The Garden of Peace: A Memorial to Victims of Homicide


Boston, MA. - The Garden of Peace: A Memorial to Victims of Homicide exists to pay special tribute to people who have been murdered in Massachusetts.  The Garden was dedicated on September 24, 2004.  Now there are over 800 names of homicide victims from Massachusetts who have their names enshrined on river stones in the Garden of Peace. 


Each person commemorated in the Memorial has an important story to tell.  The Garden is important because it is a place where families and friends of homicide victims can remember the lives and the memories of their loved ones.


Catherine Melina created the original design for the Garden of Peace.  Judy Kensley Mckie, whose son Jesse was murdered, sculpted the Ibis Ascending statue.  The statue features three ibises which symbolize the transcendence of pain, anger, and grief.


The Garden of Peace has three main elements. Tragic Density – the granite orb that symbolizes grief; The dry riverbed with homicide victims’ names engraved on stones symbolizing the journey from grief; Hope, represented by the Ibis Ascending sculpture.


Some of the names on the river stones include people such as:


Molly Anne Bish: August 2, 1983 – August 2, 2003.

Jimmy Boyden IV: August 14, 1960 – March 2, 1992.

Jeff Curley: June 9, 1987 – October 1, 1997.

Nathaniel Depina: August 8, 1978 – June 7, 2003.

Steven J. Jackson: October 12, 1987 – April 24, 2003.

Julianne F. Kelly: June 27, 1968 – December 21, 1988.

John P. Mahoney: August 2, 1960 – December 31, 1975.

Jason G. Mines: November 27, 1976 – August 6, 2000.

Bob “Pop” Moore, Sr: December 1928 – November 2007

Christy M. Proctor: January 4, 1980 – March 4, 2003.

Thomas Frank Roderick: September 18, 1976 – September 9, 1995.

Shakonda Wilson: March 21, 1977 – March 30, 1999.


For more information about the Garden of Peace visit: http://gardenofpeacememorial.org/

"Ibis Ascending" sculpture by Judy Kensley Mckie at the Garden of Peace. 

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