Tara Treasurefield - Celebration of Life on Sat. 2/28/2015

Tara Treasurefield
March 3, 1944—February 4, 2015

After a long period of illness, Tara Treasurefield, formerly, Pat Lang, made her transition peacefully at her home on February 4.

Tara was a woman of principles. A lifelong political activist, she spent time in the 1960s in North Carolina helping to integrate blacks into restaurants and schools.

She was also a writer and editor. Tara spent time traveling through Mexico, earning her living writing travel articles and loving the adventure of another culture. She self-published “A Practical Guidebook to the Magical World of Dreams: Beginning the Dream Journey, ” and led Dreams groups. As her illness limited her physically, she did editing for book authors online.

In addition, Tara was a student at the San Francisco Zen Center from 1968 until the early 1970s. She was inspired by her mentor and heart teacher Suzuki-roshi. The time when Tara felt most healthy and at peace was when she was a student at Tassajara Mountain Zen Center in the Ventura Wilderness.

Tara is survived by a sister and brother-in-law and seven nieces and nephews. Her family are extremely grateful for the patient, consistent and conscientious care and prayers of all those who attended Tara through her last months of life. A funeral, guided by Jerrigrace Lyons of Home and Family Services, was held at Tara’s home. Reverend Elizabeth Sawyer and Myozen Barton Stone led a three-day-and-night vigil of prayer and chanting. Tara’s ashes will be spread at Tassajara Mountain Zen Center.

Please join us for ‘A Celebration of Life’ February 28, 2015 at 3:00 pm at the Community Room at Petaluma Avenue Apartments, 571 Petaluma Avenue in Sebastopol. For information about the Celebration, please call Joan at 707-387-6145.

Goodbye Tara, I remember you posting, I loved your name and spirit.

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Posted in reply to the post by Roberta Ryan:

Tara Treasurefield
March 3, 1944—February 4, 2015

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Thank you Roberta for posting this - I hadn't heard. I didn't know Tara well, but I did know and admire her as a person always on the right side of things. I will be out of town on Saturday, so can't attend.

Tara was a bright light who contributed much to her community. What time will the Sat. celebration be?

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Posted in reply to the post by Roberta Ryan:

Tara Treasurefield
March 3, 1944—February 4, 2015

After a long period of illness, Tara Treasurefield, formerly, Pat Lang, made her transition peacefully at her home on February 4.
...
Please join us for ‘A Celebration of Life’ February 28, 2015 at the Community Room at Petaluma Avenue Apartments, 571 Petaluma Avenue in Sebastopol. For information about the Celebration, please call Joan at 707-387-6145.

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Farewell, dear Tara. :waccosun:

Tara was an eloquent, warm hearted woman, a treasured elder in our community, and an activist. Here is a video interview from four years or so ago in which she shared her views about leaf blowers and our shared environment:

https://youtu.be/2bZNutCJgxQ

In the old days, if someone wished, they would make an effigy to store their memory of someone, but in this day, a Tara Treasurefield puppet, so nicely made, as a new funerary concept

We had a moving celebration of Tara's life yesterday. Some family members were there, her co-housing neighbors, and Buddhists who lead the ceremony, as well as end-of-life caregivers. It was a tribute to her personally and to our small town that we gather to honor such passages.

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Posted in reply to the post by Thad:

In the old days, if someone wished, they would make an effigy to store their memory of someone, but in this day, a Tara Treasurefield puppet, so nicely made, as a new funerary concept

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Damn, this is what happens when I don't find time to look at Wacco for a few days--I hadn't heard Tara died, though it's no surprise after her long hard struggle with her health.

I met her last April when I was working at Petaluma Avenue Homes, where she lived. She was the one who called upon my services the most, as she needed lots of assistance. I did everything from library runs to putting together her new vacuum cleaner and gluing her broken chair for her. I always appreciated her positive attitude and sense of humor (which is not to say I didn't see her tears and fears at times). A really cool person. I recall her recounting her experience of the lightning strike which decapitated a large tree quite near her 3rd-floor apartment a few months ago. She said she was standing naked in the front of her place whooping at the lightning when everything turned to bright light. For a moment, she thought the lightning had struck her! A great experience for her.

I last saw her in early December when I left the job at PAH and visited her in the convalescent hospital to say goodbye. I'm glad I had the opportunity to know her.