Sad News
I just received news today of the passing of Charles E. (Bert) Grayson this past Sunday. He was 98. He was a pioneer in the modern traditional archery movement. His extensive collection is now housed at the University of Missouri in Columbia (http://anthromuseum.missouri.edu/grayson/grayson.shtml)
I first knew Bert back in the mid-90s and helped him get Korean archery equipment for the Korean display at the museum. He and I used to talk on the phone, write letters, and later e-mail each other all the time. He sent many things to the Korean museums. He was the first person to encourage me to write a book on Korean archery.
He will be truly missed...
Thomas
I first knew Bert back in the mid-90s and helped him get Korean archery equipment for the Korean display at the museum. He and I used to talk on the phone, write letters, and later e-mail each other all the time. He sent many things to the Korean museums. He was the first person to encourage me to write a book on Korean archery.
He will be truly missed...
Thomas
Thanks Thomas for letting us know, it is indeed very sad. I corresponded with him for a few years in the early 1980s about Turkish archery. He was very kind and helpful and I still have a section of a Mebert bow he sent me. For some reason he did not want to order buff horn directly from Thailand an I "smuggled" a few pairs through the border for him (I think one pair was given to Harry Drake for a Turkish bow).
He will be missed by many for sure.
Adam
He will be missed by many for sure.
Adam
He was a great contributor to the archery world.
May memeory of him live long.
May memeory of him live long.
A true Archery legend. Another of the good ones is gone. My condolences.
Hopefully, his works will not die with him, but will be used to help further the research he dedicated himself to.
I had been aware of Bert's illness and his great friend Dave Brown let me know of his death. I spoke to him a month or so ago and he was looking forward to the flight archery championships at Bonneville Flats in Utah. A sequence of serious illnesses beset him in the last year.
When I visited him in September he had a mild heart attack and spent some weeks in hospital. He was most anxious that an article he was writing should get finished. He was frustrated at not getting to that year's flight competition. Sometimes it was hard to believe I was talking to a ninety-eight year old.
He had a real passion for archery in all its forms and a strong desire to help other people. Donating his collection to the Museum was only one of his many philanthropic actions. They were not only confined to archery and he helped many people with his knowledge and financially as well.
He was a great story teller and a repository of a huge amount of knowledge of native American archery and the modern history of archery in the U S A. His book and his collection are a positive memorial to that knowledge. The many articles he wrote are still valuable to researchers. Even his earlier medical papers are still available on the Internet.
I hope he enjoyed his life as much as he made ours enjoyable. I will miss him.
When I visited him in September he had a mild heart attack and spent some weeks in hospital. He was most anxious that an article he was writing should get finished. He was frustrated at not getting to that year's flight competition. Sometimes it was hard to believe I was talking to a ninety-eight year old.
He had a real passion for archery in all its forms and a strong desire to help other people. Donating his collection to the Museum was only one of his many philanthropic actions. They were not only confined to archery and he helped many people with his knowledge and financially as well.
He was a great story teller and a repository of a huge amount of knowledge of native American archery and the modern history of archery in the U S A. His book and his collection are a positive memorial to that knowledge. The many articles he wrote are still valuable to researchers. Even his earlier medical papers are still available on the Internet.
I hope he enjoyed his life as much as he made ours enjoyable. I will miss him.
I add my voice to the regrets at Bert's passing. We first met at a traditional archery event in Pennsylvania and kept in touch after that. At a subsequent visit to Colombia Missouri he accompanied me in person around his collection.
Bert was Guest of Honour at the 2003 Hong Kong Asian Traditional Archery Festival, where he became 'Uncle Bert' to my children. He was also one of the people who provided valuable advice in the preparation of 'Archery Traditions of Asia'.
Like many people of his age, he was continuously saddened by the passing of his old friends and relatives. I wish him happiness in meeting old acquaintances!
Bert was Guest of Honour at the 2003 Hong Kong Asian Traditional Archery Festival, where he became 'Uncle Bert' to my children. He was also one of the people who provided valuable advice in the preparation of 'Archery Traditions of Asia'.
Like many people of his age, he was continuously saddened by the passing of his old friends and relatives. I wish him happiness in meeting old acquaintances!
Bert at the museum. -j-
I had been thinking of Bert lately and wondering how he was doing as I'd not talked to him in a good while when I heard of his passing. It grieved me to hear of it as I had wanted to go see him again but hadn't been able to with life's business and a recent death in my own family.
I shall greatly miss Bert. He was truly one of a kind. So much of what I know of Western US and other Native American Archery I owe directly to Bert. I got to see his collection many times while he had it in Clatskanie OR before much of it went to Columbia MO. We corresponded back and forth from the late 80's for about 20 years until the last year or so and I'm glad I kept all of his letters to me. He was an incredible storehouse of information.
In the early 1990's he freely lent me big portions of his Native Americam archery collection and let me take it home and keep in for up to a month at a time for photography and making drawings and measurements. When I got done with that batch I'd return them and bring home other precious original bows, arrows and quivers like I was checking out library books. I was always a bit nervous about having his valuable original gear in my home and rarely told anyone for security reasons unless I knew and trusted them but Bert was not concerned about it in the least.
The last time I saw Bert I was delivering a batch of replica Native American bows and arrows I'd made to a private collector who lived in WA state. Bert wanted to see what I had made and so I stopped to see him on the way and we had a long and enjoyable "Bow and Tell" visit in his home. He was like a kid at Christmas time looking at each bow and arrow I showed him and his age didn't dampen his enthusiasm one bit. As Bede said; it was hard to believe he was really a man in his late 90's.
