Honoring our Ancestors
Posted on | May 24, 2007 | 10 Comments
Yesterday, I took off work from my government job to trek across town and join a small crowd of 25 people who gathered at Arlington Cemetery to dedicate the new headstone of Abe and Rosemary Kooiman. The day was perfect — warm and sunny with a cool breeze. Many of us knew one another through our work in the community with Rosemary over the years. We hugged and kissed. Some of us took our shoes off to walk in the grass as we approached the circle that naturally formed around the headstone.
Abe and Rosemary’s daughter, Kathleen (in purple), led the simple ceremony. People stepped forward to speak about how proud they were to know the Kooimans who had done so much for so many over the years. Representatives from Circle Sanctuary, the Military Pagan Network, and the Sacred Well Congregation spoke about the ten-year fight with the Veterans Administration to get the pentacle on the headstones.
I learned that Abe, being a WWII vet, is the eldest recipient of the pentacle, and Abe and Rosemary are the only couple. There is another pentacle headstone to be installed at Arlington in about a week or two — but I didn’t catch the name of the person who it commemorates.
I didn’t know Abe at all really. By the time I met the Kooimans, he always seemed to me to be more of a silent partner to Rosemary’s very fiery character. Quiet and solid was my impression of him, although from what folks said yesterday he had a wicked sense of humor. Rosemary supported me as a young priestess, even though I was not of her tradition. Her words, her presence, and her actions gave me that extra boost of confidence to keep doing what my heart told me was right. She once said to me about being a priestess: “If you’re doing the work, claim the title,” and “don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do the work because you already are doing it.”
May I inspire and support the next generations as Rosemary inspired and supported me. Never have I seen a pentacle look as beautiful.
Technorati Tags: Arlington Cemetery, pentacle, community, Rosemary Kooiman
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10 Responses to “Honoring our Ancestors”
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May 24th, 2007 @ 3:22 pm
Thank you, Angela. It is wonderful, as are your words
May 24th, 2007 @ 4:17 pm
Thank you Angela. I am so glad you took the time to share your experience with those of us who were not there.
May 24th, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
Beloved Angela,
With love and thanks I bow before you for posting the pictures of a moment I so wanted
to attend, but was unable. Our household has been active in this persuit of justice and you
summarized this long, amazing journey by your comment, “never had I seen a pentacle look
so beautiful.”
With full and glad heart, Nora
May 24th, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
You were a joy to meet and the photos are totally awesome! Hope to see you again on July 4th. Love in the Light, Hedgewitch Out
May 25th, 2007 @ 9:18 am
Blessings to you Kathleen!
I was unable to be in Washington for the ritual, but have followed this story with much interest. I don’t know if you remember meeting me up in Canada one Memorial Day years back, but yours and your mom’s words brought tears to my eyes with their very simple truths. And your dad saw some beautiful sundogs in the Canadian sky as we were leaving! They were an amazing dynamic couple, and they were loved and will be sorely missed by many…. What a legacy that their mission was accomplished!
Peace-
Robin
May 25th, 2007 @ 9:34 am
Robin, I will definitely forward your kind words to Kathleen. — Angela
May 27th, 2007 @ 5:26 pm
Peace to them, and to their families. And deep thanks to all who made this possible.
Sia
May 29th, 2007 @ 5:54 pm
Thank you, Angela, for sharing your words and images of this historic event! It is fitting that the first dedication of a pentacle gravemarker was in the most well known of the veterans cemeteries in the USA. We are thankful that the long wait to properly honor Abe & Rosemary with a Pentacle on their headstone is over and that this dedication took place on the anniversary of their cremains burials.
June 19th, 2007 @ 8:13 am
Wonderful, and congratulations to all who worked so hard to get the Pentacle approved for use on headstones.
September 13th, 2007 @ 1:26 pm
Congrats, you have helped pave the way for us future Pagan Veterans. I now know that when my time comes, the VA will not denie me my right to have the Pentacle for my headstone. Thank you for your hard work with Circle Sanctuary, the Military Pagan Network, and the Sacred Well Congregation to get the reconization we deserve. Thank you.