By: Heidy Kellison, Cemetery Board of Trustees
When we experience pain, our instinct is to escape it. This is especially true during hard times, like the COVID-19 pandemic, when many of us yearned to move past the suffering. It’s understandable; the desire to be “over it” often leads to frustration with ongoing discussions about the virus, particularly as it has become deeply politicized. Yet, amid this turmoil, we must confront the lasting impact of our shared experience.
In 2021, the Davis Cemetery District Board of Trustees made a choice to face this challenge head-on by creating a permanent memorial dedicated to those affected by the pandemic. As a cemetery, we provide solace and a space for processing loss. We recognized our unique position to create a lasting tribute and offer a place for gathering, remembering, and healing.
Last month, our community came together to dedicate a sizable art installation—a memorial honoring not only those who lost their lives but also the hardships of everyone impacted by this unprecedented crisis.
Led by professional artists and funded through generous sponsorships and countless volunteer hours, this project represents a monumental effort of love and remembrance. Lead artist Wes Horn described a special calling to contribute to something so essential.
“As Toni Morrison wrote about hard times, that’s when artists get to work,” Horn reflected. “Our team was committed to bringing peace and healing to everyone.”
In my years of monitoring national forums for those who lost loved ones to the disease, I’ve seen many small tributes, but nothing as permanent or community-driven as ours. When I shared our plans with a Facebook group dedicated to mourning these losses, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Many have been advocating for larger memorials with little success; ours may indeed be the first of its kind in the world.
The memorial’s design features a walking path with four symbolic portals—home, community, loss, and hope—leading visitors to a reflection area where they can contemplate the pandemic’s impact. As they exit, they encounter images of strength and resilience, serving as reminders to look forward while honoring the past. The project acknowledges not just individual grief but also collective hardship.
Other artists involved—Donna Lemongello, Jennifer Nachmanoff, Brenda Cibrian, Will Durkee, Gregory Shilling, and Ro Mottsmith—created the reflection wall in close collaboration with community members through workshops that allowed feedback and personalized tiles.
Stephen Souza, Vice Chair of the Cemetery District, led construction and dedicated more than 2,000 hours to this labor of love.
“Each volunteer hour was a sacred act,” Souza emphasized. “This memorial represents our recognition of the grief suffered by so many and offers a space for reflection and healing. While this memorial stands in Davis, it is meant as a shared space for people everywhere.”
The memorial is located at 820 Pole Line Road in Davis. We are still accepting donations to help close the funding gap for this vital project and offer several memorialization options. We are also looking for ways to memorialize members of our District (Davis, West Sacramento, and Clarksburg) who died of or with COVID-19. For more information or to contribute, please contact Superintendent Jessica Smithers at 530-756-7807.
