Memorial Speech by Doug McCollough

We all have a new life now.

 

I have great things to say about my sister, but I want to use my time telling you about your new life.

 

Today we grieve, today we mourn, but tomorrow we work.

 

You must fulfill your purpose.  I don’t know what your purpose is, but your must find it and fulfill it.

 

One of the things Leah did for all of us is to encourage us as we went along our way.  A deep realization I had upon her passing was of all of the things I now must do.  Let’s see if you have a list similar to mine.

 

First, I have to join NPR and stop stealing free radio.  Leah was very clear about this.  I told her I would do it, but then I didn’t do it.  When she died I knew I had to do it quick.

 

I have to restart my business.  She knows it, I know it.  I have to give more.  Not some unknown quantity.  Thanks to Leah, I know exactly how much I have to give.  Finally, among other things, I have to fulfill our family legacy.

 

These things are a part of my purpose.  I may not fulfill my dreams, but I will fulfill my purpose, and you must also.

 

Leah did not fulfill all of her dreams, but because she did not ignore her purpose, she reached some of her dreams. 

 

So I tell you today not what you should do, but what you must do.  Leah’s life charges you.

 

-         Love Yourself

 

-         Love People

 

-         Help People

 

-         Learn Forever

 

-         Respect Others

 

-         Stop Suffering, Injustice, Hatred

 

-         Cherish Health

 

-         Dream

 

-         Fulfill Your Purpose

 

At Leah’s funeral in Michigan, my brother, John Spencer McCollough made a statement.  He said that it would be tempting to think that she had been taken away from us too soon.  It would be tempting to say that Leah’s life was cut short.  But in truth, if Leah had lived another 40 years, she could not have loved any more.  She could not have given of herself more.  She could not have helped more.  The truth is Leah lived exactly as she was supposed to live.

 

Finally, as the first act of the fulfillment of my purpose, I would like to know and love people more.  I am a private person who doesn’t reach out to people much.  But I want to change that.

 

So though I do not work with you, I didn’t go to school with you, I don’t know most of you, I would be pleased to be your friend.  Past the grieving and into the future.  If our paths cross, please consider me a friend.

 

The future brings a lot of work as Leah continues to live through all of us.  There are legal affairs to be addressed.  There is the matter of funds being collected to do great things in her honor, and I am considering pushing for legislation to raise public health awareness so that Leah’s death, like her life, serves others.

 

So when you ask us how you can help, there’s plenty to do.  Just listen out for me, Doug, your friend, calling.

 

I bid you Peace, Love, and Blessings.

Memorial Service for Leah C. McCollough - Amazing Woman

We are at the airport, returning from addressing Leah's affairs in Seattle.  Leah's Memorial Service at the Seattle Culture Center was wonderful.  I promised to post my speech from this memorial in a future post.  The speech has been posted at the Facebook page "In Loving Memory of Leah C. McCollough" as a discussion.  I will post it here as my next post.

The following are some excerpts from the program of the ceremony.

"The fundamental premist of Buddhism is that life is eternal, and that individual living beings undergo a continuing cycle of birth and death.  The active, Manifest phase of this cycle is followed by a phase of dormancy in which our life exists in a state of pure potentiality.  Birth and death are transitional processes of passing from one stage of existence to the next.  As we respond to life, our every action becomes a cause that effects our destiny and the nature of our experience.  After death, the accumulation of thse causes dictates the circumstances in which our life experiences dormancy and becomes manifest again, through birth."

Another excerpt:

"A life lived without purpose or value, the kind in which one doesn't know the reason why one was born is joyless and lackluster.  To just live, eat, and die without any real sense of purpose surely represents a life pervaded by the world of Animality."

The Women's Funding Alliance

Please see the page put up at The Women's Funding Alliance:

http://wfalliance.org/news/2009/rememberingleah.php

Leah was President of their Board.

Official Obituary

Leah Camille McCollough, 43, died suddenly, Thursday  January 8, at her home in Bellevue, Washington.  Leah was formerly of Southfield, Michigan, and was a proud graduate of Duke University. She completed her graduate studies in Law and non-profit organizational management at Case  Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH.  

At the time of her  passing, Leah was president of LCM Consulting, a coaching and training  organization.  Leah served on various boards in many capacities, including  past board president of Hopelink; and she was the current board president of the Women’s Funding Alliance of Seattle and an active member of the Seattle Culture Center.  

She is survived by her  parents, Drs. John H. and Carole J. McCollough of Southfield, MI; brothers, John Spencer McCollough, and Douglas  Elliot McCollough, as well as nieces (Krysty Swann, Jacquelyn Dorman, Elsie Swann, Charity McCollough, Rachel McCollough, Alina McCollough, Kendall McCollough), nephews (Malcolm McCollough, Ras McCollough)  and a loving extended family.  

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, January 17, 2009 at Haley Funeral Directors, 24525 Northwestern Hwy, Southfield, MI.  Family Hour is at 10:00 AM.  Funeral Services begin at 11:00 AM.  A repast for family and out of town guests will be served immediately following the service.  Burial will be private.  

A Memorial  Celebration will be held on Saturday January 24, 2009 11am-1pm at Seattle Culture Center, 3438 SE 148th St., Tukwila, WA.  

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Leah C. McCollough Legacy Fund c/o The Women’s Funding Alliance 603 Stewart Street, Suite 207  Seattle, WA 98101.

Funeral Arrangements for Leah McCollough

The Funeral will be held on Saturday, January 17th with the following details.

Viewing:  Friday 01/16/09 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Family Hour:  Saturday 01/17/2009  10:00 AM

Funeral Service:  11:00 AM

A Repast will be held immediately after the service at a location to be determined.  Burial will be private.

Where:

Haley Funeral Directors

24525 Northwestern Hwy

Southfield, MI 48075

Memorial services are planned for Leah in the Seattle area.  We will post information about that here are we learn it.

Leah McCollough, Amazing Woman

Anyone visiting this site right now probably already knows that Leah McCollough is an amazing woman, and that we have recently lost her presence in this world.  On short notice, we have created this blog so that important things about her life and legacy can be published for all to see.  I will post information about her upcoming funeral, as well as how friends and family can contribute to and watch her legacy.  

Friends, the time will come when this blog will go away, and a more sophisticated expression of her new life, as a creator of history not yet recorded, will take its place.  But we do what we can as quickly as we can.  I encourage you to post comments, thoughts, pictures, rememberances, or anything that will encourage us all in our time of loss.  I am hopeful that this time of pain is one day seen as a time of birth for a new thing on the Earth.  My next post will be the details of the upcoming homegoing services.

If any of you are more experienced with "Blogger" and would like to suggest things I can change to improve this blog, please feel free.  I will not be offended.