On the Passing of My Beloved Husband

The Eulogy for Thomas Eugene Fulton

On September 12 a light of pure love, my beloved husband of 26 years, Tom Fulton, went out. 

Everyone who knew Toms knows he was a man of honor and integrity and a recognized LGBTQ advocate. 

His death was unexpected, his health declined from what appeared to be perfect health to complete collapse of body and mind in less than three weeks. When the diagnosis of stage 4 cancer was told to us, we vowed to fight. “Tom will win” is what we repeated daily. But deep in my heart, I knew this light was fading. 

Out in our garden, a few days before Tom’s passing, I saw the largest Monarch Butterfly I’d ever observed. It fluttered around me then landed on an orange marigold Tom had planted. It remained there; it’s glinting bright orange and black speckled wings opening and closing long enough for me to take pictures to show Tom—with orange being Tom’s favorite color the monarch was his favorite butterfly. I now know this was a magnificent sign from the angels: Tom was making his transition to join the host of heaven and there was nothing either of us, nor the best medical community in the world could do to alter this. 

They say a funeral is not for those who have passed but for the living, those of us who loved and admired Tom. But I now disagree. Through this experience, through watching my husband’s heroic effort to fight this monster called cancer until nearly the very end--an end when he, when we surrendered to God’s will for Tom. 

So, like a posthumous Medal of Honor recipient, this day, these hours of farewell are to honor Thomas Eugene Patrick Fulton. 

My Love, I hope I do you well by this eulogy. I can tell you this, my dearest husband, that as a writer of many stories, this my Love is by far the most difficult thing I have or will ever compose. So, let’s start with looking at Tom’s life. 

When asked where he was “from’ Tom was famous for saying “I was born in Ohio, but I moved to Tucson when I was two years old because it was too cold.” 

In the Saguaro cactus dominated landscape of Tucson, Tom thrived. Even as a little child, his love for God was event as he regularly told his family how much he loved God. And something else began to develop. Tom’s treating all equally. His best friend was a kid who was made fun of at school because he had to carry a colonoscopy bag. Something Tom only mentioned to me later because it didn’t matter to him. Tom’s friend was his buddy and the colonoscopy bag was just something he needed. 

This commitment to treating all equally, became more evident when in college Tom came out to his family—in 1975! He was not going to hide who he was and his family would have to love him no matter what—and they did. From that point forward, Tom never once denied who he was—demanding that people treat him as equally as he treated others. 

So began Tom’s LGBTQ advocacy work. The first protest he led was while he was in college at the University of Arizona. 

A crowd of misguided anti-Gay people had attempted to stop a Pride event on the campus. The ringleader of the crowd “a boisterous lady” as Tom described her, was spewing such hatred that others gathered with Tom to celebrate Pride were visibly shaken. It was at this moment my husband, the future LGBTQ advocate who would eventually be broadcast around the world and quoted in nearly every media outlet from CBS News to the BBC, took a stand and moved onto the battlefield of human rights that would define the rest of his life. 

Tom walked up to this shouting person, and he told me he only felt sorrow for her. 

“Instead of yelling back, I started singing ‘Love, Love, Christians this is your call. Love others as yourself. God loves all.” He told me, "It shut her down” and it changed Tom’s life. 

It was because of that moment, that stand for equality, that many in the LGBTQ community knew Tom Fulton, the man who was the first openly Gay liaisons for the Los Angeles City Council back in the mid-1980s, the man who during those dark times during the AIDS crisis, would speak to the Los Angeles Police Department to stop them being so homophobic, or the man who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for HIV research—to mention just some of his advocacy work. 

Tom’s non-violent and peaceful approach to protest is summed up in this statement he would often repeat “I want a seat at the banquet table. I don’t want to burn down the banquet hall.” 

When later in our careers we moved from LA to Washington, DC, then Mayor Fenty, appointed Tom to serve on the DC Human Rights Commission where he regularly defended those who were being discriminated against—from all communities and backgrounds. 

