betsyburton.org - Announcements

San Francisco Memorial and Reception - Saturday, August 4, 2007
A memorial service was held in San Francisco on Saturday, August 4 in honor of Betsy's West-coast home and her love of California and the Bay Area. Approximately 40 friends and family gathered to share in her spirit and her love of the outdoors in the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park, a place that frequently gave her solace. Attendees brought a plant, flower, or natural object in order to build a living altar for Betsy. The service included readings and remarks from family and friends, and a presentation by some of the children who were close to Betsy of hand carved, redwood rings that were blessed by those in attendance. The service was closed by Baba Harihar Ramji, from the Sonoma Ashram, who led a moving meditation. After the service, an informal reception was held where people continued to share memories and stories of Betsy.

A collective donation has been taken up and given to the Sempervirens Fund for a Redwood Tree dedicated in Betsy’s memory. The tree will be dedicated in the Santa Cruz Mountains at Big Basin State Park, the 1^st state park in California. Contributions can be made in any amount. To make a donation:

To make a donation, visit the Sempervirens Fund website and indicate that your donation is for the Betsy Burton Memorial Fund.

Andrea Maes will be coordinating the donation. If you have any questions, you can contact her by email or phone at (650) 938-6237.

Memorial Planned at the Wright Institute
The Wright Institute hosted a memorial service for Betsy on Sunday, January 28. The Wright provided food, and Ginny Morgan, Registrar, provided some music. It was a chance for everyone to share memories, poems, songs, stories about our much-loved and missed friend. Many thanks to Ginny and to Liz Hertz, Admissions, for making this service possible.

Healing Circle Honoring Betsy Burton
On Monday, January 15, Deborah Franzini, Betsy's yoga teacher and friend, facilitated a healing circle for approximately 40 of Betsy's friends, family, and colleagues. In the warm space that welcomed all and recalled the spirit of Betsy, people shared their feelings about her loss and thoughts on the gifts she had given them during the time she was in our lives. Together, the group created a journal of these stories, which was given to Betsy's family to take back East. After a powerful and moving hour and a half, Deborah, in an effort to give Betsy a voice to say the things she could not, played Sarah McLaughlan's "Angel" to close the circle.

The service was quite moving and was attended by about three hundred people. Many people present were friends from the Burton's community in Darien as well as Betsy's relatives. There were also innumerable friends in attendance spanning ALL eras of Betsy's life including large contingents from Wesleyan University and Darien High School. The service was held in the same church where Betsy's Dad's service was held 2 years ago. It opened with the hymn "Amazing Grace" and followed with a number of biblical readings and hymns performed by a lovely vocalist and organist. Linda, Betsy' mom, and her sisters, Amy and Carly, demonstrated amazing strength when they spoke. Linda read St. Theresa's Prayer and Carly and Amy shared beautiful stories that captured the depth and integrity of their, and their family's relationship with Betsy. Betsy's long time friend Christie Cobb also spoke as well as her uncle Steve Burton. The Reverend, and everyone who spoke, honored Betsy's life work of supporting the people around her. As a daughter, sister, athlete, teacher, consultant, and friend, Betsy was always motivated by the generosity and love in her heart as well as her greater desire for social justice. Betsy's family graciously hosted all guests at Linda's home after the service where we had the opportunity to spend time talking and sharing.

While charitable donations are only a token, and while we cannot even begin to quantify what Betsy gave us all simply by being in our lives, Betsy's family know that some may want to honor her memory this way.

In recognition of Betsy's love for kids and the work she did at the Friends of the Infant-Parent Program, donations to that organization in honor of Betsy would be appreciated. Their address is:
Friends of the Infant-Parent Program
236 West Portal Avenue, #2550 San Francisco, CA 94127

Betsy also recently found peace at the Sonoma Ashram, and that she enjoyed being there. So, donations there in her memory her also would be appropriate. Their address is:
Sonoma Ashram
PO Box 950, Sonoma, CA 95476