The annual White Rose Luminary Service will take place at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20, at the White Rose Mausoleum. The purpose of the service is to “honor and remember those we have lost,” said Cemetery Coordinator Kim Inman.
“To a grieving person, the anticipation of the holidays is sometimes worse than the holidays themselves,” Inman said. “A loss doesn’t necessarily have to be recent; grief can creep up at any time such as holidays and anniversaries, and often this happens even years after the death of a loved one.”
Inman said Thanksgiving and Christmas can be especially challenging as those who are mourning the passing of a loved one can feel that absence in powerful ways, and it can be particularly difficult to follow through with cherished traditions.
“Many who attend our annual service have made this event part of their holiday routine — a time to spend reflecting on their lost loved one,” she said. “It can be helpful just to be around others who are experiencing the same emotions.”
Inman said some who attend the luminary service are further along in the grieving process and have “come to find a sense of peace in their lives,” while others are experiencing the intense grief of a recent loss.
“Just knowing that a person isn’t alone in his or her grief can be very comforting,” she said.
Luminaries, which consist of a small paper sack weighted down with sand and illuminated by an LED light, are placed around the halls of the White Rose Mausoleum. Each luminary has a card attached with the loved one’s name and by whom they are being honored. After a service, which includes a speaker, music and reading of the names of those being remembered, guests are invited to take their luminary and place it on the grave of their loved one.
Loved ones do not have to be buried at White Rose Cemetery to have a luminary in their memory. Luminaries may be purchased for $5 each. Checks may be dropped off at the Bartlesville Public Library Local and Family History Room or mailed to Bartlesville Public Library, attn: Kim Inman, 600 S. Johnstone, Bartlesville, OK 74003. Please include the name of the person or person(s) being remembered and by whom they are being honored.
For more information, call 918.338.4070 or email whiterose@cityofbartlesville.org.