And, as the first openly Gay elected Area Neighborhood Commissioner of the Bloomingdale neighborhood of DC, Tom regularly advocated the concerns and needs of the residents who had overwhelming elected him to do so. This included regular trash and graffiti removals and bumped up Neighborhood Watch participation which resulted in lower crime rates in Bloomingdale. Something Tom was rightfully very proud of! 

Eventually taking a job with the City of Washington, DC, Tom headed up many LGBTQ events including Pride parade participation and interacting with the public during Pride festivals. 

Those were some of the highlights of Tom’s public life, the guy a dear friend of ours referred to as Fighter Fulton! But his private life with me revealed a much more vulnerable and sensitive man. His commitment to our marriage was unwavering. We were “the bunnies” and our relationship never took a backseat to any of Tom’s advocacy work. 

I think perhaps one of the easiest ways I can express his commitment to us is that for more than 26 years together, I never doubted Tom’s love me. Ever. 

While in his last hours, as he lay slowly dying, a nurse named Jess, who I can only describe as angelic in her care, concern and treatment for Tom asked him what the secret was to a lasting 26-year love affair, he told her, “Love, forgiveness, compassion and compromise.” 

This would be Tom’s last coherent conversation as shortly thereafter the cancer killing him was slowly shutting down his brain. 

Jess wrote this to me after Tom’s passing: "It was an honor to care for you and Tom through the hardest moments life can throw. Witnessing the purity of your love for Tom, and his for you. He was beaming even though his symptoms when I asked him what the secret of your 26-year marriage was. To see what a beautiful life you both created together and hearing about the homophobia you both encountered and fought against over the years, I can’t help but be so grateful for the fight you both fought and still fight. There is no way a world could exist where I can come out at 26 years old so confident that I would be alright without the road you and Tom bulldozed through and paved so beautifully. 

So, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You and Tom have taken care of generations beneath you in our community, and I felt so honored to give back to you both and to care for Tom in his last days. His work and battles don’t go unseen, unappreciated or unfelt. What a light Tom will be and already is for the unfairly persecuted."    

As Tom faded, the last word he said was to me was after I had gone home for a few hours to water the many beautiful flowers Tom so lovingly planted every year. Coming back into his hospital room, I kissed him and said, “I’ve watered the flowers” and he said, pulling on what strength he could, a breathy “Hi”. 

When two days later, Tom did finally make his transition to Eternity, as I held his lifeless body in my arms I whispered to him “This is not goodbye. This is hi. It will always be hi for us. 

When I look at your picture in the morning, 

When I see a monarch butterfly flutter by, 

When I visit the places we loved so much, 

And when I join you in heaven it will be hi.”

I Will Never Stop Loving You, My Beloved Husband

Good Government in Action!

Super excited to announce that my first story since joining FAA is the cover story for the storied FAA Safety Briefing (FAA SB) magazine!

Robert Westover at an FAA training Facility

Not a sexy sounding name, but FAA SB is the flagship publication of the general aviation community and as a readership of anywhere between 400,000 to more than one million!

Robert Westover (right) with Warren Randolph (left)
a former co-chair of GAJSC

Not a bad start just out of the gate but I always swing for the fences!

Read it here: FAA SB Magazine

Robert Westover being sworn in at FAA HQ 

Robert Hudson Westover: A Life Between Stage and Story

A biography by CHAT GPT (I think it likes me!)

In the sweep of American cultural and political life, few figures embody as many contradictions, reinventions, and surprising linkages as Robert Hudson Westover. To those who first encountered him on stage, he was a tall and muscular ballet dancer with aristocratic bearing, an artist whose movements drew on centuries of tradition. To others, he was the passionate preservationist who rallied a nation to save the SS United States, the great ocean liner ever built in our nation and that once represented American postwar ambition.

Still others remember him as the activist who, alongside his husband, Tom Fulton, fought for gay rights in Virginia years before marriage equality became law, or as the political hopeful who ran for Congress in 2000, speaking candidly about service, equality, and patriotism.

Robert Hudson Westover (left) with his husband,
Tom Fulton, in Rome for their 25th Anniversary. 

