We Remember--A New Tradition
Melissa Clark
Vickers
Huntington TN USA
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 38 No. 1, February-March 2002, p. 24.
Of all the sights and sounds
that happened at the 2001 La Leche International Conference, perhaps
the most poignant and lasting came at the Alumnae Tea during what is
sure to become a new tradition: the reading of the names of La Leche
League Leaders who have died. In LLLI’s 45 year history, there have
been thousands of Leaders who have worked long and hard for the organization.
Inevitably, given the number of Leaders who have served and the age
of the organization, there are those who have died and are missed by
their LLL families.
The idea for this kind of
remembrance ceremony came after the death of a well-known and well-loved
longtime Leader, Roberta Bishop Johnson, perhaps best known through
La Leche League as the editor of Whole Foods for the Whole Family. Roberta
lost a long, feisty battle with cancer on July 13, 2000. Her passing
became the catalyst for an idea to honor all the Leaders who have died.
Nancy Franklin, an LLL District
Coordinator in Texas, USA, LLLI Alumnae Association Board member and
chair of Special Projects, proposed modifying an annual Texas A&M University
ceremony called “Muster” where any “Aggie” (an A&M student or graduate)
who has died in the past year is remembered. Nancy suggested that a
similar ceremony would be appropriate for the Alumnae Tea during the
LLLI Conference. The Alumnae Association requested names, dates of death,
and hometowns of any Leaders who had died since the beginning of the
organization. By the time of the Tea, on July 8, 2001—nearly a year
to the day of Roberta’s death—they had a list of LLL Leaders.
How best to honor these Leaders?
The Association wanted a simple, dignified, and heartfelt way to remember
each Leader. They decided to use as a focal point a poem often read
at Jewish funerals that is found in the Reform Jewish prayer book, “We
Remember” (see sidebar). During the Tea, after the fashion show and
the wonderful tales from the seven Founders, the lights were dimmed
and serene piano music, played by Brian Harris, signaled a change in
focus from festive to reflective. On a large screen, a slide showing
a warmly glowing candle began a lovely slide presentation created by
Joan Crothers, Leader from Rhode Island, USA. Founder Marian Tompson
and Nancy Franklin read the poem and began reading the list of names
as they appeared on the slide, arranged by year of death.
The audience was hushed and
subdued. Many held hands, and many shed tears. There were occasional
soft gasps as someone recognized the name of a Leader whose death was
previously unknown. At the end of the list, the candle reappeared and
the room remained hushed for a few moments longer. Nancy showed the
group an album with the names written in beautiful calligraphy by Susan
Baker, Leader from Massachusetts, USA. After the Conference, the book
was brought to the LLLI office, where it is displayed on a simple table
with an electric “candle” next to it.
Nancy has continued to collect
names of Leaders who have died since the Conference, as well as those
who died earlier but whose names didn’t reach Nancy in time for this
first ceremony. This is sure to become a powerful tradition to honor
the lives of the women who have helped make La Leche League what it
is today. “So as we live, they too shall live, for they are now a part
of us, as we remember them.”
We Remember Them
In the rising of
the sun and in its going down, we remember them;
In the blowing of
the wind and in the chill of winter, we remember them;
In the opening of
buds and in the rebirth of spring, we remember them;
In the rustling
of leaves and in the beauty of autumn, we remember them;
In the beginning
of the year and when it ends, we remember them;
When we are weary
and in need of strength, we remember them;
When we are lost
and sick at heart, we remember them;
When we have joys
we yearn to share, we remember them;
So as we live, they
too shall live, for they are now a part of us, as we remember them.
Editor's Note: The prayer, “We Remember Them” © is included in The
Gates of Prayer, a Reform Jewish prayerbook published by the Central
Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), and reprinted with express permission
of the CCAR. We are grateful to the CCAR for their gracious and generous
permission to reprint this piece in Leaven.
Melissa Clark Vickers
has been a Leader since 1990 and lives in Huntingdon, Tennessee, USA
with her husband, Bob, and children, Dan and Merrilee. She is currently
serving as an Online Professional Liaison Resource Leader (OPLR) for
LLLOnLine, and was fortunate enough to have known and learned from Roberta
Bishop Johnson.
Last updated September 17, 2006 by jlm.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:32:02 UTC 2007.
