Harry E. Widdows (1939-2014) ~ With Sadness and with Sorrow

 He Is Not Dead

I cannot say, and I will not say
That he is dead. He is just away.
With a cheery smile, and a wave of the hand,
He has wandered into an unknown land
And left us dreaming how very fair
It needs must be, since he lingers there.
And you—oh you, who the wildest yearn
For an old-time step, and the glad return,
Think of him faring on, as dear
In the love of There as the love of Here.
Think of him still as the same. I say,
He is not dead—he is just away.

James Whitcomb Riley

Harry Widdows

Dear friend, fellow Borden enthusiast, historian, and author, Harold E. Widdows, passed away on July 15, 2014, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, after a long illness.

Harry was a magnificent human being, a true gentleman, who was never condescending or dismissive of anyone’s ideas or beliefs. He was generous to a fault, intelligent (with a genius IQ), and fiercely loyal. He was a profound lover of felines, especially his beloved Blackie, and used to feed the stray kitties in his neighborhood twice a day his special concoction—cooked hot dogs, chicken, and meow mix. He took care of his mother Margaret after the death of his father Eugene in 1974, and she lived with him until her death in 2001 at the age of 95.

Says best friend and fiancé Kat Koorey, “I know that the first thing Harry did after passing was to kiss his mother Margaret, hug his dad, and then went rushing off to find out if Lizzie Borden really did it. And now he knows.”

Harry’s contribution to Borden scholarship cannot be underestimated. He personally transcribed the entire Trial of Lizzie Borden (all 1,900+ pages) as well as the Preliminary Hearing. He was a frequent contributor to The Hatchet: A Journal of Lizzie Borden & Victorian Studies and the Lizzie Borden Society Forum, where his posts stand testament to his professional manner and historical acumen.

It was Harry’s wish that people the world over would have an accurate transcription of these essential documents in their own investigation into the Borden murder case. Only by providing a level playing field, he thought, would people be able to discuss the case with the same access to the same resources. His version of the Preliminary Hearing is the only edition that reads in the order in which the witnesses were called, includes the closing statements of the defense and prosecution and the judge’s summation and verdict, and contains the entirety of Lizzie’s own Inquest testimony which was read into the official record but not reproduced in the original transcription.

Harry also painstakingly listed everyone connected to the Borden case with their address in Fall River in both 1892 and in 1896 when the streets were renumbered city-wide. “He was always generous with his research,” says Kat Koorey. “He shared with anyone who asked. There was no-one like him. And never will be again.”

On a personal note, Harry always cheered me on and supported my endeavors. My gratitude and love for him will never diminish. His friendship has been an important part of my life and I think he was the very first true blue pal I made on the internet that blossomed into a real face-to-face relationship. I loved our trips to Fall River with my sister Kat, as well as our phone conversations and email exchanges. Luckily, I am a pack rat, and have many many messages from him saved away to reread and savor.

Harry served in the Army and did his tour of duty carrying a rifle, “but never used it,” defending the Panama Canal. Says Kat Koorey, “He was so resourceful that he convinced the Army to let him wear his own shoes! His work there was more administrative, however, than anything else, Harry said.”

Harry was born in Yonkers, NY, on February 7, 1939. In addition to Yonkers, Harry has lived in Ossining, NY, Starkville, MS, and Spartanburg, SC.

He was an avid historian, interested in the Lizzie Borden case, the Lincoln assassination, and adventurers and explorers. Says Kat Koorey, “He loved the music of Karen Carpenter, who he referred to as ‘his girl,’ completed the Times crossword in ink, enjoyed computer solitaire, and followed the careers of Eli and Payton Manning. He was a proud Republican, a reader of Charles Dickens, a passionate player of the stock market, and a big fan of the TV show Monk.”

Harry really loved traveling to Fall River, Massachusetts, with his gal pals (me and my sister Kat), staying at the Lizzie Borden B&B (he LOVED Lee-Ann Wilbur), and considered it paradise to stroll the grounds of Oak Grove Cemetery, contemplating history and life.

There are possible plans for a memorial service sometime later this summer, hopefully in Spartanburg.

“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.” 

J.M Barrie, Peter Pan