2016-2018 Family News      

Great Falls National Park, VA

Greetings out of the blue!  (Spoiler alert! A double-entendre, as later text will show.)  This is our first common letter to family and friends in three years.  We blame the delay on our dismay immediately following the November 2016 election, and our focused activity subsequently.  So please indulge us as we sum up the last triennial, perhaps at too much length (we’ve added subheadings and bolded text to facilitate skimming). 

We are now both officially retired.  As you may recall, Jessica took an “early-out” in March 2012 from the World Bank, and since then has resisted the temptation to return there, or anywhere else, as a “consultant”.  Keith finally joined her, at least on paper, stepping down earlier this year as executive director of Bikes for the World...but staying involved, as founders too often do—as volunteer board member, fundraiser, and “bike-picker-upper”.  Sometimes Jessica isn’t sure whether or not he really is retired.

We’ve unsurprisingly concentrated in areas of typical retiree activity—areas that bleed into each other but can be grouped in at least four –spending time with family, volunteerism, recreation & travel, and health care (‘aka “getting old”).  The first three help fight off the inevitable fourth. 

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Family

Daughter Kate lives nearby and continues as a reference librarian here in Arlington.  For her professional work, including her national level service as Secretary for the Reference Section of the American Library Association, she received a leadership award (one of “Forty under 40”) by a local business group.  She has also been active in the Young Adult Friends at the Florida Avenue Friends Meeting in Washington, enjoyed friends in a book group, and has traveled extensively in recent years – including to Bolivia and Peru.

Meanwhile, after years in Boston, son Alex and daughter-in-law Carla moved to New Brunswick NJ in July 2017 for Carla to accept a teaching position in American Studies at Rutgers University.  We are happy and proud for them.  Fortunately, Alex has been able to continue his work as a Geographic Information Systems analyst for the Boston-based Volpe Center, a research unit of the U.S. Department of Transportation, by teleworking.

In coordination with sisters Margy and Bethany, Jessica daily calls her mother Kay, now almost 98 and in nursing care in Kennett Square PA, and visits an average of two days monthly.  This sibling collaboration enhances a relationship Jessica treasures. 

Significant family milestones have taken place.  2018 saw the passing of Aunt Marge, Keith’s  late mother’s younger, and only sibling--and the last connection in his family to that generation.  On the positive side, we attended the 2016 wedding of Aunt Marge’s grandson, Michael, and Juanita. 

In recent years, we’ve enjoyed getting to know other members of the younger generation of relatives–in 2015, cousin Brooke (another grandchild of Aunt Marge), and in 2017, Keith’s nephew John (son of Keith’s sister Jory) and his husky, Sasha, making use of our DC area location and basement bedroom to provide long-term accommodation.

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Political Activism and other Volunteering

We have always followed political events and regularly voted.  For many years, Keith had been active as a neighborhood precinct co-captain and occasional canvasser with the Arlington County Democratic Committee.  And Jessica had been active with the Friends Committee on National Legislation in the 1970s and early 1980s, and with nonprofit environmental organizations as part of her natural resource management work over three decades with the World Bank. 

But events starting in November 2016 have prompted increased political engagement.  Jessica in particular has taken the lead – joining the executive committee of We of Action (WofA), a new local grassroots group with a focus on political research, canvassing, and more recently, fundraising.  For a summary of 2017 see her article in Medium.com.  Together we have canvassed for Democratic candidates throughout much of Virginia, first for the November 2017 elections for statewide executive offices and the House of Delegates—which saw the election of the entire state office slate and an unprecedented gain of 15 Delegate seats--and most recently for several  Congressional candidates—three of whom won and “flipped” the seat from red to blue.  We’ve had a fascinating time these past 18 months getting to know fellow volunteers, voters, and communities around the state, from Virginia Beach to Richmond to rural Piedmont counties to the west of Arlington.  Jessica, sometimes joined by Keith, even canvassed for state and congressional candidates in Chester County PA, taking advantage of visits to her mother. 

