MayJune_2009

Last Walk-Arounds
Chris Herrman
Chris Herrman passed away of
a heart attack suddenly.
Chris and and his wife, Cindy,
are past members of Rose City
Clown Alley.
He was a huge
part of our alley
and helped
tremendously
with our
1994 COAI
Convention here
in Portland.
Because of their excellent
computer skills, Chris and Cindy
designed a program for COAI and
have been running the competition
computer programs ever since.
They have been a mainstay and
integral part of the international
conventions for all these years.
Chris and Cindy both worked
at Intel for many years. Chris
branched out into his own
business a few years ago. Chris
was very active in his church
and he and Cindy hosted weekly
prayer and study groups at their
home. Chris loved to work with
wood and created incredible
custom pieces.
Chris and Cindy never had
any children, so they were just
like two big kids themselves.
Halloween was their favorite time
of the year and they went all out
with their decorations. They had
life-sized skeletons (that Chris
built) in cages hanging from their
front porch, along with torches of
fire. It was an amazing job they
did every year.
They really loved anything
to do with Disney and went on
a lot of cruises....all of them
through Disney. They even spent
Christmas on a Disney cruise last
year.
Ken “Sherbie” Sherburne
Submitted by Jim “Jimbo Z.
Klown” Blazonis
I lost a dear friend and the
entertainment world lost an
awesome, dedicated professional
showman who passed into the
light of God on Feb 26, 2009.
Ken started his professional
career as a juggler/unicyclist
at age 14. Prior to this he was
training to be a flyer/aerialist. Due
to an injury, he decided to venture
into juggling. Ken performed
in many countries and on cruise
ships. He appeared on television
on the Bozo Show in Chicago,
New York, Boston, and in a 1967
NBC Christmas show from Radio
City Music Hall.
Entertaining mostly as himself,
he occasionally became “Sherbie”
the clown. He had a nightclub
act and was a specialty event
performer and veteran circus
performer. He had the honor of
working and touring with many
of the biggest names in show
business.
In the 1950s he served in
the Army and was assigned to
USO shows. Ken was a past
member of AFTRA, IJA, and
national clown organizations.
Thank you Ken for your
friendship over the years. You
were a true friend and a wonderful
entertainer. I will miss you a lot.
Valerie A. Wachter
Known as “Kisses the Clown,”
Valerie took
her last walkaround
on Aug
6, 2008. Valerie
went home to
be with her
Lord during
National Clown Week.
Valerie started clowning in
1982, at Ft. Monmouth, NJ where
she attended a Christian clown
workshop. “Kisses” was born.
There she met a couple and they
became friends. The three of them
started the “Masters Clowns” of
Ft. Monmouth. They brought the
Good News of God's word and
His love for them to churches,
hospitals, nursing homes, and
Sunday schools. Their style of
clowning was mime, which is
done silently.
Over time people asked
“Kisses” if she would do birthday
parties. With her magic, balloon
sculptures, story telling, and
face painting she entertained
“children” from ages 1 to 99 with
much love and laughter.
Valerie met her husband John,
while country line dancing. It was
love at first sight, and when she
introduced him to clowning it was
obvious they made a great team.
They owned and operated the very
successful entertainment company
Dove Productions.
They moved to Maryland, and
after settling in, they started a
caring clown alley at the hospital
where John worked. They
conducted several clown colleges
to help new Joeys in the art of
clowning. She has given much
advice and love to new clowns as
well as seasoned clowns. Valerie’s
greatest joy was to share the love
of Jesus through clowning. The
loss of Kisses to the clown world
has left a void, but we know she is
in the arms of Jesus.
Kisses, we will miss you “Gone
but not forgotten.”
Page 14
The New Calliope Convention Issue