THE COMPASSIONAT E FR IENDS
CHAPTER OF M ARIETTA, G A
P. O. BOX 1892
M ARIETT A, G A 30061
Fall 2013
The Compassionate Friends
Newsletter
Contact and Chapter
Information
TCF National Office
P.O. Box 3696
Oak Brook, IL 60522-3696
Tel: (877) 969-0010
Fax: (630) 990-0246
www.compassionatefriends.org
GA Regional Coordinator
Sandra Stinson
706-235-6108
Marietta Chapter
(404) 539-4287
www.tcfmarietta.org
Linda Eroh, Co-Leader
404-539-4287
[email protected]
Rod Cleveland, Co-Leader
678-485-6048
[email protected]
Crystal Freeman, Newsletter
[email protected]
2013 Marietta TCF Candle Lighting
Save the Date!
The Marietta TCF candle lighting will be on December 8th this year.
Sunday December 8th is also the date for the World Wide Candle
Lighting. The World Wide Candle Lighting was started by The Compassionate Friends. Worldwide Candle Lighting unites family and
friends around the globe in lighting candles for one hour to honor and
remember children who have died at any age from any cause.
As candles are lit at 7 p.m. local time, hundreds of thousands of people commemorate
and honor the memory of all children gone
too soon. Now believed to be the largest
mass candle lighting on the globe, the
Worldwide Candle Lighting, a gift to the
bereavement community from The Compassionate Friends, creates a virtual 24-hour
wave of light as it moves from time zone to
time zone.
This year our regular meeting will be the first Tuesday in December at
our regular meeting place at First Baptist Church. Our candle lighting
ceremony will be Sunday, December 8. It will be held at Unity North
Church at 4255 Sandy Plains Road Marietta. Details will be provided
closer to the date.
Lisa Parnell-Jones, Treasurer
[email protected]
Meetings 1st Tuesday of Month
First Baptist Church
Marietta - 3rd Floor
7:00 - 9:30 PM
TCF Mission Statement
When a child dies, at any age, the family suffers intense pain and may
feel hopeless and isolated. The Compassionate Friends provides highly
personal comfort, hope, and support to every family experiencing the
death of a son or a daughter, a brother or a sister, or a grandchild, and
helps others better assist the grieving family.
Page 2
The Compassionate Friends Newsletter
Fall 2013
An Unexpected Gift
My Daughter, Lauren Kayla Parnell, passed away on May 6, 2012…she was 23 years old. Lauren
and I had a very close relationship; however, during her teen years from about 16 – 17 years of
age…we had our challenges with one another. Once Lauren turned 18 years old, she moved out on
her own for a while and our relationship grew stronger than ever. She was the most amazing
daughter anyone could ever be blessed to have. I am so lucky to have been chosen to be her Mom!
Just a couple of weeks ago, I found this poem among her writings. It was dated July 3, 2007…she
was 18 years old when she wrote this…it is entitled; “My Rock LPJ”. My initials are LPJ for Lisa
Parnell-Jones. She wrote:
My Rock LPJ
Looking past all the pain we put each other through
your example has made me who I am today
And has taught me how to cope
And has given me hope
That tomorrow will be better than yesterday
Through all of your hurdles and strife
You always kept your pride
You taught me to face my fears
And you dried away my tears
You taught me to Love and to Laugh
No matter how much it hurt
I learned through you the impossible can be achieved
And when people say “you can’t”, I must always make it be!
When you lose your Sanity
The only place you can run is to your Family
When it rains it pours, tears or blood
I still find you through the fog
Because of the glow of your Love.
I read this poem to a couple of my TCF friends and they encouraged me to
share it here. I hope you find it comforting, as I have…just knowing that (even
if they didn’t write their feelings down somewhere for you to find) our Angels
felt the love that we as their parents had for them and they have been able to
take that love with them on their new journey! I feel so blessed to have been
given this unexpected gift!