To win the upcoming November 2019 elections, which involve the entire Virginia General Assembly, Jessica has led a team of activists to create an online fundraiser (VA Blue Wave 2019).  The 2019 “off-year” elections in Virginia represent a challenge, since they do not involve state-wide contests and traditionally have low Democratic turnout. This effort seeks monthly as well as one-time donations from grassroots supporters. It focuses on retention of 11 House of Delegate seats which were narrowly won by Democrats in 2017 and the addition of 9 Delegate and 6 State Senate seats currently held by Republican incumbents, but which are considered “flippable”, having been won by Democratic statewide candidates—Governor Northam in 2017 and Senator Kaine in 2018.  If you are politically like-minded and a US citizen or green card holder, you may have already received a personalized version of her generic “email ask”.  For the latest substantive update see this link.  Or for fun nautical images of the categories of recipients and donation levels, and photos from the initiative’s “boating parties” in August and December 2018, visit the website.

Not all our political work has been partisan – we’ve supported voter registration, fair redistricting (anti-“gerrymandering"), and Virginia ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.  And some of our volunteerism is not political.  In addition to Keith’s work with Bikes for the World, we both are involved with Langley Hill Friends Meeting.  Jessica is Treasurer and head of the Finance Committee, and also on Nominating Committees.  Keith serves as head of the House & Grounds Committee (and effectively the emergency handyman). 

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Recreation and Travel

Biking on rail trails around the Mid-Atlantic region enjoying rural scenery and informal accommodations has become a favorite, thanks in particular to the initiative of our energetic Arlington friends Ellen and Peter.  In 2016 we joined a group for an overnight trip on the Northern Central and York County Heritage Trail, from north of Baltimore to York PA and back.  The following year, as part of a smaller group, we completed the central (and most scenic) section of the “Great Allegheny Passage” between Pittsburgh and Cumberland MD, traversing four tunnels and multiple bridges and aqueducts across the Eastern Continental Divide.  And this past year, we spent two days cycling most of the Pine Creek Rail-Trail through what is known as “the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania”, in the north-central part of the state.  We started each day from a central point on the trail—a small bed & breakfast—heading upstream one day to the northern terminus, and the following day following the trail downstream south as far as we could before returning ahead of a heavy afternoon thunderstorm.

Apart from biking, the 2016 travel schedule was particularly full:  cross-country skiing in New England following the record series of winter snowfalls, summer-time hiking in the Rockies outside of Vail CO hosted by former Bank colleagues and Arlington neighbors, more summer hiking in the White Mountains of NH with family, and a relaxing weekend reunion in a rustic lakefront setting in Conneticut with alumni of Jessica’s college semester program in Peru. 

In the spring of 2017, we enjoyed a final Boston visit with Alex and Carla in (and got an exclusive and intimate private tour of the colonial city core from a professional historian!) before they departed for New Jersey.  In August we toured part of eastern Canada, stopping in on a former colleague of Jessica’s in New Brunswick and then enjoying the highland hikes and maritime views and food of Quebec’s Gaspe Peninsula—the geographic “knob” at the end of the Appalachian Mountains jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean on the southern banks of the St Lawrence River.  Finally we had the pleasure of helping to organize, witness, and celebrate the marriage of a close friend of Alex’s (and son of friends of ours in the Meeting in glorious November weather and the festival environs of historic New Orleans.

In 2018 in addition to our rail-trail and canvassing excursions, we had several other short trips.  We explored the Delaware oceanfront in April.  In late May we traveled south, first for a day hike and  a Quaker meeting weekend retreat near the Shenandoah National Park, next a visit with Jessica’s sister Bethany and family in Floyd County, VA and then back to Richmond to witness state legislative action on Medicaid expansion.  In August, we spent another long weekend hiking and biking with the kids and their partners in the Delaware Water Gap at the nexus of PA, NY and NJ. 

We’ve also continued to enjoy the many performing arts opportunities that DC provides.  This year we’ve focused on concerts of “old-timers”– we’ve seen Joan Baez, Judy Collins/Steven Stills, EmmyLou Harris/Jackson Brown, and the Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo.

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Health

And we age, not always gracefully.  Keith turned 67 this year, Jessica registers for Medicare a few days into 2019.  Hiking and biking help.  In warmer non-rainy weather we are regulars on a Tuesdayg group bike ride south of Alexandria.  Late this year Jessica finally convinced Keith to join her for at least two of her thrice-weekly exercise classes.  But things happen.  In April 2017 Jessica suffered a partially detached retina in her left eye, fortunately recognizing the symptoms, getting emergency surgery within 48 hours and avoiding more serious damage (but as a consequence only a few months later had to undergo cataract surgery).  Keith continues his 40-year struggle with diabetes.  He is now dealing with the possibly unrelated carpal tunnel syndrome in his left (dominant) hand and arm, and is scheduled for surgery after the first of the New Year.

