Two Into One: The Lives of Russ and Winnie Kingman (The World of Jack London)

Two Into One: The Lives of Russ and Winnie Kingman

By Harry James Cook

After their stay down under, they flew directly to Honolulu, followed by a flight to Hilo, where they spent four days, visiting the famous Parker Ranch (Mãnã) and Puukalani Stables where Jack and Charmian spent time as honored guests during their visits to Hawaii. The Parker Ranch, historically one of America's largest under single ownership, was founded in 1848 by John Palmer Parker, a New England Calvinist and one of the non-Hawaiian patriarchs of the islands. A short history of the ranch by Mollie Sperry (1978) says this of its early days:

Mãnã . . . have you heard of it? One hundred years ago, most islanders had. It was the elaborate ranch estate of Samuel Parker, member of King Kalakaua's cabinet and the House of Nobles. It was a regular stopping place for foreign dignitaries, prominent island people, and weary travelers on the Big Island. For twenty-five years, it had been the nucleus of prosperous Parker Ranch and pocket of Hawaiian hospitality adjacent to the windswept Waimea plains on the government road to Hilo.

Experiencing the same Parker Ranch hospitality that Jack and Charmian London experienced was a fitting end to Russ and Winnie's journey.

In 1990, some of Winnie's family from Australia returned the visit, staying in Glen Ellen for several weeks and then traveling the United States. The highlight of the year, however, was Earle Labor's first Summer Seminar on Jack London for Secondary Teachers, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities and held at Sonoma State University, July 2-August 3. An article by Harry James Cook, "Secondary Teachers Find Gold in London's Works," Jack London Foundation Newsletter (October, 1990), Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 4-5, provides a history of the seminar. Cook notes,

Joining with Earle Labor were Russ and Winnie Kingman, experts on London's life, who both gave unselfishly of their time to talk with and advise seminar participants at the Jack London Bookstore. Milo Shepard, whose generosity and personal recollections were invaluable to the group, deserves special acknowledgment; for without his involvement with the group's activities, much of the true spirit of London's significance to American life and letters would have been lost.

Both Russ and Earle considered this seminar a true milestone in London studies because the NEH finally recognized, formally and with financial support, the study of one of America's greatest authors. They also realized that secondary school teachers held the key to reaching young people with London novels and short stories that are captivating, eminently teachable, and relevant to issues today. Labor's first seminar received rave reviews, and he repeated the program in 1992, 1994, and 1996. As a result, over sixty secondary school teachers have discovered the magic of London's life and works for their students.

As a participant during that first Jack London Seminar, I must be personal here. I recall that Russ and Winnie spent hours answering questions and copying files for the eager participants. While Winnie tallied our many purchases of books, postcards, posters, tapes, study guides, and London souvenirs, Russ would hold court for one or two of us at a time in his office and Research Center at the back of the store, formerly the Jack London Museum. Someone would ask Russ a question, he would pause for a moment, light his pipe, and lean back in his leather chair to deliver what sometimes was a lengthy response, full of facts and anecdotes that he had stored in his head, that sometimes would go on non-stop for a half-hour or more. Occasionally, one of the cats would pay us a visit, or Winnie would unobtrusively offer a cup of coffee. Truly, he was an encyclopedia of information on Jack London and all related issues. No question was "stupid" to Russ. Because someone had generated the question, he thought it worthy of an answer.

For some reason, Russ asked me my middle name the first time I had a private session with him. When I said James, he wanted to know the history. I explained that was my father's name and that he was a professional guitar player; that my brother was named after the musician Faron Young. Thereafter he always called me Harry James, my last name understood in the ellipsis. Russ and I were magnetically drawn to each other. I guess he saw potential in me as a new generation London scholar. I quickly developed a protege-mentor relationship with him. Although he helped all of the seminar participants, he seemed to go out of his way in offering me possible lines of inquiry into areas of London study that needed attention. On July 11 he arranged for me to spend a long session with Becky London, whose apartment was next door to the bookstore. My taped interview lasted several hours, after which I had my picture taken with Becky, and one of my favorite pictures of Russ and Winnie, Becky, and me. After that, Russ and I kept in touch by letter and phone until his death in 1993. Other people in Russ and Winnie's lives were much closer to them than I was, but they always made me feel as if I were a son; and they, a unique and caring extra set of parents.

