Hashers pass away just like anyone else. In fact, the Hash House Harriers tend to be a rather "aged" group no matter where you go in the world so it is probably a lot more likely among our group than in other sporting clubs. This past week we lost one of the greats of the Chiang Mai Hash House Harriers when one of the original members of the CH3 went to the great "on up."
His Hash name was "Liberace" and he was very well known locally not just in the Hash but in the community that he fully embraced in his more than 20 years of living in Thailand. Unlike a lot of the other people in our group and with expats in general Liberace was completely fluent in Thai, which sadly is very rare for foreigners living here. He had over 400 runs with the various Hashes in Chiang Mai and was instrumental in organizing international events.
He was known for his sense of humor and how he was the GM of the men's Hash multiple times. Like anyone who is a long-term Hasher, he continued to support and organize events as the Hare or co-Hare well beyond the time where he was physically comfortable doing so. His dedication to our cause was unparalleled and he could be counted on to turn up to events even when he wasn't feeling well.
Liberace was no spring chicken and he managed to hang on until nearly 80 years of age.
He and his iconic squeaky voice will be missed and the Hash is at a great loss with his absence. The good news is that his passing was peaceful and it was also something that he and his family knew was coming. There was no pain or surprises here and now he has gone to the great Hash in the sky.
On up Liberace, On up.