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Home improvements

In 2016 we installed solar panels that provide close to 90% of our electricity.  In 2018, after 30 years in the house, we totally re-did our two upstairs bathrooms, confirming our intent to remain another decade or more (key indicator:  we installed grab bars in the master bath shower and hall bathtub).  No more 1970s vanities and fixtures, peeling wallpaper, unvented bathrooms, or cramped master bath shower!  As soon we moved to our basement guest suite for the renovation period, we realized how uncomfortable the aged futon mattress was--and must have been for the previous occupants.  So we immediately purchased a new mattress.  Hence we now can offer eco-friendly and comfortable lodgings.  Please come visit us!

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Photo montage

Keith's retirement party at the new BftW warehouse March 2018

Family

Thanksgiving 2018 with Kay, Jessica's 97 year old mother

May 2018 visit to Bethany, Jessica's little sister living in Check VA

Spring 2018 in Kansas City for memorial service for Marge Smith, Keith's aunt

Sasha, who lived with us along with nephew John in summer/fall of 2017

A family gathering including nephew John as well as cousin Brooke
and her partner Robin

Wedding of Michael and Juanita in Kansas City, spring 2016

Political Activism 

Promoting the VA Blue Wave 2019 Fundraising Campaign

Canvassing for Abigail Spanberger, candidate for US Congress VA7, who won!

Anton Andrews, candidate for PA state representative,
with Kay, her care provider Adriene, and us

Canvassing for Elaine Luria, candidate for US Congress VA2 who won!

At the March for our Lives, 2018

Jan 2018 Lobbying my VA state delegate in support of ERA ratification

Celebrating the gains in the VA House of Delegates, November 2017

Bike Rides 

Pine Creek Rail Trail, PA - May 2018

Pine Creek, 2018

Great Allegheny Passage Rail Trail, September 2017

Rail Trail between Baltimore MD and York PA June 2016

At a lunch break while biking near the MD/PA state line, June 2016

Cherry blossoms, DC - April 2018

Other Vacations and Travel

Near the Delaware Water Gap, August 2018

  

New Orleans wedding, November 2017

New Orleans November 2017

Gaspe Pennisula, August 2017

Gaspe Pennisula, August 2017

At top of Mt Jacques Cartier, Gaspe Pennisula, August 2017

2016 reunion of friends from Jessica's college semester in Peru

2016 Family vacation in NH White Mountains

July 2016 Trip to Vail Co to visit friends Augusta and Kent 

Memories of Dad

John Colman Mott, my father, was born 100 years ago, on May 29, 1916.  During his 88 years, his actions demonstrated his passion for ethical principles, interest in world events, and commitment to family. 

Some of this found early expression when he was the editor of the editorial page of his university daily newspaper, the Crimson.  Although authorship is not attributed, I can guess some of the editorials he wrote by his big-picture, philosophical style, advocating for peace and good governance. 

An example of his early pacifism can be found in a 1936 editorial:  http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1936/10/27/outward-bound-palthough-security-is-undoubtedly/ .  Despite not being a member of one of the historic peace churches, he was a pacifist even during WWII. (His local draft board granted him conscientious objector status but quickly changed this to a health deferment as soon as a hospitalization with ulcers gave them an excuse.)  He later served as a draft counsellor starting with the Korean War to help men consider their options.  During the Vietnam War he anchored one end of the weekly peace vigil in our village downtown park dressed in his business suit and fedora, alongside a line of motley teenagers in tie-dye.    

He also had concerns about maintaining the separation of federal powers as a 1937 editorial illustrates.  http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1937/2/8/by-no-means-to-an-end/. 

In addition, he was dedicated to improving civil rights and race relations.  He helped residents in Ridgewood NJ found the Broad Ridge Housing Corporation, which raised funds throughout the community to rehabilitate three dilapidated buildings and allow minority families to purchase their own apartments.  He took me to hear Martin Luther King’s speech at Riverside Church in NY on April 4, 1967.  He went to the Poor Peoples Campaign March on the Mall on April 22, 1968 (again dressed in his business attire complete with fedora). 

