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Jean Hipson RIP
Jan. 7th, 2012 11:50 amKay, the skipper of my bowls team, phone this morning with the sad news of the death of fellow bowler Jean "Hippo" Hipson. While few if any reading this knew her in life, I'd like to introduce her here.
The world of women's crown-green bowls can be a fiercely competitive place (I'm not even going to try to comment on the men's world, which can be vicious) and there's certainly a lot of bitchiness flying about sometimes, but Jean never had a bad word for anybody. She was gentle in personality and ruthless with the woods; I never knew her in her prime but I know she was a fine player by any standards. She was free with encouragement and economical with criticism, which was always constructive anyway. As a friend she was supportive and warm. In her last two seasons following a heart attack she slowed down a lot and towards the end needed to take the full amount of rest the rules allowed in her games, but even in her final illness she never gave up and never gave less than the best she could. For quite a while last year she topped the team rankings ahead of younger and fitter players.
The world is a poorer place for being without her, but a better one for her having been in it. Hippo, wherever you are now, may the greens be lush, fast and true!
The world of women's crown-green bowls can be a fiercely competitive place (I'm not even going to try to comment on the men's world, which can be vicious) and there's certainly a lot of bitchiness flying about sometimes, but Jean never had a bad word for anybody. She was gentle in personality and ruthless with the woods; I never knew her in her prime but I know she was a fine player by any standards. She was free with encouragement and economical with criticism, which was always constructive anyway. As a friend she was supportive and warm. In her last two seasons following a heart attack she slowed down a lot and towards the end needed to take the full amount of rest the rules allowed in her games, but even in her final illness she never gave up and never gave less than the best she could. For quite a while last year she topped the team rankings ahead of younger and fitter players.
The world is a poorer place for being without her, but a better one for her having been in it. Hippo, wherever you are now, may the greens be lush, fast and true!
