Born in Madison, WI, on June 23, 1976, and raised between Hamburg, Michigan, and Kiel, Wisconsin, Kaitlin’s life was one of deep empathy, spiritual wisdom, and service to others. As a Priestess of Cycles, Kaitlin had a rare and profound gift for guiding people through life’s transitions—through song, sacred ceremony, and the holding of space for grief, celebration, and healing. Her presence was steady and radiant, a source of calm and compassion for countless individuals navigating life’s most difficult and meaningful moments.

She is survived by her loving and beloved husband Bruce Johnston; her father Michael Hetzner; her sisters Megan (Terry Andersen) Hetzner and Molly (Ryan) Rabe; parents-in-law Joyce and Craig Johnston, brother and sister-in-law Ross Johnston and Rachel Winstedt; nieces and nephews Azure, Zane (Iyanla Rivera), and Winter Tinkle, and Harper and Gavin Johnston-Winstedt; and great-nephew Ivíca Sol Lokahi Rivera-Tinkle. She is also survived by her chosen family and dear friends in the Earthaven Ecovillage community, where she found connection, purpose, and home.

Kaitlin was preceded in death by her beloved son Rowan Kavanaugh Lindsay Johnston, her mother Nora Lindsay Hetzner, maternal grandparents Kenneth and Rosalie Lindsay, and paternal grandparents Hugo and Jean Hetzner.

A ceremony in honor of Kaitlin’s life was held at Earthaven Ecovillage on Saturday, August 9. All who were touched by her light are welcome to gather, sing, grieve, and celebrate the extraordinary soul she was and will continue to be in spirit. For more about how we do home funerals and burials, see Home Funerals, Green Burials, which will be presented live online on November 2, 2025.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to one of these great causes in Kaitlin’s memory:

• Earthaven Ecovillage, her community
• The Temple of Diana Inc., of which Kaitlin was clergy
• Donate to a scholarship for the Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference
• GoFundMe for supporting Bruce after the sudden loss of Kaitlin

More from Kaitlin:

• Creating Ritual with Kaitlin Ilya Wolf podcast
• Growing Red Tents or Women’s Circles recording of an online workshop

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The Big Day, as it is so often referred to, is not merely a symbol of two people sharing their devotion in the company of loved ones; all too often it also represents the internalized values of consumer culture. This means that stress, pressure, and anxiety make as much of an entrance as wedding cakes do.

In this newsletter’s Behind the Scenes, you can read about two of our community’s beloveds and their big day. Keep reading for the full article.

“Mentally, we had already taken our vows,” said Deborah about that day and her marriage to Lyndon at Earthaven on Saturday, November 9. As we started to create the ceremony, searching within ourselves for how it would reflect our values, the usual trappings of more traditional weddings just fell away. We opted for no rings, no bouquet. We borrowed a LOT from people, and decided that anything we bought had to be re-usable by the community.”

For them, the wedding was about bringing together the families of their origin with the cultivated family of this village.

Over 100 people, from as far west as Portland, Oregon, and as far north as New York, gathered in our Council Hall to bear witness. Yet it wasn’t the physical distance traveled that made this ceremony special, it was the emotional distance that got traversed.

The wedding wasn’t just a tribute to the love that Deborah and Lyndon share. It was a tribute to the love of a village for this couple and a tribute from two families that span the cultural divides of their respective lives in Texas and in Maryland. It was even a tribute to Deborah’s late partner, Chris, as many of his kin also gathered in support.

One could say the day commenced with the persimmon tree planting—a symbol of something that starts out small, grows over time, gets more stable, and bears fruit—intentions that Deb and Lyndon have for their relationship. Or maybe the big day got its metaphorical start a week earlier when a team of villagers held a tortilla-making work party, where corn that was grown on this land got soaked, ground, and rolled out into one of Lyndon’s favorite foods.