His Wall Street profession was not necessarily typical for a Quaker activist.  For much of his work-life, Dad managed portfolios of investments, many of which were pension funds for labor unions and companies.  I took some pleasure in responding to declarations on the evils of Wall Street by asking proponents whether workers should have reliable retirement income.  In any case one couldn't find a more sober, responsible investment manager than my Dad.  He did not approve of speculation or investment decisions through quantitative formulas, although he had a healthy and knowledgeable respect for the cyclical history of stock prices – include a huge chart on his office wall.   His approach to investment decisions drew on investigative journalism skills – taking into account a broad range of qualitative and quantitative factors that affect long-term growth and income.

It was in the spring of 1944 that he met my mother, a fellow pacifist.  After my brother was born their search for a church led them to become convinced “Friends” and members of Ridgewood Friends Meeting.  During my childhood this meeting became the center of their social life, with its membership serving as part of our extended family. 

Outside interests and work notwithstanding, he always let us know that family was the most important part of his life, and his proudest accomplishment.  He was dedicated to his parenting role.  No Saturday morning cartoons for us – that was the time to work on household chores with Dad.  His lessons on safety drew on actual real-life memories of people he knew and over fifty years later are still vivid for me -- e.g., lawn mowing (images of chopped fingers!), wood chopping (images of chopped toes!), starting bonfires of brush (images burned hair and skin!).  He also (very) patiently gave me batting practice so I wouldn’t be the last team member picked for baseball during 6^th grade gym.   

Daddy was affectionate and expressive.  At bedtime he rubbed our backs and told us stories of his childhood.  I remember the quiet of Sunday evening summer Quaker meetings for worship, lying with my head on his lap, listening to chirping birds through the open windows.  His bear hug greetings were famous across the extended family.  One of our favorite games was “monster”, when my two sisters and I would try to pin him down from his hands and knees on the living room floor, but usually he was able to hold all of us down instead.  He always had high praise for whatever we did – music, dance, etc.  -- but if I wanted a more dispassionate appraisal I turned to my mother. During my teen years I called him “mushy” and sometimes squirmed under his attention. 

He often had a relaxed approach to schedules and other details.  He generally relied on my mother to keep him organized and on-time, and this was sometimes a source of tension.  We kids noted with amusement that mom could never send him to the grocery store with explicit instructions, without his returning with other items not on the list, in spite of the scolding he would receive.   From time to time he could get very angry, but with the help of family counseling my parents learned to not bottle-up their disputes until they exploded, but instead affectionately bicker on an ongoing, but much less frightening basis.

Gardening was a life-long passion.  Each of my siblings and I, at the age of about five years, was in turn assigned the task of planting the carrots, subsequently graduating to harvesting the green beans.  In Dad’s opinion, nothing beat a juicy red tomato fresh out the garden.  He shared his love of gardening with my mother, and this continued until the end of his life.  I continue to appreciate a photo of the two of them in their garden plot, which is still posted in the entrance of their retirement community.

He loved socializing.  My early memories include tugging on his coat jacket seeking to end his conversations at the rise of Meeting for Worship.  He loved to wax on ideas, history and current events.  My Dad tended to pause only in the middle of the sentence, leaving my poor husband at a complete loss on how to politely interject or draw a conversation to a close – those of us in his immediate family tended to just interrupt or even walk out of the room.  Mealtimes were always a favorite time for both conversation and the food. 

His final decade of life was difficult.  He was physically uncomfortable – his internal thermometer didn’t work properly so he often felt chilled even in summer.  His hands and chin shook with his “familial” tremor.  He had little stamina due to congestive heart failure.  And he had a series of mini-strokes, one of which led to temporary period of aphasia and several of which undermined his memory and cognition.   Worst of all he was fully aware of his diminished mental capacity.  But he always knew who we were, bravely tried to be cheerful, looked forward to meals and visits, and expressed appreciation for assistance and attention.   He died in May 2004.   I regret that I did not spend more time with him during his final years, nor be more patient when I was with him. 

Overall, I am grateful to have had him as my father, and for the contributions he made to the world at large.  

