One of my childhood heroes passed away last weekend. Chris Wedes, better known as Julius Pierpont Patches, better known as J.P., succumbed to cancer, leaving a huge iconic hole in the fabric of Seattle.
Every morning and every afternoon, from 1958 to 1981, J.P. told me to brush my teeth, clean my plate, mind my manners and treat others with kindness. And he did all this while just clowning around.
If you lived in or around Seattle in the 60s and 70s, J.P. was probably part of your family. He was part of mine. And when he did a shout out to me on my birthday, using his “I C U 2 TV” to send his personal greeting, I was tickled to my toes!
So what can I say about a man who was undeniably one of the greatest influences of my young, impressionable youth? Just two words come to mind.
Thank you.