Greg Orkin and his family have extended an invitation to NCP members who wish to celebrate the life of Clinical Associate John Kelleher. 

Friends, 

As you know we will be holding a commemoration for John Charles Kelleher III on May 6, 2023 at the New Center for Psychoanalysis.  The event will be from 3 – 6 pm. 

Please RSVP at: https://everloved.com/life-of/john-kelleher-iii/funeral/?flow=201.   Your RSVP will help us plan for the event as there will be drinks and passed appetizers. 

Who knows what an event to mark the death of a loved one looks like after almost 3 ½ years, one canceled event, and a global pandemic?  

It seems like too much time has passed for something traditional, though, so this event will be in the form of a cocktail party (Johns favorite cocktails will be on offer).  The idea is bring together those who loved John to share our memories of him, in both formal and informal ways.

It’s a “co-memoration”, as in, remembering together.  

There will be time made during the event for any of you to share a thought, memory, poem, or song with the assembled guests.  If you’d like to share the beautiful person that you experienced John to be, there will be space, but there will also be notecards where you could write a memory, or just use that experience as way to start a conversation with another guest. 

I would also encourage everyone to share a memory, photo, video, or story at the EverLoved website, either before or after the event (and even, or especially, if you cannot come): https://everloved.com/life-of/john-kelleher-iii/memories/?flow=201.  Please help create a store of memories about John for Phoebe. No one of us knew him in his entirety, and though this effort will still never do justice to the person he was, perhaps together we can gift Phoebe a more complete picture of the father she lost too soon.   

For those who are interested, after the formal event there will be an opportunity to share a meal in a less formal setting. Details aren’t yet worked out on location, but if you think you’d like to join us, please email me directly: gregokin@me, just so we can guess numbers. 

I look forward to sharing this time with you all,

Greg, on behalf of the Okin-Kelleher clan