Help Complete Eileen B. Williams' Memorial Journey

John Holliday is organizing this fundraiser.

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Hello friends, my name is John Holliday. I’ve started this fundraiser to finish the journey that I’m on.

This journey started when my mother died. Her name was Eileen B. Williams. Eileen was living in a nursing home at the time of her passing. Eileen was born in New York in 1932 and passed away at the Sunny Vista nursing home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on May 16, 2018. She is survived by three children of the original five, which would be myself and two sisters, as well as many grandchildren and some great-grandchildren.

Before my mother ended up in a nursing home, she had her Social Security income, which she worked really hard for all of her life as a nutritional teacher and a graduate of CSU Extension in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she earned her degree as a nutritionist. My mother Eileen was always very proud of being Jewish and was a very wonderful Jewish mother who really had a lot of love for people. In her words, she would say, "John, you’re a real mensch." She was the mensch!

When she passed away, I knew that she needed to have a traditional Jewish funeral. She was given a Jewish name, which is Chava, which means Eve! At this time, I only have two siblings left out of five. One of those sisters, I am not in contact with at all and don’t even know if she’s still alive. The other sister has health issues and lives on a very low income. I’ve had health issues which have caused me to live on a fixed income. It’s a struggle just to make ends meet from month to month.

I was able to get people to donate for my mother’s funeral, and yet one thing remains: a beautiful marker for her grave. It’s been a long time since my mother was buried. There is a temporary marker on her grave, and I’ve been struggling to get assistance to purchase a nice marker or gravestone. Finally, through much prayer and perseverance, I’ve been able to locate and purchase a beautiful gravestone marker. I was looking on Facebook Marketplace when I came upon an ad where the guy had a really nice piece of granite, a grave marker for sale. I was able to make a very good deal with him on the grave marker and have already purchased it. The gravestone is one that’s made to sit flat on the grave; it measures 36 inches long, 12 inches wide, and 4 inches thick.

Now, one more thing remains. I do not have the funds to get the stone engraved and placed on the grave, nor do I have the traveling expenses to drive the five hours to where my mother is buried. I also wish to have funds to pay a Rabbi for a small service at the gravesite. Therefore, I’m reaching out to all of you to please help me complete this circle for my mother. I know the Creator will richly bless you all for helping. Thank you.