We mourn the passing of Angela Lemaire from this earth. On Sunday, October 28 Angela went home to be with Jesus. Angela was a part of our church for the past 5 years and we miss her greatly. She lived a life passionately devoted to Jesus by her dedication to prayer and passionate worship. We miss you Angela.
Memorial Services
Visitation:
Thursday Nov 1, 2007 5-8pm @ White Funeral Home (14560 Pennock Ave, Apple Valley 55124)
Funeral:
Friday, Nov 2, 2007 Viewing 10am; Service 11am
Hosanna! Lutheran Church, Lakeville, MN (9600 163rd Street W · Lakeville, MN 55044)
StarTribune obituary here.
Please feel free to leave your comments, stories, prayers and thoughts here. Scroll to the bottom of the page to the “Leave a Reply” box.
A beautiful soul. So many memories…
This was a woman who was passionate about loving God and loving people. Passionate about experiencing all the world’s richness through her five senses. Passionate about being a force for good wherever she was and in whatever way she could. Passionate about expressing God’s truth and beauty through art.
I don’t know where to begin or where to stop. She was the girl with the flaxen hair, spreading light with each step. Those who knew her understand what I mean.
Now she’s the lucky one, freed from her pain and more fully alive than ever before.
I look forward to seeing her again.
I just heard the news of Angela’s passing last evening. I went to high school with Angela who befriended me when I first moved to Minnesota. Moving in the middle of high school is always difficult but having Angela made it easier. She introduced me to many people and we had a lot of great times and discussions. She was always full of spirit and kindness. She will be missed. My prayers are with her family during this difficult time.
stephen is right…
all i can say is, i will never be the same without her.
she brought out the best in those around her, including me. i am grateful beyond measure to have walked beside her for the past 4 years- with angela, life was always an adventure.
i love her still, with all my heart.
the only comfort i can find is in these simple words:
e’ finito.
that’s italian for: it’s finished. it’s over. it’s done.
angela’s flown away now, the little bird’s journey finally culminating in the ending she sought so hard after- the light and warmth of Our Father’s love enveloping her more completely than she ever imagined it could.
i still hear her lilting song in my ears; i’ll be hearing that singular tune forevermore…
Everytime I think of Angela I thank God. She had such a heart for Jesus. She had such a heart for living like Jesus. I know that He has a special place in His Sacred Heart for her.
I met Angela on an inner healing retreat in April 2006. I thank God that she was there to welcome me into a fuller commitment to His lordship in my own life. Her gentle spirit and brave compassion was refreshingly disrupting to me.
We had a wonderful time dancing and singing along with Jars of Clay at one of their concerts. And we both lamented that we were the only ones dancing!
Her generous spirit was also a wonderful testimony to the love and strength in her parents.
Blessed are you O God who are “deeply moved in spirit and troubled” just as we are are and more so. Amen.
Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still…
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you for an interval.
Somewhere very near, just around the corner.
All is well.
-Canon Henry Scott-Holland
Beautiful girl, free, waiting for us for an interval… We will miss your contagious smile, your unabashed worship your pure heart and so many more things that were just ‘YOU’. Beautiful YOU.
I will spend these days thinking of the why and how of your life. The seeds that you planted that I have the pleasure of watching grow to maturity. Thank you my friend.
My heart is too full with both great sadness for those she left, and joy that she is with Jesus. Her heart’s desire was always to be in the presence of God. In my mind’s eye, I can see her around God’s throne. Kneeling. In perfect happiness and in harmony with God’s ultimate plan. Rejoined with the other saints who have departed this life.
I loved her as a roommate and as a friend. I cannot wait to see her again. Until then, I will try to live my life with as much passion and love for God as she did.
And I will cherish the memories I have of her. And I will laugh fondly at all the crazy stunts she persuaded me to do. I will laugh. I will cry. I will be consoled with knowing Angela is now with her true Love.
Sweet memories keep surfacing in my heart: bike trips to coffee shops and prayer meetings, concocting new recipes from whatever we thought might taste exotic and different, conversations about art, beauty, relationships, God…worshipping together.
Oh, this life can be so painful but I am reminded that it’s just a breath, a phrase, a beat in a neverending musical score that the Lord has orchestrated. Soon we will be with Him physically, like Angela is now, and there will be no more mourning, no more pain, no more tears. What hope we have to cling to, we must cling to.
I will miss you terribly my dear friend, we had so many more adventures planned…
I loved Angela deeply, and I saw incredible beauty every time I saw her. I hope she knew that. I loved her smile, how she could light up a room in an instant. I loved that she prayed with faith that she would see healing. She touched every aspect of my life, and my walk with God would very weak if I had never met her. She showed me the face of Christ. I am glad to now share some of her passion for prayer, worship, the outdoors and all things beautiful.
