I Speak of Dreams

Wildlife

Yesterday on the road to the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation we saw a coyote similar to the one pictured below.

Image source

 

 

Previously I'd seen this image
at this post chez epiren http://blog.epiren.com/2010/12/immunology-how-much-do-you-know.html This morning there were racoon footprints around the pool. I don't think they were praying, though.

Another Visit to the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation

It's from News10.net

A Few More Things About Jacques Littlefield

I was remiss in not mentioning it earlier.  Last night was a sung Requiem Eucharist  for Jacques Littlefield at his home church, Christ Church Episcopal, where he was for many years a member of the choir.  The service was beautifully sung, and very moving. 

The photo above was taken May 16, 2008, at Mike Stallwood's RR Motor Services in Kent, England, and was a celebration of the Churchill Toad's completion.  The Toad is now in the Littlefield Collection at the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation.   The photo is from this article at MilWeb -- photographer either Samuel Penhallow or John Blackman.

One of the things Jumper Girl has said about what she's learned in the last 10 weeks, speaking of the large turn-out for her father's memorial service: "You probably have no idea about the number of people who are fond of you."

The other was, "When in doubt, wear plaid."

Jacques Littlefield's Collection to Remain Intact and Activities to Continue

This will be posted shortly at the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation website

Letter from the President
Military Vehicle Technology Foundation
January 20, 2009

Portola Valley, Ca

Dear Friends of the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation,

I am sad to announce that our long-time friend, the Foundation’s founder, Jacques Littlefield, passed away on January 7, 2009. Shortly before his final hours he indicated satisfaction with the status and accomplishments of the Foundation and its most recent project, the just completed German Panther.

Jacques acquired his first full-sized military vehicle, an M3A1 wheeled scout car, in 1975. By the late 1990s as the collection became more significant, he started to plan for its longer term preservation. In 1998, he created the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation (MVTF) as a non-profit corporation. The mission of the MVTF is to collect, preserve, restore, document and display armored fighting vehicles and their associated equipment. The MVTF serves the interests of authors, historians, educators, the defense industry, veterans' groups, model makers and the entertainment industry.

Over the last few years, Jacques and the board of directors had many discussions about the future of the MVTF. He made it clear that he wanted the Foundation and its activities to continue after his death. Last week, his children agreed that the Foundation should continue to develop, preserve and display the vehicles and the current items will be named the Jacques M. Littlefield Collection. Jacques’ family, the staff of the MVTF, and the board were all greatly heartened by the expressions of interest in the future of the MVTF following the announcement of his death.

The Board of Directors of the MVTF met following Jacques’ death and elected new officers to continue his work. With the agreement and support of Jacques’ children, the MVTF will continue to be housed at its current location in the hills above Portola Valley. Access to the collection by interested researchers and groups remains a critical element to continuing to fulfill the MVTF charter and mission. Therefore, many restoration projects, display enhancements and the tours will continue.

In his will, Jacques created an endowment for the MVTF that will allow us time to transition to a self sustaining organization. The Board and the friends of the MVTF now have the opportunity and substantial responsibility to increase the endowment and manage the operating costs to ensure that Jacques' legacy collection continues to be available to provide its unique contributions.

If you would like to make a donation to the MVTF in Jacques’ memory and help preserve, display and have access to the Jacques M. Littlefield Collection, please consider sending a contribution to:

MVTF
P.O. Box 7390
Menlo Park, CA 94026

The MVTF is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 corporation. Donations are considered fully tax-deductible as allowed by law.

I hope you will join us in preserving and advancing Jacques’ legacy.

Sincerely,

William A. (Bill) Boller
President, Military Vehicle Technology Foundation

Email addresses:

To make arrangements for tours: [email protected]

To arrange access to the collection for commercial purposes: [email protected]

For any other issues: [email protected]

Jacques Littlefield's Memorial Service: Monday, March 2, 4 pm

Update: feel free to download
 Download Jacques Littlefield's Memorial Service Driving Directions 
and campus map:
Download SU CampusMap_MemorialMap

Update 1/21/09: Please see the post "Jacques Littlefield's Collection to Remain Intact and Activities to Continue"

The family very much would like anyone who was touched by Jacques' life and work to attend the service. Please feel free to share this information with your friends and members of your organization.

