From: RHONDA MCDONNELL <rhonda_mcdonnell AT msn.com>
To: <wppdirector AT gmail.com>, "Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion" <percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [percy-l] Garic "Nikki" Barranger (1934-2015): Friend of the Percys, Author, and WPP Board Member
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2015 09:40:04 -0700
This is solemn news. Nikki Barranger was a kind and generous man. Although I only knew him through our discussion list, I benefitted immensely from that association. He will be missed.
Garic "Nikki" Barranger
(1934-2015): Friend of the Percys, Author, and WPP Board
Member
At this time the Walker Percy Project would like to recognize
and remember with gratitude Garic "Nikki" Barranger, who died on
April 15, 2015, in Covington, La. Nikki was a close friend and
neighbor of Walker and Bunt and had a longtime law practice in
Covington. An active supporter of the arts, he played an
instrumental role in helping the Percy Project both as an
initial board member and by assisting in its incorporation as a
non-profit.
An author, Nikki's book, Southern Karma, features
writings on his friendship with Walker and Bunt as well as his
and Percy's involvement, in his words, of the "stormy
kerfuffles" involved in their relationships with Thelma Toole
over the publication of A Confederacy of Dunces. Those
interested in information about/or purchasing Southern Karma
(Red Bluff Press, 2012) should contact Judy Waiz at
<judywalz AT yahoo.com>, who we also thank for assisting the
Percy Project.
Speaking for all longtime members of Percy-L - - we express
appreciation for his many insightful, and often wry, humorous
comments offered during our community discussions.
To wit, members will enjoy Nikki's posthumous interview
with "the late Doctor Percy through a spirit guide" about
Percy's thoughts on the 1993 publication of More
Conversations with Walker Percy, which he contributed to
the online stores of the Percy Project. Nikki characterizes the
piece as an "interview to end all Percy interviews." Enjoy
Nikki's interview-review at:
<http://ibiblio.org/wpercy/interviews/barranger.html>.
An extended interview with Nikki of his remembrances of Percy is
printed in the collection, Walker Percy remembered: A
Portrait in the Words of Those Who Knew Him, as compiled
by David Horace Harwell (UNC Press, 2006).
We thank you, Nikki, and trust you are back to having many fine,
and more than spirited discussions with your old neighbors and
friends Walker and Bunt somewhere beyond our present world.
Henry Mills
Percy-L Administrator
Director, The Walker Percy Project