2015 Family News

Annual greetings from Keith and Jessica!  We’ve come through the past year on an even keel, and wish the same or better for our correspondents.    

Keith continues leading Bikes for the World.  It has had its ups and downs, generally up, e.g., strong local Washington DC “production” of bicycle donations and shipments, augmented this year by satellite efforts in New York, which shipped its first 40’ container in October, and Pittsburgh and Charleston SC, which hope to ship in 2016.  This expansion is supported by three capable and dedicated staff members, a helpful board of directors, and an active cadre of volunteers.  But there have been setbacks, as with the unexpected loss of a significant corporate partner.  After ending financially in the red for the first time in 2014, Bikes for the World broke even in 2015, better than expected, putting the organization in a good position to afford commercial storage space following the anticipated loss of donated warehouse space at the end of 2016.

Despite one scare in the spring, Keith appears to have stabilized health-wise (see last year’s blog). However, he is no longer as active physically at Bikes for the World, so needs to catch up with Jessica and do more hiking, biking (yes, ironically), and other exercise.

Jessica continues her life as a “dilettante retiree”, albeit with a focus on personal fitness and health.   Beginning in the spring, aided by a Fitbit HR, Jessica lost the 20 pounds she had gained the previous year during Keith’s illness.  When she isn’t visiting her mother in PA, she attends a “core conditioning” class three times weekly at the county rec center; makes a weekly bike ride along the Potomac; and hikes, bikes, or takes other bike trips.  Recently, she has also been doing physical therapy to recover from neuropathy in her left hand and associated cramping in her shoulder and back, which stem from a dislocated front collar bone (an old injury that can’t be fixed).

Another priority of Jessica’s is support to her 94-year-old mother Kay Mott.  During the year, Jessica has been more regularly visiting Kay at her continuing care community some three hours’ distant.  Despite increasing physical limitations and a move this year from the assisted living to the nursing home section, Kay continues to exhibit gumption and cheer as she carries out the basic tasks of daily living.  Not un-relatedly, one of Jessica’s favorite of many books read this year—and recommended to others of our generation--was “Bittersweet Season--Caring for Our Aging Parents and Ourselves” by Jane Gross.

Jessica also became more active volunteering for the Langley Hill Friends Meeting, principally as Treasurer and Clerk of Finance Committee, as well as a member of the Nominating Committee.
If you are on Facebook, look for her.  Although her own postings are still limited, she has moved beyond sporadic, passive “stalking” to checking in more often and increasing her roster of “friends”.

Daughter Kate leads an active young adult life.  She continues to enjoy her job as reference librarian at Arlington Public Library and taking initiative in reaching out to job seekers, college students and young professionals. The American Library Association elected her as the Secretary on the Board of the Reference and User Services division (RUSA), the same division whose committees choose the annual ALA Notable Books, Carnegie Awards and other well-known awards and write the standards for professional reference librarians and other publications.

She is one of three co-clerks of the Young Adults part of Friends Meeting of Washington.  She also spends a lot of time with her boyfriend, Taylor, including numerous weekend trips. Despite all this, we actually see her with some regularity taking advantage of her residence nearby.

For those who may not have received our missive of last year, son Alex and daughter-in-law Carla Cevasco married in August 2014 at Boston City Hall.  The public celebrations followed later, first in late December 2014 here at home in Arlington, and then this past August in the beautiful setting of Carla’s parents’ farm in western Massachusetts.  The summer event took place under a large tent, in a field surrounded by flowers (which Carla’s mother grows professionally), with nearly 100 guests enjoying barbecued pork–an entire animal—prepared on-site by the caterer.

The pair lead busy and dynamic lives.  Alex, after over three years at MIT providing help in the use of “GIS” (geographic information systems) tools to student and faculty projects, is moving to a civil service  position with the John A. Volpe National Transportation System Center (aka “Volpe”), a self-funded research and consulting arm of the US Department of Transportation.  As Volpe is also located in Cambridge, Alex’s commute will change little.  Meanwhile, Carla is well on her way to a Ph.D. in American Studies at Harvard.  With the help of several recent research fellowships off-campus, she continues work on her dissertation on food and hunger in colonial New England.  Recognizing her scholarship, the History Department at Harvard has presented her with an opportunity, rarely offered to graduate students, to teach her own original undergraduate course, titled “The History of Hunger,” during the spring 2016 semester.  However, life is not all work; the couple take time to go on long tandem bike rides, care for their pet cat McGrath, and visit family and friends.

