Remembrances of
Larry Hoey
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Larry of the Folk Festival

Karen Tutkowksi - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
KATutski@aol.com

Larry Hoey...the serious, elusive person and  awsome, elite dancer.  Was this the man everybody knew?  At first, maybe.  But slowly Larry's gentle side emerged the more one got the nerve to talk to him, and his serious demeanor just slowly melted away with that shy, mischievous grin of his. 

My last (and lasting) vision of this "intimidating" guy is of watching him humming merrily while dancing some silly steps as he mopped the kitchen floor of the Sister Bay Town Hall (and I helpfully pointed out spot after spot after spot that he'd missed) on the Monday morning after the close of the Door County Festival.  He didn't miss a beat as he tried to mop me out the back door along with the dirt that morning.  He was using the same mop that I've several times seen Paul and him dance with in the wee hours of the festival morns.  This is the same "serious" dancer that is featured in many of my dance party photos wearing bird hats,  skeleton ties...and yes, even fluffly tails.   He and his co-hort in crime, Paul, made quite a comedy team whenever they got together and decided to "harrass" me in line while dancing. 

They needed no verbal communication...they were both on the same rhythmic wavelength, whether they were dancing or teasing.  Larry is regaled as a dance impressario by  most everybody here at Tuesday night dancing; his legend has..and always will... live on in the many challenging dances he has brought to us that we lovingly refer to as "Larry" Dances.  "Larry" Dances strike both awe and fear into the average dancer. Yet  Larry, the dance guru,  could be bribed to teach a dance on Tuesday night with something as simple as a Sprecher rootbeer. 

This year at Door County, I finally got the nerve to hambo with Larry for the first time in all the years I've known him.  I figured that by now, if I stepped on the toes of this dance-god, it was no more than I owed him for all the years of his and Paul's pranks.  I didn't know it would also be the last time I'd ever hambo with him.  I'm glad I got the chance.  Larry's talents extended beyond dancing and kept him so busy, that it became a running joke that he was most certain to show up for dancing mostly on party nights, when there was sure to be food. His parting comment to me on Monday at Door County was "I might see you Tuesday night," and I flippantly said, "Don't expect food."  He didn't come.  He left for France on Wednesday. 

Oh, to be able to lure Larry back with a little food and to hear his laugh again and to share his love of dance one more time!

Addendum:  Paul, I am so sorry to learn that one-half of the infamous Door County Duet has gone to dance in other dimensions and has left you here to solo.  This is a loss that is unspeakably sad.  Tut

I just remembered an old poem that I think probably sums up how EVERYBODY feels about our friend, Larry:
                            
        "Poem"           
I loved my friend. 
He went away from me 
There's nothing more to say. 
The poem ends, 
Soft as it began- 
        I loved my friend.      
                                        (Langston Hughes from "The
                                                Dream Keeper")
        
                
                    I loved my friend. 
                    He went away from me.
                    There's nothing more to say.
                    This poem ends,
                    Soft as it began--
                    I loved my friend.
                
Karen Tutkowksi - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
KATutski@aol.com
 


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