He paid me a high compliment in what I had made but I told him it was because of him and his generous sharing of his knowledge and collection that I was able to make what I did and I meant every word of it as it was completely true. I owe Bert a very great deal as so many of us do. I shall deeply miss my friend in Archery. God rest Bert!
Steve Allely
I shall greatly miss Bert. He was truly one of a kind. So much of what I know of Western US and other Native American Archery I owe directly to Bert. I got to see his collection many times while he had it in Clatskanie OR before much of it went to Columbia MO. We corresponded back and forth from the late 80's for about 20 years until the last year or so and I'm glad I kept all of his letters to me. He was an incredible storehouse of information.
In the early 1990's he freely lent me big portions of his Native Americam archery collection and let me take it home and keep in for up to a month at a time for photography and making drawings and measurements. When I got done with that batch I'd return them and bring home other precious original bows, arrows and quivers like I was checking out library books. I was always a bit nervous about having his valuable original gear in my home and rarely told anyone for security reasons unless I knew and trusted them but Bert was not concerned about it in the least.
The last time I saw Bert I was delivering a batch of replica Native American bows and arrows I'd made to a private collector who lived in WA state. Bert wanted to see what I had made and so I stopped to see him on the way and we had a long and enjoyable "Bow and Tell" visit in his home. He was like a kid at Christmas time looking at each bow and arrow I showed him and his age didn't dampen his enthusiasm one bit. As Bede said; it was hard to believe he was really a man in his late 90's.
He paid me a high compliment in what I had made but I told him it was because of him and his generous sharing of his knowledge and collection that I was able to make what I did and I meant every word of it as it was completely true. I owe Bert a very great deal as so many of us do. I shall deeply miss my friend in Archery. God rest Bert!
Steve Allely
Steve,
You were one of those people Bert was always telling me about; he had a high regard for your skills. He really was responsible for encouraging many of us. He once sent me a Turkish siper as a loan to measure and reproduce it. Then years later when he visited Australia, he showed me how to use it. When I then re-read the various translations, everything made much more sense. It was that nudge in the right direction that made a real difference to my own studies.
It shows how much difference a little generosity of spirit can make. The nature of this forum and some others seems to have grown out of this helpful attitude and we all have something to thank pioneers like Bert for.
You were one of those people Bert was always telling me about; he had a high regard for your skills. He really was responsible for encouraging many of us. He once sent me a Turkish siper as a loan to measure and reproduce it. Then years later when he visited Australia, he showed me how to use it. When I then re-read the various translations, everything made much more sense. It was that nudge in the right direction that made a real difference to my own studies.
It shows how much difference a little generosity of spirit can make. The nature of this forum and some others seems to have grown out of this helpful attitude and we all have something to thank pioneers like Bert for.
I'm glad I kept all his letters, too. Now, I will sort through them all and maybe make a bit of a scrap book. As you and others said, he was an extremely generous person. He once said to me that he wanted no payback or recognition for any help he gave me. Sorry, Bert, but that is one promise I could never make! Although I could do little to pay him back for his kindness and generosity, I can certainly give him a lot of recognition.Steve Allely wrote:
We corresponded back and forth from the late 80's for about 20 years until the last year or so and I'm glad I kept all of his letters to me. He was an incredible storehouse of information.
One time, he wanted to give me an original Korean Joseon dynasty arrow case (which was in the U of MO), but he, at the time, didn't realize that anything he put in the Columbia exhibit could not be taken back out. His thoughts were greatly appreciated.
He was supposed to stop here in Korea a few years ago on his way to HK, but that didn't work out. Also, he was supposed to visit here two years ago for the first WTAF, but his health precluded that. It's really too bad, as he was such a great influence on archers here in Korea, whether he knew it or not (and whether many of the archers knew it or not!).
May God rest you, Bert! You were loved by many here and our memories of you will last long.
Thomas
Thomas,
I showed Bert videos and pictures of the first WTAF. He really thought it was a great thing to be doing for archery. His health in the last two years prevented him from doing many things he wanted to. However, despite that he was still active in research and writing about archery.
He was particularly interested in the demonstrations by Korean bow and arrow makers. He had strong interest in the practicalities of archery. he made bows and arrows as well as collected them. His eyes would light up when he saw how someone solved a particular problem in bow making.
I showed Bert videos and pictures of the first WTAF. He really thought it was a great thing to be doing for archery. His health in the last two years prevented him from doing many things he wanted to. However, despite that he was still active in research and writing about archery.
He was particularly interested in the demonstrations by Korean bow and arrow makers. He had strong interest in the practicalities of archery. he made bows and arrows as well as collected them. His eyes would light up when he saw how someone solved a particular problem in bow making.
We in Czech Republic, are very thankful to Dr. Grayson, for his work. Pictures from his colection are very supportive for us and broaded our outlooks in the area of world traditional archery.
Peace and quetitude to his soul.
Peace and quetitude to his soul.
WE WILL MISS DR.GRAYSON FOREVER!
He always respected and encouraged our works. And he never brake to learn. One years ago, I've sent the Turkish Book to him and he said to me
"I do not read or speak Turkish. I have a friend who does. If I live long enough,I will learn"
I hope, he'll learn in Heaven. Me and all Turkish Archers will miss you Dr. Grayson.
Rest in peace
"I do not read or speak Turkish. I have a friend who does. If I live long enough,I will learn"
I hope, he'll learn in Heaven. Me and all Turkish Archers will miss you Dr. Grayson.
Rest in peace