In Memoriam

 

Violet Carlson Beahan, the first secretary of the IJA, died on February 11 in Carmel Valley, Calif., at age 84.

 

The youngest of three children, she was just 2-1/2 pounds at birth in 1909 but survived on a doctor's prescription of whiskey and honey. Her family operated a grocery store in Jamestown, N.Y., until her father contracted tuberculosis. The family then moved to Denver, where Violet completed high school, winning awards in poetry and piano. Her ambition was to become a teacher, but her father died and the family moved back to Jamestown.

 

Violet's mother then married Harry Lind, who was at the time the only manufacturer of juggling clubs in the world. Violet learned to juggle and for a brief period joined Harry on the Vaudeville stage. She married Stanley J. Carlson in April 1927 and a son, Bud, was born in November 1929. After a divorce, Violet attended business college and moved to New York City, working as a governess and then as secretary for the Mitchel Beck Company, a nut importer, for 25 years.

 

She maintained her ties with the juggling world and became secretary, treasurer and publicist of the International Jugglers Association at its first convention in 1947. She married John P. Beahan, a juggler, in 1949, and lived on Staten Island, N.Y. In June 1962, they retired and moved to their home in the bird sanctuary at the river mouth in Carmel, Calif. John passed away in 1969 and Violet worked as manager of the Monterey County Symphony from 1970-1977. She was a prolific letter writer, accomplished piano player, avid story teller and civic volunteer in many arenas. She was honored just before her death by the mayor of Carmel as one of that town's "Unsung Heroes."

 

She is survived by her son, Bud Carlson; her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth; and three grandchildren; Brent Andrew, Krisien DlIwn and Drew Christopher.