In this issue: 

People | Rhonda Keyes Pleasants
She is the embodiment of a servant leader – humble, generous and eager to volunteer her time and talent but never expecting praise or recognition. Her positive demeanor and acceptance of all of life’s prayers and praises is as admirable as her open mind and kind heart.  “Any challenges I may have faced were to prepare me for the future. My life has been shaped by a culmination of experiences, and I am thankful and better because of that.  A wise person once said, “God doesn’t call the prepared; he prepares the called.”

Places | Bibber Memorial Chapel
The air smells briny and gulls caw overhead. In the distance, against the backdrop of an iron-colored horizon, a few hearty lobstermen trawl the sea, braving the frigid temperatures. It’s snowing again, but that’s not newsworthy. It’s winter in Maine. Three miles up Sea Road is Bibber Memorial Chapel, a funeral home that’s been serving the communities of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport for eighty-four years.

Passions | Jim Kurtz
One of the secrets of my research is paying attention to name tags at national conventions. I often meet not only the directors I’ve spoken with but also directors from funeral homes in charge of funerals for some of my research topics. Sometimes these face-to-face meetings resulted in lifelong friends who have helped me build my archives.