The contributions by community and family members were numerous. We became the wedding planners, the decorators, caterers, musicians, and space holders. Deb’s dad, the photographer. Kaitlin, the priestess.

Ancestors were named, the directions were called in, and people were invited to share as they felt called to. Folks shared their hearts in the form of blessings, prayers, songs, life anecdotes, family memories….

This day, this big day, seeded something more than the commitment that Deborah and Lyndon share—it allowed for the seeds of a life we are creating here at Earthaven to carry onward with the tailwinds of other’s lives.

The post Behind the Scenes – the Big Day appeared first on Earthaven Ecovillage.

Written by Arjuna da Silva

It was hard to lose three of our most outstanding members last year, though it sure showed us what kind of folks our community is made of. Kimchi, Goddess of Beauty and Determination. Suchi, Queen of Loyalty and Cooperation. Chuck, Champion of The Good Fight and Lama of Permaculture—they all carried the banner for Earthaven for over a decade (Chuck having been a founder). These principled people helped make us who we are today.

Folks feel so much gratitude that we were able to help them as much as we did, when their lives were ending. It brought us such a strong dose of sobriety about the precious value of a human life—and more connection than we ever might have felt had we not shared these experiences.

Another dear early Earthaven member, David Tree Malpass, also passed away last year. Tree helped design the Council Hall, and participated in much community planning from the very beginning. When feeling light-hearted, I say they left to work things out for us in eternity.

(remembering, from left to right: Kimchi Rylander, Susan (Suchi) Lathrop), Chuck Marsh, David Tree Malpass.

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When you fall in love with community-mates, over time and through all kinds of circumstances, you develop a relationship very much like family. When they leave or die, it’s an amazing loss and also a treasure trove of meaningful connection and nourishing memory. We can’t say enough about them, but we try….

Susan (Suchi) Lathrop lived and created sacred space at Earthaven for fourteen years, and was stricken with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), a disabling encroachment on natural body movement, not long after her best friend, Kimchi Rylander, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

It’s hard for us to accept and yet when it faces you square on, it challenges us to rise to the situation and lift things to their highest level. And rise we did, with Kimchi (who died in February) and again with Suchi.

Both women wanted to live their final days in the community they loved and so a large contingent of Earthaven members came together to do whatever was necessary to see these beloved women through their end-of-life transitions.

right: Suchi & Kimchi greet firefighters last year.

The following obituary is about Suchi’s life within and beyond Earthaven.

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Susan (aka Suchi) Lathrop passed away in peace at home in Earthaven Ecovillage on May 17, surrounded by beloved friends. She had been suffering with a quickly declining condition of ALS. A wake and funeral were also held at Earthaven.

Suchi was a beloved leader in her community, not just at Earthaven, but in and around Asheville. She was outspoken and generous, and was the innovator of many community functions that have since become Earthaven traditions, including the weekly Coffee & Trade event on Tuesday mornings. Her guidance and determination made a huge difference! She was the Earthaven Firekeeper (like a President, only more so), and had a voice in many key committees over the years.

right: Suchi at the Trading Post.

As a core member of the Hut Hamlet neighborhood, Suchi co-owned the Tribal Condo with her beloved friend, Kimchi Rylander, for over a decade. She was an ardent gardener and filled her greenhouse with food all year round.

Suchi grew up in upstate New York, focusing her academic studies in psychology and library science. She has been a dedicated supporter of the Palestinian cause in Israel, and a leading member of the local Friends group in bringing attention to the issues. She was also Clerk of the Black Mountain Friends Meeting for several years.

Suchi’s hope is that people who want to honor her life donate a day or two of volunteer support to local non-profits in her name and the name of her community, Earthaven.

The post Letting Go Slowly appeared first on Earthaven Ecovillage.

