GRACE and ST JOHN’S
An Episcopal church in the diocese of Connecticut
2927 Dixwell Avenue (P. O. Box 185065), Hamden, CT 06518
OFFICE@GRACEANDSTPETERS.ORG 203-248-4338
IN MEMORIAM
Give rest, O Christ,
to your servants with your saints,
where sorrow and pain are no more,
neither sighing, but life everlasting.
You only are immortal,
the creator and maker of mankind;
and we are mortal, formed of the earth,
and to earth shall we return.
For so did you ordain
when you created me, saying,
“You are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
All of us go down to the dust;
yet even at the grave we make our song:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
GEORGE MEINSEN
October 27, 2020
George A. Meinsen, age 97, a lifelong resident of Hamden,
passed away on October 27, 2020.
Born in New Haven on September 14, 1923,
he was a son of the late George H. Meinsen and Anna Bortniak Meinsen.
George was predeceased by his wife Rosemarie “Bo” Corbett Meinsen;
his daughter Mary Meinsen and his brothers L. Robert and Lawrence H. Meinsen.
He is survived by his daughters Cynthia M. Considine of West Hartford,
Sandra Meinsen Harreys of Essex, Kristen M. (Michael) Dorsey of Freeport, ME
and Karlen Meinsen (Jay Kaye) of Hamden;
his son Kurt Corbett Meinsen (Lesley Hatch) of Fairfax, VA;
13 grandchildren and 2 great-grandsons.
George was a graduate of Yale School of Engineering,
he was employed many years by the Armstrong Rubber Company.
He was a WWII U.S. Army Air Corps Veteran, serving with the 6th Aircraft Repair Unit. George was a member of the American Legion Post # 88,
the Lancraft Fife & Drum Corps,
and a long time member of Grace & St Peter’s Episcopal Church.
George’s family would like to thank the Smilow Cancer Hospital
for all their care and support in his time of need.
RICHARD BECK
June 7, 2020
Read Richard's obituary
On June 28, around twenty members of Grace & St Peter’s who had known and loved Richard Beck, gathered with members of Richard’s family under a tent in the backyard of Victoria Carpenter,
with former Grace & St Peter’s rector the Rev. Julie Kelsey, to say goodby to Richard Beck using the burial office from the Book of Common Prayer.
Richard’s son Alex delivered a moving eulogy, and members of the church spoke briefly
about Richard’s great generosity and self-effacing helpfulness in the parish community,
from ushering to mowing the lawn to setting tables for Dinner for a Dollar.
When something needed to be done, he would simply show up.
He had many friends in the congregation, contributed thoughtfully to church gatherings and discussions both formal and informal, and was treasured for his quiet humor.
Richard Curtis Beck was born in Jamestown, NY in 1947 to the late Orsell and Celia Beck.
Richard is survived by his two sons, Alexander (Tiffany) Beck and their three children,
Greyson, Dylan and Wyatt, all of Orange, CT, and Nicholas Beck of Long Island City, NY.
He is also survived by his sister, Linda Beck, of Lakewood, NY.
Richard received a BS from Cornell University, an MS from Louisiana State University
and a Doctorate from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.
Before enrolling in college Richard served his country in the Army and was deployed to Vietnam.
He worked many years for Yale University in a variety of Information Technology positions,
and prior to his retirement he was employed by Quinnipiac University.
Those who knew Richard were aware of his love for his grandsons for whom he was a willing babysitter in his retirement years. He was an avid fan of UCONN women's basketball
and enjoyed attending local lacrosse games.
He loved the out-of-doors, music, good books, and dogs.
He was known to be a more than willing dog (and cat) sitter for friends and family.
Memorial donations can be made to your local animal shelter or Dinner for a Dollar.
JOSH KOVNER
April 23, 2020
Read obituary from the Hartford Courant
A remembrance by Rev. Bob Bergner
Josh Kovner, husband of Sharon, father of Dan and Kelly, and grandfather of Mila and Gianna,
died on Thursday, April 23, from cardiac complications.
I only met Josh briefly a couple of times, but he seemed like a kind and gentle man.
Certainly the praise he has received since his death from colleagues and community leaders alike speaks of the talent, energy and dedication that he brought to his professional life as a journalist.
Josh will be greatly missed.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to Sharon, Dan, and Kelly.
We are living in unusual, social-distancing times, but let’s not let that prevent us from
reaching out in love and support to our sisters and brother in need.
Please keep the Kovners in your prayers. It is the Easter season, the season when
our Christian narrative reminds us most explicitly that death is not the end of life’s story.
Rather, departure from this physical world is a transformation, a new beginning,
an adoption even of greater glory. Josh may have disappeared from the sight of our eyes, but not from the sight of our hearts. And, as Antoine de Saint Exupéry wrote,
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
Finally, I am including here a link to a song, “Your Heart Is Magnificent,” that Dan Kovner and I wrote a couple of years ago. We sang it once on a Sunday morning. Last week, I made a recording of the song and shared it with Dan who, in turn, shared it with his father.
I like to think that that sharing was meaningful to both of them.
(Download the words to Dan’s song here.)
God's blessing and God's peace to you all,
Bob+