Lisa Parnell-Jones
TCF Marietta, GA
Page 3
Fall 1013
The Compassionate Friends Newsletter
Our Children’s Birthdays
Birthdays are given special recognition at our monthly meetings. We have a table set up so that you may display a
favorite photo of your child or sibling. There is also an opportunity to share a short story or memory of your child,
and If you’d like you may bring in a birthday cake or favorite snack. If you would like to submit an article, with or
without a picture, for the newsletter as a Birthday Tribute please send it to Crystal Freeman at
[email protected]
Amber Anne Morris
Brian Hoefler
Brian Thompson
Addison Sarah Rice
Adhit Prathip
Carl Michele
Ashley Howard
Daniel Mammola
Camden Clifford Hiers
Donna Stitt
Hayley Grace Lane
Elijah Joseph Edmondson
Jivoni Alexander Quinones
Garrett Jonah DeMarce
Isaiah Fe'loy Gibbs
Jaden Douglas Worthy
Jimmy Mitchell
Joshua Klug
Lucas Robert Barrett
Mallory Elaine Smith
Marina 'Lelu' Slama
Matthew Charles Novak
Mia Marie Dowling
Olivia Marie Garcia
Tiffany Marie Sisson
Tim Daniel Kincaid
Tyrell Scott Coleman
Victor Peter Fasciani
Yahsen Daniel Campbell
Kasey Marie Vanek
Katherine Marie Wood
Kevin Mui
Michael Bertocchi Jr.
Michelle Ala Reeves
Nicholas Robert Pritchard
Patrick Shelby Powers
Rachel Ann Edwards Wesley
Ross Pischike
Scott Henderson
Scott Woodrow Henderson
Steve Black
Steven Boultinghouse
Tyler Cody Davis
Wyatt James Gentry
Alexander Douglas Lambert
Caniece Collins
Cara Jean Bridson
Cathleen Ann Lavelle
Christopher Michael Landry
Christopher Wade Tyler
Connor Lenning
Jesse Wayne Carroll
John Livingston Simpson III
Mary Josephine Blankenship
Shireen Kachwalla
Steven Mark Grimm
Sydney Brooke Pollock
Terrence Easter
Fall 2013
The Compassionate Friends Newsletter
Page 4
Letters To Our Sons and Daughters...
In Loving Memory of Nic Pritchard
Nic,
This has been both the longest and shortest year of my life. I have felt more pain,
more anguish, more loss this year than any I can remember. This year seems like it has gone on
forever. And yet, tomorrow will be one year since you left…sometimes it feels like only days.
My heart just breaks that you’re not here. I still find it so unbelievable that you took your own
life. I absolutely never saw that coming. You seemed so strong, so full of life. I have so many regrets: my loss of a son, my mis-reading our relationship, the change in our family, losing our Allatoona family, and so many more.
People keep telling me I’ll make it through this. Life will one day have meaning again. I’ll
laugh more than I cry. Good will come from this tragedy. I hope so. I do know this…I am loved.
Deeply loved by many people. And I am so grateful for that love. It’s that love that carries me
through this turmoil.
I love you son. Selfishly, I wish you had made a different choice and I wish I knew why you
made the choice you did. But, I know you are safe and that brings me peace. I am committed to
someday seeing your decision as a Blessing. Thank you for sharing your light with us. I am grateful that you chose us for a family.
While the pain of missing you is sometimes almost unbearable, I take some small solace in the
idea that you realized that your journey in this life was complete; that you fulfilled your purpose,
and were ready to move on. This doesn’t take away the pain or the void you left behind, and I
have spent much time this year working on releasing you on to your next adventure. While a big
part of me wishes you were still here physically, I do know that your spirit will always be with me.
I wish you Godspeed as you continue to learn, grow, and share your blessings with others.
To know you is to love you. Mischievous, smart, loving, honest, funny, athletic. And don’t forget stubborn, determined, and hard-headed. You are a bright shining light. That is how I will remember my son. You gave us many gifts: laughter, love, friendship, loyalty, and wisdom.
Yes, we will remember how you died, but that is not your legacy. Your legacy is that your love
and acceptance is inclusive, that you have brightened the lives of thousands of people, that you
challenge us to be better human beings, that you were steadfast in your beliefs, and that even
though you weren’t a great dancer, you loved having people watch you dance. That is your legacy.
