Here are many thoughts people shared on the University
of Arkansas's Memorial Guestbook
There are many who knew him for years and some who knew him far
more briefly, but hardly anyone ever parted from even a casual
conversation with him without the feeling of having encountered
a great soul. I think these passages below well represent the
multifaceted experiences we had with John Locke. Please be
aware that I have not modified or edited these
statements:
John R. Locke Memories
Phil Williams
- John was someone who actually did a fine job of practicing many of key teachings of the great East Asian religions that heoccasionally discussed in classes. Like a Confucianist mindful
of filial devotion, in the 1970s he helped his widowed mother move to Fayetteville from New York City, where she had been encountering some problems such as the theft of her social
security checks. John went so far as to build his mother a new addition on to his old house on Center Street, and I remember how pleased she was to have a whole section of this house to
decorate and arrange as she wished. John was also pleased to see her taking long walks on the safe streets and fresh air of Fayetteville--quite a contrast with New York back then.
Like a Buddhist, John had compassion for others, often even whenthey did not deserve his compassion, such as when he merely abstained rather than joining the other members of James Kelly's doctoral committee in voting him out of the doctoral program (in spite of feeling uneasy about the palpable resentment that Kelly had begun to focus on John at least as early as 1998, when he told me about it). John knew how to practice Buddhist quiet sitting or meditation, and was willing to share this knowledge with others.
Philosophical Taoism may have been the closest to his heart; the ability of a human to feel at one with nature was reflected in John's yard as I remember it in the 1970s, so overgrown with
large trees and shrubs that you could barely tell that there were streets on two sides of his corner lot. His calm but sunny disposition reflected a man content with the simple and natural
pleasures of life that Taoist thought recommends.
In a country with normal handgun restrictions, John would have almost surely been able to live out his years in peaceful retirement. He would have been 6 to 8 times more likely to have
survived a knife attack than gunfire, as Harvard's Edwin Reischauer survived a vicious stabbing by a crazed assailant in Japan and lived to the ripe old age of 80. It was simply too easy for John's murderer to buy an easily concealed handgun, pull it out his briefcase, and fire lethal shots at a man who had been such a good friend, colleague, and teacher to so many.
In a way, the murder of this esteemed scholar both grieves thoseof us who knew him and embodies a serious flaw in our society that baffles almost all of my friends from foreign countries: the notion from the "frontier mystique" that handguns should be available to virtually anyone who has come of age and wants to buy one.
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a former student
-
There is a line from Chaucer that Dr., at the time Mr., Locke pointed out to his freshman world literature class in the fall of 1970:
"Gentle is he that doeth a gentle deed."
I don't know what to say, I don't know what to think, I don't know what to do when the gentle die in this most ungentle of ways. To say that it is ironic is to so understate the case that
it can only be said with a touch of irony.
This is an evil without redemption. Nothing can undo the murderof John Locke, or make it anything less than an outrage. But we must make some good come of this, no matter how puny it may be in comparison to the offense, because we must respond to evil with good, or we are lost.
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John C. Tomme
- I knew John in Paris, in the late 50's. I forget where we met,
but that's unimportant: Paris in some ways is like a village. I
do remember that for a time he lived on a boat tied up on the
Seine. I visited him once there and we drank wine together. He
decided finally to have a costume party on the boat and take it
downstream. It was a wonderful party. I dressed rather
unimaginatively as a sailor; I forget what John wore. I think he
was too busy piloting the boat to worry about a costume. One of
my most treasured possessions is a large black-and-white photo
taken at the party.
Later I introduced him to Arthur Fiechter, who was my best
friend in Paris. The three of us used to pal around together and
play billiards in Latin Quarter cafés. We were students with our
whole lives ahead of us.
I went back to the States in 1960 and didn't see John again
until 1969. I spent the whole summer in Paris that year after
defending my doctoral thesis in June at the université. John,
who had just begun his career at Arkansas, was there with his
wife and a group of students. I wonder if it was the same group
Michael Phillips, who called John "Dad", mentions in his own
memorial remarks. I have photos in my scrapbook I took of John
and his wife that summer.
I hadn't seen or heard from him for 31 years when I learned the
tragic news of his death from Arthur, with whom I had just
recently renewed contact. I am absolutely overwhelmed by all the
testimonials for him, and deeply regret that we had lost touch
with each other. People have said so many wonderful things about
John. But the thing that resonates the most in my mind's ear is
his great laugh. He punctuated with laughter practically
everything he said. And I'm sure, despite our great sadness, he
is laughing somewhere.
