As sad as I have felt over the last few days having gotten news of Criswell, I have also had some great flash backs of memorable ties I shared with him—and Colorado College friends. Crazy how memories that are not on the tip of the brain, seem to bubble up with the effervescence of champagne bubbles when we dig deeply.
I loved just now having read others reminiscences from friends and family. Criswell was truly an amazing person. Fully realized I would say. He and I lived across the street from each other on North Tejon in Colorado Springs during our CC years, just next to the Sugared Mule! That was where we all tasted whole wheat bread and bean sprouts for the first time! We were hooked. Sam Hyatt was the owner, and a recently returned Vietnam veteran, anti-war activist, and sounding board for the many CC students who did not want to go where he had been. We graduated in June 1973, and this was pressing issue for our brothers at the time. The last draft call was on December 7, 1972, and the authority to induct did not expire until June 30, 1973.
Criswell and I were both comparative religion majors. It was true for me, and I think it was for him as well, after our childhood religious indoctrination, we needed to broaden our ideas about spirituality. I think both us especially loved the class on the whirling dervishes and Zoroastrianism. Academically he and I spent many hours together, sometimes enlightening and others tedious. But it had the fewest requirements of any major for graduation so we were able to spread ourselves thin and become true intellectual dilettantes.
I can’t remember which year it was, but in Criswell’s true Pike’s Peak Derby fashion, he and I set a cross country drive from Colorado Springs to DC, arriving at Steve’s front door in 22 hours! Funny how some details are etched on one’s brain, but when this memory came to me in a flash back, I could just see the number 22 flashing in front of me. For someone with a questionable memory, it made me smile! I just googled it and it says 26. We timed ourselves at gas stops—so maybe we really did it in 22! I wish I could remember which of his cars we drove.
Since we were headed to Steve’s, that means I already knew Steve and Peter. In Steve’s wonderful message on the memorial page he humbly refers to the fact that he had a band! And also that Criswell had a radio program on CC’s station. This fact-toid is absolutely central to who Criswell was; he brought us ‘our music.’ And yes, Steve, nothing comes close since. He was equally excited and proud of Steve and Perter’s visits to Colorado Springs and their AMAZING music in their duo-Budgie. (If I got this wrong—so much for the champagne bubbles.) I was in the full bloom of my groupie days then, and I was totally seduced by the amazing music of these two young and gorgeous troubadours! I remember their visits fondly, and the pride that Criswell felt for his big brother—as Steve fully relates, music is central to this legacy.
Fast forward…I lived in Colorado until 1998, but since then in LA.
One day I was giving a lecture at a local museum about a recent book I had published on Chinese vernacular architecture. A man walked into the room after I had started and was standing in the back of the room. I noticed him, but did not recognize him. He was tall, salt and pepper gray hair, and very good looking. Perhaps he was an important curator coming to ‘discover’ me? Haha! After my talk, he stayed around. Finally as the crowd thinned, he came up to me—it was Criswell—without a doubt. I had not seen him in 40 years. Some people you never forget, and I know all of us agree, he is one of those truly unforgettable people.
Soon after we met again in Denver where I have a client who had wonderful white oak floors in a spectacular project that he was thrilled to visit. Full circle, Criswell was building a better world with renewable products and vibrant concern for the environment. The arch of his career is true to the Block Plan that we were indoctrinated with at CC—do one thing at a time, do it with all your heart and intellect, and excel. That is Criswell’s legacy, and gift to us all, of a life well lived.
Some photos to close this reminiscence, are a few I have of Criswell and friends, including Ken Butler and Tad Savinar, who have shared thoughts here. If I recall, this was a garden party, crocket was played, with copious amounts of gin and tonics. We were young, alive, and believed. Criswell held us up!