Last Sunday, a memorial service for Lucas Lee ’25 was held in Cochran Chapel. The event was open to the Andover community to honor Lee’s life, featuring musical performances and various speakers, including Head of School Dr. Raynard Kington, Instructor in History Tedd Parker, and Reverend Gina Finocchiaro.
Parker delivered a tribute on Sunday, highlighting his relationship with Lee. He explained how he came to give the speech and noted his intentions.
“I had the privilege of working with Lucas his Lower and Upper year as his golf coach. I was also a complement in Stearns. The memorial brought together people from all aspects of his life. Because I had worked with him in several of those areas of his life, I was asked to share some reflections and stories to try and highlight all the great things about Lucas’s personality to reflect my experiences. Also those of his teammates, his friends, dorm mates, and the adults that worked with him on campus,” said Parker.
During the service, index cards were placed throughout the pews, inviting guests to share words and memories of Lucas that would later be passed on to his family. Finocchiaro highlighted how this gesture offered attendees a meaningful way to participate in the ceremony.
“I wanted to give anyone who came an opportunity to remember Lucas. To share a story or a phrase or a word, both for folks to feel like they had a voice in the service, which of course we weren’t going to be able to do on an open microphone with a scope this big, but also in a way that his family could have moving forward. I know in my conversations with them, learning stories, hearing memories from friends, classmates, teachers and coaches that knew Lucas—[it’s] all really important for them. It’s a gift for us to give them that they can sort through and take in as slowly or as often as they want to,” said Finocchiaro
The service featured musical performances from faculty members, Abbey Siegfried, Chair of the Music Department, and Peter Cireli, Instructor in Music, as well as students, William Ge ’25, Brandon Fu ’25, and Ethan Liu ’26. In an email to The Phillipian, Siegfried shared what it meant for her to participate in the program.
“As a musician there is really nothing more meaningful than playing for a Memorial Service. For me the idea of an offering is essential — it is not a performance, you are offering music to a community, to a family, as a means of reflection. It is also the most emotional and difficult thing a musician can do — especially when you know the person the service is for. It is so difficult to maintain your composure and focus on music and, at the same time, manage your own emotions. For me it is actually the most poignant reminder of why I make music: to offer it at times that are most important and for people, and communities, that are the most important to me,” wrote Siegfried.
At the service, Finocchiaro spoke on the grieving process. Later, she reflected further, emphasizing that grief is rarely straightforward and offered guidance for those navigating loss.
“Grief is not linear — it comes in waves. Especially for people who are new to having lost someone, it can be really confusing and it can feel overwhelming… My two pieces of advice for everybody while they navigate grief is don’t let anyone tell you how to grieve because we do it differently and don’t let anyone tell you how long it’s supposed to take because everybody’s different. There are different factors and different impacts,” said Finocchiaro.
During his testimony, Parker noted the impact of Lee’s passing, but moreso, his legacy that persists on campus.
“Losing Lucas so suddenly leaves us with a weight we can’t quite name. But in the memories his friends have shared — the basketball games, the birthday dinners, the quiet companionship on the golf course — it’s clear how deeply he was loved. He showed up for people, even if he didn’t always remember dinner plans. He made us laugh, made us better, and made us feel like we belonged,” said Parker.
He continued, “Lucas lived with passion, generosity, humor, deep intelligence, and quiet strength. He left a mark on all of us.”
