The Rev. Dr. Natalie M. Fenimore died on April 15, 2026, at the age of 68 (1958−2026). Natalie is survived by her husband Charles “Chuck” Fenimore, their children John and Helen, her step-children Paul and Rachel, her step-grandchildren, and her sister Hermanetta Smith.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock, 48 Shelter Rock Road, Manhasset NY 11030.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Rev. Dr. Natalie M. Fenimore Scholarship Fund at Starr King School for the Ministry, 414 13th Street, Suite 700, Oakland CA 94612. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.
Notes of condolence may be sent to Chuck Fenimore, c/o Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock, 48 Shelter Rock Road, Manhasset NY 11030.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website. If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Kathleen Fowler at kathleenclarkfowler@gmail.com
The Rev. Dr. Douglas “Doug” W. Gallager died on April 8, 2026, at the age of 79 (1946−2026). Doug is survived by his wife Celia Thurston, and his sons David Gallager, John Gallager, and James Thurston.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 3 pm at Birmingham Unitarian Church, 38651 Woodward Ave, Bloomfield Hills MI 48304.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Detroit Public Radio, 4600 Cass Avenue, Detroit MI 48201. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.
Notes of condolence may be sent to Celia Thurston at 32170 Lahser Road, Beverly Hills MI 48025.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website. If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Kathleen Fowler at kathleenclarkfowler@gmail.com
From Janet Tillman, UURMAPA Connections Coordinator
UURMAPA members were asked about the learning opportunities they would like to see available through UURMaPA’s Skill-Sharing Network. To date, the responses to this question are:
Learn from others about maintaining a web site and presence on social media. I am working with a group of individuals who are working to preserve the oldest Universalist Church building in Canada. I see this as an opportunity to promote Universalism’s theology… including an annual Universalist re-union in Nova Scotia Canada.
Explore with others about the direct line between Unitarian Universalism and the European Enlightenment. I see a theological thread that helps me to have optimism for our future.
As you can see, the sky is the limit regarding knowledge/skills to share and people’s desire for learning opportunities.
Is it possible that a facilitator (or co-facilitators) would be interested in a time-limited series of discussions about the direct line between Unitarian Universalism and the European Enlightenment? Groups of this nature could be an abbreviated version of a focused-interest group. Those not wishing to commit to an on-going general or focused-interest group may prefer a 6-8 session format exploring a particular topic.
Is there someone out there who can share their skills maintaining a website as well as a presence on social media?
If you can provide the requested skills noted above, or you have a skill to share or would like to add your desired learning opportunity to the Skill-Sharing Network, contact me at connections@uurmapa.org.
“Perhaps the secret of living well is not in having all the answers but in pursuing unanswerable questions in good company.” -Rachel Naomi Remen
Noted below are amazing skills offered by four generous UURMaPA members. Check these out to see if any are of interest to you.
1.Beginning Spanish II – Jeff Jones
We have had a great start for the Beginning Spanish I classes via Zoom offered by Jeff Jones.
Full Disclosure: I am one of eight ministers and partners in Jeff’s eight-week Beginning Spanish I class that began on April 2. I am thoroughly enjoying the class due to Jeff’s dynamic (yet gentle) teaching style. He is patient, has a great sense of humor, and knows his Spanish! I think everyone in the current class would agree that this is a terrific way to learn Spanish. Each class is interactive and great fun.
Good News! There are three openings for Beginning Spanish II that starts Thursday, June 4 and ends on Thursday, July 23. The classes are from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. EDT. The classes require about 4 hours of homework per week. If you are interested, please contact Jeff atjeffjonesuu@aol.combyMay 15.
FYI: Part 3 will be in September – October and Part 4 will be in January – February 2027.
Contact Jeff now while there are three spots available!
2.Composting/Recycling – Jaco ten Hove If you’re tossing out your household kitchen waste—such as coffee grounds, vegetable cuttings, eggshells—and you’re not recycling yard waste, such as leaves and grass clippings, you’re likely wasting all the good stuff! According to Jaco, all these items, which might otherwise end up in a landfill, can be productive in your compost bin. As an experienced (and certified!) Master Composter/ Recycler, Jaco can offer counsel and coaching on composting and recycling from general guidelines and pep talks to specific habits and routines that improve the odds for keeping your waste out of landfills. Join Jaco in his new Waste Diversion ministry. Contact Jaco at jbthishere@gmail.com for more information and/or to ask questions.
