Thursday, August 11, 2016
Dear Linda and Family,
So shocked to hear of John's passing and my prayers for you all. I would add my memories if I may.
My memories of John Greenfield, aka “Green”
Skip Willits, Member of the New Hampshire Six
For some 43 years six men made an annual trip to the wilds of New Hampshire, generally on the last days of April when the ice on Lake Winnepasaukee finally melted. It was an annual fishing trip of epic proportions upon which John was an original and favored member. Over the years, nicknames became tags for each member of the group. John was simply “Green”. One year he became the “House Magpie” due to an extra glass of adult beverage, but “Green” was etched in stone. He, for some unknown reason, was alway seated directly across the poker table from me. Yes, you see all we did was fish, eat and play cards for five days.
In the early years, he came to fish with his Wall Mart spinning rod and a plastic lure called a “Repala”. Now this with a group of fly fishing purists and he took a verbal beating. In fact we all did for the slightest infractions of the so called rules. Green probably took such ragging with more grace than any of the rest of us, but in the second year he did show up with a fly rod. He added to that a hideous, giant, yellow fly called a “Barns Special”. I think he fished that fly every year for almost forty years.
Green had a habit of squeezing his cards when at the poker table. A very slow and cautious player. Drove the rest of us nuts, but that was his way. It is amazing how six people become so connected when seeing each other only once a year for so many years. I did not know him much beyond these trips, but was delighted to see him each year, sit across the table, and fish the waters of the big lake with him. Each of us would have the opportunity to fish the small boat, which held only two people, at least once on the trip, and I always looked forward to my time with him. The world has lost a good man and “Green” please save us each a seat in the boat till we meet again.
