Megan Ives, 16, full of joy, a skier who loved sports, friendships worldwide

Megan Virginia Ives, 16, recently moved to Londonderry to attend the Stratton Mountain School.

Megan Virginia Ives, 16, of Farmington, CT, and most recently of Londonderry, VT, died in her sleep of undetermined natural causes on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012. She was outside of Santiago, Chile, participating in an alpine skiing training camp. A student of the Farmington public school system through 8th grade, Meg attended Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, CT, until transferring to Stratton Mountain School in Stratton, VT, this fall.

Meg lived a life full of joy, passion and faith.

Meg lived a life full of joy, passion and faith. Always able to find the positive in her circumstances, she was a joy to be around for all her family and friends. Meg lifted up those around her with kind words, a wonderful smile and an infectious laugh. Meg always found something silly and fun to do with the people that surrounded her and her antics are indelibly woven into the lives of all those who have known her.

A three-season athlete at Miss Porter’s, Meg’s passion for athletics and arts led her to play field hockey, volleyball, skiing, shot put, golf and soccer. In addition to being a varsity skier at Miss Porter’s, Meg grew up racing for the Magic Mountain Race Team in Londonderry, VT, before joining Stratton Mountain School this fall. Her love for the sport, the snow and the friendships that grew from those experiences were special to her and deeply treasured. Meg also loved creating stop-motion video, photography, pottery and her newest adventure: batiking. She also treasured her faith as a Christian and lived not only to believe personally but also to demonstrate her faith through her actions. She loved giving of herself in humility, leading through example and loving unconditionally.

Meg’s life was so full of friends and shared love that it cannot be understated. She maintained connections with her fellow classmates from Farmington public schools, as well as all her friends from Miss Porter’s, whom she loved dearly. In addition to the close friends she developed over the years skiing in Vermont and all the new friends she was just getting to know at Stratton Mountain School, Meg spent her summers in Leysin, Switzerland, at Leysin American School, an international boarding school where she befriended countless people from around the globe. Meg’s circle of friends and loved ones literally stretched around the world and leaves a mark inversely proportional to her short life.

A three-season athlete at Miss Porter’s, Meg’s passion for athletics and arts led her to play field hockey, volleyball, skiing, shot put, golf and soccer. In addition to being a varsity skier at Miss Porter’s, Meg grew up racing for the Magic Mountain Race Team in Londonderry.

Megan leaves behind her two best friends and sisters, Keri and Katie; her parents, Tom and Mary; and 16 aunts and uncles, 20 cousins and Rami Ackerman of Dallas, TX, to whom Meg, Katie and Keri grafted into their family as the brother they never had. She was predeceased by her grandparents, William and Doris Ives and Ed and Joan Knorring.
Her family will receive friends from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center, 301 Country Club Road in Avon, Avon, CT. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30 at the Valley Community Baptist Church, 590 W. Avon Road, also in Avon, CT. A reception at the church will immediately follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to support the Nyumbani Village in Kenya where Meg longed to serve as her sister Keri had for the last two summers. They can be reached at Children of God Relief Fund Inc., c/o Crowell & Moring, LLP, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20004 or www.nyumbani.org. For online condolences and directions, please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.