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Maria J. Stafford
- My office is next door to Dr. Locke's. It took me a year to
realize how special that was, how lucky I was. He has brought so
many good things to me:ideas, thoughts, what it feels like to be
in the presence of someone who is truly present WITH YOU. I have
enjoyed and been changed by our many conversations (though I was
hoping for many more this year). I have two especially wonderful
memories of him: Once I offered him some chocolate chip cookies
leftover from a class I'd taught. He wasn't shy. He reached his
hand into the bag one time, then another, and another.... My
other and perhaps last memory of him is his incredible child-
like sense of interest and fascination of the unknown. One day I
ventured to show him (a very busy man at the time)my new deck of
Osho Zen Tarot cards. There are 79 of them and they're
beautifully illustrated. With an exam he was grading still on
his lap, he went through that deck, looking at every card and
admiring its beauty. I admired his beauty and will miss its
human form. When I think of wu-wei, I will always think of dear, boodgie Dr. Locke.
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Billie Giese-Vella
- Thank you all for coming here and sharing about John. John is
a sentient being whose presence is connecting us and flows with
meaning.
When I was teaching this afternoon I shared some of my feelings
and stories about John's life and death with the college
students in my class. Afterwards, a young woman (named Destiny)
asked me, "Do you think that this teacher's death is
illunimating the meaning in your own life?" I am pretty sure
that John's smile floated onto my face.
Several hours after I heard the "news" about John's passing in
this world I read the following passages:
"And even if forms are nothing without the light of the world,
they nonetheless themselves contribute to this light." Albert
Camus
MY
soul angled toward you
hears you
thunder
In the crook of your neck
my star learns how to slacken
and become true,
I finger it back out-
come, speak to it,
still today.
Paul Celan
Thank you, John.
Thank you all.
Peace be with you.
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Missy Leflar
- Many people are missing John. Perhaps we can best honor him by
making the effort to remember the lessons he tried to teach us
(especially those he taught by example).
If we want to live in a manner that helps and not harms others,
I believe John would smile and say to us "Choose".
I am missing my friend.
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Denise Rogers
- I took Dr. Locke's class in Asian literature when I was a
graduate student there about 5 years ago. Like others who have
already spoken so eloquently about Dr. Locke, I found him to be
a cheerful, peaceful man who took a genuine interest in helping
students expand their awareness. He was a challenging teacher--
enthusiastic, energetic, and encouraging. He was also a strong
believer in the benefits of the Buddhist way of dealing with
life; I wish Jim Kelly had been able to avail himself of this
philosophy in his heart.
Dr. Locke's life has been cut short, and as with any premature
death I read about, I have been considering how I live my own
life. What impressed me most about Dr. Locke was how well he had
lived his life as a teacher, a dancer, a follower of wisdom, and
as a seeker. I hope my own life has as many dimensions as his
had by the time I leave it, and I hope as many people are as
enriched by my sojourn in this world as those who knew John
Locke. Those of you who knew him, please remember his laugh:
head thrown back, face toward the sky, smiling evermore.
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Denise Rogers
- I took Dr. Locke's class in Asian literature when I was a
graduate student there about 5 years ago. Like others who have
already spoken so eloquently about Dr. Locke, I found him to be
a cheerful, peaceful man who took a genuine interest in helping
students expand their awareness. He was a challenging teacher--
enthusiastic, energetic, and encouraging. He was also a strong
believer in the benefits of the Buddhist way of dealing with
life; I wish Jim Kelly had been able to avail himself of this
philosophy in his heart.
Dr. Locke's life has been cut short, and as with any premature
death I read about, I have been considering how I live my own
life. What impressed me most about Dr. Locke was how well he had
lived his life as a teacher, a dancer, a follower of wisdom, and
as a seeker. I hope my own life has as many dimensions as his
had by the time I leave it, and I hope as many people are as
enriched by my sojourn in this world as those who knew John
Locke. Those of you who knew him, please remember his laugh:
head thrown back, face toward the sky, smiling evermore.