Threaded through all of these roles is a life defined by service—whether to art, history, the environment, or the ideals of civic participation. Westover’s biography reads less like a single arc than a mosaic of overlapping commitments: to family, to tradition, to justice, and to creativity. His story encompasses encounters with royalty, friendships with America’s first families, and battles for cultural preservation.

And yet, beneath the many hats—dancer, actor, author, Marine family scion, activist—remains a man deeply committed to bridging divides, to finding beauty and meaning in institutions old and new.

An Audience with the King

Among the many anecdotes that punctuate Robert Hudson Westover’s life, one stands apart for its symbolism: his meeting with King Charles III.

It was not just a stiff diplomatic handshake, nor just a fleeting moment in a receiving line. Rather, Westover recalls a conversation of mutual curiosity, an exchange rooted in a shared appreciation of heritage and tradition and climate change. Charles, long known for his activism in climate change, listened intently as Westover spoke of his work on climate change issues with the United States Forest where he worked at the time.

"His Majesty seemed to understand my warrior spirit immediately,” Westover has said. “Two men from different nations, united in the belief that the environment must be managed properly if we are to progress and thrive as a species.”

The Dancer’s Beginning

Long before preservation battles and political campaigns, Robert Hudson Westover was a dancer. His earliest years were defined by the rigorous discipline of ballet training, a pursuit that demanded physical precision and artistic vulnerability in equal measure.

He rose quickly, moving from local performances to professional companies, gaining a reputation not only for his athleticism but also for his interpretive depth. Ballet, he often explained, was storytelling without words—a way of embodying emotion that could reach across cultures and eras.

Acting soon followed. On stage and on screen, Westover’s tall, elegant frame and expressive presence translated into roles that stretched beyond the purely physical. Whether cast in classical dramas or experimental productions, he sought out roles that challenged assumptions and gave voice to characters caught between worlds.

This was no mere artistic vanity. For Westover, the arts were a form of public service, no less meaningful than political office. “When you dance, you remind people what it means to be human,” he once said. “And that reminder can be as urgent as any law passed in Congress.”

Author and Historian

Even as his career took him from stage to stage, Westover nurtured another gift: the written word. Over the years, he published works that blended history, memoir, and cultural commentary. Among them was SS United States: Fastest Ship in the World, a book that combined technical detail with sweeping narrative, ensuring that the story of America’s great liner was not lost to rust or neglect. Another, the cheekily titled Nobility Training for Dummies, revealed his wit and his ability to balance reverence for tradition with gentle satire.

His writings received validation in their own right, and they reflected the breadth of his interests: ocean liners, heritage, etiquette, performance, and preservation. Each book was less a standalone project than a chapter in a larger conversation about the meaning of legacy in an era that often undervalues it.

Awards and Recognitions

It is no surprise, then, that Westover’s career has been decorated with honors. In the arts, he received recognition for his choreography and stage performances. In preservation, his work on behalf of the SS United States earned him national attention and he was recognized by both Walter Cronkite of CBS News and Peter Jennings of ABC World News Tonight along with CNN.

His work as the National Program lead with the U.S. Forest Service on the Smokey Bear campaign garnered accolades from advertising and conservation bodies alike. His work on “America’s First Bears” many birthday campaigns won him a Golden Smokey award. Working with celebrities like Betty White and Arnold Schwarzenegger were once in a lifetime experience for Westover and he garnered worldwide media attention for his efforts.

Yet Westover is characteristically modest about such honors. “Awards,” he says, “are less about the individual and more about the cause. They’re reminders to keep going.”

A Marriage of Activism

Westover’s personal life has been equally interwoven with his public commitments. Together with his husband, Tom Fulton, he has been a vocal advocate for gay rights in Virginia and beyond.

Their activism dates back to a time when such advocacy carried professional and personal risks. Long before marriage equality became the law of the land, the two men stood as visible partners, insisting that love and commitment were civic virtues. They campaigned for workplace protections, against discrimination in schools, and for recognition of same-sex partnerships.

Their years of activisms culminated in June of 2015 when the United States Supreme Court ruled that Gay marriage would be legal across the land. That day Westover and Fulton’s story was broadcast around the world in an unprecedented media acknowledgement of two men committing their lives to each other.

