Today, Saturday, March 12th, it has been seven long years since Mary disappeared.....The Marshall family wish to announce a final farewell memorial that will honor the memory of Mary Denise Lands. The tribute is planned for Saturday, March 12, 2011 at 1:00 P.M. This date will mark the 7th anniversary of Mary's disappearance from Marshall, Michigan, in which she allegedly walked off from her Waldon Pond apartment after a disagreement with her fiancé.
We have the unique and wonderful privilege of this event being hosted by the kind and gracious Bishop Jeremy Hyde, and his staff of pastors, at
the Dexter Lake Church of God, 1555 East Michigan Avenue in Battle Creek (1 mile west of the casino). We are utilizing this solemn occasion to not only say good-bye to Mary, but as a forum to promote public awareness in our community against domestic violence. The 90 minute tribute will include remarks by Jennifer Fopma, Executive Director of S.A.F.E. Place, http://www.facebook.com/safeplaceshelter.orgRep. Kate Segal of the Michigan 62nd House District, Calhoun County Prosecutor Susan Mladenoff, Sheriff Allen Byam, Chief Jim Schwartz of the Marshall Police Department, Emmett Towsnhip Public Safety Director Mike Olson, Karren Kraemer of Broken Wings Foundation, and other members of law enforcement, and state and county government.
Update- March 10, 2011- Battle Creek Enquirer News Link-
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20110310/NEWS01/103100312/Memorial-event-Saturday-Mary-Lands-missing-since-04?odyssey=tabtopnewstextFrontpage
WOODTV8 News Story Link- March 3, 2011- Mary Lands Memorial, & 7 other stories-
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/kalamazoo_and_battle_creek/After-7-years-Mary-Lands-still-missing
Cliff & Anita were never aware that their beloved daughter, Mary was a victim of domestic violence until after her disappearance.
They hope that this event will bring light to the subject and perhaps save other victims who may be enduring this problem in their daily lives. There will be a slide presentation and video of Mary's life as well as comments by the family. If one person can avoid the national tragedy of domestic violence, Mary will not have died in vain.Please come out and say hello to Cliff & Anita, and support them in their time of need. Please plan to attend the memorial. If you have any questions, please feel free to call or email: JustinianLaw@sbcglobal.net
(the above 2 photographs are of a quilt that was hand-made by Mary's sister from various medical scrubs she wore while employed at Day One Family HealthCare in Battle Creek)
Jim Carlin
269.753.1181
Update- March 10, 2011- Battle Creek Enquirer News Link-
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20110310/NEWS01/103100312/Memorial-event-Saturday-Mary-Lands-missing-since-04?odyssey=tabtopnewstextFrontpage
11 comments:
My heart goes out to Mary's family and friends, March 12th will always be a sad day to remember..I truely believe there is less to this unfortunate day than people are saying, In my opinion I dont believe Mary ever left that apartment, i believe whatever awful thing happened to Mary happened right inside that apartment..I believe that everything Chris told the police was a ruse to keep them from actually looking in the right direction
There is someone out there that knows what happened to Mary. If only someone had the courage to speak. Chris Pratt will be coming up for parole soon. Let's keep him in prison were he belongs so he never has another chance to claim another victim!
this is not over until each and everyone that is guilty has paid theyre dues
I will be attending and pray that Chris Pratt will have remourse and confess and Mary may be properly buried. This must all come to an end now.
Cliff and Anita, as always my heart and prays go out to you,I love & miss Mary to (very much.)I just wish i had the power to make the persons who knows what happend that night, come and tell you guys the truth. I know the not knowing it the hardest part of all this.There isnt a day that goes by without me thinking of her.She truly was the best friend I ever had, and no-one will ever be able to replace her in my heart, or in my family.
We grow up together shared our lifes. and im so happy i had the chance to know her.Im not going to be able to make it to the Farewell Memorial,I guess to tell you the truth Im just not ready to say good-bye yet.you would think after all this time the hurt and pain would get easier, But it hasnt.It still feels like we lost her today.I will never forget March 12th,it will always be the sadest day of my life. I wish you all nothing but the best. and please understand why i wont(cant) be there.Missing Mary forever.....
