you? Still having a good time on your leave... did you enjoy yourself at Marys??? Darling, I still love you and want you as ever I did, in fact more, I just dream and dream of that wonderful day when we shall be together again... to hold you close & kiss you, I love you... Gosh! I think I shall be shy all over again, with you Honey!! But I'm sure I will get over it. OK... I often wonder where we shall meet again & what we shall say, still love has no language has it Darling. So it won't matter if we don't say a word and I honestly & truly love you my Darling Wife, you are so beautiful & I adore you so much.

Goodnight Catherine, & God Bless You.

Adoringly Yours.

Devotedly your loving Husband

George

XXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX

Through dad's - George's letter he was able to say goodbye to his sweetheart some 67 years later. 

If mom could of attended today she in return would say... "George, I love you, sweet dreams".

Hello, to all of the Jenkins family. I just wanted to say thank you to my Uncle George for being the Artist, Achiever and Adventurer that brought my dad, Jack Cable to America for a better life for his family. I will remember always, the sacrifices our families made to allow this to happen..... Love and kisses Elaine

The kind of man my uncle was? He loved children and education. In his very late years, he and his wife, my Aunt Cathy drove from Simi to the valley to help me with a very wild group of 8th graders making a project. They were so full of life and enthusiasm and the children loved them. They both communicated so well with these youngsters and made the event a lot of fun. They would both have made excellent teachers!

PERSISTENCE

I look back at his old sepia photograph.
My father, just four years old,
Sitting on the studio chair
 Expectant, hopeful.
Being still when the photo-man says so.

His own father would soon be dead.
His mother would sell newspapers at Marylebone Station.
He doesn’t know yet the fate that awaits.
Poverty and hard times are approaching,
But not enough to crush his spirit.

This child wants a future.
He strives.
He works.
He learns.
He achieves.

His wedding picture looms in my mind’s eye,
Fresh faced and honest,
Posing with his bride,
 Expectant, hopeful
Capturing the moment, looking ahead.

Ten short days with Catherine Aurora.
Two long years stationed in India.
Will this war never end?
Will I see her again?

This man wants a future.
He loves.
He fights.
He returns.

I read his book, I Remember,
Note the phrases:
 “That’s for me.”
 “I learned all about it.”
  “I went to night school.”
 “Did it on approval and was accepted.” 
 “I was doing design work now.”
 “I was pleased.”


He is Albert George Jenkins: 
aeronautical engineer, 
artist, 
adventurer

Not just expectant,
Not just hopeful

Albert George—an achiever.

Written by Linda Conover

OBITUARY

Albert George Jenkins

September 11, 1919 – September 4, 2011

Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks-Griffin Memorial Park, Mortuary & Crematory

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