Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Loss from a child’s perspective
Death is a most difficult subject to talk and write about.
Death is a most difficult subject to talk and write about.
Chester County resident and author A.E. McIntyre wants to create a dialogue with both children and adults concerning this ofttimes taboo subject.
McIntyre, who also goes by Andrew, has created the book, “Giants,” based on experiences with his father’s death which happened two weeks before his own fifth birthday. Giants is based on a child’s perspective.
The slim book is lovingly adorned with impactful illustrations, by Chester County teacher and artist, Beth Steines. Both McIntyre and Steines graduated from West Chester East High School.
The book opens with a line that evokes tears.
“I remember when my father died
and the many Giants who came to my house to hold my mother when she cried.”
On a bright, sunny fall afternoon at the fountain at 44 West McIntyre described Giants as “people who are towering figures who you look up to for advice.”
Of course, from a child’s perspective, those were Giants, or adults, who showed up to mourn.
So many strangers came to the house and then one day they were all gone, reflected McIntyre. The young future writer and father of three – and the little boy in the book – would or will eventually become Giants themselves.
“People we love remain Giants forever,” McIntyre said. “It hit me when my kids were born.
“I’m this towering Giant.”
While others knew of McIntyre’s loss, he still had to go to school the day after his father’s death, having just lost this “extremely important person.”
“I didn’t want anyone to know I was different — terribly different.”
During the interview at the fountain, illustrator Steines said that death is something that everyone is going to experience.
“Kid’s need to be educated in how this emotionally affects them and how their friends are going through it,” she said. “It’s okay to be able to share and talk about it.”
McIntyre was recently hospitalized and old emotions surfaced, this time from the perspective of a parent.
“I felt fear, was overwhelmed with emotion and felt like I was seeing through my father’s eyes,” he said. “Having to say goodbye to my kids and go to the hospital was terrifying.”
McIntyre mostly remembers seeing his father in the hospital, sees him sitting at the dining room table and remembers him wearing a tie.
These were some of his first memories.
“We are hard-wired,” he said. “You hold onto everything you have.”
The writer doesn’t remember saying goodbye.
“I just realized that everything was different,” he said. “I don’t remember the last time I said I loved him, but I’m sure I did – the finality of knowing that everything is different.”
Illustrator Steines lost both grandfathers at a young age.
“Art was a safe haven when I was in school,” she said.
Steines works mostly in oils. She chose to paint for the book in watercolors to honor her grandfather who was a watercolor painter.
She painted a stuffed animal tiger into almost every page.
The teacher said that students have fun picking out the tigers.
“It represents comfort that a child can find in often unseen ways,” she said.
The book ends with a terrific universal message. It should be on the shelves of every library, hospital and classroom in the country.
Death is a subject that unfortunately, we all have to face, even sometimes the little ones.
McIntyre and Steines enlighten, educate and bring solace. They have brought light to a dark subject.
The book is available at the following link on Amazon: https://www. amazon.com/Giants-McIntyre/dp/B0851LZL1D/ ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&ke y words= Stein es+ Giants &sr=8-12
Go to the Giants website: https://bethsteines. wixsite.com/giants
Or access the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/achildsgriefstory
Steines’ website, www. lunablue.art
Janice Merrick Rowland, 87, of Malvern, PA passed away on October 22, 2020. She was born in Wilmington, Delaware on December 21, 1932 to Florence Marshall and William Sherwood Merrick. She was the beloved wife of the late Ivison Dady Rowland, with whom she spent 63 years of marriage. Janice graduated from Radnor High School in 1950 and from the University of Delaware in 1954 with a degree in English. After graduation, she attended Columbia University where she earned a master’s degree in Education.
After stints in Lansdowne and Harrisburg for Ivison’s career, the Rowlands settled in Malvern in 1973 and Janice focused on raising her family. She had a passion for gardening and was an active member of the Berwyn Garden Club. She served as a Deacon at Paoli Presbyterian Church and taught Sunday School. She was an avid walker and a voracious reader, but mostly Janice was focused on being a great wife, mother and grandmother.
Janice volunteered at the Malvern Public Library in the 1980’s and really enjoyed the interaction with her coworkers and the patrons. She eventually took a position as a part-time employee and when she retired in 2016 she had been a part-time employee for more than 25 years.
She and Ivison moved from their Malvern home of 43 years to Shannondell, in Audubon, PA in 2016. Janice is survived by David Ivison Rowland (Suzanne Rowland), Susan R. Culp (Winfield Scott Culp), Katherine R. Schneider (Chris Schneider), Mark Schneider Sr., and 10 grandchildren, Sara Rowland, Samuel Rowland, Winfield Scott Culp Jr., Laura Culp, Katie Culp, Daniel Culp, John Schneider, Janice Schneider, Mark Schneider Jr., and Jane Schneider. She was predeceased by her husband, Ivison and daughter Karen R. Schneider.
Due to the pandemic, services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Janice’s name to the Malvern Public Library, 1 East First Avenue, #2, Malvern, PA 19355 or on the library’s website www.Malvern-library.org.
www.maugergivnish.com