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person to the very end. She died with quality and dignity. The nurses said, “You can come to know a lot about a person when they're terminally ill.” All the nurses would say how extraordinary she was. This was important for her, by the way. It was very important for her to maintain a certain kind of control, and not let even pain interfere. She was sensitive to the needs of other people up to the end.
Dr. You mentioned that she told your son and your daughter what kind of memorial service she wished, and you carried that out. Could you tell us a little bit about the memorial service?
I'll tell you about the funeral first. She didn't want a funeral in church; she just wanted a few friends to go to the cemetery. She named who she wanted at the cemetary. She wanted a simple service at the cemetery rather than any kind of elaborate thing in church. And she wanted a memorial service subsequent to the burial. She stated those who she wanted to talk. She was very specific as to each person. My son spoke for the family. Mr. [James] Jim Dumpson, who is on our board at Northside, spoke for Northside. David Barry, who died within six months after Mamie's death, spoke for her work in the [New York] City Mission Society, and on related social services. [Richard] Dick Cooper, who was formerly president of the New York Public Library, on the board of which he served for quite a while, spoke from that perspective of her role as a board member and beyond. We all felt that it met Mamie's desire. It was at Riverside Church. That was the only thing that was
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