Two 50th wedding anniversaries highlighted 1991. On March 29, Herb and Gladys Greene, long-time Kingman friends, celebrated their loving marriage. On November 1, Russ and Winnie celebrated their Golden Anniversary by buying a new Buick Park Avenue--the dream car that they had always wanted. Generous to a fault, they gave Herb and Gladys the 1983 Chevrolet because their Toyota had expired. They kept their 1986 Buick for visiting London scholars who needed a car to drive around Sonoma County. Throughout the year, Russ was working hard to prepare his monumental Jack London: A Definitive Chronology (1992) for publication. The culmination of years of research, the Chronology takes its unique place in scholarship for listing every date and event verifiable in Jack London's life.

The passing of Becky London on Thursday, March 26, 1992, at 2:00 p.m. in a Sacramento nursing home, River Park Care Center, was an event of profound sadness for the Kingmans. In a fall in her apartment, Becky had broken her hip several months prior to her death. Complications from the broken hip and Becky's size made it impossible for Russ and Winnie to care for her in her apartment. Her death broke the last direct connection with Jack London, her "Daddy." Becky's adopted daughter, Jean Knight, handled the remains; Becky's ashes were scattered at sea as were her wishes. On Friday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m., Russ and Winnie held a memorial service for Becky at the Bates, Evans and Fehrenson Funeral Parlors, 966 Broadway, Sonoma, with Russ officiating. At that time Russ delivered a moving tribute to Jack London's daughter who had brought so much joy to many people, especially in her later years. Testimonials were given by Mrs. Winifred Kingman, Mr. Andy Flink, Mr. Greg Hayes, Mr. Herbert Greene, and Mr. Rudy Ciuca. Becky's obituary had appeared on the front page of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat, Tuesday, March 31. Staff writer Alvaro Delgado reviewed Becky's life and her relationship with the Kingmans:

Former Glen Ellen resident Becky London, the last surviving daughter of renowned author Jack London, has died. She was 89.

She died of natural causes last Thursday at River Park Care Center in Sacramento just weeks after moving from Sonoma Valley that had been her father's home in the early 1900's. She lived in a Glen Ellen apartment next to Jack London Bookstore for eight years until last November.

Her death came 21 years after the passing of Joan London, Jack London's only other child.

Jack London Bookstore owner Russ Kingman said Becky London, known as "Little Miss Sunshine," was a spitting image of her father.

"I guess she was almost a carbon copy of her father. Her personality and her looks. She had the same temperament and the same joy of life and the same liking of people that Jack had. You could almost feel her father's presence when she came in," said Kingman, a Jack London scholar.

He said Becky also had a talent for writing, inheriting her father's knack for descriptive and unaffected prose. But she never became the writer she could have been. . . .

Kingman remembered how she regaled school children at the bookstore with stories of her father. "She had a sparkle in her eye. She loved talking about him," he said. . . .

He recalled fondly that Becky London was so enthused about her father at a writers conference last year that she took up 28 of the 30 minutes allotted her and Kingman. . . .

Becky London was cremated and her ashes spread at sea, said Kingman, who will schedule a memorial service at a later date.

She is survived by her son, Jack Fleming of San Lorenzo; a cousin whom she raised from birth, Jean Knight of Sacramento; two grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Her husband [Percy Fleming] died nine years ago.

