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In Remembrance of Glenn Emmanuel

Glenn Emmanuel - who, like each of us, is many wonderful things to so many people - left this life this past Monday July 23rd. There will be a remembrance ceremony for him this coming Sunday July 29th at 4pm at the Gazebo in Libbey Park.

Glenn's final poem, with his spellings intact:

A single word
A simple line
full of life/death/space&time
All this
my dearest luves my wife, my suns, my friends
Swirling, dancing, the bright sun -
Mirculous & true

Glenn Emmanuel
July 19, 2007

Comments (17)

Thank you Evan for posting this. I will be out of town when the remembrance ceremony occurs. I send my love to his wife, sons and all those who knew him far better than I. His final poem reached my heart.

To Glenn's family: From all that has been mentioned of Glenn here and elsewhere, I see you had the truest form of love one could ever hope to have. Very few of us ever experience such in our own lives. I'm sorry I didn't know him personally, my regards, Dana.

I've posted the ceremony on ojaievents.com. Again, my condolences to Glenn's wife, family and friends. My brief encounters with him were fun and enlightening. He was clearly dedicated to the Ojai community, and a shining member of it.

Dear Glenn, wherever you are in the cosmos, I hope you are flying free. Now we have only to think of you to connect with your essence. We will see your smile on the faces of your beautiful sons Etienne (born the same day as my daughter Monica) and Julian. It is not fair that you were swept away to the other side so soon!!

Evan...(And anyone else expecting a child)...The Ojai Post has hosted several Remembrances. I hope you'll also share the Announcement of your child's birth.

Glenn ...

your true smile gave us wings,
carried us past dark's evil reach,


when Sun's return to Earth, now rings
(and Corporate State we do impeach!)

... we do impeach ...

Heather (and all),

i certainly intend to welcome the new member of my family and our community with an Ojai Post exclusive! thank you for advocating for balance...

I will just be getting in to LAX when the ceremony starts, but hope to make it toward the end. If I don't, know that I'll be thinking still of Glenn, and honoring his strong magnificent spirit. Thanks, Evan and Cherie for posting his beautiful poem. Yours, Julie

Glenn was a comic genius who certainly could have had a career in front of Hollywood's cameras. Instead, for whatever reasons, he chose to stay in Ojai and grace us with his warm and joyful presence. I was honored to have the pleasure of performing with him in Illusions Theater although my favorite memories are being in the audience marveling at his ability to make us all laugh. We'll miss you, Glenn. Thanks for leaving us the happy memories and for leaving this life with the dignity and poise of a great actor and a great human being.

glenn was the first person that we met here in ojai. always open, friendly, full of the passion of his convictions balanced with good humor. we will miss his humble and kind presence.

glenn was a true icon of ojai - from his early days of mime to his ever- present presence in rainbow bridge, on the street, in the theatre - everywhere and anywhere.

we will all miss the smiling, intelligent everyday glenn . . . still he will always be with us.

glenn, thanks for spending time with us.

condolences to all.

Glenn, always a shining, shined brighter yet with each and every day that he moved closer to his passing. The world and everything in it became more beautiful and each moment more precious to him -- and to those of us who were with him -- as time passed. At his time, he was surrounded by people who loved him. We sang him songs, said prayers from various traditions, and recited favorite nursury rhymes; we massaged his feet, held his hands and reminded him over and over again that he was not alone, that we loved him and were with him. Glenn showed me how to die, and reminded me how to live.

As a resident of Ojai, I was lucky to have many encounters and engagements with Glenn. He often ave me advice and insight about the obstacles we all face. One of the encounters that sticks out clearly in my mind:

I once was driving by and saw him crossing the street near the coffee shop in Ojai and he walked up and opened the passenger door to my truck, jumped inside without asking for a ride and then I drove down Ojai Avenue, talking with him about the issues that were on his mind at the moment. And then he just opened the door at the stop light near the theater and got out. And that was it. No introductions, and no formal parting.

Glenn was a peaceful warrior. He always acted, and rarely reacted.

Thanks Evan, for posting that beautiful poem.

thanks to Cheri for sending me the text of the poem, which she read at the last benefit concert. it will be read again on Sunday at the remembrance ceremony.

i will be bringing the sign that i made for the Independence Day parade with Glenn in mind: Being Free Means Making My Own Health Care Choices. happy freedom, Glenn...your honor and integrity survive your body.

Thank you for all your beautiful thoughts and condolences. I still listen for the sound of his car on the driveway at night and find it hard to believe he is gone. I was blessed to be abe to care for him his final month, and though his body grew weaker, his spirit shown brighter and brighter through his clear blue eyes. Gratitude to those people who came daily to assist . Our time together was too brief and his loss leaves a great void, but I guess he was needed elsewhere. His death, as his life, was remarkable. I hope to see many of you Sunday. Glenn asked me to play two songs in his rememberance because he loved me and believed I had talent. I will honor his wishes, so be kind. I would love to have a real guitarist close the ceremony by leading us through "Imagine" and "Amazing Grace". I will have 1 mike and an amplifier. Any volunteers? Blessings, Cheri, aka Glenn's Wife

Throughout my 30 years in Ojai Glenn has always been a presence in my life. We go back to the days in Illusions Theater and the time when our children were being born. His life weaved in and out of mine and I was always aware of his contributions to the arts community and the community as a whole. He was a gentle soul and always the thinker. His passing has left a hole in my heart and I will remember him well. My love goes out to all others who will miss Glenn. His heart was big enough to include us all.

I moved to Ojai 2 and half years ago, and not soon after I had set foot there- a man swirled and twirled around a post reciting Shakespeare and then introduced himself as the character in the play... I thought to myself " and who is this magical mystery man?" And with a big smile I thought Ah! Friend! Yes this will be a friend! It wasn't until some time later that the name Glenn Emmanuel was revealed... In the time that I knew him he took me on many journeys of the spirit and the mind... Never a dull moment, but and inspiration towards freedom, towards art, towards the art of living. I have always found it a blessing when I have had the oppprtunity of time and destiny to collide with the great souls of this world- and Glenn Emmanuel will forever stand before me as one of these greats! One cannot contain or express a spirit as such in words- but only can I express the gratitude I feel for having met him, for he truly touched me, my spirit- and unfailingly- the smile he put on my face whenever I saw him was surely his own doing...
I consider it my great good fortune to have met him, and I will miss him always... But may I have learned from him perhaps to walk a little more lightly on this earth and to become a true human being with the spirit of an angel... May I send all my love and blessings to his family and friends, those that I know and those that I do not and most of all to him, that magical mystery man,! Glenn Emmanuel... With All My Heart... MiMi Alain

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