We’ve been spending more time with the mid-west branch of Keith’s family, the Smiths from Kansas City.  Early in the year, his cousin Glenn Smith lost his wife JoAnn to pancreatic cancer and we traveled to Kansas City for the funeral.   Since mid-summer, we’ve hosted Glenn’s daughter Brooke as she returned to her DC job punctuated by travels back-and-forth to Kansas City, and visits from her father.  Amidst this sadness, however, the Kansas City connection distracted and made this year’s World Series a more pleasurable affair.  It also afforded Kate, Taylor, and Keith the unique opportunity to attend--as the guests of Glenn, Brooke, and sister Jamie--a Royals baseball game in nearby Baltimore, and to witness a memorable ten-run inning, with two grand slams…which unfortunately for our hosts was not scored by the Royals.

Each year we struggle to say something constructive about things in the wider world.  We are pleased with the modest progress on confronting climate change demonstrated by commitments made at Paris.  We are trying to do our part, among other things, by installing a 3 mw photovoltaic (solar electric) system on our roof, which we expect to be operational by spring.

We also urge all people, including politicians, to put aside fear-mongering, to work to reduce gun violence, to seek peaceful resolution of conflicts locally and abroad, and to offer compassion and support to all victims of violence.  The examples of the forgiveness of Charleston church members, the diplomacy of John Kerry on the Iran nuclear accord, and the welcoming of Syrian refugees by the Canadian government inspire us.

Wishing you a happy, healthy 2016,

Keith & Jessica

P.S. More photos are attached below.

Kate giving a toast at August marriage celebration

Keith, Jessica, Carla, and Alex with Peter and Elaine,
Carla's parents

Carla and Alex with Jessica's relatives

Carla's childhood home &
site of August marriage celebration

Alex and Carla with Keith's relatives

flowers at the farm during celebration

On top of Monadnock, NH

Monadnock Mt.

Jessica with sisters Margy and Bethany and mother

Kay who was recovering from severe anemia

Jessica and Kay back at Kendal

 

Jessica, Keith, Kate and Taylor
during birthday dinner for Kate

Dinner out during fall visit of
Carla and Alex 

Christmas Eve with Kay at Kendal

Botanical Gardens

Botanical Gardens Xmas exhibit

Keith's sister Jory and
nephew John

Post Christmas visit to Great Falls

On December 3, 2015 I (Jessica) posted a remembrance of my brother on Facebook.  I'm posting it again here, so that it is accessible to friends who are not on Facebook.

"I am thinking of my brother, Jeremy Mott, who would have turned 70 today, had he not died in 2012. He was knowledgeable, responsible, and committed, but he could also be unhappy, dogmatic, and intimidating. Having him as a brother was interesting, but not always easy. I loved him. Some of my fondest memories from my childhood include his showing me how dictionaries include information on etymology, and the variety of sounds that Louis Armstrong made with his trumpet. More recently I counted on Jeremy as a major reference source about our personal history, and regret that I postponed many of my inquiries until it was too late. I miss him.

In going through old family photos, I have been struck by how often he smiled during his younger years, and how devoted he was to his sisters, wife, and daughter. I attach a few of these photos here. I’ve also attached a copy of an obituary that we wrote for Quaker publications, since I was not active on Facebook at the time of his death."

Expanded Obituary on Jeremy Mott for Quaker Publications

February 19, 2013

Mott – Jeremy Hardin Mott, 66, died of an intestinal hemorrhage on September 2, 2012 in Roanoke, VA.  Jeremy was born on December 3, 1945 in New York City to Kathryn Hardin Mott and John Colman Mott.  He was the eldest, with three younger sisters.  When Jeremy was still a baby, his parents joined Ridgewood Friends Meeting as convinced Friends and also added him to membership.  Growing up in Ridgewood, NJ, and Rochester, NY, he actively participated with the rest of his family in the local monthly meetings as well as New York Yearly Meeting.  Summer sessions at Farm and Wilderness Camps, VT and three years at Sandy Spring Friends School, MD (class '63) also shaped his early Quaker experience. During the late 1950s and early 1960s he attended the Easter peace vigils in Times Square and in the summer of '63 he joined the March on Washington, just before attending Harvard University for two years. 

