Celebration of Life Program Examples

Dee’s life

Doris Ann Kovacs was born on March 8, 1945 in Pueblo, Colorado, the fourth of six children of Stephen and Helen Kovacs. She was the one sent to fetch the others home for dinner, which she said was the first job she ever had and the best training for the rest of them.

She married Frank Marchetti in 1966 and they bought the house on Poplar Street two years later for less than a car costs now. Frank died in 2011. She stayed.

In 1974 she started minding two neighbors' children so their mothers could go back to work, and did not stop for thirty-one years. Something over four hundred children came through that kitchen. She fed all of them, taught most of them to tie their shoes, and remembered every single name, which several adults in this yard can confirm.

She grew tomatoes along the south fence and gave them away in ice cream buckets. She watched the Broncos with the sound off and the radio on. She kept a drawer of birthday cards, bought in advance, so nobody was ever missed.

Dee died at home on May 12, 2026, in the front room, with Angela and Rick there and the window open.

This afternoon

As you arrive Photographs are on the table by the back door. The guest book is beside them. Please write something, even one line.

Welcome Rick Marchetti, her son

Dee’s life Angela Marchetti Boyd, her daughter

Reading “Remember” by Christina Rossetti Read by Sofia Boyd, her granddaughter

Three people who knew her Marlene Trujillo, who lived across the street for forty years Denise Whitlock, who was three years old in 1979 and is now a nurse Father Tom Egan, St. Brigid’s

Music “Blue Bayou” She sang it wrong, loudly, for fifty years

Open floor If you have a story about Dee, come up. Most of you do. Keep it to a few minutes so everyone gets a turn.

Thank you Rick Marchetti

Then: food

Everything is on the picnic table and there is more in the kitchen. Stay as long as you want to.

THANK YOU

Thank you for being here, and for the six weeks before today. There has been food on our porch nearly every night and we have not always known who left it. We are grateful to all of you.

Thank you especially to the nurses of Front Range Hospice, who made it possible for Mom to be at home, which was the only thing she asked for.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE SOMETHING

Dee would rather you gave it to the Loveland Public Library children’s room than sent flowers.

BEFORE YOU GO

There are cards and pens on the table. If Dee looked after you, or looked after your children, please write down one thing you remember. We are making a book of them for the grandchildren, and we would like it to be very long.

Take a tomato plant from the box by the gate. She started them in March.

[FRONT]

FOR RAY KUBIK 1957 – 2026

Hollis Brothers, back room Saturday, February 7 at noon

Lunch is on Ray. He would have insisted, and he did.

[INSIDE LEFT]

Raymond Joseph Kubik was born in Erie on October 3, 1957, and never saw a reason to live anywhere else.

He went to work at Delvecchio Transmission at nineteen, bought it at thirty-one, and ran it until last spring. He fixed cars for three generations of some families. He carried people who could not pay, which he never mentioned and everyone knew.

He married Louise Fenster in 1983. They had two boys, Danny and Pete, and a marriage that Louise describes as thirty-nine years of him being late for dinner.

Ray coached wrestling at Strong Vincent for eleven seasons. He was at the fire hall every Tuesday. He drove the same truck for twenty-two years and would tell you the mileage without being asked.

He died on January 19, 2026, at Hamot, with Louise, Danny and Pete there.

[INSIDE RIGHT]

Today

Welcome Danny Kubik

About Dad Pete Kubik

A few words Sal Delvecchio, who taught him the trade Bob Marcinek, from the fire hall Louise Kubik

A minute of quiet

Music “Take It Easy”

Then lunch, and stay as long as Hollis lets us.

If you want to tell a story, stand up and tell it. There is no order to this part.

[BACK]

THANK YOU

Thank you for coming out in this weather. Ray would have said you were all crazy and then bought your lunch.

Thanks to the crew at the shop, who kept it open all week so people had somewhere to come and stand around.

The family asks that any donations go to the Lawrence Park Volunteer Fire Department, Erie, Pennsylvania.

There was a private burial at Wintergreen Gorge on January 24.

[FRONT]

CHARLIE

CHARLENE ELISE BRACEWELL February 11, 1979 – July 6, 2026

Lakepoint Pavilion, Rockwall Saturday, August 8, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.

Wear something she would have made fun of.

