Rita Beatie memories

On this page, I hope to post memories and thoughts that I have of my mom, whether it
has anything to do with her actual singing career or not. Memories that
will not only give readers an insight into how she lived her life, but
also for myself, as a way to keep the memory of her with me.

How we got her dog One Saturday morning, when I was probably 10 or so, we went for a drive. I remember complaining that I was missing Saturday morning cartoons.. at any rate, we come to this house, and out walks mom with this dog in her arms.
It was a terrier, very much Benji-like.. An Australian Terrier, named Bonaparte, after Napoleon Bonaparte, a mystery character created by Arthur William Upfield, I believe.
He was my mom's dog. He always was. He and I never got along, and perhaps as such, I'm not a dog person. I expect I would have been a cat person for the most part in any case.
but my mom loved him, and well, that's probably better..

Mom's memorial service As I already mentioned, one of the more powerful and emotional memories I have is at her memorial service that was held in Boston. actually, it was at a church in Malden, if I recall correctly.
although I remember showing up late because I'd gotten lost on the way, what I remember most is when two dozen of her students got up and sang together. their voices were joined together in perfect choral harmony, and I felt the weight of my mother's effect on them and their voices. how she had shaped them, trained them, and brought them together.
it was truly moving, and I suddenly had an appreciation for the music that was the center of her life.

Fifth Element I watched the Fifth Element recently, and was reminded that when I first saw it, I wished that she could have seen the scene of the diva singing a fairly classical sounding opera piece, Lucia Di Lammermoor. I thought it was beautifully done, with the singer on a stage on a ship in space, with windows overlooking a spinning planet below.

Ave Maria at Burning Man This year at Burning Man, before the Temple of Stars burn, a woman sang Ave Maria, and I nearly cried.. I had meant to take my mom's music to the playa and play it through my SoundScape, but I didn't manage to. however, it did bring a smile to my face and a memory of my mom when this woman sang something I remembered my mother singing.

My Wedding Mom couldn't be at my wedding, but it was important to me to have her there nonetheless. I chose one of my favorite songs of her singing 'Morgen', and it was played during the ceremony while a bowl of water containing our wedding bands was passed around, blessed by everyone in attendance. My mom's voice joined with those wishes, elevating them to the heavens.

How we got her dog	One Saturday morning, when I was probably 10 or so, we went for a drive. I remember complaining that I was missing Saturday morning cartoons.. at any rate, we come to this house, and out walks mom with this dog in her arms. It was a terrier, very much Benji-like.. An Australian Terrier, named Bonaparte, after Napoleon Bonaparte, a mystery character created by Arthur William Upfield, I believe. He was my mom's dog. He always was. He and I never got along, and perhaps as such, I'm not a dog person. I expect I would have been a cat person for the most part in any case. but my mom loved him, and well, that's probably better..
Mom's memorial service	As I already mentioned, one of the more powerful and emotional memories I have is at her memorial service that was held in Boston. actually, it was at a church in Malden, if I recall correctly. although I remember showing up late because I'd gotten lost on the way, what I remember most is when two dozen of her students got up and sang together. their voices were joined together in perfect choral harmony, and I felt the weight of my mother's effect on them and their voices. how she had shaped them, trained them, and brought them together. it was truly moving, and I suddenly had an appreciation for the music that was the center of her life.
Fifth Element	I watched the Fifth Element recently, and was reminded that when I first saw it, I wished that she could have seen the scene of the diva singing a fairly classical sounding opera piece, Lucia Di Lammermoor. I thought it was beautifully done, with the singer on a stage on a ship in space, with windows overlooking a spinning planet below.
Ave Maria at Burning Man	This year at Burning Man, before the Temple of Stars burn, a woman sang Ave Maria, and I nearly cried.. I had meant to take my mom's music to the playa and play it through my SoundScape, but I didn't manage to. however, it did bring a smile to my face and a memory of my mom when this woman sang something I remembered my mother singing.
My Wedding	Mom couldn't be at my wedding, but it was important to me to have her there nonetheless. I chose one of my favorite songs of her singing 'Morgen', and it was played during the ceremony while a bowl of water containing our wedding bands was passed around, blessed by everyone in attendance. My mom's voice joined with those wishes, elevating them to the heavens.