Kimchi Rylander came into my life 10 years ago at the Southeastern Permaculture gathering in Celo, NC. In the last year of her life, we were on “The Divine Feminine” committee for the gathering and when we met she would share her perspective, saying, “This is not ‘my cancer,’ this is ‘our cancer’ and what is playing out in my body is what is being done to our momma Earth!”

When she received the terminal diagnosis, she said, “I’m dying and the cancer has spread throughout my body. So I want to work on dying well and supporting a positive death-ing culture.” I still remember feeling such awe and inspiration, mixed with sadness and curiosity.

A few other examples of how Kimchi held up the light of her wildly creative heart in the face of death and said, “I’m going out with style!”:

– She decided to have a “give-away” because it was so important to her to share the stories of each precious object that might live beyond her.

– She created a “Guess which day Kimchi will croak?!” raffle, the proceeds going towards positive education about death.

I was blessed to be a part of a loving transition team as a death doula during her final weeks at Earthaven. As the cancer took over her body, she spoke much less, and when she did speak it was softer and slower. During one visit with friends she said, “It’s all about love; really, it’s all about love.” She was visited by a river of loved ones who were eager to share their gratitude and love with her.

Kimchi found comfort in being able to walk on her own until the day before her transition. She also wanted to send out a community voicemail I wrote down for her: “It’s time for me to go, and I’ve had a wonderful time in this play box of life. I was happy to do things together, but I have new projects awaiting me….”

left: Kimchi’s funeral procession.

Kimchi passed surrounded by loving witnesses, holding her sister Bridget’s hand. Her body was planted back into the Earth she loved so much on the exact day of her 56th birthday. In her honor, a song group continues to gather to send support during the 9-month Gestation Period some believe it takes to die and travel to the Land of the Ancestors.

above: At Kimchi’s orchard gravesite.

May we long remember the ways Kimchi challenged and inspired us, feel more alive as we remember the unique expression of her life, and sing gratefully and often in her memory.

Earthaven neighbor Sarah Anne Amazon is a dedicated meditator who loves to attend extended retreats, including with prisoners, and to support the little people for a better world. She also loves Nature, cooking, dancing, singing and NVC.

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Many of her closest friends and neighbors from Earthaven visited her at the hospice. Her daughter, Diana Leafe Christian, also an Earthaven member, and her son John Christian, from California, lived with Rosetta at the hospice during her several weeks’ stay.

A “Celebration of Rosetta’s Life” memorial was held at Andy and Julie’s house, next door to where Rosetta lived. Diana showed slides of Rosetta’s long life and her years working for United Airlines; living in Honolulu; her many travels to Europe, Asia, and Africa after she retired; and the introduction during her lifetime of talking movies, television, computers, and cell phones.

People shared fond stories of Rosetta as a friend and neighbor, recalling how extraordinarily healthy and functional she remained even until her late 90s. Many recalled how mentally sharp she was, her sense of humor, and her kindness.

Allie led us in singing “Pachamama, I’m Coming Home,” and then we sang “Rosetta, you are beautiful, Rosetta, you are strong….”

We ended by dancing to one of Rosetta’s favorite songs from the Big Band era— Glenn Miller’s In the Mood. Everyone agrees, “We’ll miss you, Rosetta.”

The post We love you, Rosetta! – Rosetta Neff, Earthaven’s Oldest Member, Passes Away appeared first on Earthaven Ecovillage.

Lee “Finch” Finks passed away on June 20, after several years of declining health. He was 80. He joined Earthaven in 2006 after retiring from a career as librarian and then professor of library science. He will be remembered for his warm, friendly manner; his love for family and friends; and his unstoppable sense of humor. His wife, Martha Harris, will continue their work for community and sustainability as a member of Village Terraces and Earthaven. He will be missed by many and deeply mourned by family and friends.

The post Missing Finch appeared first on Earthaven Ecovillage.

Earthaven member Rosetta Neff celebrated her 99th birthday here January 3, 2015. She may be the world’s oldest ecovillager! When Rosetta began visiting Earthaven with her daughter, Diana, in October, 2000, both were living an hour away In Polk County. They had been impressed with their visits and, finally, Rosetta suggested they join Earthaven.

