by Charles Gillette 10 Replies latest jw friends
A long time servant of the watchtower organization died this week. His name was Dean Songer. Does anyone have any memories about him that they would like to share with us? I knew him since the seventies and worked and served with him for some years. I could never understand how a man of his stature at Bethel could not see the truth about the organization. He died still serving into his 90's.He was not of the anointed.
I would like to hear from anyone who knew him. Blueblades
Was Dean Songer really into his 90's? I would have figured him to be in his 80's. I never knew him personally as I was mostly at Watchtower Farms. When he visited the Farm, I tried to sit near him during meals so that I could eavesdrop on his conversations. A very smart man. At any rate, I got rimless glasses to be like him and Knorr...........ahh the foolishness of a youthful 'fanboy'. Apparently, he died a 'virgin' and a eunuch in service to his Lord (The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society/Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses). May he rest in peace.
When were you at WTF, sparky?
I've sent you a PM, charonsdog.
He was my Book Study conductor in Palmdale Calif late 1950's. I believe he was a engineer for Lockheed or another military fighter company. I remember him doing the Wt. radio program "Mr. Robbins and Mr. Lee' . Yes I remember his rimless glasses.
Another "Bethel heavy" dies, old and forgotten, former prominence dissolved like so much smoke in the wind.
It would behoove Luccioni, Shaffer, Noumair, Breaux, Flodin, et. al., to consider their future legacy as well.
They are "Bethel heavies" now - but will be just as marginalized in another 10-20 years as well, as the aggressive, cynical, career-minded JW "Bethel-lites" waiting in the wings begin to take their places.
BILL COVERT:
I never heard of him but it’s interesting that you say he worked for Lockheed, etc.
I had noticed that many of these old timer JWs came INTO the religion with work experience and even a pension under their belts!.. I cannot tell you how many times some old timer with a secure life told ME I wouldn’t need a career.🙄
So glad I never paid attention to this fallacy!!!
Never met him. But heard from Ken Joe at the Farm that he was an engineer type- who was the writing department's proofreader. Doctrinal proofreader.
If he was the writing department's proofreader, then he wasn't as bright as has been suggested. I spent a lot of time as a JW making notes of bad grammar, horribly illogical writing, just plain out bad writing, etc. in Watchtower literature.
To be fair to him, though, maybe he only proofread parts of JW writings, and the bad stuff I noticed was proofread by others.
Dean Songer was my work overseer when I served as proofreader for Watchtower Publications Index, 1966-1970 and various other publications. He was a kind man in the situations I saw him.
I remember his telling me how exciting it would be if Bethel were disbanded and we were all scattered and set about spreading the GN (something to the effect of what the death of Stephen led to in early Christianity).
While I cannot recall in what detail he explained it to me, Br. Songer said the Society was very exacting in getting the nations' boundaries (is this the word?) correct on their maps of the world. There could have potential disputes over incorrect boundary demarcations. It's just bits and pieces I recall at this very late date.
I had a nervous breakdown (many of us boys did) and left Bethel early. Our work in the foreign field exhausted us because it took every spare hour outside our work assignment. There was no way, as I saw it then, to abandon my congregation that was growing by leaps and bounds. Songer said that Bethel came first, congregation second. I loved Bethel and wanted to stay but was too overwhelmed with guilt. I left. I wished afterwards that I had talked to him before making my retreat.
Dean Songer was a good man. Charlie Plaeger (also in writing, I believe) was his roommate.