Russ developed some serious medical conditions early in 1992 which caused him much pain and suffering. He had developed cellulitis, a bacterial infection of the skin in which streptococci move inside the body instead of developing sores on the outside. During a five-day hospital stay, doctors had also detected prostate cancer. At the time it was discovered, it had not yet spread to the lymph system, but had moved to bone tissue; consequently, he took radiation treatment for twelve weeks. He also endured a hip replacement, compounding his discomfort. Whenever he could, however, he maintained his voluminous correspondence with friends of many years and with close to 100 school children who wrote him letters inquiring about Jack London. One of Russ and Winnie's correspondents was Suzanne Hansen, age 15, who lived in Norway. Coping with illness and on-going business of the bookstore, Russ and Winnie managed to host Suzanne, "their adopted granddaughter," and her mother in Glen Ellen for a week.

Russ's long-time friend and Jack London buff Sal Noto died on June 9 this year. Russ and Winnie attended Sal's memorial service at the Methodist Church in Los Altos, California. Though he strongly wished to speak, Russ didn't do so because of his deteriorating medical condition. Sal was an avid Jack London collector who managed to assemble several complete sets of first editions, one of which had every volume in dust jacket. After Sal's death, his wife Nancy arranged the transfer of one complete set to the Jack London Research Center at Centenary College, Shreveport, Louisiana. It is housed in a glass case just inside the main doors. I met Sal Noto, his lovely wife, and young son Andrew on July 13, 1990. Russ called Sal at his home in Cupertino and arranged for an afternoon so that Dick Weiderman, Jim Riefenstahl, and I--roommates and pals in the NEH Seminar at Sonoma State--could see Sal's collection of first editions. When we arrived, Sal and Nancy rolled out the welcome mat and treated us to a London broil on the grill. At that time I discovered that Sal had edited and published two volumes on London: With a Heart Full of Love: Jack London's Presentation Inscriptions to the Women in His Life (Berkeley: Twowindows Press, 1986) and Jack London's California: The Golden Poppy and Other Writings (New York: Beaufort Books, 1986). Because of publishers' time lines, both books were issued the same year. I bought both. In Jack London's California, Sal wrote to me, "I hope you enjoy the California side of my favorite author. Believe me, it has been a pleasure meeting you in Glen Ellen and at our home in the Santa Clara Valley. Let's keep in touch."

Just like Russ and Winnie, the Notos always had the latchstring out for visiting London aficionados. His death at an early age was a great loss to the Kingmans, and many others as well. Sal had set a fine example in the world of London collecting with his fanatical attention to detail and absolute honesty in book dealing in a trade that sometimes has its dark side.

Vital Pause

According to Winnie, almost all of 1993 was a continuous trip to doctors and hospitals to obtain relief for Russ's deteriorating, painful conditions. Eiji Tsujii, hearing that Russ was in the hospital again, flew in from Japan to visit and was with Winnie at the hospital in Santa Rosa when Russ passed away on December 21, 1993. The Certificate of Death, County of Sonoma, lists cardiopulmonary arrest as the immediate cause of death due to renal failure and metastatic prostate cancer, aggravated by severe venous insufficiency. The attending physician certifying cause of death was Dr. Richard Permutt, Kaiser Hospital, Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa, California. (It is more than a coincidence, perhaps, that a major cause of Jack London's death was also renal failure.) A receipt dated December 24, 1993, in the amount of $1,528.37, paid in full, indicates that Bates, Evans and Fehrensen Funeral Directors arranged cremation of Russ's body.

Russ's death having occurred so close to the annual Jack London Birthday Banquet scheduled for January 15, Winnie decided to delay Russ's memorial service until the day after the Banquet to accommodate the many guests who were flying in from places as far away as Russia. The service was held at 2:00 p.m., Bates, Evans, and Fehrensen Chapel, 966 Broadway, Sonoma. Rudy Ciuca, President of the Jack London Foundation, officiated; organ music was provided by Ruthmary Thomas; and Carol Reich gave a moving rendition of "The Creation," one of Russ's favorite musical works. Thirteen people delivered testimonials in this order: Matt Atkinson, Jim Bankes, Mary Boyle, Andy Flink, Robert Fritschi, Herbert Greene, Waring Jones, Dr. Susan Nuernberg, Dr. Clarice Stasz, Dr. Tony Williams, Margie Wilson, Dr. Hensley Woodbridge, and Dr. Earle Labor.

