By Patric Hedlund

Shock and disbelief combined with sadness are the most frequent reactions being registered by those who are just now hearing of Lloyd Wiens’ passing.

Wiens, 65 was taken from the high school football field in an ambulance Friday, Sept. 19. His beloved Falcons were in the winners’ spotlight that night, but on Sunday, at about 7:30 p.m., Frazier Park lost a fierce advocate.

Frank Williams spoke for many: “I was very saddened to read about Lloyd’s passing. I have known him for so many years and during that time we had our agreements and disagreements, but you could never doubt the sincerity in his beliefs.

“He was a very intelligent person and I always enjoyed his writing even when I disagreed with them. I will miss him and I am sure the Mountain Communities will too.”

In 2003 (under different owners) Wiens wrote an occasional column for The Mountain Enterprise, called “The Squeaky Wheel,” in which he took to task pet peeves and deficits he saw in his neighbors. The internet was often a weapon in his hands. He was locally both famous and infamous for his middle-of-the-night email tirades strafing government offices from Sacramento to Bakersfield to Cuddy Hall. Many in the the Mountain Communities—including this editor—felt the sting of his email listserv attacks.

He was always compelling and restlessly inquisitive, if not always rigorously factual… and at times some felt unfair. Despite his occassional online excesses, in person he was a gentleman.

In the last few months he had made peace with many of those he had attacked in the past. Alice Garcia, of the Frazier Park Public Utilities District, said he had recently become enthusiastic about the utility district’s efforts. Her lasting memory of him will be his piercing blue eyes and his laughter, she said.

Lloyd was a father who idolized his children, and he was a tireless supporter of youth sports.

He taught many about these mountains, about its fishing streams, its opportunities, the native peoples in its past, the visions he held for its future.

Lloyd was a man who bumped against the world around him with spirit, intelligence and passion—one of the unique voices that gave this mountain a character both fearsome and hopeful. Eric Anderson, longtime member of the Mountain Communities Town Council (which also received his barbs) said, “we’ve lost the Lion of Frazier Park.”

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4 at the El Camino Pines Lutheran Church (6700 Lakewood Drive in Lake of the Woods).

You can also place a memory of Lloyd on this website.

This is part of the September 25, 2009 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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