Near the end of May we attended a memorial service for a friend named Richard Cheeseman. He and his wife Kristen Nelson were on most of the late April trips we made with a theater group to see Broadway shows in New York. We met them our first year, and we spent time with them on each following year’s adventure. They were game for anything, and when we weren’t at a play or dinner with the group, we explored New York City. 

A friend said the other day that she loves attending memorial services because she learns so many new things about those being remembered. That was certainly true about Richard. We learned of his world travels, hiking in mountainous regions, and his fascination with people of other cultures.

The ceremony was held at a shelter on a hill near Lake Harriet. It was called Beard’s Plaisance; and was near their home on Upton Avenue. Around the edge of the structure were picnic tables, each one commemorating one of Richard’s passions. There were photos, artifacts, journals, and memories at each table. He’d been an engineer and redesigned their home adding interesting shapes. His gardens gave him many hours of joy, and he did everything naturally, blending with the landscape.

The service was interesting. It began with a recording by Roberta Flack “The first time ever I saw your face.” Part of the ritual included a water ceremony. All of the guests received seeds of various kinds; mine were lavender, George’s rosemary. The water bowl was carried around for each of us to put in our seeds and share a memory if we wished. The water ultimately was used on Richard’s gardens. We also got a small package of bird seed to use in his memory.

A reading from “The Little Prince” was followed by a candle-lighting ceremony, hope for the future and a Hopi Prayer. Closing song was Willie Nelson’s “On the road again.” 

The one negative was the proximity to the airport. Words and ideas were swallowed by a steady stream of planes in the early moments of their takeoff. We were moved by the memories and the long-time friends’ stories. I’m really happy we attended.