Hello, my name is Jill Adams; some of you may know me as the Co-President of the Internet fan club Forever Marilyn or as “Mafhoney”. I’d like to thank Greg Schreiner for inviting me to speak on behalf of the Forever Marilyn Fan club.While I was thinking about what to say, I was suddenly struck by the fact that we, Marilyn’s fans, would all be joined here together as we commemorate the 40th anniversary of her death, sharing one very powerful, common bond -- our love for a woman with whom many of us have never even had the privilege of meeting.
Marilyn often spoke about how much she adored her fans, once saying,
“I knew I belonged to the public and to the world, not because I was talented or even beautiful, but because I had never belonged to anything or anyone else. The public was my only family, my only Prince Charming, the only house I ever dreamed of.”For Marilyn, her fans were her family and I think it is that unspoken recognition that makes us drawn to her, for she too represents to us the mother, the wife, the sister, the child to which we desire to belong.
And when you think about it -- what an amazing gift Marilyn has left to us, her fans, as year after year we gather individually as strangers, here under the chapel’s roof, and we leave together as part of a family.
Before I go I also wanted to make mention that every year Forever Marilyn raises money through club raffles to provide the Marilyn Memorial with flowers. This year we were lucky enough to have contacted Parisian Florist, who not only made these two beautiful all white floral sprays you see here, but also fashioned them after the same exact sprays Parisian Florist created 40 years ago for Marilyn’s funeral.
What I think is even more touching to note is that these 2 sprays were made by, LOUIS ALHANATI, who is not only the Parisian Florist shop owner for 42 years but also is the same gentleman who designed the original sprays back in 1962.