Since early childhood, Jeremy was fascinated with trains.  At age 8, after being interviewed by the station master in NYC, he was allowed to take the train by himself to visit grandparents in Florida.  As a teenager he once rode the entire NY subway system on one token, and also began a collection of timetables which enabled him to give detailed advice on passenger routes for any destination.  When he took a break from Harvard, he followed his life-long love of railroads, working for the Erie Railroad.  

No longer protected by a student deferment, he was drafted in October 1966. He obtained conscientious objector status and joined the Brethren Volunteer Service, serving three months at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, MD and four months at Bethany Brethren Hospital in Chicago.  However, to strengthen his protest against the Vietnam War and the draft, he burned his draft card at the April 15, 1967 Mobilization Against the War in New York City.  Together with others, he founded the Chicago Area Draft Resisters, CADRE, whose members still treasure how much they learned from him about Quaker ways of working well together in groups.  In his individual witness, he resigned from BVS writing:  “Both the joy which comes from acting in accordance with one’s conscience and the agony which comes from facing the risks of such action obscure the real agony of the Vietnam situation…By affirming the value of the lives of people and denying the righteousness of murder and slavery we can at least help keep some vestige of brotherhood a reality among men.”  His letter to the Selective Service System stated “My job, as a pacifist and as a person opposed to this war in Vietnam, is to resist our warring government, including the Selective Service System, rather than to seek special privileges from it.”  In December 1967, he was one of the first in the country to go to trial for resisting the draft.  He was the first to receive the maximum prison sentence of five years, which was reduced on appeal to four.

Upon his release from prison in 1969 on parole after 16 months of imprisonment, he worked for more than three years for the Midwest Committee for Draft Counseling, the Chicago office of the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors.  There he wrote and published a regular newsletter about draft law, which was sent to 5,000 counselors nationwide who helped young men consider alternatives to military service.   He and his new wife also were living below-taxable income in order to avoid supporting the military. Both before and after prison, he was an active member of the 57th Street Friends Meeting.    

Jeremy met Judith Franks at New York Yearly Meeting in 1969. They married in 1970 under the care of Summit (NJ) Friends Meeting and settled together in Chicago. Their daughter, Mary Hannah was born in 1974.  Jeremy obtained his BA from the University of Illinois-Chicago in 1975.  The family moved to NJ in 1976, living in Hoboken, Ridgewood, and then Hackensack.  He worked for Amtrak, as a dispatcher.  During this period he rejoined Ridgewood Friends Meeting and was active in New York Yearly Meeting.  He also served on committees for what is now the Center on Conscience and War in DC, and also for the Farm and Wilderness Camps in VT. 

Jeremy was extremely knowledgeable about many subjects and passionate about sharing his interests. His daughter notes that she could happily listen to him talk for hours about history, geography, transportation, and music, and that many of his interests are now hers.   

He was a one-man Quaker information center, a constant reader of the Quaker press with contacts in every corner of the Quaker world, and he often provided unique insights.  Before he adopted e-mail, several Quaker periodicals would receive letters-to-the-editor from Jeremy in his novel format: a series of post cards. He would start writing on one post card, then continue on with as many as it took for him to express the complete thought. Eventually he joined the online world, and contributed comments to various blogs and discussions. 

Especially during his final decades, he faced serious health problems. In the 1990s, he was belatedly diagnosed with bipolar disorder and then developed problematic blood clots and Parkinson's.  In spite of several hospitalizations, he continued to work until he retired on disability in 2000.  As his health deteriorated, Jeremy and Judy moved in 2009 from NJ to a new home in Roanoke VA to be nearer to their daughter.  Although he had not yet transferred is formal membership, he was active in Roanoke Friend Meeting, where he struggled in with his walker and shared his knowledge of Quaker history with members and attenders, several of whom were relatively new to Quakerism.  In spite of his health problems he also maintained his online communications, until his unexpected sudden death.

Besides his wife Judith Franks Mott and his daughter Mary Hannah Mott, he is survived by his mother, Kathryn Hardin Mott, his sisters Margaret Mott, Jessica Mott and Bethany Joanna Mott and their families, and Mary’s partner, Jacob Wise.