Barbara Bowman Prairie

Barbara Bowman Prairie died on August 4, 2024, at the age of 85 in Cincinnati OH, surrounded by her daughters, Adrienne and Karen, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s.

Barbara was born on May 4, 1939, in Memphis TN, to Eugene C. Bowman and Mary Irene Wilke Lowe Bowman. Barbara was an active Girl Scout throughout her youth and attended Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley MA, where she majored in Chemistry. While in NYC she met and married Rick Prairie then moved to Champaign IL, where their children were born. They settled in Cincinnati, divorcing in 1973. During her time in OH, Barbara was active at St. John’s Unitarian church, worked as a counselor at the Margaret Sanger Center, and raised her daughters as a single mom with very limited resources.

In 1982, Barbara and Karen moved to the Washington DC, area where she worked at All Souls Unitarian Church and then to Boston in 1985. Barbara served as the General Assembly Administrator for the Unitarian Universalist Association for the next 17 years until her retirement.

She and husband Rev. Michael Boardman retired to Berea KY, on a whim, and thrived in this small arts and crafts college town. Her door always open, Barbara hosted international students and others in her fully furnished basement apartment. She hosted the annual neighborhood Labor Day party, garden tours, fundraisers, a three-day UURMAPA Board meeting, and more. Upon Michael’s death, she catalogued his whole library.

Barbara was an insatiable tourist. She loved traveling and seeking off the beaten track attractions. If you mentioned your door was open for a visit, she would absolutely show up as an enthusiastic guest. An excellent correspondent and engaged friend, she kept in touch with everyone no matter where she was, sending postcards from every location, as well as her annual Groundhog Day letter.

Valuing experiences over material gifts, family members were treated to trips with Barbara all across the US. Each grandchild chose their own destination for their 10th birthday celebration! She enjoyed sewing, pottery, macrame, woodworking, knitting, quilting, dancing, gardening, and innumerable other media.

Barbara is survived by her brother, Gene Bowman; daughters Adrienne Cruise, Karen Prairie; stepdaughters Katherine Boardman and Sheila Boardman; and six grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Michael Boardman (2005), and partner, David Oldham (2023).

A Celebration of Life was held September 28, 2024 in Cincinnati.

Endowment Fund

Endowment Fund Revision May 2021

UURMaPA, established in 1985, has served our liberal religious movement and the needs of retired UU ministers and their partners for more than a quarter of a century – and, with your support, will continue to serve for many years to come.

With this hope in mind, we have created an endowment fund. The Fund balance is to be held in perpetuity. Annually, the Board may withdraw up to 4% of the balance for supporting the annual budget. The Board may withdraw funds from the endowment fund balance in addition to this limitation. It will take two subsequent votes of the Board to access the Endowment beyond the annual withdrawal.

To contribute send a check made out to “UURMaPA Endowment Fund” to: Paul Johnson, Treasurer (as of July, 2024)
UU Retired Ministers and Partners Assoc.
1225 NW 21St, unit 402
Stuart, FL 34994

For details, contact Paul Johnson at treasurer@uurmapa.org.

There are other ways, too, of contributing to UURMaPA in a lasting way. You might consider naming UURMaPA in your will, for example. Or you might consider the purchase of a charitable gift annuity, that would generate income for you during your lifetime and leave a legacy for the organization.

Resolution to Create the UURMaPA Endowment Fund
Adopted October 7, 2008; Revised May 19, 2021

WHEREAS the primary fiduciary responsibility of the leadership of a nonprofit charitable organization is to further the mission of the organization and maintain its programs, and

WHEREAS the annual income for a non-profit charitable organization that is derived in any particular fiscal year will be influenced by current economic conditions and the generosity of current donors, and

WHEREAS the long-term financial stability of a non-profit charitable organization may benefit from income from funds donated in prior periods by previous supporters,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Executive Board of the Unitarian Universalist Retired Ministers and Partners Association at its regular meeting in October 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts hereby resolves to establish an ENDOWMENT FUND to hold assets in perpetuity that are donated for this purpose. The ENDOWMENT FUND will be governed according to the following policies:

1. The ENDOWMENT FUND will be managed by the Treasurer. The Treasurer may establish an Endowment Committee of three people approved by the Board to assist in the management of the Endowment Fund. The Treasurer is authorized to solicit contributions to UURMaPA to be designated for the ENDOWMENT FUND, with such contributions covered by the Association’s 501(c) (3) tax status as applied to charitable donations.

