A Life Celebrated

At a time when Jill Behrman's family should have been celebrating her graduation, instead they were celebrating her life.\nAt the Celebration of Life for Jill Kristen Behrman Saturday, laughter and smiles occured occasionaly, but tears and tissues were more dominant in this ceremony for an IU student whose life ended too soon.\nHeld in First United Methodist Church on the third anniversary of her disappearence, the memorial was packed to capacity as people were shepherded to the chapel or the great hall to watch the event from television. Those who couldn't find a seat in the main area stood along the back wall. More than 700 people, many wearing yellow ribbons or heart-shaped "Jill" pins, showed up to celebrate her life.\nThe service began with Eric and Marilyn Behrman, Jill's parents, lighting the "candle of hope," a white candle that has been lit numerous times since Jill's disappearance. Surrounding the "candle of hope" was a large portrait of Jill, a vase of yellow roses and a small box containing the ashes of her remains.\n"Three years ago today, I said goodbye to my daughter for the last time," Marilyn Behrman said. \nRev. Jimmy Moore said the opening prayer for the service, which, in a way, was the community's last goodbye.\n"On this day a violation of unspeakable proportion occured," Moore said during the prayer. \nHe said work remains on the police investigation, but that no new leads have been reported in the past few weeks.\nRev. Howard Boles, the former senior pastor of First United and current pastor at Roberts Park United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, warned the attendees about focusing too much on the investigation.\n"If we linger too long there, we'll make her a victim two times over," Boles said. "We will not allow evil to have the last word. We will not allow evil to triumph."\nBrian Behrman, Jill's brother, tried to speak about his memories of her, but teared up and couldn't continue. Rev. Holly Hardsaw quickly stepped in to read from his notes. She spoke for about a minute before Brian composed himself and continued.\nHis speech was both humorous and touching as he related several of the memories he had of his sister. A few of the attendees were dotting their eyes with tissues, while at the same time laughing about some of the lighter moments of Jill's life.\nHe told of when he was seven and learned to ride his bike. "Finally I could get away from my sister," he said. \nThe victory was short-lived. \n"No more than two weeks later there was Jill riding by my side without training wheels," he said.\nHe pondered about his last words he said to his sister: "Hey Jill, I'll talk to you later."\n"Sometimes I wonder why I didn't say something more meaningful," Brian Behrman said. "Other times, it fits perfectly." \nEric Behrman stood up and hugged his son as Brian Behrman walked back down from the podium.\nFollowing Boles' message, IU a capella groups Straight No Chaser and Ladies First sang. Straight No Chaser sang "Amazing Grace" for Jill; more than three years ago, Straight No Chaser serenaded Jill with "Happy Birthday" in the Wright Quad food court on her 19th birthday at the request of Brian Behrman.\nAfter the service, the Behrman family received people in the great hall of the church. A line stretched from the great hall down the stairs and through another hall as people waited to get a chance to talk to the family.\nIn Boles' message, he talked about how the community came together during the tragedy, and he challenged the attendees to continue this trend.\n"Make something good from this," he said.