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:
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.
I have known Ella my entire life. She was born a few months before me and as kids we spent a lot of time together, even shared a babysitter who I'm told we would torment relentlessly. Everyone has random memories from childhood, just small pieces of everyday life that seem insignificant, but for some reason you just remember them. For me almost all of those memories involve Ella, and all of a sudden they couldn't seem more significant, and I couldn't feel stupider for ever thinking otherwise.
There are lots of funny stories about Ella and me as kids. The one that I remember the most though is something that seems silly now but was revolutionary at the time. Among the games we made up there was one where we just sat and talked. I'm not sure about what really because we were way too young to have all that much to say, but we discovered that we could just sit and talk, and be entertained solely by that. All of the things that all kids discover while growing up, Ella and I always discovered together.
It's hard to really remember most peoples voices and faces when they aren't there. Of course, when you see them there's instant recognition but it doesn't usually happen until that moment. But I can remember Ella's face, voice, and smile as clearly as if I just spoke to her, and if I'm lucky I always will. Ella was an amazing person and one of my greatest friends, and I will miss her forever.