Memorial Garden Committee members Jo Youngren, Pat Greene, Marlys Weber and Edie Kalweit.

Steve Kremer was there with his guitar and we sang the hymn, “In The Garden.” It couldn’t have been more appropriate with its image of a garden and Jesus walking with us there.

After that came the ground breaking at a spot marked by chalk in the middle of what will become the center of St. Joan’s Memorial Garden. We took turns turning up shovels of earth that will one day fold us into itself close to the church that we all love.  Next we walked back to the Parish Center where a wonderful feast of every possible good thing, including wine, had been prepared for us by the incredible generosity of Edie Kalweit.

The SJA Memorial Garden received the blessing of Archbishop Flynn, pictured here with the creator of the idea Marlys Weber, a few months ago.

At the masses earlier we sang  an old Frank Sinatra song, “Young At Heart.” Thinking about the song later, it describes how the committee who have worked so long on bringing this dream along now feel - young at heart.  It echoes Father Jim’s remarks at the homily -  “when you stop dreaming, you might as well be dead.” 

If you’re interested in joining these St. Joan dreamers by considering having your ashes buried in this spot, call Pete Eichten at the Parish Center, or e-mail him at peichten@stjoan.com. There is also the option of having a paver stone engraved with the name of a loved one whom you would like to memorialize in the Garden. Pete can tell you about that, also. 

Excitement is running high as the initial building of the Garden is about to begin. Check out the site on the north side of the church on Sundays to watch its progress. If you run into some folks there who seem a bit giddy, it’s not wine induced, it’s just a delirious committee member who  is having difficulty believing what they’re seeing is true.

Jo Welch-Youngren worked with Harvey Egan in the early days of St. Joan of Arc. At that time she, Cy and Joan Speltz, Nancy Anderson, Darlene Arbuckle, Ferry Deslauriers, and John McGowan made up the staff. We all pitched in and did everything that needed doing and had a ball every day. Jo’s first husband, Jack Welch, was buried from St. Joan’s in 1980. Later she married Dave Youngren, moved to New Mexico, then returned to her roots. Now she and Dave sit on the left side center at the 9:00 o’clock Mass on Sundays and love every minute of it. Jo can be reached at joandave@ties2.net.

Marlys Weber, a member of St. Joans for 37 years, has a passion for Justice and Peace actions. She is a member of WAMM and Veterans for Peace and has been arrested numerous times for non-violent civil disobedience. In 2003, she helped organize four anti-war buses from St. Joans to Washington DC. Marlys has been on delegations to El Salvador, Guatemala, South Africa and Haiti. She rides with Team Oz, is a dedicated member of the Justice Fund Committee, the Bible Study group and is Chair of the tenacious Memorial Garden Committee for creation remains.  Doing photo/journalism is her secret desire.