View source for Garden of Remembrance at Olcott

[[File:Olcott_campus_Garden_of_Remembrance.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Garden of Remembrance, 2002.]]
The '''Garden of Remembrance''' is a serene setting for meditation and for remembering loved ones who have passed away, located on the [[Olcott (campus)|campus]] of the [[Theosophical Society in America]], Wheaton, Illinois. The concept was modeled after the [[Garden of Remembrance at Adyar|garden of the same name]] at the international headquarters at Adyar, India. Another Garden of Remembrance was established at the [[International Theosophical Centre]] at Naarden, The Netherlands.

== Background ==
[[File:Annie Besant tree.png|right|200px|thumb|Annie Besant tree]]
Events that foreshadowed and inspired creation of the garden occurred in the 1930s. International president [[Annie Besant]] died on [[September 20]], 1933  and was cremated in [[Adyar (campus)|Adyar]] at a site near the Adyar River. Two years later, the ashes of her coworker [[Charles Webster Leadbeater]] were added, and the site was dedicated as the '''[[Garden of Remembrance at Adyar|Garden of Remembrance]]'''. 

<blockquote>
In 1937 when Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hotchener were at Adyar assisting [[George S. Arundale|Dr. Arundale]] and were returning to America, he gave them permission  to take with them a little of the sand from this shrine. The exact spot of Dr. Besant's cremation was pointed out to them, and they gathered the sand from there.
[[File:Plaque at Annie Besant tree.jpg|left|210px|thumb|Plaque at Annie Besant tree]]

At the [American] Convention in 1938 they brought some of this sand to [[Sidney A. Cook|Mr. Cook]] and suggested that it be placed in the gardens at Olcott. Mr. Cook thought the most suitable place for it would be at the base of what is known as the Annie Besant tree in the Annie Besant Grove, but as there were to be some alterations of that grove he preferred to wait until they were completed before the sand should be placed there with a suitable tablet. This [1939] Convention provides the opportune time.

While between Olcott and Adyar there is an imperishable ''super-physical'' bond, we rejoice that this comingling of the soil of Adyar with that of Olcott creates an additional ''physical'' bond. May its radiations be an ever-present benediction upon us!<ref>Anonymous, "The Besant Commemoration" ''The American Theosophist'' 27 no. 9 (Sep 1939): 214.</ref>
</blockquote>

Thus on [[July 19]], 1939 the Annie Besant tree was planted at the place where she last spoke on the [[Olcott (campus)|Olcott campus]], incorporating soil from Adyar. The Olcott Garden of Remembrance was later created very near that tree. Unfortunately, after eight decades the tree succumbed to an illness, and was removed in June, 2018.

== Dedication of the garden ==
The garden was established during the administration of [[John Algeo]], and the dedication took place during the annual convention in July, 2001. Marie Minor worked at the TSA headquarters for more than 35 years, until retiring in 1997. After she passed away on May 8, 2001, her ashes were delivered to the Olcott campus to become the first interred in the new garden.

== Ash ceremonies in the garden ==

Some of the Theosophists whose ashes were placed in the garden include Ruben Cabigting, Clarence "Pete" Pedersen, Vera Bruce, Vernon Schwartz, Adolphe J. Michel, John Shelton Davis, Camilla Doris Huff Connell, and John and Lillian Hunter. Ceremonies have varied from simple family remembrances to [[Co-Freemasonry|Co-Masonic]] and [[Liberal Catholic Church]] rites.

One memorable ash ceremony took place on August 15, 2010. The life of '''Adele Algeo''', the wife and coworker of [[John Algeo]], was celebrated with a major Co-Masonic procession and service in the garden, followed by a formal service in the auditorium. During the procession to the garden, onlookers witnessed a hawk stooping low over the celebrants.

<gallery widths="130px" heights="150px" perrow="5">
File:Adele and John 1988.jpg|<center>Adele and John Algeo, 1988</center>
File:John Algeo leading procession.JPG|<center>John Algeo leading procession</center>
File:Procession to garden.JPG|<center>Procession to garden</center>
File:Hawk at Adele Algeo service.jpg|<center>Hawk over procession</center>
File:Algeos in GofR.JPG|<center>John and Katie Algeo in garden</center>
</gallery>

During the July 2015 summer convention, another special event took place. International [[Theosophical Society (Adyar)|Theosophical Society]] president '''[[George S. Arundale]]''' had died in India on [[August 12]], and someone brought a small portion of his ashes to Olcott in an urn that was kept safely in archival storage. The ashes were finally buried by Dr. Arundale's great-niece Ananya Rajan in a Liberal Catholic ceremony conducted by Ruben Cabigting during summer convention. [[Tim Boyd]] and [[Barbara Hebert]] assisted.
[[File:CJ_ashes_in_Fox_River.jpg|right|260px|thumb|Ashes scattered in Fox River]]
One prominent person whose ashes are <u>not</u> in the garden was '''[[Curuppumullage Jinarājadāsa]]'''. After retiring from the international presidency in 1953, he came to Olcott on a lecture tour and suffered a fatal illness during his stay. His ashes were divided, with some returned to India for placement in the [[Garden of Remembrance at Adyar]]. The remaining ashes were sprinkled in the Fox River by [[James S. Perkins]], Kathrine Perkins, Helen Zahara, Caroline Tess, and [[Geoffrey Hodson]], according to Brother Raja's specific instructions.

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Places|Garden of Remembrance at Olcott]]
[[Category:TS Adyar|Garden of Remembrance at Olcott]]