Sue B
Sue,
I hope you enjoyed the few photos that I emailed you of Mary and yourself over the years.
I'm a little perplexed however, about what you wrote. This is something that can help us all and if you really are suffering as much as you say, you do need to be there. Why wouldn't Mary's friend be in attendance at something like this? Over the years we have not had much success with a large group of our community attending the vigils, searches, and events for Mary. The support was usually from the same small group, and it often included a lot of "fair-weather-friends,"...people who were not there when they truly needed.
In this Memorial Tribute, we are striving in one last opportunity for everyone to be there for Mary Denise Lands. It is will be an event to not only talk about her, but to promote public awareness on Domestic Violence. You are well aware of that issue with your other friend who you asked me to help. Perhaps if more people knew that Mary had been in a toxic domestic violence situation she might still be with us today?
As an advanced student in psychology I can tell you with certainty that it will not serve you to sit home and sniffle, thinking about what is was once like. You need to take control of your life, and be there for the family and your own well being. The road to any recovery is difficult, but one must take the first step. That is what we hope to convey to anyone who is in an abusive relationship.
If you really were so close to Mary, it is incumbent that you be present for primarily three primary reasons. For Mary, the family, and yourself!
What a beautiful photograph of Mary as I have never seen before now. My co-workers and I will be there for the family. (8 of us). God bless the family and Dexter Lake Church.
really Jim...about ur comment that was directed to Sue. since u are advanced pyschology student; would u agree that people greive differently. I found your comment to be rude. peolple should be able to say good bye or deal with what happened to Mary the way they feel best. Just because someone does not want ot go does not mean the do not love and respect Mary and her family.
Yes, you are absolutely correct that there are various stages of grief and their theories. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, who died in 2004 was a Swiss psychiarist who did a considerable amount of research on the subject and developed the (5) stages of grief and the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors through which people progress as they are confronted with grief and loss.
They include; denial, anger, bargaining, depression,and acceptance. Acceptance is not meant to be a happy stage for the person, but a state where the person may be devoid of their feelings. The stage is not giving up or the lack of fight in a person, but rather it brings about a peaceful state of being after their loss.
I would never have written anything rude, especially about this subject, but I did speak with Cliff & Anita and they knew my response to this particular person. If anyone, above all people are aware of grief, it is Mary's parents as they await the eve of Mary's 7th year since she was last seen.
Whether a person may have known Mary for three months or three decades they are entitled to their own feelings. There is much more behind what was written to this particular person, and it was not to be rude or insulting, nor should anything further be written here. That person is aware of their own situation and reality.
I stand firm in my remarks to her, and to others that the road to any recovery is a difficult one, but one must take the first step. To not do so will result in physical and emotional health that will never improve.
We hope that many people, friend and foe, will attend Mary's Memorial so that each of us may be stronger from this tragedy that has affected so many people, for far too long. Whether it is about death, loss, tragedy, or domestic violence we all have experienced something difficult in our lives, and we hope our tribute that day just might help us all feel better and be more at peace.
There is no doubt that Mary will be smiling in heaven that day, smiling because she will know she brought together many different people for various reasons. If one person drives off that afternoon at peace, in a more positive attitude, or decides to alter their behaviors related to abuse and domestic violence, Mary Denise Lands will not have died in vain.
That's what Mary was all about, helping others.
So many thoughts and prayers going out towards and for Mary's entire family ... xoxoxoxo
Also, wanted to share ... Michigan will be having it's very first Missing Persons Day this May 7th at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan ... would love to have you all there as well ...
Further details on: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118335424904075
For the event we are having Michigan school aged children make Missing Persons Posters of Michigan's Missing ... of which my own little girl, Anna, chose to do Mary Lands. <3
(Mary is also the first person I ever was involved in a field search for ... where I had the blessing of a opportunity to meet her awesome Dad as well. ;)
Always hope - we'll never forget ...
Sara Huizenga
Founder of Peace4 the Missing
http://peace4missing.ning.com
To sue b. The beginning of your letter leads me to believe that you know more than what you have told us?
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