It is not possible in these pages to reproduce all of the moving tributes to a man who spent much of his life pursuing the truth about Jack London, but several eloquent statements deserve to be printed in complete text.

Herbert W. Greene:

I first met Russ and Winnie about twenty years ago when they were moving their bookstore from under the old Grist Mill to their present location across the street. I had a small gift shop close by, and it being a quiet day I went over and offered to help carry books. Russ thanked me, and with a smile he said, "You may start with those heavy books down on the bottom shelf." I replied, "Yes, boss," and went to work. After about an hour he stopped to rest, and looking at me with a smile, said, "What part of New England are you from?" I replied, "I'm from New Hampshire--where are you from?" He looked at me with a grin and said, "I'm from Vermont." "Oh," I said, "We can still be friends, can't we?" "Sure," he said with a smile, "but I'll still keep an eye on you!" [Herb Greene gave a slightly different version of this story in a taped interview on January 15, 1996.]

Russ was a great lover of animals of all kinds, but most of all he loved children and young people. Many was the time when a teacher and her pupils would write to Russ for information about Jack London. He not only wrote to the teacher but he would send a personal handwritten note to each child along with books, pamphlets and pictures of Jack London to further their education. There was nothing he wouldn't do to advance the knowledge of any child no matter what interest the child might have.

Russ and Winnie were Grampa and Grandma to many children who kept up a loving correspondence with them both. He and Winnie were always available to help anyone in need.

A couple of years ago my 20-year old car finally gave up the ghost, and I was sitting in my shop wondering how I was going to get another one when Russ and Winnie came in, and handed me an envelope. When I opened it I found a set of keys and the registration to a 1983 Chevrolet sedan they were keeping as a spare--a free gift! I was stunned by their generosity, and that was but a small token of their many kindnesses unto others.

Russ always kept his eye on all of us, and it was a nice, warm feeling knowing this. The gift of the car was a typical example of how both Russ and Winnie have been helping others for many years.

Shortly after Russ left this earth a friend said to me, "It is a shame Russ passed away at Christmas time. His death will spoil every Christmas from now on for his close friends, and especially for Winnie."

"You are wrong," I replied. "Next Christmas will not be spoiled for us. Russ would have been very unhappy at that idea. Instead, when I turn on the Christmas lights I will be lighting up the memories of a very special person who was a true brother to us all." Just having known him has made me a better person. Every Christmas instead of bowing my head in sorrow I will think of our brother who is at peace--free of pain or sorrow. I will rest in the knowledge that God has promised that someday when we all leave this earth we will be together again with our loved ones--where there is peace and love.

May God rest his soul. Amen.

Hensley C. Woodbridge

A giant has fallen among London scholars, for no one knew more of London's life than did Russ. Yet I will leave to others to deal with his contributions in this field.

I will always remember Russ as someone always willing and able to be helpful.

We corresponded a few years before we first met in 1976. Annie and I after the centennial programs at the University of the Pacific ended up at the Jack London Bookstore. Russ introduced us to Sal Noto and his wife [Nancy] who offered to drive us to San Francisco. When Russ heard that we knew nothing of San Francisco and had no reservations for the night, he immediately began calling, at his expense, motels that he knew were close to the airport and he found one that would put us up for the night.

The Jack London Bookstore took ten copies of each issue of the Jack London Newsletter for as long as it existed.

On the Thursday before he died, I called the Bookstore to see what London first editions it had. I asked that one be saved for me. The next day Russ called me to inform me that the item was a first British rather than a first American edition, as I might have supposed. The Bookstore had a poor copy of a first edition which he wanted to throw in at no charge.

I am sure that all of us here can tell similar stories of his kindness and generosity.

An individual who knew little of London once wrote me in a rather snide way that Russ Kingman thought he owned London. Surely if Russ ever felt that way, he was entitled to such a feeling.

Russ and I were friends and like many others, many of you in this service this afternoon, he will be sorely missed.

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