3. Appreciating Technology + Tips on Maintaining an Old Building– Norm Horofker Norm is a retired mechanical engineer with plant management experience. He is happy to share his optimism for appreciating the present and the amazing future of technology. Norm also have experience maintaining old buildings. Contact Norm at nhorofker@aol.comto begin a conversation about technology or that old building you are maintaining.
4. Sustainable Investing – Jim Zacharias Are you invested in oil? Do your investments include tobacco and guns? Most of us simply don’t know where our money is invested. Many funds are not transparent about the screens they use to choose investments. As a result, we may unknowingly support industries and practices that go against our values. Jim believes there is a way forward. In his retirement Jim explored how to live sustainably — without worrying that his money is working against what he holds sacred. That search has been worthwhile, and Jim is glad to share what he has learned. If this resonates with you, Jim welcomes a conversation and wants to hear your story. You can contact Jim at jzacharias1@gmail.com or give him a call at 505-463-3128.
If you are interested in learning the above skills or have questions about the skill being offered, contact the person offering the skill for more details.
I love those connections that make this big old world feel like a little village. – Gina Bellman
Imagine UURMaPA as a virtual community where members share their unique talents, knowledge, and skills. Skill-Sharing Networks can be fun and transform the virtual community into a vibrant hub of learning and support! These sharing sessions could be one-on-one or in groups. They could be completed in one session or multiple sessions based on the skill/knowledge being shared.
Within UURMaPA’s membership, the skills and knowledge that could be shared by retired ministers and partners are varied and vast. Skill sharing could relate to cooking, travel, technology, finance, various crafts, photography, downsizing, mechanics, sewing, etc. The sky is the limit! You could view these as opportunities to share practical tips on anything. We all know you can go to YouTube to learn how to do all sorts of things. Sometimes, having a conversation with someone who has experience with the task at hand is the best way to learn. Some examples of skills and practical tips are:
The joy of air frying Taking great photos on your phone Supplies needed to do rock painting Best 5-ingredient recipes What to consider when buying a new computer Is co-housing for me Rewards of being on the planning team for UURMaPA conferences
Caring for orchids Living sustainably Mediterranean cooking made easy How to navigate Ancestry.com Travel tips for seniors First steps in downsizing Growing herbs indoors Tips on doing electronic photobooks How to use Zoom’s many features
Your input is needed to make this a great success! To determine the types of skills that could be shared. Please send your responses to the following questions to Janet Tillman at connections@uurmapa.org.
What skills or knowledge do you have that you would be willing to share with other UURMaPAns via Zoom? Please be very specific. Remember, the sky’s the limit!
What learning opportunities/tips would you like to see available to you via an UURMaPA Skill-Sharing Network?
I love those connections that make this big old world feel like a little village. – Gina Bellman
A service of remembrance will close out the first day of our spring conference. We will honor the memory and service of 15 colleagues during the third session of the conference on Monday, April 27. Tom Schade is leading a group of members who will produce the service.
Jan Carlsson-Bull is researching the lives of the deceased and writing the remembrance narratives. She said that the process is like “opening a door to a house of many mansions.” She reflected on her own ministry, “When I led celebrations of life during my ministry, I often asked myself: ‘How many lives did …. live? Surely many more than the years of their life.’ So it is for the lives I am honored to distill for the remembrance service.”
Jan’s process is mindful. “Upon first reading the notice I receive of the passing, I begin. I follow clues such as an obituary posted by a funeral home. If I can find family members, I follow up with them, expressing how our hearts opened with their loss, and asking them to edit and enliven what I write. I am often given a photo that reveals the vitality of their loved one. Incorporating a spoken narrative into a remembrance service seems as fleeting as life itself, but no less precious.
“It is such an honor to open each and every door and step inside.”