Rosetta and Diana had a small house built in the Forest Garden Neighborhood, moving to Earthaven when Rosetta was 88. Like other ecovillagers worldwide, Rosetta uses wood heat, a composting toilet (hers is indoors), spring and roof-catchment water heated on-demand with propane, and off-grid solar power, which she keeps an eye on by regularly reading their trimetric meter.

In her early years at Earthaven, when she could hear better, Rosetta attended Council Meetings and stayed tuned in to the process of building the community. One of her concerns was our lack of children. “If we don’t start making it easier for young families to join,” she warned, “in a few years we’ll be just another old folks’ home!” (It did get easier—now many children live at Earthaven, along with their families, which of course delights Rosetta. One of her favorites is four-year-old Forest Bosley, Julie McMahon and Andy Bosley’s son. He often climbs into her lap to look at books from her shelf. His favorite — The Humanure Handbook).

Although Rosetta stopped driving several years ago, she still cooks, does dishes, helps with laundry, and enjoys visiting with many Earthaven friends and neighbors. She especially appreciates buying farm products from neighbors at Tuesday morning Coffee & Trade, which is her favorite social event at Earthaven.

Diana Leafe Christian teaches Sociocracy and other elements of the Ecovillage Design Course worldwide.

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Twenty years ago on September 11, 1994, a dozen people so disillusioned with existing options for satisfying, life-affirming living situations, put their hands and available capital together to put Earthaven Ecovillage on the Western North Carolina map. This year, in the midst of much rethinking and refreshing of goals and potential, we celebrated the theme of Giveaway, a time-honored indigenous peoples’ response to prosperity and abundance. No, we haven’t gotten that big endowment yet, but we recognized our wealth in this special bioregion, this splendid forest, these crystal creeks, these developing farms and gardens, these gorgeous children, the skills and talents among us, and most of all the rich and abundant relationships we’ve formed with one another.

Gathering on the Saturday night before the 11th, we enjoyed a delicious finger-food buffet donated by Tricia, and then joined each other at the community Fire Circle. Carleigh got the fire going with a bow drill (whew!) and then Zev led off a spontaneous offering of stories and memories from our two decades of growth, as winding as the roads that lead us here. Old friends, some who only came around early on but who never lost touch with us, retold favorite memories for the newest EHers to hear.

On Sunday morning, quite a few folks turned up both for Kimchi’s Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) mini-workshop and a Trauma Release session with Gaspar. Gaspar also organized a volley-ball game on the Village Green, and Rainbow coordinated a mural painting party to brighten up the game room that has blossomed inside the old brown storage containers. The younger ecovillagers were given paint and the run of the interior of the game room.

We feasted together on the Village Plaza with local and donated dishes and desserts, and were thrilled to look around and see old friends and former Earthaven family showing up to celebrate with us. A ceremonial circle of gratitude and abundant wishes for the future was followed by a Timeline brainstorm in which we recalled the many big and small events still in our hearts, charting the year of their occurrence as best we could, for a chronological outline of the history of Earthaven. In the afternoon, informal teach-ins and tours were offered, while many just lingered in the Village Center to socialize and absorb the good vibes.

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It seems the whole month of May was taken up with the preparations for THE wedding. The village was abuzz with excitement and anticipation for the May 25th event.

It was one of those times when everyone comes together to celebrate the same wonderful thing, and old friends and new ones show up to add to the yummy extended family feeling.

Praise and thanks go to Kaitlin and Bruce for creating a beautiful weekend charged with excitement, laughter, joyful tears and a loving honoring of many traditions.

And praise also to our  budding entrepreneurs whose impeccable presentations made an elegant, natural, locally-sourced reception and dinner.

Photos courtesy Kaitlin Johnston

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