In the March 2021 issue of Quest, Rev. Jennifer shared a prompt to send us remembrances of incarcerated loved ones whose deaths may have not been marked by the outside. Here are some of the names and reflections we received.

March/April 2020, the Marion Correctional Institution, Ohio, became ground zero for COVID-19 within an incarcerated environment. Such a helpless feeling, being in total lock down, surviving on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, watching CNN Headline News and seeing film clips of protesters outside the fence with signs reading, “Let Them Go.”

The virus was brought into the prison by a guard who was not screened before reporting to work. In the beginning, inmates were routinely moved from one living area to another, and were not permitted to wear a face mask. This institution quickly became the poster child for what not to do during a pandemic, as over 1,900 inmates were infected, hundreds of men were transferred to hospitals and 17 inmates had lost their lives.

By year’s end, our administration leadership was given an award, “Warden of the Year” and was granted a promotional job to the ODRC Central Office.

Do not stand by their grave and weep, learn from their sacrifice and offer a moment of silence in their memory.

We remember:

Charles Abrams
Jan Becker
Richard Berger
Larry Bruce
David Farmer
George Henderson
Rodney Hobbs
Robert Johnson
Johnny Johnson
Lance Love
Romulus Neda
Kenneth Roth
Walter Sayre
Aco Simonoski
George Small
Robert Williams
Jesse Zeigler

Michael
CLF Member incarcerated in OH

Christopher
CLF Member incarcerated in KY

Boxer
He was a close friend who died of COVID-19 last year at Green River Correctional Complex. His daily thing was working out, drinking coffee, and wearing his state jacket. He was positive, and encouraged me to smile, be kind, and do what I had to do to stay in shape. He always told me to stand up for what I believe in and never waver or give up. His favorite saying was, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, let it run its course.” I live by that. Boxer’s deep human kindness and spirituality is a guide for me.

Dereck
CLF Member, incarcerated in VA

“Speedy”
I didn’t know him well, or his name, but he was a funny old man walking with a cane. Didn’t know why he was here; it doesn’t matter. He was friendly to everyone. He was the 2nd victim to COVID here at Dillwyn from the sad, pathetic response the admin had. Blessings and “speedy” travels on the Big Journey.

Jennifer
CLF member incarcerated in CA

“Casper” Shively, an elderly white man who was confined here at Salinas Valley State Prison, CA, was infected with COVID-19 and was hospitalized for severe symptoms, which caused his death. I first met Casper in 1991 at New Folsom (CSP – Sacramento), the first year of my incarceration. Casper was an Asatru/Odinist and worked as the chapel clerk at my facility. His long gray hair and beard and Thor’s Hammer necklace reminded me of the Vikings.

Perhaps we should honor Casper by ending mass incarceration and releasing our elderly, chronically ill prisoners, rather than allowing more deaths by COVID-19. Support #CagingCOVID!

Carol
CLF member incarcerated in AL

My sister Dona Jean Robinson was not incarcerated physically in a prison, but mentally and emotionally she went to jail the same day I did. She stood by me, answered every single phone call and we always had had words of love, and memories of happier times. You see, my sister was very sick, but she hardly ever complained of being in pain because she wanted to be that person who made me smile. My beautiful sister passed away on March 25, 2021. She was my best friend and confidant will forever be loved and truly missed. She was 53 years old and had congestive heart failure. I know that she is in a happier place and I can’t wait to see her so we can dance in the sky together. Rest in peace my beautiful sister.

Kevin
CLF member incarcerated in VA

Sadie (Chris) Virden was a light to everyone she came in contact with. Sadie could see through the ‘put-on’ smiles and ‘fake it til you make it’ smiles and be there to just listen. I talk with her mom about two times a week and I can see where she got her liveliness from. She had about as much spirit as someone who was actually free, and lived within the realms of even knowing that she was in prison, but still was a strong spirit and force of life. She will never be forgotten.

Earl Monroe was days from the gate and lived a life of someone whose life had taken its toll, but still fought to be free, and lived a full helpful life, seeing others as if they always needed something — an ear, a shoulder, just someone to be there for them.

Buffalo / Louis Michael Healy
If a card was ever needed, a drawing to be done, a portrait of family — his hand was always at work to take pencil/pen/ colors to paper and get it to families for their birthdays, anniversaries, or just a ‘I love you, thinking of you.’ He always had a smile; even as broken as he was, he never showed it, because he felt it showed weakness. This was coming from someone who spent the majority of their lives incarcerated. He smiled still to show that one must be strong, always. The true Native brother that he was, he always looked out for other fellow Natives, no matter the tribe.

These three all passed within the same year and a half of each other in our unit. We had 5 total deaths in the whole facility from September 2018 to January 2020 (Sadie in September 2018, Earl in December 2018, Buffalo in August 2019, Farmer in November 2019, Byrd in January 2020). Rest in peace to all, you are all loved!

Christian
CLF member incarcerated in IL

Lopez, aka D-Town, was a person who was hard not to befriend. He possessed a heart almost the size of the state he was from, and had the type of personality that instilled hope and faith in those that had little. The more I continue to reflect on his character, the more I’m beginning to understand how our emotions are like filters, ones in which we may view the aspects of reality at any given moment. Those truly familiar with D-Town would tell you he was known for his humble attitude and his contagious smile. Some couldn’t comprehend how a person who so much time could always be so happy.

I believe the emotional filter Lopez operated out of the most was love. For example, where most people may have judged another fellow inmate to be a pest or potential thief, Lopez might have just seen a dude in need. D-Town died of an overdose back in 2015, but his memory lives on through his works.

Dezi
CLF member incarcerated in CO

Unfortunately, I know far, far too many fallen soldiers and comrades to offer individual tributes. So I say to all of our sisters and brothers who lost their lives in the belly of the iron and concrete beast, that death is no enemy to man. It is a friend who, when the work of life is done, cuts the cord that binds the human boat to its shores, so that it may sail on to smoother seas.