Funeral Costs for Willa "Jessie" Harrington

There are objects in the universe whose gravity is so powerful, they change the course of light. They enable us to see into vast and impenetrable darkness, allowing us to glimpse—and perhaps, if we’re lucky, understand—hidden marvels we might have never known existed.

Willa “Jessie” Harrington was one such force. She both gave light and revealed it, brightening and reshaping the lives of everyone in her orbit.

A lifelong Theater Kid™ and costumer, Willa had long been a devoted employee of The Tilted Stage, her local costume shop, and was ecstatic to finally attend her first Carolina Renaissance Festival in the fall. She was a passionate, vocal advocate for social justice on her campus and in the world at large. She loved the music of Noah Kahan. She was an enthusiastic Nerdfighter. Her keychain was comically overloaded with trinkets and travel essentials.

On August 11, 2023, 21-year-old Willa was meant to return to her beloved Meredith College, an all-women’s school in Raleigh, North Carolina, to begin her final year as a history student and dormitory RA. She had spent several weeks of her summer traveling in Italy, basking in the art, geography, and history of an ancient nation that fascinated her. She was excited to tackle her senior year head-on, and then, after graduation, to marry her fiance, Mason “Mace” Loewen, to whom she was fiercely devoted. Her dream was to become a history teacher, and she was clear-eyed about the myriad challenges of doing so in 21st century America.

But on the night of August 10, Willa and her 15-year-old nephew, Eric Creech, were driving home on a highway just outside Fayetteville, North Carolina when another car crossed the center line and collided with them head-on. They died on impact. The universe rang like a bell.

The shock of her death has reverberated in the hearts of her mother, her partner, her family, her friends, and her college community. There is no vocabulary to describe the devastation of her absence, the loss of her tremendous spirit and potential. As a friend said, “To know Willa was to love her.” Without her, we are shattered.

The purpose of this campaign is to ease the financial burden on Willa’s mother and partner as they grapple with laying her to rest. Her cremation and memorial are estimated to cost around $4500, which is an impossibility and additional hardship for the Harrington family in this already overwhelming time.

Because of how deeply Willa was loved by her community, we anticipate we will easily meet and exceed that number, which is why we are setting the goal at $10K. Any funds beyond that which are necessary to support the Harrington family will be donated to the nonprofit Don’t Forget to Be Awesome, an organization Willa passionately supported, and whose charitable efforts fund maternal care in Sierra Leone.

Any contribution will help. If you are unable to donate financially, please celebrate Willa as widely as you can—and, in her memory, tell someone you love how much they mean to you.

May her star be seen across the light years. May it shine on worlds uncounted.