Our celebration of Izzy’s life was held on Saturday, February 16, 2019 at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
Isabella Jacob, February 17, 1941-December 19, 2018
Our deepest thanks to the 200 people who gathered together on 2/16/19 to celebrate Izzy’s life. We created something beautiful together.
This page has links to the Livestream recording of the formal program, picture slideshows, a PDF of the 2/16 printed program, and a few other things to help us all remember Izzy. We beg your forgiveness if you never received an invitation; any omissions were unintentional, and surely due to grief and overwhelm.
Please feel free to share this page. If you’d like to be in touch, e-mail Klaus, Gino, Julia, or Josh.
Two poems Izzy would have liked you to read
She Let Go She let go. She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go. She let go of the fear. She let go of the judgments. She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head. She let go of the committee of indecision within her. She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons. Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go. She didn’t ask anyone for advice. She didn’t read a book on how to let go. She didn’t search the scriptures. She just let go. She let go of all of the memories that held her back. She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward. She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right. She didn’t promise to let go. She didn’t journal about it. She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer. She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper. She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope. She just let go. She didn’t analyze whether she should let go. She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter. She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment. She didn’t call the prayer line. She didn’t utter one word. She just let go. No one was around when it happened. There was no applause or congratulations. No one thanked her or praised her. No one noticed a thing. Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go. There was no effort. There was no struggle. It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad. It was what it was, and it is just that. In the space of letting go, she let it all be. A small smile came over her face. A light breeze blew through her. And the sun and the moon shone forevermore… – Safire Rose |
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Epitaph When I die And if you need to cry, I want to leave you something, Look for me You can love me most Love doesn’t die, – Merrit Malloy |
Here’s the printed program, including a two-page bio of Izzy, a list of those who spoke & played music at the Memorial Celebration, a poem, a brief eulogy & description of Izzy’s at-home funeral, and more.
(Click here to view online, or download as a PDF.)
Reading: a couple of wise, eye-opening books about death that Izzy recommended, and our family found very helpful:
Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs, and Communications of the Dying
by Maggie Callanan (Author), Patricia Kelley (Author)
The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully
by Frank Ostaseski (Author), Rachel Naomi, M.D. Remen (Foreword)
If you would like to make a donation in celebration of Izzy’s memory, here are three worthy organizations, near and dear to Izzy’s heart:
Shalom Mountain
Shalom is a thriving non-sectarian retreat center focused on personal growth. “Calling people to be conscious, loving and fully alive” for more than 40 years, Shalom was an essential mindful resource for Izzy and Klaus for more than two decades, and many of their closest friendships originated there. (In the middle of the page there is a “Tribute Giving” option, with a link to a PDF form.)
Days for Girls – DfG is a global movement that prepares and distributes sustainable menstrual health solutions to girls who would otherwise miss school during their monthly periods.
United Hospice of Rockland
Staff, nurses and volunteers of UHR provided loving and excellent professional support for more than four months, right down to the last minute of Izzy’s life – and even thereafter. A remarkable organization for which we have only admiration and gratitude.
Thanks so much for including me – I will be traveling by car from Cattail Road – unless a storm hits affecting driving conditions . . . in which case I’ll crawl or snow shoe!
Please let me know if you need anything from me either in advance or for the gathering.
Love and gratitude,
Nance
Thank you, Nance.
Sorry to be too old to do this, but we dance in our hearts and savor the tasty foods
and loving ritual that will happen. We send our love, Jerry and Georgeanne Jud
We will miss you, dearest GA and Jerry. So glad you came to Izzy’s art opening, Georgeanne. Thank you. xoxo
Jean,
Please accept my condolences for your loss, and pass it on to your siblings, and Pop.
Some thoughts I’d like to share with you about Isabel are…
1. I have always been impressed with how centered she was about dealing with the ups and downs of life.
2. Her smile.
3. When Isabel found out that Jackie was living in a Nursing Home, due to her inability to care for herself, Isabel contacted me and arranged to spend some time with her. Isabel was generous with her time.
4. Unfortunately our lives went in different directions and our friendship waned, but we shared a common birthday, and we contacted each other on that occasion.
I will not be able to attnd in person, but I will be there in spirit. Thanks for including me.
Mike Miranda