Keep dancing, my son. I love you!
David Pritchard
TCF Marietta, GA
A person that loses a partner is called a widow. A child who loses a parent is called an orphan. But there is no word
to describe a parent that loses a child, because the loss is like no other.
~Unknown
The Compassionate Friends Newsletter
Page 5
Fall 2013
A Birthday Note…
February 21st, 2010 was the day that it all changed. That was the day that we got
two lines on a pregnancy test and found out we were going to be parents! A few
months later we found out what cystic fibrosis was and learned there was a possibility that you would have it. We were scared as you were already the center of our
universe and the thought of there being anything wrong with you was frightening.
We prayed long and hard and realized that the Lord had a special spirit that he
intended just for your daddy and I and you were going to be absolutely perfect no
matter what! Then, October 26th, 2010 finally came. You arrived and we realized we never really
knew what love was before you came along. You were perfect, just as God told me you would be!
Absolutely beautiful, sweet, independent, the most amazing smile around! You were an all-around
blessing and gift, but you did have cystic fibrosis. It was an adjustment to learn all of the things we
had to do to be able to care for you and there were a few sacrifices made along the way to be sure
you stayed as healthy as possible. We never thought twice about any of it because you were our
world and everything was more than worth it!
Hayley Grace Lane, you are our hero and always will be. For such a tiny person you had nothing
but courage and strength coursing through those veins. We always thought that parents were supposed to mold their children, but you molded us instead. You turned us into the people we are today and we wouldn’t be where we are in life if it weren’t for you. Just like God had promised, you
were perfect; you were an angel sent to live on Earth. We never imagined we’d only have you for
such a short period of time, but you didn’t waste a single second of that time! You were always
busy doing everything you could to enjoy life and change people. The lives you have impacted still
leave us in awe. We thank God for entrusting us with such an amazing blessing of being the parents of you, our angel.
October 26th 2013 you would have turned 3 years old. You would have had yet another Minnie
Mouse party we imagine because you simply couldn’t get enough of that little mouse! We were
going to buy you a trampoline for your birthday because it was supposed to be good therapy for
your lungs. When we first started thinking about this day, we were sad that we wouldn’t get to
buy that trampoline for you after all. Then God reminded us that you don’t need it any longer. You
are healthy and the heavens are your playground now. God is giving you a much better time than
we ever could have on Earth and He is holding you tight until we are done with our missions and
able to be with you once more. You see, you are our hero because you were amazing enough to finish your mission in only 2 years, 3 months, & 27 days, that’s how great you were. Mommy, Daddy,
and Callie are still working on our missions right now but we will be with you again soon! Fly high
and have a blast in that heavenly playground until the day we can wrap our arms around you
again.
Hayley Grace Lane, Happy 3rd Birthday in Heaven Sweet Angel! And in the words of your favorite
cartoon character, “see ya real soon!”
Love Always,
Mommy, Daddy, & Callie
Alex & Lyndsie Lane
Marietta TCF
“The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not ‘get over’ the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live
with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but
you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same, nor would you want to.”
― Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and John Kessler
Page 6
Fall 2013
The Compassionate Friends Newsletter
Our Children Loved and Remembered
Angel Dates
October
September
Amy Michelle Chalmers
November
Adam William Hess
Ariell Nerissa Mohammed
Addison Sarah Rice
Anke Marjon Furber
Carl Michele
Adhit Prathip
Ashley Nelson
Christi Michelle Nowak
Brian William Larson
Aundrea Alexis Humphrey
Jonathan E. Holliday
Caniece Collins
Mark Lee
Christopher Lumpkin
Mary Blankenship
DyKeith Ennis-Williams
Matthew David Redd
Eden Monroe Blakely
Christopher Michael Landry
Olivia Marie Garcia
Jill Daly
Corey Andre McKenzie
Patrick Shelby Powers
John Hosfeld
Emma Alger
Rachel Jenece Glaser
Joshua Humphrey
Garrett Jonah DeMarce
Steven Boultinghouse
Jarrod Michael Norman
Timothy Desmond Jr. "TJ"
Jeremy Daniel Nieves
Vicki Lynn Oxford
Brittany Ann Hopkins
Brody James Cole
Cathleen Ann Lavelle
Justin Roeser
Michelle Ala Reeves
Michelle Massey
Moore Hallmark III
Joshua Klug
Luther Griffith Mills III
Nicolas Lee Werhofnik
Rachel Ann Wesley
Scott Henderson
Scott Woodrow Henderson
Zack Ferguson
Rhonda Blount
Robert Tufts
Sadie Ruth Barrett
Shireen Kachwalla
Steven Mark Grimm
Thomas Patrick Lyons
Tiffany Marie Sisson
William Robinson
If you would like a photo button made of
your child, you may submit a favorite
photo by email to Glen Cummins at [email protected] or bring one with
you to the next meeting.
