To some she was Dr. Voss; to others she was Bette Voss, artist extraordinaire. To wounded street kids she was the one who loved them and created healing within them. To me she was my beloved friend, my kindred spirit, the one whose creativity moved my soul, whose commitment to the "throw away" children in our midst mirrored my own. She lived long, and she lived well. She had no fear of either life or death. Her essence called to me. One day I knew I must go soon to visit her; yet I waited too long. Still what I loved about her calls me to a deepened commitment to those kids we both loved so well. She told me once that, when the wounded young came to her, she invited them to create. She had oil paints, canvasses, a kiln, ceramic clay. As the hurting kids created, their souls began to survive and then thrive. For years they lived with her on her beautiful estate. In her huge, brick barn, each kid had his/her own horse. Soon each child experienced being known by his/her horse in a way they had never been known before. The horses knew their feelings, instinctually, deeply, and unconditionally
lovingly. As they spent time with their horses, steadily the wounds within them were salved and over time healed. They then were able to move into life with confidence, freedom, and, yes, even joy. Bette gave to thousands of youth! She loved them, she believed in them, and her essence brought them healing. Though she passed away she will forever live on in the lives of the youth she touched. We miss her, we mourn her, our tears flow as we reflect on how deeply she touched us. Who she was goes beyond words.
Her amazing estate has now moved into other hands. Shortly before her death she shared that her dream was that it continue to be a space of serenity and freedom for ones in our midst who have known too little of such; that it be a place where history would live on and beable to be shared with the public.