Originally published at: Famous Amos, legendary cookie creator, RIP - Boing Boing
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Well dang. I knew Wally for many years and worked closely with him on the child literacy campaign he founded. He even sent us an original art print his wife made when I got married. He was such a sweet and caring man. RIP, Wally. You’re back with Aunt Della now…
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Wow, you think that might have warranted a mention in the article. NYT being the NYT again.
RIP Mr Amos.
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Yeah Wally used to talk about the struggles his parents went through growing up poor and illiterate People of Color in the deep south and spent a lot of his later life working to promote early childhood literacy. Here’s an excerpt from another article about him back in 2007:
Amos’ fragrant store is as much about reading as it is about cookies. At one side is a reading room with dozens of donated books and Amos usually spends Saturdays sitting on a rocking chair, wearing a watermelon hop hat, reading to children.
Besides cookies and muffins, promoting literacy is his passion. The former high school dropout has penned eight books, served as spokesman for Literacy Volunteers of America for 24 years and now gives motivational talks to corporations, universities and other groups. His speaking fee runs between $10,000 and $20,000, according to a booking agency’s Web site.Amos has earned numerous honors for his volunteerism, including the Literacy Award presented by President George H.W. Bush in 1991. “Your greatest contribution to your country is not your signature straw hat in the Smithsonian, but the people you have inspired to learn to read,” Bush said.
ETA: I just realized I designed the button he’s wearing on his hat in that NYT article photo. He really did love sharing books with children.
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He spoke at the Rotary Club event where I read the essay I wrote on business for a scholarship I had won. He was very inspirational and charismatic.
So much so that I still remember meeting him and his stories about hustling to get his first loan and financing for his business.
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Plus he had that cameo on Taxi with Andy Kaufman when Latka made cocaine cookies
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He had a cameo on The Office too.
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Rest in Power.
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