“We knew we weren’t just fighting for ourselves,” Tom Fulton has said. “We were fighting for kids in small towns who felt invisible, for couples who were told they didn’t belong, for families who were denied dignity.”

Their efforts, though not always headline-grabbing, helped lay the groundwork for broader acceptance. Today, Westover and Fulton speak with pride about how far the movement has come, while reminding younger generations that every right won must also be defended.

A Christmas Tradition

Few Americans realize how much planning and artistry goes into the annual lighting of the National Capitol Christmas Tree on the West Lawn of Capitol Hill. For years, Robert Hudson Westover played a behind-the-scenes role in shaping that tradition, working with non-profits and the U.S. Forest Service.

His contributions ranged from logistics to storytelling, ensuring that the tree lighting remained a symbol of national unity. He saw the event not as mere ceremony but as an opportunity to reflect the diversity and resilience of the American people. “The National Capitol Christmas Tree belongs to everyone,” he said, “and its lights should shine on every community.”

It was yet another example of Westover’s knack for taking traditions seriously without rendering them stale.

A Family of Marines

Westover’s own biography cannot be separated from his family’s long record of service in the U.S. Marine Corps. He became the third generation in his family to serve in the Marine Corps. “What other choice did I have?” Westover once said. “I grew up steeped in the values of discipline, loyalty, and sacrifice that the Corps embodies. I had to serve—in the Marine Corps. Period. OORAH!”

He has often spoken of how his relatives’ deployments and victory in battle shaped his worldview, instilling both pride and a sober awareness of the costs of military service. His own advocacy for veterans’ rights during his Congressional campaign reflected this background.

“Service is not always about wearing the uniform yourself,” he said on the campaign trail. “It’s also about honoring those who do.”

 In the Kennedy Circle

Another thread in Westover’s tapestry of connections is his long friendship with Hugh “Yusha” Auchincloss III, stepbrother of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Through Yusha, Westover entered a circle that linked him—if indirectly—to Jackie Kennedy herself.

Robert Hudson Westover (right) with Hugh D.
"Yussa" Auchincloss at Hammersmith Farm,
Newport, RI

The Kennedys’ blend of cultural sophistication and public service resonated deeply with him. In their world, he found affirmation that art and politics could co-exist, that elegance and seriousness were not mutually exclusive. Yusha, with his warmth and wit, became both friend and mentor, reinforcing in Westover the sense that history is lived not only in great events but also in the intimacies of friendship.

Countess Olga: The Honorary Godmother

In a life filled with colorful characters, few were as remarkable as Countess Olga de Chrapovitsky Morgan, whom Westover calls his honorary godmother. A Russian émigré who carried the aura of Old World aristocracy, Olga introduced Westover to the rituals of European high society.

From her, he learned both etiquette and resilience. She embodied survival—having fled the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution—and reinvention, remaking her life in America while retaining her dignity. She was Yusha Auchincloss’s aunt and that was how Westover made the connection to Jackie Kennedy’s family.

To Westover, Olga was proof that nobility was not only about titles but also about bearing. “Olga,” he has said, “taught me that grace is a form of strength.”

Saving the SS United States

If one cause defines Robert Hudson Westover in the public eye, it is his tireless effort to save the SS United States.

Launched in 1952, the great liner was a marvel of engineering: the fastest ship ever built, a floating symbol of Cold War confidence and American ingenuity. But by the 1990s, it was a rusting hulk, moored in Philadelphia and facing the scrap yard.

Westover threw himself into the campaign to preserve it, raising awareness, rallying donors, listing the ship on the National Register of Historic Places--convincing skeptics that the ship was worth saving. He argued that the United States was more than steel and rivets: it was memory, aspiration, a national cathedral afloat. His book, speeches, and tireless advocacy helped keep the ship in the public eye, transforming it from a forgotten relic into a subject of national debate.

Though the battle continues, his efforts have ensured that the ship’s fate remains a question of preservation rather than demolition.

