Memorial Gathering for Kristi Forbes (Lady Christabel Heslington)
Hemlock Gorge Park, Newton/Needham MA
May 31, 2003
3-7 PM

A gathering to mourn the death and remember the life of Kristi Forbes will be on this Saturday, May 31, 2003, from 3-7 PM at Hemlock Gorge Park (directions below). We will begin with a solemn ceremony of remembrance, followed by a potluck picnic with stories, songs, and dancing. Do not feel that you had to know her well (or at all) to come. Those who did know her well would like someone to whom to tell their stories.

Please bring an origami paper crane. These will be collected at one point in the ceremony. The original intention was to burn them, but we could not arrange a fire permit, so we will be collecting them to burn later. Here are some links to instructions on folding a crane:

http://www.csi.ad.jp/suzuhari-es/1000cranes/paperc/
http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/sprite/www/Origami/crane_gif.html
http://www.galleryvirtu.org/shows/Pr5.pdf

Please also bring a contribution for the potluck. In order to insure a reasonable variety of stuff, please choose something to bring according to this algorithm:

1. choose one of your names (first, last, mundane, Scadian, nickname -- choose whichever one pleases you).

2. If that name begins with:

A-F - Bring a Dessert or drinks
G-M - Bring a Meat dish
N-S - Bring a Starch dish
T-Z - Bring a Vegetable dish

We will provide paper plates and plastic utensils. If your dish needs to be kept cold, please bring it in a cooler.

This is a nature preserve outdoors in May. We are hoping for good weather, but dress accordingly. If you will want to sit down, please bring a chair. There are trees to provide shade.

Surprisingly, the dress code is for bright, festive clothes. The ceremony will start with mourning her death, and move on to celebrating her life. We will be providing black fabric with which to cloak yourself during the first part (symbolically -- we can only afford enough fabric for everyone to wear as a sash or scarf), and at one point in the ceremony we will ask everyone to cast these off.

We will need a few volunteers to help with setting up and cleaning up.

Please feel free to pass this on to anyone who might be interested.

Jon Libby (Lord Pandaulf)
Bess Libby (Lady Maria Elisabetta Gonzaga)
Vanessa Layne (Domna Guirauda de Miraval qui avia nom Tibicen)
Bruce Davis (Lord Hubert d'Avignon also known as Ayden)
Rebecca Voris (Lady Godith Anyon)

Directions to Hemlock Gorge
Hemlock George Reservation is located on the Charles River Between Newton and Upper Falls and Needham. To get there take Route 128(I-95) to exit 20A, Route 9 East and get off at the first exit (Newton Upper Falls). This exit is an inconspicuous ramp immediately after the last merge ramp from I-95. Turn right at stop sign onto Ellis St. Hemlock Gorge runs along the river on the right side of Ellis St. We will be in the middle clearing.

Parking
There is a small parking lot at the beginning of Ellis St. that holds about eight cars. Park there if you can, or continue on Ellis St to the first stop sign, and turn right onto Chestnut St. Immediately on your right will be the Echo Bridge Office Park. We have permission from the management to park there, as long as we use the spaces farthest from the building.

This appeared in the San Jose Mercury News on Tuesday 20 May 2003.

FORBES, Dr. Kristi Lin Chrispell - March 11, 1971-April 27, 2003 The multi-talented Kristi was tragically taken from those who love her on April 27th. She is survived by her loving husband, George Dunfield, her father, David Chrispell, her brother Kenneth Chrispell, her mother Deborah Kjornsberg, and many other family and friends. Native of Busti, NY, the brilliant 32-year-old scientist had recently completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Stanford University's Department of Developmental Biology where she was the recipient of a National Research Science Award fellowship grant. Previously, she received her Doctoral degree in Genetics at Harvard University, and her Bachelor's degree in Chemistry at Wells College, where she graduated summa cum laude. She was the 1989 Class Valedictorian at Southwestern Central High School and a National Merit Scholar. Kristi was an exceptional researcher, studying both the cell-cycle of caulobacter and the fission yeast, S. pombe. Her publications in "Genetics and Nature" helped establish the role of a DNA-replication-sensitive checkpoint in the cell-cycle of yeast. She also published a review of these checkpoints in "The Yeast Nucleus". Her many interests included being an avid skier and violinist-member of the San Francisco Peninsula Orchestra and formerly of the Longwood Symphony Orchestra in Boston. During middle and high school she was part of the Lakewood Suzuki Strings. She was active in the Society of Creative Anachronism in both the Bay Area and Boston, where her many skills and sweet presence will be greatly missed. Kristi will be remembered dearly for her breadth of knowledge and intelligence; her wit and superb sense of humor; and her generous and kind nature. A memorial service will be held locally in mid-June. Please contact Dunfield@geologist.com for further information about this event. Donations in her memory can be made to the following: The Wells College Bell Tower by mailing to Wells College Office of Development, Aurora, NY 13026 and including Kristi's name with your donation or by calling 315-364-3419 or The American Diabetes Association by mailing to Always and Forever Memorial and Honor Program, Attn: ADA Web, PO Box 2680, North Canton, OH 44720 and including Kristi's' name with your donation or calling 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383).