For a long time my constant prayer for Angela was that God would heal her, and that He would give her Peace, Joy, Wisdom, and Strength. Now that she is gone, we must pray that prayer for each other. I know that God has answered those prayers beyond what I had ever imagined. She has been made complete, whole, perfect.
Life will never be the same without her, but I feel like we should keep Angela’s memory alive in our hearts by doing some of the things she did. Take a homeless man for a meal. Go cliff jumping. Go camping with four people, but food for ten. Spend a few hours with a friend just reading the Bible and praying. Be open about your feelings, speaking from your heart, not your head. Bring someone a birthday cake. Invite a group of people over for a feast, but don’t let them help with the dishes. Watch the rain. Tell a stranger something that you noticed about them. Go for a 50-mile bike ride. Go up to the North Shore over the weekend, stopping at every place that suits your fancy. Go swimming in Lake Superior. Dance, for we do not grieve as those who have no hope, but we know we will dance with Angela before our Creator.
I met Angela a few years ago at Bluer, I thought she had been going there for some time because she just seemed to fit. She welcomed me with open arms, open heart, and open ears. We would just sit and talk. One of my favorite memories of my times with Angela was one day, not long after she moved into the Girls House, she and I were out running errands, our last stop was at Rainbow for some groceries to make some food for supper. When we went into the store, it was just cloudy, when we came out it was a torrential downpour. I just looked at the rain and thought “great I don’t want to get all wet.” we ran to the car, of course getting sopping wet. after loading the groceries in the car, Angela looked at me with a gleam and said we were already wet, why not dance in the rain. She grabbed my hand before I could really protest and pulled me into the biggest puddle she could find and persuaded me to dance and play in the rain with her. So in the middle of Rainbow parking lot, a couple of nutty girls danced and laughed and played in the rain, just because we could. That evening I took a picture of Angela watching the rain. I will always remeber that day. Angela had such a sweet spirit to her. So next time it rains on a hot summer day, go out and dance and laugh and play, Grab someone else by the hand, and take them with you.
I want to relate a story that, for me, sums up Angela pretty well.
She had invited me to spend a day with her at Interstate Park. We rented bikes, and that day I saw a lot of Angela’s back. (She did not understand the term “leisurely pace.”) Once, we were riding down a hill and she saw a large turtle on the side of the road. I figured he was slowly making his way somewhere and didn’t need our interference. Angela thought otherwise. She insisted we take the turtle with us and deposit him in a stream or pond. So she picked him up, wrapped him in a blanket and placed him in *my* backpack. Eventually we found a small body of water, and Angela gently returned the turtle to his new home. She watched him for a few minutes until she was satisfied he was going to be okay, then we moved on.
After a while, Angela told me she wanted to show me this “great spot” that I just “had to see.” I didn’t realize the spot was on top of a massive hill, and the only route there was a narrow, slippery trail. (Remember, we had two bikes with us.) After much huffing and puffing, we finally reached our destination. Angela was right; the view was stunning. But that wasn’t all.
“See that cliff over there?”
“Yes, there’s a fence preventing people from going to the edge. It looks dangerous.”
“My parents used to dive off that cliff. Let’s go!”
My preservation instinct kicked in, and I wisely refused. Angela, however, did what I knew she would do all along.
Later we sat on a ledge, wrapped in our towels and taking in an absolutely breathtaking vista. The conversation turned to spiritual things, as it often did. But mostly we just sat quietly, marveling at the scene before us.
Angela was compassionate, she was adventurous, and she loved nature. I am sure these traits will serve her well in her new home.
I haven’t seen Angela in 3 or 4 years. We grew up together on the same street in Burnsville. We had some rough times, just being bratty kids to each other. Then, a few years ago I ran into her. She was working at a restaurant and recognized me. As I was leaving she slipped me a note in which she basically apologized for everything that happened in our youth. I still have the note, because it meant the world to me that she cared enough about me to make such a vulnerable move(my childhood was pretty messed up). In this I see someone who was adamant about righting wrongs, something I only understand now as I go through my own past and reach for a new ideal. I am comforted by the fact that Angela found Christ and joyful that we share that. Reid and Randy, I have no words to describe how hurt I am for you. I hope that you and your family can find comfort in each other, in prayer, in Christ, in your communities.
I am confused about the whole situation. If someone who knew Angela could contact me, it would be helpful and appreciated.
Tiffany.corrine.dow [Email address: Tiffany.corrine.dow (AT) gmail.com - replace (AT) with @ ]
Thank you,
Tiffany
Gary and I just want to give our condolences to the family. We are so sorry for your loss. We remember Angela as a lively fun child. You all are in our thoughts and prayers.