• Leaf of Remembrance for Delores Beamon

    Dolores Beamon, 1949—2004

    In Memory: Dolores Beamon by Cynthia Lee Ozimek Originally published in Real Change On Monday, January 5 [2004], at 6:30 a.m., the body of longtime Hammond House shelter resident Dolores Beamon was found in a Seattle parking lot. While the cause of her death has yet to be determined, it has been theorized that homelessness, poor health and the snowstorm that had brought the city to a virtual standstill all contributed to her sad and unexpected demise. Fifty-four years old at the time of her passing, Beamon was born and raised in the Seattle area and is survived by her mother, her siblings, and many nieces and nephews. Dolores had…

  • Tessie Pierre Comeslast, 1956—1999

    “Power dies, power goes under and gutters out, ungraspable.  It is momentary, quick of flight and liable to deceive.  As soon as you rely on the possession it is gone.  Forget that it ever existed, and it returns.  I never made the mistake of thinking I owned my own strength, that was my secret.  And so I was never alone in my failures.  I was never to blame entirely when all was lost, when my desperate cures had no effect on the suffering of those I loved.  For who can blame a man waiting, the doors open, food offered, arms stretched wide?  Who can blame him if the visitor does…

  • Irene Giguerre, 1956—2006

    My Memories of a Beautiful Sister by Janice Connelly I met Irene in 2005; we were bunkmates at Hammond House Shelter.  She was one bed over from mine.  Irene was a beautiful, long-haired, quiet, dignified Native lady.  She liked her beer and could get a little rowdy when she came in at night, and she was well liked by the staff at Hammond.  In spite of her condition she could always be talked into retiring to her bed peacefully.  We didn’t get to talk too much because she usually came in close to quiet time at 10 p.m.  She had a boyfriend who adored her; she felt the same about…

  • Sharon Kilgore, 1959—2010

    According to her friend Janna, Sharon Kilgore had a very difficult life, with many difficult things surrounding her.  She did her best in an often impossible situation.  In spite of all the odds against her, she kept a sense of humor, black as it may have been. In a video Public Service Announcement for the Church of Mary Magdalene, Sharon spoke up to solicit donations of brassieres for their “Ministry of the Lingerie:”  “You never know when you might have to go to a funeral, baby,” she said, and then laughed her beautiful laugh. She used to call all of us younger women, “baby girl.”  She was a tough mom figure to…

  • Dinah Lane, 1951—2005

    THE SEA OUTSIDE The rise in suicides in King County’s Homeless Community by Michele Marchand; originally published in Real Change in 2005 On the streets, where last names are seldom important or even known, Dinah Lane was often called Dinah Shore. Although both these Dinahs had strawberry blond hair and amazing smiles, you couldn’t imagine someone less like the sunny 1950s television hostess and singer than Dinah Lane. She was a homeless activist, a striver for justice, and was always reading thick tomes from the Public Library. She engaged for hours in intense, thoughtful conversation about the government, systems and conspiracies.

  • Robin Langston, 1972—2000

    Robin Langston was strangled to death in the alley off Third Avenue and Blanchard Friday, September 15, 2000 at 4 a.m.  Late in the afternoon that day I walked down the alley, just after I’d gone to a police briefing about the murder.

  • Ella Lewis, 1947—2009

    . Ella’s leaf is placed at Angeline’s.  If you have memories or photos of Ella, please post a comment to share them.

  • Melody Rayl, 1965—2008

      Melody’s leaf is placed at Angeline’s. If you have memories of Melody to share, please post in the comments.