Page 7
The Compassionate Friends Newsletter
New Book in Library!
Hayley Grace Lane, my beautiful daughter that completed her mission on earth in a short time was an inspiration for all who met her.
Unfortunately, she didn’t get to touch as many lives as she could have
since she was only 2! However, I wasn’t willing to accept her mission
and story being over just yet! So, I used my writing talent to start a
series inspired by her. Loosely based on true events, I used my writing at my most vulnerable time in the grieving process as a sort of
journaling and wrote Escaping Eternity.
This series is my way to reach out to other grievers and hopefully offer some comfort
and hope. Escaping Eternity is a Speculative Christian Fantasy story that takes an outside approach of the loss of a loved one and shows that no matter what the situation;
hope is never out of reach!
Escaping Eternity: Book 1 in The Guardian Angels Series is available
free to read in The Compassionate Friends Marietta Chapter library now
or downloadable on Amazon!
Grace is now an angel in Heaven. Her suffering from a life with a chronic illness is
over, and she is finally able to live pain free. Now a Guardian Angel, her spirit is grown
and in full form. Now existing in a paradise with streets paved of gold and flowers which
beauty she could have never imagined, she has finally found peace. However, as she
watches her family grieve their loss of her, she is faced with a question no other Guardian Angel has ever faced.
Would you give up an eternity of paradise to help your loved ones?
Conflicted, Grace contemplates her dilemma. Is there a way for her to ease the pain
of her family? Even if a way presents itself, is she willing to give up the amazing paradise
without illness for the benefit of her family?
Take a different look at the grieving process with the Guardian Angel Series and discover if Grace will be able to escape eternity… and does she really want to?
VOLUNTEERS WELCOME! If you would like to give of your time to our chapter, we always welcome
volunteers. Volunteer opportunities range from helping to set up a meeting, facilitating meetings,
maintaining the library, newsletter editing, making phone calls and helping with special events.
This is a great way to give back in memory of your child after you have found hope, encouragement and strength from TCF.
Fall 2013
Page 8
The Compassionate Friends Newsletter
Fall 2013
Upcoming Events
A Day with Mitch and Alan
We will be having a workshop entitled "A Day with Mitch and Alan" on November 16. at Unity
North Church located at 4255 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta. The First Baptist Church was unavailable which is the reason for the venue change. The cost will be a 30.00 dollar donation and will include a continental breakfast and lunch. If the donation exceeds your budget let me know and we
will work it out. Mitch and Alan are professional speakers which will provide a different perspective for hope and healing.
MITCH CARMODY, author - speaker - workshop presenter
THE COLORS OF GRIEF
Author of Letters to My Son: A Journey Through Grief Mitch Carmody is a prolific writer, sought after
speaker and intuitive artist. A popular presenter at bereaved parent conferences and general bereavement programs, Mitch believes we must be proactive in our grieving. Since the death of his
son 20 years ago, Mitch has dedicated his life to helping the bereaved navigate the uncharted territory of death, dying and the bereavement process. Through his compassionate insight and gentle
spirit he will touch your heart and give you tools to aid you on your journey. Mitch has developed
a new forum for the bereaved titled: Proactive Grieving™… a paradigm shift in processing loss. His
newest workshop, "Proactive Grieving" and the website named for it explore the many faces of
grief through art, music and writing. Mitch and his wife Barb live in rural Minnesota and are the
proud grandparents of their first grandchild. Visit heartlightstudios.net or proactivegrieving.com.
