Around and About: Remembering Laura Bilsborough

Upwards of 175 people celebrated the life of Laura Elizabeth Bilsborough.  It was appropriate that the celebration was held in the Don Bilsborough Memorial Gymnasium at Barstow High School.  The cover of the funeral service program was a pencil drawing by New York artist Michael Bilsborough, Laura’s grandson, taken from her 1944 wedding portrait to Don Bilsborough.

Pall bearers Alan, Michael and Robinson Bilsborough, Roland Gonzales, Ryan Javanbakht and Andrew Resendez bore the casket to its resting place in front of the altar. The coffin was draped with a new pall created this week by Lili Bush featuring a bright blue sea shell stitched with purple, which matched the colors in her stole. The blue protective cover on which the chairs were set to protect the gym floor was the same blue of the sea shell.

Lots of pictures were on display as you entered the gym. Many people found themselves in them and exclaimed about the days gone by.

Laura was a long-time member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Williams Street.  The church was almost literally moved into the gym.  Besides the altar on which the Eucharist was set up, the paschal candle was there as well as St. Paul’s standard with the words “Let Your Light Shine.”

There were two large wicker baskets filled with pomegranates sitting on the floor on either side of the service area. Laura made pomegranate jam and graciously distributed it to her friends. No mention was made of the baskets, but I’m sure the friends that received the jam over the years understood the symbolism.

The First Reading in the service was done by Michael, Alan, Lisa and Robinson Bilsborough, children of Mark and Mary Bilsborough and Laura’s grandchildren.  Mark and Mary did the Second Reading.

The sermon by the Rev. Lili Bush focused on Laura’s love of life and color — how she was interested in everything.  She said that Laura epitomized God’s directive to “Love your neighbor as yourself” and that she had courage and compassion for her fellow man.

Cliff Brock, Marcia Zableckis and Trudy MacKenzie were Lay Eucharistic Ministers administering the Communion. The other Acolytes in the procession were Susan Shrum and Nikolai Gilbert.

Family members attending were Nancy Bilsborough and her son, Robinson, Mary and Mark Bilsborough, all of Barstow. Granddaughter Lisa is from Phoenix, Michael, New York City and Alan, Colorado. Nancy’s childhood friend, Michelle Hartman Cropsey, came from Ely, Nev. Mary Bilsborough’s aunts, Lorraine Weaver and Virginia Jaramillo and her husband, Andres, celebrated also.

Laura’s neighbors from across the street; Jack Bowles, Jan Rhoads and her daughter Kristin Gonzales had watched out for Laura over the years and were there as was Jack’s son, Justin and his wife, Germana, who came from Palo Alto.

Among the others attending were Morgan and Donna Ray, Anita Snedeker, Claire Ellis, Sharon Price, Annette Holmeyer, Buzz and Phyllis Sawyer, Marty White, Mavis Webb, Faye Mitchell, Jason Langdon, Sandy and Bob Cooper, Dennis and Cindy Malloy, Eva and Frank Stewart, James and Pam Turpin, Don Modica, Doc Harmon, Gene and Diane Hess, Joe and Judy Grounds, Phill and Ray Chavez and Dale and Lorraine DeWittie.

After the commendation and blessing, the Recessional hymn was “I Danced in the Morning.” The music was beautiful and we were invited to dance.

I’m sure Laura and Don were hand in hand up above watching us dance.

ABOUT THE WRITER
Bette “Bee Jay” Moses is a special events correspondent to the Desert Dispatch. She can be reached at bette.moses@gmail.com.