Smokey Bear’s Ally

Another cultural icon owes something to Westover: Smokey Bear. While working for the U.S. Forest Service, he helped design advertising campaigns that updated Smokey for new generations while retaining the beloved character’s gravitas.

For Westover, this was not mere advertising. It was public safety, conservation, and education rolled into one. He believed that Smokey’s message “Only you can prevent wildfires” was as relevant in the age of climate change as it had been in the 1940s. His campaigns found innovative ways to connect Smokey with communities, blending tradition with modernity.

In doing so, he ensured that Smokey remained not a relic but a living teacher.

The Congressional Run

By 2000, Westover had accumulated enough experience—in service, in activism, in public speaking—that a run for office felt inevitable. He entered the race for Congress in Virginia, positioning himself as a candidate of service, preservation, and inclusion.

It was a difficult campaign, in a district not yet fully receptive to his progressive stances, especially on Gay rights. Yet Westover campaigned with vigor, speaking openly about his life, his marriage, his family’s Marine service, and his vision for a country that balanced tradition with equality.

Though he did not win, his candidacy broke barriers, offering visibility at a time when few openly gay men sought national office. “Winning wasn’t the only measure,” he reflected later. “Sometimes running is itself a victory—because it shows others what’s possible.”

Where is he now?

In early 2025, Westover embarked on a new chapter, transitioning to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a Safety Information Specialist. The move marked a shift from the tranquil expanse of forests to the vast, complex world of air travel, but his core mission remained unchanged: to communicate clearly and effectively in the service of the public.

Today, Westover continues his journey as a communicator, drawing on his experiences as a Marine, a preservationist, and a storyteller. Based in the Washington, D.C. area, his life is a testament to the power of public service and the pursuit of passion. As he recently described on his blog, it's a "mosaic of overlapping commitments," all united by a single, unwavering purpose. From the national flagship to a safety message at the FAA, Robert Hudson Westover has made it his life's work to share stories that matter.

The Legacy of a Multi-Faceted Life

So how does one summarize the legacy of a man like Robert Hudson Westover? Is he the dancer who embodied grace? The author who chronicled a ship? The activist who campaigned for dignity? The candidate who placed himself on the line? The friend of royalty, of Kennedys, of countesses?

In truth, he is all of these. His life resists simplification. And perhaps that is the point: that identity is not singular, that service comes in many forms, that history is written not only by presidents and generals but also by dancers, preservationists, activists, and lovers.

Westover’s story reminds us that a single life can touch many spheres—arts, politics, preservation, tradition—and that each sphere enriches the others. He has moved with the elegance of a ballet dancer across the stage of history, reminding us that memory and beauty, love and duty, still matter.

Ode for the SS United States

 By Robert Hudson Westover, Chairman Emeritus of the SS United States Foundation

I am very saddened to report that the SS United States is now in Mobile, AL being prepared to be sunk in the Gulf of America. It’s hard to believe on so many levels. 

 

In 1997, the all volunteer effort I started to save her from this very fate changed my life. 

 

My work to get her on the National Register of Historic Places resulted in me being recognized by President Clinton, Peter Jennings of ABC World Tonight and even Queen Elizabeth II. 

 

In fact, legendary Journalist Walter Cronkite assisted in my efforts serving as an honorary chair along with President Clinton in two organizations that spun off from my SS United States Foundation. 

 

A well selling book, a nationally broadcast documentary, celebrity endorsements and billion plus worldwide media impressions did not save this symbol of our nation. 

 

Unfortunately, what could have been a story of overcoming all odds, of the collective determination to save arguably the greatest ship ever produced by America—that still holds the Atlantic crossing speed record—will be a tragic tale of lack of will, mismanagement and misfortune. 

 

The great United States, to be sunk in the Gulf of America. 

 

What else can I say? 

 

https://youtu.be/4h1pAsFeJi8?feature=shared

 

The incomparable majesty of the White River National Forest will bring you to your knees

 

By Robert Hudson Westover

 Great Spirit Prayer (anonymous)
Oh, Great Spirit,
Whose voice I hear in the winds
and whose breath gives life to all the world.
Hear me! I need your strength and wisdom.
Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes
ever hold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may understand
the things you have taught my people.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.

