Before dusk on the longest night of the year, about 30 people stood at the Centenary United Methodist Church in St. Louis to remember nine people who died while homeless in 2015.
The four women and five men honored during the ceremony had visited St. Louis-area agencies for assistance, but died without a place to call home. Some died young, including one who passed away after a fire swept through his encampment near downtown St. Louis. Some died while estranged from family or friends.
“They’re beautiful and wonderful people. They just need support,” said Teri Hicks, a community support worker at Places for People.
Hicks said she remembered meeting one of the men who died, Charles Taylor. He had arrived at her agency to ask about what services could be available to him.
“Housing was his number one priority. But, unfortunately, he passed away before we were able to connect with him anymore,” Hicks said. “It may not have been more than a month.”
The annual memorial has been organized since 2004 by a group of nonprofits to honor their clients who have died, who may not have had a service of their own. A series of speakers from different faiths said they hope to see a day when there are no names to read. Dr. Gary Morse, a clinical psychologist for Places for People, called for better access to permanent housing, employment and healthcare.
“Homelessness is a social condition, and one we can overcome,” he said.
As the nine names were read, Connie Lamka, a case worker at New Life Evangelistic Center, stood in memory of Sandra Radford.
“She was very vivacious, very friendly, everyone just loved her,” Lamka said. “We really appreciated having her around, because she always added a light to our fires.”
Lamka said she knew one other woman who died after she checked in to New Life's emergency shelter. What gives her comfort, Lamka said, was that she passed away in a church.
"The last words she heard were words of love, and peace, and welcome. We're just sorry that we lost her," Lamka said.
As she listened to the names, Lamka said she thought about how their deaths could have been prevented.
“Everybody is important, everyone was created for an important purpose. Every death is a tragedy. But every life is a blessing,” Lamka said. “Instead of looking away from them let’s look in their eyes and say ‘You are a blessing, and I’m glad you’re here.’”
The names are compiled each year by Debra Crowe, a community relations manager for a day shelter in St. Louis called The Bridge Outreach. Because the list relies on area nonprofits to report the deaths of those they know, she said she worries that there are people who die unknown to service providers, and whose names go unread.
Those remembered this year
Jersey Arthur “Hardware” Burkot
Sandra Radford Gallion
Susan Freeman
Belinda Meili
Emily Queen
Daniel Roulston
Charles Taylor
Cedric Tankins
Phillip Tinker
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