2. The Treasurer and/or the Endowment Committee is hereby authorized to undertake all the usual actions related to holding, making or disposing of investments in financial markets, such as through mutual funds and any mix of cash, equities or bonds. The Treasurer and/or the Endowment Committee may not incur obligations on behalf of UURMaPA beyond the assets of the ENDOWMENT FUND, and the ENDOWMENT FUND assets will not be co-mingled with other UURMaPA accounts.

3. The Endowment Fund will be invested in the Unitarian Universalist Association Common Endowment Fund and managed by the UUA. The Treasurer will report monthly to the Board on the balance of the Endowment Fund.

4. Withdrawals from the Endowment Fund may be made annually in the fall of each year and used in the creation of the next fiscal year budget. An amount up to 4% of the balance as of June 30th of that year may be withdrawn and added to the next year’s budget. The Board may withdraw funds from the endowment fund balance in addition to this limitation. It will take two subsequent votes of the Board to access the Endowment beyond the annual withdrawal.

5. The UURMaPA Executive Board shall have the authority to revise these policies in the event of a financial emergency or other urgent circumstance so long as they act in the best interests of the organization, however any such revisions shall require approval by the Board of Directors at two consecutive meetings.

6. Non-cash donations to the ENDOWMENT FUND such as individual equities will be sold as soon as practicable after they are received, with the proceeds added to the Endowment corpus and invested according to the financial policies then in force.

7. In order to stimulate contributions to the UURMaPA ENDOWMENT FUND, the Executive Board shall publicize the existence and purposes of the ENDOWMENT FUND to its members. Individual UURMaPA members may request and receive from the Treasurer a current report on the status of the Fund at any time.

8. In the event of the termination of the Unitarian Universalist Retired Ministers and Partners Association, the successor organization to receive any remaining assets will be the Unitarian Universalist Association Living Tradition Fund.

The Rev. Beth N. Williams

The Rev. Beth N. Williams died on August 1, 2024, at the age of 72 (1952-2024). Beth is survived by her brother, Doug Nuber, and several cousins. A celebration of life service was held on October 19, 2024, at Mountain Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Tucson AZ.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following:

Mountain Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Arizona Public Media
The University of Arizona, Modern Language Bldg, Room 223, 1423 E University Blvd., Tucson AZ 85719.

UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry. Notes of condolence may be sent to Kristi Lewis, 14090 N. Lobelia Way, Oro Valley, AZ 85755.

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. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com.

Maia Williams

The literary community of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, lost one of its most active and passionate members when Maia Williams, 69, died on July 30, 2024. She was born in 1955.

Maia was the Co-Director of the San Miguel Writers’ Conference from 2014 to 2020.

One memorable event was when the Literary Sala entertained the daughter of Diego Rivera, Guadalupe Rivera Marin, for a weekend. In her honor, Maia created a formal banquet using recipes from a book Guadalupe wrote called, Frida’s Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life with Frida Kahlo.

Maia was founding editor for San Miguel’s bilingual arts and culture magazine Crossroads, published from 2015–2020. She also founded the Prose and Poetry Café, a monthly reading series featuring accomplished local and visiting writers. She conducted writing workshops called “Wild Muse: Show Up and Write,” offering inspiration to several hundred aspiring authors over the years. They grew to include year-round, in-person and online courses for writers of short-form creative nonfiction, resulting in the publication of the anthology, Memory as Muse: Then and Now.

Maia and her husband, Rev. Wyman Rousseau, arrived in San Miguel in 2011 from Charlotte NC, for what they called “a year of living creatively,” and they never left. Maia topped off her U.S. career as CEO of a sales and management consulting firm in the Carolinas, growing annual client revenues from $500 to $750 million over five years. She volunteered across North Carolina as an advocate for creative arts organizations, including the board of Charlotte’s renowned Arts & Science Council and as annual fundraising chair for The Echo Foundation, an educational organization focused on social justice, with strong ties to the late Elie Wiesel, humanitarian, literary icon, and Nobel peace laureate.

The common threads throughout her career were building community, growing businesses, supporting social justice efforts and the arts. Maia celebrated love, laughter, friendship, equity, and kindness in all she did.

We offer our condolences to Wyman, son Landon, daughter-in-law Tracy, and three grandchildren.

Contributions to the GoFundMe campaign for Wyman’s ongoing care needs will be greatly appreciated. The site also allows you to leave words of support and sympathy, which Wyman will see.

