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The information below was gleaned from William Perry’s post of the obituary published on Legacy.com by Logan Funeral Home, Inc earlier today.
A Memorial Service will be held on November 8, 2025 at 11:00 am at:
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
313 Pine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
A light luncheon reception for family and friends will follow at:
The Hill-Physick House
321 S. 4th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(A three-minute walk from the church)
My question is: Are any readers planning on attending?
Also would any of you be interested in a get together the night before the memorial for dinner?
I know previously Jonathan held a luncheon at his favorite pizza restaurant but unfortunately I was not able to attend so I don’t know the name.
Unfortunately for me I have had something come up and can’t attend. Thanks for your help eludom.
I’ve set up a “Pizza in Philly” form on google https://forms.gle/oZgu13XMaTEJ8ibZ7
If you’re going to be around Saturday, fill out the form and I’ll try to coordinate for seating and communicate plans.
Hope to see people there. Jonathan was pretty dedicated to growing this community. Having a small gathering to further that aim would seem a fitting small tribute.
I was looking forward to joining for pizza. Turns out our older son’s band is playing Saturday night in NYC. After the service I need to catch a train to see him. The timing is both incredibly lucky and unlucky.
I so wish I could be with you all for Jonathan’s service and the pizza party. I will be there in spirit. Thank you for those who can be there to represent the HD family. Chris
Thanks for setting this up George.
Dave, it’s looking like there will be a handful of us in Philadelphia for Jonathan’s memorial. I was thinking it would be a good idea if we had each other’s contact information.
Would anyone of the writers object if I were to ask Bogdan to email our addresses to those planning to attend?
The names I have are:
David Lancaster
Myself (Dan Smith
Sonja Haggert,
Dave Powell
Mark Rodion
George Jones, posting as Eludom
Mine is in my Forum profile.
Unfortunately I will not be able to attend. I hope everyone who attends has a safe and rewarding trip meeting with other HD readers who admired and respected Jonathan and his writing.
I plan to attend the service with my husband (who’s also a fan of this site and Jonathan, should you need a count.)
Maybe it would be best to meet up for lunch after the memorial service instead of Friday evening as it appears more could attend.
Please respond if you could do this.
Elaine we are all thinking of you and the family.
For lunch right after the service, another option would be Pizzeria Stella which is a very short walk from St. Peter’s church.
pizzeriastella.net
Whatever is easiest for the majority. I was just thinking of going to one of Jonathan’s favorites.
That sounds good. A 4 minute walk.
That’s what I was thinking, Dave
I’ll be there. Lunch after would be good.
Dear all,
I’m delighted that there is an interest in visiting Philly as part of Jonathan’s memorial and all are welcome at the service. In fact, I was planning to post informaiton on live-streaming the service when it became available.
But please note, that there will be limited capacity at the luncheon, and it is designed for family and close friends.
Elaine, I was hoping that you might live-stream the service. Thank you.
Thanks Elaine, I assumed that would be the case.
Very best wishes,
Dan and Chris
I am unsure if I will make it but for those of you who do and have never been to Philly, a must see ( especially nowadays) is the National Museum of the Constitution downtown on Arch st near the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall
unless the shut down is over Independence Hall will probably be closed, but the Museum of the Constitution is private and open Weds to Sunday.
It is a wonderful inspiring and optimistic tribute to the one thing that ( used to?) unite Americans.
Although just a reader and sometime commentor I think the world of jonathan. Never met so i regret not attending the pizzeria vetri meetup previously; truly great food there too.
In Philadelphia for the rocky run this weekend and thinking through how to make attending work now.
Could someone please direct me to Jonathan’s last article? The one where he mentioned at the beginning about a stone in his front garden.
Yes, there will be a stone in the garden one day per Jonathan’s request. But please consider that his home is my home too. While he was wistful in writing this, I don’t think he would want his home to become a tourist attraction of sorts and be disruptive to me.
Maybe everyone else could descend on Pizzeria Vetri?
Logistics might have to be worked out like getting some kind of count and warning them a crowd might be coming.
Here you go:
https://humbledollar.com/forum/farewell-friends/
Will make it for Saturday coming from NYC via Amtrak. I will have to leave around 5-6pm depending on the Amtrak schedule back to NYC Penn. Even thought I only heard about him from Christine Benz via her podcast I am glad I did. Such a beautiful person and kind hearted he will be missed.
Dave, it’s our intention to go, Friday works for Chris and I. I’ve not been to Philly, so I would probably drive in on Wednesday in order to explore the city.
Advice from Jonathan (old email) on visiting Philly:
“It’s not exactly a secret, but the one thing you have to do in Philly is go to the Barnes Foundation. If you go late morning, right nearby is Pizzeria Vetri, a great place for lunch.”
Dan,
I would suggest visiting the Museum of the American Revolution. We are museum lovers and it is on of the best we have ever visited. A five minute walk east (towards the Delaware river) on Walnut street.
Their claim to fame is :
General George Washington’s Revolutionary War Tent, his office and sleeping quarters, served as the mobile command center for the Continental Army. The tent was present at the scene of many pivotal moments, including the 1781 Siege of Yorktown, the last major land battle of the Revolutionary War.
https://www.amrevmuseum.org/
The Ben Franklin museum is fantastic. You really get a feel for the man: his personality, his humor, is creativity, the breadth of his investigations and inventions, and, btw this little affair of founding a country.
George, thanks for those tips. I also have to get an authentic Philly sandwich, wit of course.
Dave, thanks for the link. The museum is on our must-see list.
Yes, I’ll be there, arriving Friday evening and returning Sunday evening.
Several folks replied with interest in a reprise of the 2024 Pizzeria Vetri dinner when I fished out Jonathan’s original post recently:
https://humbledollar.com/2024/01/pizza-anyone/
Friday evening at 7:00 pm or Sunday around lunch hour would work for me if others are up for it.
PV has several locations. The dinner in 2024 was at the one on Chancellor St.: https://maps.app.goo.gl/YEnbcxBBMDssUbHR7
Only Friday would work for me as I will be driving from NH that day and driving home Saturday after the luncheon. I was thinking the earlier the better on Friday, as if a lot of people are interested the pizzeria would most likely be less crowded and it would be easier to get a table together and to communicate for some of us with less than perfect hearing. Although I don’t know the layout.
Earlier makes sense, though I may wind up missing. My plane’s scheduled to land ~6:15 at PHL.
OK, let’s see what the level of interest is.