In the heart of Colorado, a stunning expanse of wilderness captivates visitors with its majestic landscapes and exciting and relaxing recreational opportunities like none other. It’s the White River National Forest and it spans over 2.3 million acres.

And the very size of this forested wilderness is a good thing because it is the most visited national forest in the United States.

What awaits those millions of outdoors enthusiasts is an unrivaled pristine wilderness with abundant wildlife, world-class ski resorts and 14,000 ft. high mountain peaks that surround the forest beneath like all-mighty sentinels of eternity.

Established in 1891, the White River National Forest boasts a rich history intertwined with the development of Colorado. Originally designated to protect the headwaters of the White River, the forest has grown to encompass diverse ecosystems ranging from high alpine environments to lush valleys. Its name is derived from the White River, a tributary of the Green River, which winds its way through the forest, providing crucial habitats for fish and other aquatic species.

To read the full story click here: Tallgrass to the forest - White River National Forest | US Forest Service (usda.gov)

The Heart of a Marine

 

By Robert Hudson Westover

Once a Marine always a Marine is what we say.

Why?

We can be “out” of active duty for decades, be 100-years-old and received a dozen other honors But In the Mind of an honorable Marine there is only ONE honor and that was earned upon graduation when in a ceremony reminiscent of those of the Legions of Rome we are called, for the first time, Marines!

We Marines are the most mentally and physically powerful warriors in world history.

WE HAVE NEVER LOST A MAJOR BATTLE UNDER MARINE COMMAND

Not one!

Why?

Marines are men of Providence

We believe in Destiny

You do not sign up to serve in the equivalent of a Medieval knighthood not believing, not knowing that this is your Destiny and that she controls the very Fates.

 A Marine enters into battle knowing HE may LIVE or DIE but either outcome does not matter to HIM.

 It is only his HONOR that matters.

 And a true Marine will die before being made to dishonor himself.

 A true Marine will march into hell to fight for his country, for God, for what and who he LOVES.

 So even when HE is “out” of active duty a true Marine never stops being a Marine.

 I once witnessed a vehicular accident where a woman suddenly became trapped in her car.

Her door would not open, and gasoline was pouring out from under the wreckage.

All stood at a safe distance and watched—afraid to help her but not a Marine that happened to be on the scene.

He got out of his car, yanked open the jammed door and got the woman out taking her away from danger.

That Marine knew he could die that afternoon…

That Marine fought the demons of death, of fear of cowardice of dishonor.

But…

That Marine knew that if he were to just sit there in his car and watch her die, helpless in a flaming wreck, HE could NEVER live with himself.

So, having been “out” of active duty for a longtime that Marine mentally and in an instant:

Put on his breast plate of courage,

Grabbed his shield of resolve,

And with the sword of bravery in his hand,

the blood of generations of warriors pumping through his veins,

the helmet of honor on his head,

HE did what a Marine does.

Fortunately, fire trucks arrived a few minutes later and the car never ignited but that didn’t matter to the Marine.

He knew the potential of what COULD have very realistically happened.

All that mattered was he did not hesitate, nor let fear paralyze him—making him a coward—dishonor.

No, that would not happen to him that day—or ANY FUCKING DAY He was STILL a MARINE.

OORAH

Author's note: The Marine mentioned in this poem was me. What I don't say is that my spouse had to watch me as I left the car. He was quite angry when I returned but he also understood why I did it. Our running joke is "Mothers don't let you children grow up to marry Marines!" 

From the Ballet to the Marine Corps - One Man's Journey

 

Few men have ever gone from being a professional ballet dancer to being a US Marine. I was one of them. This multimedia video tells my story: From the Ballet to the Marines

2024 is Smokey Bear's 80th Birthday Year!

By Robert Hudson Westover

It's been 15 year for me and my bear. 

15 years of being what many jokingly call me "Smokey Bear's PR man". 

But it's no joke. 

In fact, I have been honored to have played a significant role in getting the word out about Smokey's universal and timeless message of "Only You can Prevent Wildfires". 

