On Wednesday December 9, 2015, Cypress Place Senior Living in Ventura held their third annual Candlelight Memorial Service. The touching event was in loving memory of those who are no longer with us but are forever present in our hearts.
The candlelight service was led by Pastor Leonard DeWitt, Pastor to Senior Adults at Ventura Baptist Church. “The goal is not to get over our grief, rather the goal is to reconcile with it, and move forward in life without the physical presence of the person who has died,” said Pastor DeWitt. Tears are not a sign of weakness, rather they release internal tension in the body and help us feel better, he explained.
During the memorial service attendees were able to come forward and light a candle in honor of their loved one. Many broke down in tears.
“It was incredibly emotional,” said Mike Macke, one of the marketing directors at Cypress Place. I lit a candle in honor of my father who passed away a number of years ago. It was hard not to get choked up,” Macke said.
The free memorial service was open to the public. Vocalist April Davis led the gathering in “Oh Holy Night” to close the service. Light refreshments were served afterwards.
“We wanted people to be able to share their grief and at the same time be comforted,” said Yvonne Knepper, one of the marketing directors at Cypress Place. “Luckily we had a lot of tissues on hand.”
Cypress Place Senior Living is a premiere senior community in Ventura County. The beautiful senior living campus features an Active Senior Living community and adjacent Assisted Living and Alzheimer’s/Dementia Care community connected by a lushly landscaped courtyard.
To learn more about Cypress Place Senior Living of Ventura, please call 650-8000, or www.cypressplaceseniorliving.com.
