Memorial

Many thanks to everyone who attended Ella's memorial service, or sent their condolences.

The program for the service is available here.

Here are the texts of (most of) the speaker's remarks:

• Judy Kottick
• Carol Weeg
• Parker Williams
• Carol Stoddart
• Lilah Leopold
• Gaby D'Angelo
• Sarah L. Pearlstein
• Alyson Gorun
• Julia Conti
• Sharron Miller
• Faith Kwon
• Andrey Tamarchenko
• Claire Jaffe
• Jan Veliko
• Susan Bandes
• Lucille Bandes
• Janet Smith
• Ian Bandes
• Ken Bandes

Denise Brown, director of the Montclair High School Dance Company where Ella danced all through High School, dedicated this year's performance to Ella - see the dedication in the program.

The Macalester Theatre and Dance Department Spring Concert Program also dedicated the performance to Ella, and donated proceeds to her fund.

Faith Kwon

it is so beautiful to see you all here, wearing colors. ella did not wear much black. she is colors, and she is light.

today, i miss ella. i will miss her, and love her, and think of her every day for the rest of my life.

and i thought, what better way to honor and remember our spunky, darling girl, than to celebrate all things quintessentially ella.

i have a list:

1. wake up in the morning excited to eat breakfast. no matter how late we'd been up the night before, ella would be up by 8am so excited to eat her signature breakfast of yogurt, slightly over-ripe bananas, and homemade granola.
2. if you're cold, in lieu of a warm sweatshirt, try layering between three and seven cotton tank tops, tees, and cardigans. bonus points if the cardigans actually belong to your mom.
3. earnestly seek out healthy food options in unlikely places. marissa, ella, and i went on several road trips through the midwest, and we made sure to stop in at culver's, home of the butter burger. marissa and i tore into juicy, butter burgers. ella swore her steamed collard greens were not that bad!
4. take your time.
5. be up for anything. shrug and go with it. especially if that anything holds promise of an impromptu shopping trip, or chocolate, chocolate ice cream.

finally, while driving in your car, roll up the windows, airtight, turn up your favorite song so loud the bass line makes you shake, and sing at the top of your lungs. sing so hard you maybe miss a turn on your way home, or drive right past your destination. and love every minute of it.

in the spring of 2009, ella choreographed a beautiful dance piece inspired by the music of leo kottke, songs that she and her dad picked out together. every move is ella. every flick, turn, and slide. and now, we watch ella dance.