It is with a heavy heart that I report the death of Bill Torrens, a poster here who was one of the finest historians I've ever known.
Although Bill was a librarian in Buckinghamshire, England, and had lived his entire life in England, his heart belonged to the Confederate States of America.
About 7 years ago, I believe I joined the CWT board and was met with enthusiasm by Tommy, also known as mental_nomad,an sometimes as aphilbilly, but mostly as Tommy.
We thought we were debating pretty well until we met Bill Torrens who taught us that there is indeed an "art" to it. I believe this was about a year after I joined. Then a lovely Canadian lady named Dawna joined us and we became the "Fab Four", debating right and left.
Alas, May 31, 2005 Bill found out he had colon cancer and swore us to secrecy. He went through all the chemo and drug treatments that they could dish at him and many times we all had our hopes up, only to be dashed. But Bill was so merry about it and kept right on writing on the boards. Eventually we moved on to other boards and kept up the debates. And Bill and Barbara, his wife, continued their wonderful trips all over Europe sending back pictures of gorgeous castles, villages, cathedrals, etc.
And we kept planning "the trip". The trip was for the four of us to all meet at my house in Alabama and go to as many historic sites as possible, each night coming home to sit in the rock garden and drink "mint juleps" as Bill made me promise to make, although I've never had a mint julep in my life.
But this last trip to the hospital was to be just that. Barbara sent a note to us all saying that Bill had died on Thursday morning 6th March 2008 about 9.15 am British time. (I just got the message around 11 this a.m. as she's been staying with her folks and forgot to take our emails with her.)
We have all lost a valued friend, the finest debater I will ever meet again, and the South has lost it's greatest messenger. On this board he took several names, one of them being "Catherine Hop;ey". He could have other names on this board. I am uncertain about the names though, but will recognize them when I see them in the list of members.
He and I had recently talked about changing genders and how hard it is to write as a member of the opposite sex. I know that I have done it and I know of one forum where he has had such fun, but admitted to me that it is very hard to write like a woman.
If you believe in toasts, please drink one and raise your glass high to the finest "Southerner" the South [u]never produced, Bill Torrens.[/u]
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THE DEATH OF BILL TORRENS
It is with a heavy heart that I report the death of Bill Torrens, a poster here who was one of the finest historians I've ever known.
Although Bill was a librarian in Buckinghamshire, England, and had lived his entire life in England, his heart belonged to the Confederate States of America.
About 7 years ago, I believe I joined the CWT board and was met with enthusiasm by Tommy, also known as mental_nomad,an sometimes as aphilbilly, but mostly as Tommy.
We thought we were debating pretty well until we met Bill Torrens who taught us that there is indeed an "art" to it. I believe this was about a year after I joined. Then a lovely Canadian lady named Dawna joined us and we became the "Fab Four", debating right and left.
Alas, May 31, 2005 Bill found out he had colon cancer and swore us to secrecy. He went through all the chemo and drug treatments that they could dish at him and many times we all had our hopes up, only to be dashed. But Bill was so merry about it and kept right on writing on the boards. Eventually we moved on to other boards and kept up the debates. And Bill and Barbara, his wife, continued their wonderful trips all over Europe sending back pictures of gorgeous castles, villages, cathedrals, etc.
And we kept planning "the trip". The trip was for the four of us to all meet at my house in Alabama and go to as many historic sites as possible, each night coming home to sit in the rock garden and drink "mint juleps" as Bill made me promise to make, although I've never had a mint julep in my life.
But this last trip to the hospital was to be just that. Barbara sent a note to us all saying that Bill had died on Thursday morning 6th March 2008 about 9.15 am British time. (I just got the message around 11 this a.m. as she's been staying with her folks and forgot to take our emails with her.)
We have all lost a valued friend, the finest debater I will ever meet again, and the South has lost it's greatest messenger. On this board he took several names, one of them being "Catherine Hop;ey". He could have other names on this board. I am uncertain about the names though, but will recognize them when I see them in the list of members.
He and I had recently talked about changing genders and how hard it is to write as a member of the opposite sex. I know that I have done it and I know of one forum where he has had such fun, but admitted to me that it is very hard to write like a woman.
If you believe in toasts, please drink one and raise your glass high to the finest "Southerner" the South [u]never produced, Bill Torrens.[/u]
Thea, Tommy, and Dawna