Memorial Gathering for Kristi Forbes
(Lady Christabel Heslington)
May 31, 2003
3-7 PM
Boston Area

Please note on your calendars that a gathering to mourn the death and remember the life of Kristi Forbes will be on Saturday, May 31, 2003, from 3-7 PM. A fuller announcement will go out as soon as we have settled where it will be. The event will be outdoors, and will include a potluck dinner. We will begin with a solemn ceremony of remembrance, followed by a picnic with stories, songs, and dancing. Do not feel that you had to know her well (or at all) to come. Those who did know her well would like someone to whom to tell their stories.

Kristi's husband George and cousin Shannon would like to come out for this. We are taking up a collection to pay for their plane tickets, with any surplus going to pay for supplies for the service. If you would like to contribute, Bruce Davis (Lord Hubert d'Avignon) will be collecting. He will be at Dance Practice this week, or you can mail your contribution to:

Bruce Davis
16 Usher Rd Apt. 1
Medford, MA 02155-2233

Volunteers are also needed; if you can lend a hand with set up, clean up, or prepatory errands, please let us know.

Please feel free to pass this on to anyone who might be interested.

Jon Libby (Lord Pandaulf)
Bess Libby (Lady Maria Elisabetta Gonzaga)
Vanessa Layne (Domna Guirauda de Miraval qui avia nom Tibicen)
Bruce Davis (Lord Hubert d'Avignon also known as Ayden)
Rebecca Voris (Lady Godith Anyon)

This can't possibly be good. How did this ever slip under the radar?

108th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. J. RES. 11

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 7, 2003

"Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the twenty-second article of amendment, thereby removing the limitation on the number of terms an individual may serve as President.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:

Article--

'The twenty-second article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.'"

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c108:H.J.RES.11:

I finally spoke to Kristi's husband George on Friday. He sobbed over the phone, swept up in survivor guilt, pain medication and lack of sleep. I found my self giving what comfort I could over a cell phone 3000 miles away. There are so many people affected by Kristi's death. The pattern of reactions are strange ... those closest to Kristi are devastated and express those emotions openly. Others on the periphery are also openly expressing emotions. However those of us in the middle are having a hard time dealing with these feelings. I've been close to tears for over a week now, but I still can't bring myself to cry.

I think to myself, of all the people I know why did it have to be Kristi? In a strange way, I think I know: I believe in reincarnation. To my mind, Kristi did what she needed to do in this life - she had overcome so many obstacles - overcome her self doubt - and truly lived her life to the fullest. Many people noticed that recently Kristi seemed happier than in all the time we knew her. Tibicen said it best: "She did what she needed to do." It still doesn't make it any easier.

On a logistical note, George asked me to be his east coast point of contact. If you need to get in contact with George, please contact me first. In turn, I will let everyone know about George's plans as soon as I learn of them.

Thank you, everyone for your patience, support and love.

I just got a phone call from Kristi's cousin, Shannon. Shannon flew out to California today to be with the rest of her family.

More details on the accident: George was driving home to Sacramento on I-99 in his truck. Kristi was sleeping in the passenger seat and Cassie was in the back seat, behind George. George slowed down and pulled into the right hand lane. The car ahead of them stopped suddenly. George was unable to stop. If there is any comfort in this at all, Kristi never awoke after the accident - and died within minutes. It does not sound like she suffered.

There will be an informal, family only wake on Saturday in California, followed by a formal wake a week later. There will be a formal wake in NY in July.

More news at it comes...

If you scroll through my last few Live Journal posts, you'll see posted on 23 Feburary: Everybody Congratulate Christabel and George.

Christabel and Georege were in a car accident Saturday night while returning home from Westermark feast, an SCA event in California. Christabel did not survive.

Kristi's husband, George Dunfield (SCA: Ariel Ebbon, Royal Archer of the West Kingdom) was not seriously hurt. Kristi's good friend, Cassie Conley, a scientist at NASA Ames, is in intensive care with cracked vertebrae and liver damage.

I learned of this only last night at about 7:10 PM. When I returned home, Christine met me at the car - it took several minutes for it to sink in. There were two voice mail messages from Johann. Christine made it home at 6:45 and took Johann's phone call.

We're all trying desperately to contact everyone who knew Kristi by phone before the news reached people via the Carolingia email list. It's almost like the list is holding it's breath - waiting for us to finish. Only one post went out from Bianca at 2:24 AM. Other than this ... silence.

Kristi graduated from Wells College in 1993 and earned her Ph.D in genetics from Harvard in 1999. Some of her graduate research was published in Nature. Most recently, Kristi finished a 3.5 year Post-Doc assignment at Stanford. Kristi was known as gene_tailor on slashdot.

Kristi was a brilliant scientist with a kind soul. Many of us will travel to Jamestown NY for the funeral. Now there's just shock and disbelief.