LINES FROM LINDA REMEMBERING AKC FIELD REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAM HAROLD HOLBROOK 1924 - 2019 REMINISCING WITH JANINE WALKER-KEITH
BY LINDA AYERS TURNER KNORR
O ne of the blessings of spending time at home during the pandemic shutdown has been having time to reminisce with friends. Recently, California dog fancier Janine Walker-Keith of Incandescent Collies and I shared many old stories about one of our mutual favorites, AKC Field Rep. William “Bill” Holbrook, who passed away in 2019. During the 1992 American Kennel Club Judges Institute in Ontario, Califor- nia, I was shaken from my bed by my first earthquake experience. Having seen the movies about the great San Francisco quake too many times, I was totally terrified!!! I called my parents, Roy and Hazel Ayers, in Atlanta and they told me to find our close family friend, Bill Holbrook, and go stay with him. My husband, Jim, agreed. They knew Bill would take care of me. I ran from my room to find the male leaders of the Institute gathered for break- fast. They realized I was shocked with fear, but when I told them my parents told me to “stay” with Bill Holbrook, you can just imagine the kidding that took place. I will always remember the hysterical stories Jack Ward, Harry Smith, Dr. James Edwards, and Ted Kjellstrom continually repeated about that incident.
This close knit group of Holbrook’s Collie friends surround him at the 1992 California AKC Judges Institute. Back row L/R: Dr. Ted Kjellstrom, Helene Forthal, Mary Wells, and Al Forthal. Front row L/R: Linda Ayers Turner Knorr, Bill Holbrook, and Helga Kane.
Counting on Bill Holbrook to protect me in the event of a catastrophe. I survived the earthquake during the 1992 AKC Judges Institute in Ontario, California!
60 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JANUARY 2021
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