[ORDER PAGE]

The evening

5:30 Doors, music, and the photographs Everything on the tables came from her house or from one of you. Look at all of it. The blue notebook by the door is for stories.

6:00 Welcome Marcus Bracewell

6:05 Charlie’s life Nadine Okonjo, who has been her best friend since the ninth grade

6:15 Reading From “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman Read by Ellis Bracewell, her son

6:20 Four people Renee Salas, who taught across the hall from her for fourteen years Dr. Amara Whitfield, her oncologist, at the family’s invitation Tommy Ruiz, class of 2011 June Bracewell, her daughter

6:40 Music “Landslide” There is no story here, she just played it constantly

6:45 Open floor There is a microphone at the front and a line will form. Please keep it to two minutes. If you would rather write than speak, the blue notebook is by the door and we will read every word of it.

7:15 Thank you Marcus Bracewell

Then: food, and the lake, and each other.

The pavilion is ours until ten.

THANK YOU

Nineteen months is a long time to be looked after, and Charlie was looked after well. Thank you to the nursing staff at Baylor Scott & White in Rowlett, to the Thursday meal train that ran for over a year, and to every person who took the kids somewhere without being asked.

Thank you to Rockwall High, who covered her classes, kept her keys, and put her name on the door until June.

THE CHARLIE BRACEWELL AWARD

Rather than flowers, the family and the school have started an award for a graduating senior going into science teaching. Details are on the card in the back of this booklet, or ask Renee Salas tonight.

PRACTICAL THINGS

Restrooms are behind the pavilion, past the playground. Parking is along Lakefront Trail; the lot fills by six. There is water and iced tea in the coolers at both ends. If it storms, we move to the Rockwall Community Center, ten minutes away, and someone will tell you.

FOR THE KIDS

Ellis and June would like everyone to know that they are fine tonight, and that they would rather hear a story about their mom than be asked how they are doing. Please go and talk to them.

[FRONT]

A GATHERING FOR STANLEY CHUKWUEMEKA OKPARA 1951 – 2026

The memorial garden at Trinity Chapel Saturday, May 16, 2026 at eleven o’clock

He died in February. We waited for the weather, and for his sister.

[INSIDE]

This morning

Welcome Ngozi Okpara-Reeves, his daughter

Why we are here in May Ngozi Okpara-Reeves

Stanley’s life Emeka Okpara, his brother

Reading Psalm 121, King James Version Read by Ruth Anyanwu

Three people speak Dr. Harriet Vance, who worked beside him at the hospital for twenty-six years Kenneth Boateng, from the Sunday choir Adaeze Okpara, his sister, who has come from Lagos

The interment His ashes will be placed in the garden, beside the bench. Please come forward when you are ready. There is soil in the bowl and flowers in the baskets. Do whichever you like, or stay where you are; either is right.

A blessing Reverend Callum Hayes

Music “How Great Thou Art” Please sing

Then: lunch in the fellowship hall

[BACK]

STANLEY

He was born in Enugu on July 2, 1951, came to Ohio in 1977 with one suitcase and a residency place, and spent twenty-six years as a respiratory therapist at Miami Valley Hospital. He married Grace Amadi in 1980. He sang second tenor. He read three newspapers on Sunday and argued with all of them. He kept a garden that everyone in this one would recognize.

Grace died in 2019. Stanley died on February 3, 2026, at home, with Ngozi and Emeka there.

THANK YOU

Thank you for coming, and for waiting with us for three months. Thank you to Trinity Chapel for the garden and for keeping his seat empty in the choir stalls this spring.

In place of flowers: the Trinity Chapel garden fund, or the American Lung Association.

The bench beside the garden is his. Sit on it whenever you like.

[FRONT]

YVONNE PEARL CADOGAN 1936 – 2026

For Gran

Tuesday, April 21 · 4 Whitmarsh Street

[BACK]

Hello and thank you for coming Sandra

A few words about Gran Michael

“Amazing Grace” Sing if you know it, and Gran always said most of you don’t

Anyone who wants to say something

Tea, and the good biscuits

· · ·

Yvonne was born in Bridgetown, Barbados, on September 30, 1936, came to Providence in 1961, worked at Rhode Island Hospital for thirty-two years, and raised four children and a good many other people’s.

She died at home on April 11 with the radio on.

There are photographs on the sideboard. Take any of them you are in.