Here are some of the many special people this community is remembering today, along with a little snapshot as to why.
I hope this project inspires you to share your own story of a loved one. Loss does not take away legacy. It simply leaves it in our hands to champion that tale.
I wish you a Memorial Day filled with the stories of a lifetime.
Want to add to this post? All are welcome. Simply post a comment below.
(She’s the beauty in the middle.)
Shorthand expert, bowling instructor, and military secretary. Always wore heels—even in her 90s. Her, her maternal grandparents, and all six of her grandparents’ children were married 50+ years.
Richard William Gabrielski
Thumbed from Maryland to Massachusetts to give his little sister a heart-shaped locket with the Coast Guard insignia for her birthday. When the sun came up the next day, his parents put him on a bus back to Maryland before he was AWOL!
Marjorie Henderson
(Pictured on her wedding day with her husband Donald.) Quite possibly the sweetest woman on the planet. Avid photographer. Loved Paris and anything blue and white.
James Incognito
Army field medic during the Korean and Vietnam wars. First-generation Italian-American, who passed on the secrets of Italian cooking to his granddaughter.
Ines Agudelo Pasinosky
Known to get out of bed and start dancing if she heard Cumbia playing.
Brought her daughters hot lunches almost every day in elementary school. Told epic stories.
Joan Magrogan
Loved exquisitely designed furniture. Challenged others to think about things differently: with compassionate and accepting eyes. Demonstrated what bravery looked like, in a small-town teacher from Maine.
Fuad Tarazi
Took the entire family of aunts, uncles, and cousins on wonderful Christmas vacations together every year.
Taught his grandson how to make his 4′s not look like 9′s.
Jeanette Miller Mankins
Made the best school lunches in the world: homemade bread with roasted chicken, chips, carefully cut-up fruit, and homemade oatmeal cake with pecan frosting. Sometimes she would write something sweet on a thoughtfully packed napkin.
Martha and Philip Groves
Had regular square-dancing date nights.
Sent a family of seven to Catholic school on a railroad engineer’s salary.
Karl S.
Taught power-boating safety and navigating. Loved a good hot fudge sundae for dessert.
Meana and Jesse Taylor
She made the world’s best noodles and had fiery Blackfoot blood.
He traveled the U.S. constructing New Deal public works with his brothers.
A connoisseur of crème brûlée and musicals. Had a talent for making everyone feel like they were her favorite.
Favorite city: London. Favorite island: St. John.