May 16, 2024

Fall 2024 Conference — First Update

July 3: The Unitarian Universalist Retired Ministers and Partners Association will gather in a conference October 21 through 23, 2024. Our theme this fall is “Generative Eldering and Democracy’s Future,” and will be presented by Dr. Sharon Welch in a conversational format. Dr. Welch is the author of After the Protests are Heard: Enacting Civic Engagement and Social Transformation.

In researching this topic, Sharon will focus on a few questions:

∙ What can we as elders do in terms of time and focus to support generative democracy throughout the world?

∙ What are the current risks to democracy? Sharon will devote some time addressing the current research on the rise of authoritarianism and the risks to democracy worldwide.

∙ What leads to an expansive, generative and multiracial democracy? There is a significant difference between competitive and generative forms of democracy. Sharon will explore the differences, and the short-term and long term work that is being done to implement and sustain a democracy.

∙ What is being done now by Unitarian Universalists to create a generative democracy, and what are the particular roles that can be played by elders in this vital work? UU the Vote and UUSJ in collaboration with other organizations, such as the Poor Peoples’ campaign play prominent roles now in support of democracy.

In addition to the presentation by Dr. Welch, the conference will honor our colleagues no longer with us in a service of remembrance, we will experience an odyssey with a minister and one with a partner, small groups will form to discuss the theme, we can engage in virtual socializing, and two worship services are scheduled. We will have several opportunities to go deeper into our theme during Connecting Rooms every day.

This conference will be mediated through Zoom, or in-person with at least four pods. Online registration will begin on August 1; the fee is $45.00, and financial aid is available to defray the cost. To apply for financial aid, send a message to Paul Johnson at treasurer@uurmapa.org

We will have more information about pods later this summer. For now, we believe one will form in Wilmington, Delaware, another in Seabeck, Washington, near Seattle, one in Kingston, Massachusetts, and one in Columbus, Ohio.

We will update the FaceBook page and this UURMaPA web page with information as we develop the conference, so check those occasionally this summer, especially after August 1 to register.

The Rev. Marjorie Rebmann

The Rev. Marjorie Rebmann died on July 4, 2024, at the age of 80 (1944-2024).

Marjorie is survived by her husband Richard Rebmann; her son John Hollovary (Rosaria); daughters Susan Reilly, Camille Panburn, and Araceli Rebmann; stepson Coy Rebmann; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; as well as her brother Brian McConnell (Eileen); and sister Tina Thompson.

A memorial service will be held at 10 am on Friday, August 16, 2024, at the Unitarian Church of Montpelier, 130 Main St, Montpelier VT 05602.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Church of Montpelier. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be written here.

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 to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com.

The Rev. Dr. Frank W. Carpenter

The Rev. Dr. Frank W. Carpenter died on July 4, 2024, at the age of 81 (1943-2024).

Frank is survived by his partner Jacqueline Rousseau; his son William Carpenter; and granddaughter Elleanora Carpenter.

A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at the First Unitarian Church of Cincinnati, 536 Linton St, Cincinnati OH 45219.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Michael J Fox Foundation <https://give.michaeljfox.org/give/421686/#!/donation/checkout>. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Jacqueline Rousseau, 4640 Hamilton Ave, Cincinnati OH 45223.

A more complete 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. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com. will follow.

The Rev. Sylvia A. Falconer

The Rev. Sylvia A. Falconer died on July 2, 2024, at the age of 88 (1936-2024).

Sylvia is survived by her three children David, Rebecca, and Curtis, her grandchildren Sara, Christopher, Logan, and Colby, as well as her beloved nieces, nephews, and their children. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald Mangan, her parents, and her brothers.

A memorial service will be held at 5.30 pm on November 8, 2024, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greeley, 929 15th St, Greeley CO 80631.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one’s own choosing, or the Humane Society of Weld County, or CARE International. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence may be sent to rebeccaborder1@gmail.com.

The Rev. Stanley Robert Stefancic

The Rev. Stanley “Stan” Robert Stefancic died on June 28, 2024, at the age of 86 (1937-2024).

Stan is survived by his wife Marianne; his son Benjamin (Sandy); grandchildren Sophie and Ryan; brother Richard (Dolly); niece Erica, and nephew Richie; as well as Marianne’s son Jai (Taraneh). He also leaves behind his former wife, Jean and her husband, Richard.

A private memorial service will be held.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one’s own choosing or the American Civil Liberties Union <https://action.aclu.org/give/now>.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Marianne Stefancic, 100 Thorndale Dr. Apt. 136, San Rafael CA 94903.