The service will take place in Memorial Church, Stanford University. There will be a reception on campus following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a contribution to the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation (MVTF), P.O. Box 7390 Menlo Park CA 94026, email [email protected], or one of the other organizations Jacques supported: The Patton Museum, Cate School, the Coyote Point Museum for Environmental Education, the California Academy of Sciences, the Hoover Institution or the Filoli Center.

Local paper's obituary  here.

San Francisco Chronicle obituary by Carolyn Jones

Wonderful appreciation of Jacques by Jim Goldman, with video

365 Days of Grace in Small Things--The Beauty of the Day

This morning I drove up to the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation, because I could provide a little piece of a solution to a problem.  The sun was just hitting the frosty grass, and I could see the ice sublimating in arabesques of steam.  There was a red-tailed hawk, roosting on a wire.

Later, I got to enjoy the MVTF guys brainstorming a way to fit a casket-restraint device on one of Jacques' favorite tanks. 

Jacques would have loved it.

Jacques Littlefield, 1949-2009

Update 1/21/09: Please see the post "Jacques Littlefield's Collection to Remain Intact and Activities to Continue"

Updated 1/16/09

Please see the announcement of Jacques' Memorial Service, Monday March 2, at 4 pm

Jacques Littlefield passed away the morning of January 7, 2009, peacefully with his family present. There was a viewing Saturday January 10, and a memorial service at date and time to be announced.

Memorial services will be held later, when arranged.

Update #2 -- found another fairly recent photo that I like better, below. Jacques and tanks, talking about tanks.

Obituary:

Jacques Mequet Littlefield, Tank Scholar and Collector

Jacques Mequet Littlefield, who assembled one of the largest private collections of military vehicles in the world and championed open space in the mid-Peninsula, has died in Portola Valley, California. He was 59 years old and had battled cancer for the past decade.

Jacques’ fascination with armored vehicles began in his childhood when he started building plastic models of tanks. While in college, he built his first scale model, radio-controlled tank. He acquired his first full-sized vehicle in 1975. In 1998 Jacques set up the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation to manage his collection of over one hundred fifty vehicles and restore new additions. The collection ranges from a World War II era U.S. Army M3A1 wheeled scout car, the first acquisition, to a Soviet-era mobile Scud Missile launcher, and includes such famous tanks as the U.S. Sherman and Patton class; U.K. Centurion, Conqueror and Chieftain; German WWII vehicles including a Panther; and Soviet-era Russian tanks. The complete inventory is available at www.milvehtechfound.com. Jacques was considered a scholar and expert on the history of armored warfare and the foundation helps serve the interests of authors, historians, educators, the defense industry, veterans groups, model makers and the entertainment industry. The collection is housed at Pony Tracks Ranch in the hills above Portola Valley, which the family acquired in the mid-1970s. Pony Tracks was the country estate of former San Francisco mayor and California governor James "Sunny Jim" Rolph, Jr. Over the years, Jacques restored many of the old buildings on the ranch, such as the stables, and acquired additional property helping to maintain open space in the hills above Portola Valley.

Jacques was the son of the late Edmund Wattis Littlefield and Jeannik Mequet Littlefield. He was born November 21, 1949 in San Francisco, California. His father was CEO of Utah International and served on many corporate boards during his career. He is survived by his mother, a strong supporter of the arts and a member of the Chairman’s Council of the San Francisco Opera; his brother, Edmund Littlefield, Jr.; and sister, Denise Littlefield Sobel.

Jacques also is survived by his wife, Sandy Montenegro Littlefield, and five children: David, Scott, Allison, Jacques Jr. and Jeannik, and one grandson, Kingsley.

Jacques grew up in Burlingame and attended Cate School in Carpinteria, California before studying at Stanford University where he received his Bachelor’s degree in 1971 and an MBA two years later. He worked for Hewlett Packard as a manufacturing engineer before focusing solely on building his museum and restoration facility.

Jacques served on the boards of the George S. Patton Museum in Fort Knox, Kentucky, the Cate School, the Coyote Point Museum for Environmental Education, the Hoover Institution, the California Academy of Sciences, and the Filoli Center. He was a member of the Bohemian Club and Captain of the Sempervirens camp.

A viewing will be held at Roller Hapgood & Tinney Funeral Directors, 980 Middlefield Rd in Palo Alto, on Saturday, January 10, 3:00 to 6:00, and a public memorial service for Jacques will be scheduled for the near future.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a contribution to one of the organizations Jacques supported: The Patton Museum, Cate School, the Coyote Point Museum for Environmental Education, the California Academy of Sciences, the Hoover Institution or the Filoli Center.