Alan’s message is simple, “We were put on this earth to love them for as long as WE live, not for as
long as THEY lived.” He believes that healing comes slow, but does come as we reach out to others
who share this journey and offer our hand to help. Alan and Denise extend Hope to those of us in
so much pain from loss. With a gentle mix of humor and straight-from-the-heart talk wrapped
around powerful songs about love and loss, time spent with Alan Pedersen will make for a unique,
healing and memorable experience. ♥
Events sponsored by the Atlanta chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention: http://www.afsp.org/news-events/event-calendar
3rd Annual Candlelight Vigil
September 12, 2013
8:00pm – 9:00pm
Piedmont Park, Atlanta
Out of the Darkness Walk
November 3, 2013
Piedmont Park, Atlanta
International Survivors of Suicide Day
National Event
November 23, 2013
Dorothy Fuqua Training Center
1961 North Druid Hills Road
Atlanta, GA
Page 9
The Compassionate Friends Newsletter
Fall 2013
In October, Marietta has Scarecrows in the Square and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens has Scarecrows in the Garden. I thought
some of our artistic/craft people might look into participating in
one or both events.
We would need to incorporate the TCF official logo and maybe
our scarecrows could be decorated with butterflies. Our identifying sign could be you need not walk alone and we could provide
contact information.
If you are interested let Linda Eroh ( [email protected]) know so
we co-ordinate our efforts.
A love gift is a donation to help carry on the work of
our chapter. There are no dues to be a member of TCF
but we are truly appreciative for contributions, which
help in such a wonderful way to continue the efforts of
our chapter. We would like to extend our gratitude to
all who donate for their generous gifts, which allow us
to reach out to the newly bereaved and give needed
support to the bereaved parents and siblings in our
community. There are many expenses involved with
our monthly meetings, newsletters, mailings, events,
and outreach, none of which would be possible without
your contributions. Love gifts are acknowledged in
each quarterly newsletter. Thank you also to those of
you who donate anonymously at our chapter meetings.
Would you like to honor your child by making a donation to the Marietta Chapter of the Compassionate
Friends in his or her memory?
Please fill out the information below, clip and mail
with your tax deductable donation to:
Marietta Chapter TCF P.O. Box 1892, Marietta, GA
30061
Please make checks payable to Marietta TCF.
Name___________________________________
Address_________________ City____________State_____
Zip_____
In memory of:___________________________
TCF CREDO
We need not walk alone. We are The Compassionate Friends. We reach out to each other with love, with understanding, and with hope. The children we mourn have died at all ages and from many different causes, but our
love for them unites us. Your pain becomes my pain, just as your hope becomes my hope.
We come together from all walks of life, from many different circumstances. We are a unique family because we
represent many races, creeds, and relationships. We are young and we are old. Some of us are far along in our
grief, but others still feel a grief so fresh and so intensely painful that they feel helpless and see no hope.
Some of us have found our faith to be a source of strength, while some of us are struggling to find answers.
Some of us are angry, filled with guilt or in deep depression, while others radiate an inner peace. But whatever
pain we bring to this gathering of The Compassionate Friends, it is a pain we will share, just as we share with
each other our love for the children who have died.
We are all seeking and struggling to build a future for ourselves, but we are committed to building a future together. We reach out to each other in love to share the pain as well as the joy, share the anger as well as the
peace, share the faith as well as the doubts, and help each other to grieve as well as to grow.
We need not walk alone. We are The Compassionate Friends.
The Compassionate Friends
Marietta Chapter Newsletter
c/o Marietta TCF
P. O. Box 1892
Marietta, GA 30061
Fall 2013
Marietta Chapter Meetings
Our meetings are held on the
First Tuesday of each month
First Baptist Church of
Marietta
148 Church Street, Marietta
Main Building on the third
floor
© 2007 The Compassionate Friends