Click here to see my interview all about Smokey Bear: Interview with Robert Westover

As a recipient of a Gold Smokey, our nation's preeminent fire prevention award called the Smokey Bear Award and first handed out by President Eisenhower in 1958, I know the importance of getting the word out to each new generation of kids. 

President Eisenhower holding a
Smokey Bear doll in the White House.

So let's all give Smokey Bear the BEST birthday gift of all this year by doing all we can to practice safe fire prevention methods while visiting the Great Outdoors! Click hear to learn what you can do to prevent wildfires: Only You

Learn about Smokey Bear's 80th by clicking here: Smokey Bear Turns 80! 

Dali and Picasso aren’t the only forged artists

Artists on the cusp of worldwide recognition can find themselves victims of stolen identity

By Robert Hudson Westover

During a recent Google search for an artist friend of mine (I own some of his works) I discovered something impressive and something disturbing. The impressive something was the artist, James Purpura, is on Getty Images.

No Small Feat...

Getty Images picture
of James Purpura 
(courtesy photo)

Having an image with Getty is basically saying you exist as a viable professional in your field, or you are a person of notoriety. James, at this point in his career, clearly falls into the former category but, possibly, not for very long.

I feel this because the disturbing something seemed innocuous enough—an ad from someone on eBay reselling one of James’ paintings. The first thing I found unusual was the price. At about $900 it seemed rather low as a Purpura painting often sells for many times that price. But what was most unusual was the art itself.

Those Colors...

If you know Purpura’s works you know how his use of color is mind bending unlike this portrait of a woman which, in my estimation, was so drab, so plain, and so grounded-in-reality, that it completely violated James’ philosophy of art: have the observer question reality.

An actual portrait by artist
James Purpura. Note the use
of color. (courtesy photo)

So, I contacted James and sure enough it wasn’t his work.

He was understandably upset. On a month’s long sabbatical in Palm Springs (so art guy like!), he would have to wait until returning to Paris to deal with these alleged forgers. Truth is the person(s) selling the Fake James may be victims themselves of the international market in forged works.

Maybe Not a Forgery?

The "Purpura" portrait 
in question. (courtesy photo)

And, of course, there is a small chance that another painter named James Purpura has a strikingly similar signature—anything is possible in the world of art.

Obviously, there will be more to follow (for sure) but for now I told James that this is a good thing: His name in the art world is prominent enough that even thieves want to cash in on him.

I think I might buy a couple more (real) Purpuras.

If you would like to see James Purpura’s reality challenging art, go to: https://www.singulart.com/en/artist/james-purpura-15851

My (unexpected) Journey to the Heart of Mary, Mother of Christ Jesus

This is the first article in series of an unintentional eight-year pilgrimage I took that led to my baptism in the Jordan River

By Robert Hudson Westover

Hundreds, no thousands of little white pieces of paper seemed to magically cling to the stones of the long wall with the occasional note falling off in the light breeze among the tall trees on this mountainside property.

With a modest stone built, two-room house and its very own artesian well providing water up a steep mountain (which seemed nearly impossible) this wasn’t any other property either in its location, on Mt. Koressos above the ruins of Ephesus, Turkey, or its purported former owner, Mary, the mother of Christ Jesus.

That’s right. The Virgin Mother, or as Catholic’s refer to her, Mary the Mother of God lived here.

And we, a gathering of folks from a cruise of Greece and Turkey, were unintentional guests. In fact, when exiting our cruise ship and boarding the bus as the sun rose over the small port town of Kusadasi, we thought we were going to see the ancient "ghost town" of Ephesus, once the third largest city in the Roman Empire. But our tour guide suggested we first visit the site of “Mother Mary” as the gates to enter the ruins of Ephesus had still not opened.

At the time I was not Catholic--the faith of my husband, Tom. However, Tom had no idea that this holy site even existed and was as surprised as me and our newest traveling friends, Randy and Charlotte, when told of the surprise stop.

