Bev’s Remembrance Service

We held a beautiful commemorative service for Bev on Saturday April 13, from 1:00–2:15/2:30 pm, followed by a social gathering and more memories at Bev, Phil, and Lily Kaye’s home, until 6 pm. All were welcome.

Bev’s ashes will be released and scattered across the country, in many of the places Bev lived and loved, but we also wanted to memorialize Bev by leaving a permanent note that Bev was Here! Bev’s name will be inscribed into the lovely outdoor stone columbarium at Wildwood Cemetery, a beautiful, non-denominational and secular cemetery in the heart of Amherst, the town in which Bev and I have lived for 30 years, and where Bev taught for almost 20 years.   

A columbarium is a structure, building, or room with special spaces for the ashes or other personal mementos of those who have passed. The columbarium at Wildwood Cemetery is a lovely outdoor stone structure that sits on the edge of a recently built meditation/reflection garden, where we will hold our remembrance. Here’s a photo of the columbarium at Wildwood. Bev’s name won’t appear for a while, until the weather warms up and Bev’s space can be engraved. We will at a later time place some of Bev’s ashes and other personal items in her space, and that spot will mark and memorialize Bev for many, many years to come.

The Remembrance Service: Saturday April 13, 1:00-2:30 pm

We had hoped to hold our remembrance outdoors at by the columbarium at Wildwood cemetery. But, the weather wouldn’t cooperate. 

Instead, we held our ceremony at the Unitarian Universalist Society meeting house/building in downtown Amherst. It was a wonderful venue, for which we were appreciative.  

We started at 1:00 pm, and ended around 3:00, as we wanted to allow time for everyone who wanted to speak or do a reading.  The remembrance ceremony was wonderful,  and attended by our very closest friends and family, including all of of Bev’s brothers. Many people spoke, in a wonderful and funny tribute to Bev, and what shone through was how wonderful, beautiful, gifted, loving and beloved, and funny was Bev. We had tears and laughter. 

We returned to our house after the service, until about 6 pm.