Some Things Never Change

The official History of Spring Grove Hospital lists "the supposed causes of Insanity, in order of prevalence among the 143 patients at the Maryland Hospital in the year 1844" as: Intemperance (27), Ill Health (12), Masturbation (9), Constitutional (9), Domestic Trouble (6), Religious Excitement (4), Pecuniary Loss (4), Love Affair (3), Puerperal [related to childbirth] (3), Loss of Friends (2), Disappointed Ambition (1), Mortified Pride (1), Remorse (1), Political Excitement (1), Want of Employment (1), Unknown (59).

A little game of badminton sounds nice right about now.

Tomorrow: Field Trip to the Grove

The Men's Club 2008

• Dr. Mike has invited everyone to a road trip tomorrow. We are having breakfast at the Grove Cafe on the grounds of Spring Grove Hospital Center. (For directions , menu, and pictures, click on the link http://www.springgrove.com/cafe/cafe.html). We will be meeting there at 8 am. Various folks have suggested this is a ploy to either get some of us committed for treatment or to let others have the table by the front door at Sam's. Patty will be joining us! I have also been dared to yell "I must be crazy to eat here!" during breakfast.
• Charlie's memorial service was very touching; we laughed and cried. Some favorite stories about Charlie were shared. Chuck recalled how Charlie built bookshelves in his basement for Bob White. However, when he went to deliver them, he discovered that the shelves were too big to get out of the cellar! He had to saw them in half and put them back together later.

• His grandson, Ryan, recalled that Charlie was helping him convert the garage into a bedroom. Charlie asked Ryan if he could drive, and 14-year old Ryan said "Yup". He asked if he could use a clutch, and Ryan said, Yup". Well, Ryan backed Charlie's truck right through the wall they just built. Ryan said Charlie said every cuss word he knew.....all in one sentence. He said Charlie woke him up at 8 every morning until the wall was rebuilt.

• We learned that Charlie earned the nickname "Splash" when he fell in the water one cold January day trying to tie up a boat at the marina. (This was right after his kidney transplant.) Patty told Charlie he couldn't play with that friend anymore.

It was good to see so many of Sam's regulars giving support to Patty today. It was especially nice to see Chuck and Joe , who came in from out-of-state . Patty must be very tired, but she was gracious to everyone and seemed well. We all spent time looking at Charlie's old photos and learning a little more about this special man. Here's a true story that even made Patty laugh. Laura and I were admiring the beautiful flower arrangements when Laura asked me why the banner on the coffin said "farmer"; had Charlie been a farmer? Is that why one of the arrangements said "Lanham Beans" ? I said I didn't think so. Turns out that from Laura's viewpoint the sentiment "I love you forever" looked like "I love you farmer" !

Bill White recalled one of Charlie's favorite stories he liked to tell about himself, and you can just hear Charlie telling it and laughing. Charlie had been in some sort of trouble and his mother must have been frustrated with him. She shook her finger at Charlie and said, "Your father has two assholes, and you are one of them!" Ah, we miss your sense of humor already, Charlie.

Viewing and Funeral Information

Charles Joseph Lanham
June 30, 1940 - January 19, 2008


Visitation will be held at Loudon Park Funeral Home on Wednesday, January 23rd from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m.

Services for Charles Joseph Lanham will be held January 24, 2008, at 11:00 AM at the following location:

Loudon Park Funeral Home and Loudon Park Cemetery
3620 Wilkens Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21229
(410) 644-1900

Interment Loudon Park Cemetery at 11:45 am.