This weekend we redid the memorial to daughter Meagan at Camp Howard where she had been a camper, CIT, counselor and unit director before becoming a 3rd grade teacher. In a beautiful location at the camp, where Mt. Hood looms over a national forest and the Bull Run watershed, we built a memorial 12 years ago with a wooden swing for camp guests to take in the spectacular view. But 12 years took its toll. To replace the swing, Erin M designed a bench, her significant other Brooks Haxton helped with the design, welded the steel frame (embellished with hearts) and persuaded his friend, stone mason Gabriel Weiss to join our family this weekend to build the bench. Family members contributed special rocks to be part of the bench – including a special rock retrieved from receding Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau. Meagans cousin Shaun Mccormick hiked in and carried out, then spent $44.95 to FedEx to us. The work crew cleaning rocks and sprucing up the memorial location included Donna McCormick; Kelly McCormick Sayre, Terry Sayre and their boys Daniel, Ian, Eli and Keeton; Allison McCormick-Fernandez, daughter Meagan and husband Juan Fernandez Halcon; Meagans fiancé Tom McDonald; and Dennis McLeod and Julie A. Flynn McLeod. Many more family members sent rocks and regrets that they couldnt be there to help. The bench is as beautiful as the view and, thanks to Erin, Brooks and Gabriel, its likely to last much longer than 12 years. Meagan loved that location and its view. I cant think of a better spot to recall what a remarkable person she was.
Posted on: Mon, 02 Jun 2014 00:00:05 +0000