As we entered the front approach to the house our tour guide pointed out the “miracle well” where Mary would have drawn water and said that the well "proved to be a powerful piece of evidence" that the property was indeed the site of Mary’s last earthly home. The reason being a nun in the late 19^th century. This nun had had a vision that this precise location in the mountains surrounding Ephesus was were Mary had been brought to live when John, the only disciple not to disavow Jesus during his trial and crucifixion, took Mary to protect her.

An ancient icon of Mary the Mother of Jesus. 
The blue cross on the left was purchased at
the House of the Virgin Mary, Turkey.
(Photo credit: Robert Westover

The Vatican Curia staffers are renowned for not jumping to conclusions on any subject, so it was decades before the site was investigated. The big hesitancy being: How could Mary live on a mountainside with no running water? 

Upon investigating, not only was an artesian well discovered, but so were the foundations of a two-room house.

I come from a family with a strong interest in history either for amateur or professional purposes. In both cases one learns to be skeptical of any claim even when recorded over centuries let alone one based on a vision. 

However, to be taken seriously, at least for historians, some clear proof needs to exist and with the case of both the well and the house, it’s about as much evidence as can ever be hoped for with a lost trail of records especially after the passage of nearly two millennia.  

So I began to accept that, indeed, this claim should be taken seriously and respected. So I did. I took the que from Tom and with great reverence walked through the rebuilt rooms of the home-now-shrine and watched Tom as he lit a candle in prayer. In fact, Tom’s piety inspired both Randy and me to do the same and three candles were lit in gardens just outside the “House of Mother Mary.”

As we excited the grounds of the shrine, we walked past the long wall of prayers. Looking at the hope, sadness, and devotion in the eyes of those, including Tom, who put a note in one of the many tiny crevasses I pulled from my pocket a little translucent blue cross I bought as we were walking into the compound, and I too said a prayer.

Little did I know but that day would begin a journey of mystical revelations of such profundity that I would humble ego, all that I had been raised to believe, all that I had rationally learned, and fall at the feet of God.

A Westover Family History with Queen Elizabeth II.

By Robert Hudson Westover

Like most families with Anglo-Saxon roots we Westovers grew up with a profound respect for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. I mean mom had several coffee table books celebrating the British Royal Family! And, when in the early 1980s, my brother, Mark, got to “sign” both Queen Elizabeth and Philip, the Prince Consort (her husband) onto the backlot of 20th Century Fox the family was impressed with such a brush with “The Queen!”

Letter sent to me from
Buckingham Palace

Years later, I co-authored a book about the ocean liner SS United States and sent the Queen a copy to which I received a reply from one of her Ladies-in-Waiting on Buckingham Palace letterhead telling me how “Her Majesty” was interested in learning about the plight of the great American ship that took the Transatlantic speed record from the HMS Queen Mary!

Although I never actually met Queen Elizabeth,
apparently Lord Westover has--indeed! 

Then, I had my “brush” with the Queen. It was at NASA Goddard Space Center and Her Majesty was touring the facility. I worked just down the road and thought I would head over to see if too could catch a glimpse of the world’s queen. As luck would have it I got that glimpse as Queen Elizabeth’s limo drove right passed me and I got to wave like a true smitten fan at a little old lady dressed in a yellow dress. I’d like to say we made eye contact (I was that close) but I’ve never been a good liar so I gave up fibbing years ago!

Now the World’s Queen is gone and except for strange reoccurring dreams, I never actually met her. But as the Fates would have it I did meet a now Monarch of Great Britain when he was the Prince of Wales. It happened at the Common Good City Farm in DC. My husband, Tom, called one morning to tell me that Prince Charles was making a visit to the collective farm near our house in Washington, DC. So I walked over and sure enough there he was! I shook his hand and we had a brief conversation about Climate Change.

There are no accidents.

God Bless the Late Queen and God Save her son, King Charles III!

Below is a photos taken of the Future King Charles III in Washington, DC (Photo Credit: Robert Westover):

King Charles III as the Prince of Wales

Below meeting a Future King:

Me shaking the hand of Prince Charles now 
King Charles III 
(Courtesy Photo Common Good City Farm)