In the service we will honor and remember:
Rev. Linda DeSantis Rev. Dorothy Meek Rev. Harry C. Green III Rev. John Fordon Rev. Patricia Trudeau Rev. Margaret (“Meg”) Barnhouse Rev. Michael Douglas O’Kelly Rev. Walter Frederick Wieder Rev. Penelope Witte Alderice Rev. Sandra L. Ingham Dr. F. Everett Morris Rev. Lynda Sutherland Rev. Don Wheat
Our conference theme is “Keeping it Together While Democracy Is Falling Apart,” and will be presented on the second day by the Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout. The conference will feature a minister’s odyssey with the Rev. Diane Miller, and a partner’s odyssey with Barry Finkelstein.
Connecting rooms, where we can interact with others on a deeper level, are planned for three sessions. The last session on Tuesday will feature Dr. Rideout in a concert of music that underscores the theme and inspires us to live into our role in keeping it together in challenging times.
Regional pods and local watch parties offer a way to experience our virtual conference in community. Currently, pods are being developed in Kingston, Massachusetts and Wilmington, Delaware. Some financial aid is available to those who attend pods.
Inflation and tariffs finally caught up to us, and we regret that we must raise our fee for the conference to $70. However, if you register before April 6th, your cost will only be $50. Early registrations help us make better plans for the conference.
Help with all things registration is available from Barbro Hansson, the registrar. Scholarships are available if you need help with the fee. If you have never attended a UURMaPA conference, the board happily waives your fee. If you would like a scholarship or you are a newbie, please send a message to conferences@uurmapa.org for more information. You will receive a special code to use when registering.
We look forward to greeting you in April at our spring conference. In the meantime, know that every one of us has a part to play in our struggles for inclusivity and justice. If you live in the USA, you might be a little closer to the heat, but if you are not, you are still here, you are more than a witness, and we’re all in this together.
Larry Allan Squire, of Fergus, Ontario, passed away following a brief and complex illness on March 26, 2026, in the Intensive Care Unit at Guelph General Hospital (Guelph, Ontario), at the age of 65 (1960-2026).
Born in Sarnia, Ontario, Sept. 22, 1960, Larry was the son of Murray Evan Squire and Anna Elizabeth Allan Squire. He was a loving brother to Sharon Ann Squire (Scott) Hamilton, and beloved husband of The Rev. Felicia Mary Urbanski whom he married in 1993.
Larry grew up in Sarnia, where he enjoyed playing baseball, curling and participating in local Fall Fairs. He attended Sarnia Central Collegiate and graduated from the University of Windsor, with an M.A. and B.A. in Communications Studies. He worked as Communications Assistant for Canadian Pacific Forest Products Ltd., as a Database Technician and Research Coordinator at the Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital, as a Data Analyst for Dimark Research Inc. and Q2 Consulting, and as an Evaluation Coordinator for the Community Services Council of Tulsa OK.
Prior to retirement he was a Project Manager for the Propel Centre for Population Health Impact at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, where he spearheaded programs for the Ontario Smokers’ Helpline and other Canadian Cancer Society programs.
Larry was an avid volunteer, serving TV Ontario’s Regional Advisory Council as Media Relations Officer for a candidate in a federal election, and as a church board member and newsletter editor. Recently he volunteered for the Ontario Senior Games Association and for the “Bike Buddies” program at Wellington Terrace Long Term Care.
Larry has always lovingly supported his wife Felicia, especially as her career led them to several relocations. They met in Thunder Bay, Ontario, moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, then to Stillwater and Tulsa OK, finally moving back to Waterloo, then to Fergus, Ontario.
Larry loved playing pickleball several times a week, going bicycling with friends, hockey, hiking, snowshoeing, canoeing and fishing. He was a creative writer, completing several original screenplays and other stories. Larry enjoyed watching art films and movies. For 10 years, Larry and Felicia also ran a pet-friendly Airbnb from their home, welcoming travelers and their animals with open arms. He loved spending time at the family cottage in Dorset, Ontario, as well as bringing joy to visits with his wife’s family and friends in Connecticut.
Larry was always supportive, gentle, caring, inquisitive, creative, inventive, and loving. He made us smile and laugh. He will be greatly missed by his family, cousins, and friends.
He is survived by his wife, the Rev. Felicia Mary Urbanski, his sister Sharon Ann Squire Hamilton, his neice Hillary Hamilton Graham, his nephew Evan Hamilton and twin great -nephews, Rory and Henry Graham.
