Haiku Moment
From Westport’s Poet Laureate Diane Lowman
Every now and then
The house of cards collapses
Just begin again
Ben Philip Esselink, 81, Died; “never satisfied to merely be present”
It is with great sadness that we share the news that our beloved Bernard Philip Esselink, of Westport, CT passed away on Saturday, February 5 at the age of 81.
Ben, as he was known by his friends, was a loving and generous husband, father, and grandfather who was shaped by a life spent all over the globe. Ben was exceptional in connecting with and making others feel valued, whether family, friends, or complete strangers, no matter how different from himself. His balance of humor, authenticity, and willingness to serve others was an incredible gift to all of us who loved him.
He was born to Dutch parents, Hendrik and Catharina Esselink, in Indonesia. Educated there, he later earned his degree in Chemical Engineering from Delft University in the Netherlands. After graduation he worked for the United Nations in Thailand before moving to Singapore and a career with Colgate Palmolive. He would spend the remainder of his career with them, working in Australia, California, South Carolina, and New York.
Ben was known for his love of sailing and was an active member of the Connecticut Orchid Society. He was also a man of faith, committed to his Church and regularly involved in his local Gideons chapter. He was never satisfied to merely be present, but engaged in his passions with enthusiasm and loyalty to those who were there alongside him.
Ben was predeceased by his wife Helena Tjeenk Willink, daughter Karien, and brother Bert, and is survived by his sons Rik and Frank, grandchildren Saskia, Philip, Marik, Bjorn, Claudia, and Andreas, and other family members including nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his wife Jean McGilvray Watson, who he counted himself blessed to have met and married later in life. Family was especially important to Ben, and his dedication and love for all of them was evident throughout his life.
A Memorial Service celebrating the life of Bernard will be held at South Church, 90 Main Street, New Britain, CT, April 26, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. Memorial donations may be made to The Gideons International, P.O. Box 174, Westport, CT 06880. The Connecticut Orchid Society, P.O. Box 198, Farmington, CT 06034-0198 or The South Church Memorial Fund – South Church, 90 Main Street, New Britain, CT 06051. Condolences for the family may be left online at http://www.hardingfuneral.com.
Caravan of Thieves heads to Voices Cafe Saturday
Voices CafeOn Saturday evening April 9th, at 8:00pm, the zany group that is Caravan of Thieves brings their magic to Voices Café, with mesmerizing vocal harmonies and dazzling performance, in person and live streamed. Voices Café is located at The Unitarian Church in Westport, 10 Lyons Plains Road, Westport. Doors open at 7:30. For tickets go to voicescafe.org.
According to Fuzz and Carrie Sangiovanni, the musical team who front Caravan of Thieves: “We’re driven to consistently entertain our audience, which lends to building a community of listeners who can be involved in our show and our creative process in some way... This allows our band and our music to be alive, to have a soul.”
Fuzz and Carrie on vocals and acoustic guitars along with Dan Foster on violin and Westport native Dan Asher playing bass, bring driving gypsy jazz rhythms that lay a foundation for spellbinding harmonies and fantastic stories. It's theatrical, humorous and intense. An evening with Caravan simply defies classification, and music loving fans may feel compelled to join the band in momentary fits of claps, snaps and sing-alongs.
Originally inspired by the big band swing era, the Quintette du Hot Club de France, and early American folk music, Caravan of Thieves began to gain recognition for their distinctive musical vision. By the end of their first year Caravan released its debut full-length album, Bouquet (2009), and shared stages with a variety of artists such as Emmylou Harris, Dan Hicks, The Decemberists, Keb Mo, Tom Tom Club, Punch Brothers, and many others.
Fuzz and Carrie have found a comfortable stride, embracing their roles as show and album producers, songwriters and arrangers, released Mischief Night (2010), The Funhouse (2012) and Kiss Kiss (2015), and continued building on their concept with each subsequent tour. They’ve been welcomed by fans (affectionately known as “freaks” on the Caravan scene) throughout the US and UK, made a few music videos, and continue to grow a devoted audience.
The recharged Caravan are back on the road for a Spring tour with a few select dates. Just recently one fan said “can’t wait for you to come back to our area again!”. They are thrilled to be back in the area, now at Voices Café! As entertainment it defies classification… these artists are not to be missed! www.CaravanofThieves.com
Voices Café and Caravan of Thieves share a commitment to social justice and a portion of the proceeds of this concert benefit a variety of community organizations under The Unitarian Church in Westport’s social justice programs, including anti-racism, identity and equity, and immigration and refugee efforts as well as local programs that serve our under-resourced communities.
Voices Café offers café-style (at tables) and individual seating, providing the audience the opportunity to bring snacks and beverages, and enjoy a warm, inviting atmosphere with friends and family. Groups of 4 or more can reserve table space. General admission is $25 per person, and Livestream tickets are also available. For more information and to purchase tickets go to: https://voicescafe.org/
View our COVID Protocols on our website.
Our upcoming 2022 lineup includes the eclectic, indie folk rock music of South for Winter on May 7th and the powerful and poetic singer-songwriter Diana Jones on June 11th. For additional information please contact David Vita at 203.227.7205 x14 or david@uuwestport.org
Dogs Days At Compo Beach Are Over
A group of friends enjoy a last romp togetherComp Beach was officially closed to our canine companions on Friday April 2st. Here is a look at the fun they had last week.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