------
Chris Huggard
- John Locke is one of the most wonderful people I've ever
known. Since first meeting him some ten or twelve years ago, he
has been a shining light of enlightenment and integrity. He
always took time to ask how things were going and what the
latest news was in my life. His kindness was unmatched among the
university professors who I've known at the UofA as a student
and teacher there in the 1980s and 1990s. His gentleness exuded
from his shining face that always had a smile with his warm eyes
and cuddly demeanor and countenance. Most of all, I'll remember
his wit and charm and his unmistakable laugh that was soft, yet
deeply genuine. He was a gift to those of us who knew him. And
ironically, he cared perhaps more than any other university
professor about the students in their studies, concerning their
activities, and in their daily lives as ordinary people
searching for guidance and understanding. John was a truly great
man, one of those behind-the-scenes sages who took little credit
but made great contributions to our sometimes troubled society.
I love John Locke and will miss him dearly. He is a true
inspiration in life and death and will remain in my heart as one
of the finest people I've ever known. God bless his beautiful
soul.
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Debra Valentino
- I am deeply saddened to hear of John Locke's death. I was a
graduate assistant in the English Department in 1980-81, and I
spoke to John daily
on my way in and out of my office, which was right across the
hall in what was then called "Communications Center." I knew
John as a friend and a
colleague; we took yoga classes together on Saturday mornings.
He was
always warm, vivacious, gentle, and kind-hearted. A dedicated
scholar, and a favorite of a good number of students. I am
especially moved by the
violent loss of such a peace-giving soul. He was the kind of man
who remained in one's memory for his graciousness and good will.
If he had survived, he would have forgiven the man who shot
him....that's how compassionate he was. There are four of us
former students now teaching English here at EIU, and all of us
are devastated. We want our former professors and friends to
know that they stay with us, in the best of ways,
as did John.
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- My heart goes out to the family of Dr. Lock. I did not know
the man, nor did I know much about him, but from what I have
heard and the things that are written here, he must have been an
incredible man. I am deeply sorry for this terrible tragedy that
you are having to endure, and I only hope that you may find a
ray of light somewhere, somehow through all of this. Do not let
this tragedy darken your hearts as well.
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KB
- I never had the pleasure of being in one of Dr. Locke's
classes but from what I've read in the guestbook he was a man
very much admired and loved by those around him. As a UofA
alumni I would like to say to the students, faculty and family
of Dr. Locke that my thoughts and prayers are with you at this
very difficult time in your lives.
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jenny
- This summer I got started on a thesis project that examines
different meanings/usages of the word "community." By asking a
few people in our local area "what does the word community mean
to you," I figured I could define what the word "community"
means to me. To me, community is something more than a local
area... it is a particular quality of realtionships and
interactions. The people on my list were diverse, with one main
type of commonality - kindness, openness, and love - aparent in
words, actions and eyes. Dr. Locke was on my list of people to
include. He never received my invitation. Though I never had a
class led by Dr. Locke, I lived vicariously through my husband's
enrollment in his various courses and I truly learned a lot. (I
kept saying... "Next semester I'll take lit of the quest") When
I'd see Dr. Locke at the pool, or the co-op, or the laundrymat,
though he didn't know who I was, he always greeted me with a nod
and a smile, sometimes conversation. John Locke was one of those
folks that made me feel good about living in Fayetteville. To
me, John Locke somehow took emptyness and meaninglessness out of
the word community and made it something real. My heart goes out
everyone in this tragic time of loss and sorrow. May we reach
out to each other and continue to live as authentically as
possible- as did John Locke - creating community along the
way...
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Philip Williams
- I agree with the sentiments of Jen D., in that the murder of
an innocent and peaceful scholar, Dr. John Locke, who had been
somewhat hobbled by a recent leg injury and was only a few
months away from a well-deserved retirement, was less
a "tragedy" than a heinous criminal act by Kelly, a disgruntled
doctoral student totally lacking in self-control. When at the
murder scene rounds of ammunition are found in a briefcase full
of envelopes addressed to Kelly, it is obvious who snuck that
gun into John's office and cowardly shot the only professor on
his doctoral committee who had not voted him out of the doctoral
program in late summer. Kelly didn't know the exact breakdown of
that vote, but he wanted to lash out violently at that decision,
and John unfortunately became his lightning rod.
My admiration for John dates back to the mid-1970s, when I was a
U of A undergraduate major in English and Comparative
Literature, and in the Honors program, from which I graduated in
1978. John was one of several U of A English professors whose
broad cultural background and effective teaching served as a
source of inspiration for me. I eventually went on to graduate
school at Cornell and UCLA, where I eventually received an MA