A funeral service was held on April 21, 2026, at Melville United Church, Fergus. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Foundation of Guelph General Hospital or to Melville United Church.
We are happy to present two Odysseys at this spring’s UURMaPA Conference: Barry Finkelstein and the Rev. Diane Miller. Barry shares his story with us on the opening day of the conference, Monday, April 27, and Diane visits with us on the 29th.
Barry says that “Writing brings clarity to my thoughts; it’s a kind of alchemy. I am inspired by Adrienne Rich who said that ‘you must write and read as if your life depended on it.’
“And so far, my Odyssey is having the same effect. I’m drawn to inflection points that helped shape me and yield insights. While the memories evoked are not new to me, their importance is. The odyssey-writing process is pulling important events into a life.
“I love storytelling, and engaging with people, gives me new insights about myself and my place in the world. I grew up in a family of talkers—loud talkers—and things become more real when spoken about.
“I’m hopeful that my story will be valued by others. I feel good about my life, my choices, my good luck, and the help I’ve received. I look forward to sharing my story.”
Diane has lived a full life, so much so that she doesn’t have room for all her memories. She said, “Some people have Proustian memories, and some people have kept diaries and journals. I’m startled at how much of my life is hazy and forgotten, and that I need to look up things to confirm the facts.
“I expected to be the expert about my own life, but I feel more like an unreliable witness. Writing my Odyssey is an exercise in putting the pieces together.
“Being asked to present my Odyssey brings trepidation, anxiety about technology, and deep appreciation for colleagues who are inviting me to tell my story.”
Like many others, Diane has thought about the culture of Odysseys in our tradition. “I wonder when the practice of Odyssey presentations began in our ministry, and how it evolved.”
Diane thought that someone has probably looked into that, but we are glad the tradition has come to us, and we welcome Barry and Diane to our conference.
The conference opens on April 27, and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout will present our theme, Keeping It Together When Democracy Is Falling Apart, on the second day of the conference. He will also present a short concert of his music that evening.
Worship services will open and close the conference, and a service of remembrance will honor our colleagues not among us. Breakout rooms have been arranged for each day of the conference, where you will be able to have a closer connection with your friends and colleagues.
Scholarships to cover the fee are available, and if you have never attended one of our conferences, the board will happily waive your fee. For assistance with fees or registration questions, please write to Barbro Hansson at conferences@uurmapa.org.
Pods for in-person participation are organized in Wilmington DE and Kingston MA. Write Richard Speck at rgspeck@comcast.net for information about Wilmington or Judy Campbell at revdocmom@comcast.net for information about Kingston.
The Rev. Frank A. Hall died on March 17, 2026, at the age of 85 (1940−2026).
Frank is survived by his wife of twenty-nine years Lory Nurenberg; his children Susan Hall and Jonathan Hall (Rosie); his stepchild Carlyn Kessler (Elliot); his grandchildren Alex Hildreth and Hannah O’Brien-Hill (Perry); and his great-grandchild Sofia Hildreth. He is also survived by his siblings William Hall, John Hall, Dorothy Hall, and Gwen Sheehah, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, in-laws, other extended family members, and his first wife Anita Hall.
A celebration of Frank’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on May 3, 2026, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport, 10 Lyons Plains Rd, Westport CT 06880.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, the Rev. Kathleen Fowler at kathleenclarkfowler@gmail.com.
The Rev. Barbara L. Hebner died on March 13, 2026, at the age of 90 (1935−2026).
Barbara is survived by her children Laura Peebles, Megan Martin, Laird Cummings, Heather Petit, Margaret Badger, and Michael Petit, as well as many who considered her “Mom.” She is also survived by her niece Deb Fletcher, her nephews Harold Fletcher and Jim Cummings, eleven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Newark, 420 Willa Rd, Newark DE. Zoom option will be available; please visit the congregation’s website for details.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the UUA Living Tradition Fund, environmental plastics cleanup efforts, local progressive political campaigns –especially those with seat-flip potential, or direct giving to members in need in your community. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry
Notes of condolence may be sent to: The Hebner Family, 206 Grantham Place, Newark DE 19711.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Kathleen Fowler at kathleenclarkfowler@gmail.com
