Bonny Sosa died on Thursday, Aug. 7 of a brain tumor that was just barely diagnosed. She was 50 years old and an active, healthy runner and yoga practitioner. I knew Bonny as a friend.
Her memorial service was Friday, Aug. 15, here at Central. There were about 400 people present, from diverse parts of the Anchorage world. People came from the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau, because Bonny had worked there. People came from the mountian running community because Bonny helped establish a race series. People came from the yoga world because Bonny was a registered yoga teacher. People came from the school district, because Bonny and husband Sam Young had established and grown the Healthy Futures program for kids to stay active. People came from all over, because Bonny was raised here in Anchorage, where her parents and family still live.
I asked a pastor during seminary if memorial services get easier once you've done a few. Nope, she assured me, they get much harder.
There is very little I can say for sure in times of loss. I just say "I'm so sorry." I assure people of God's constant presence and love; God holds us in life and in death. It's not much, but I hope it's enough.
Death is a good time for storytelling, I will say that. It seems somehow comforting and healing to know these vivid stories of our loved ones live on after they have gone beyond the veil.
The stories were great at Bonny's memorial. She was kind, compassionate, warm, inviting, encouraging and positive. It was fun to get to know her better from stories shared.
The presenters of those stories were pretty diverse and maybe that was the best part. One yoga friend commented after the service: Where else in town can you attend a memorial where the pastor is a yoga teacher, the superintendent of schools (Carol Comeau) and an Olympian (Kikkan Randall)share remembrances and the congregation sings Amazing Grace accompanied only by a harmonica played by the owner of The Look? (That's a lingerie and more shop, for those outside of Anchorage :)
Bonny's life was very, very good.
Her husband said her office told something about her. The walls were plastered with inspirational quotes, like "If you're going to do something, do it with passion" and "Never walk when you can skip." Where were her many awards, he asked? She hid them under the bed.
Finally, this word I shared in my sermon: For God so loved the world, that he gave us Bonny.
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