Editor’s Note: It was with great regret that I was unable to personally attend the June 12, 2025 Benediction in Paris that memorialized the passing of my cousin Jean-Gwinn Riboud.   I, and his siblings of my generation (Chesley Riboud de la Chapelle, Betsy Riboud Lacombe, Olivia Riboud, Jean Jacques Riboud),  all made a great effort to keep the transatlantic relationships of the Riboud, Bowe, and Casey families alive in later generations. Our mothers (Nancy Gwinn Riboud, Martha Gwinn Casey, and Mary Gwinn Bowe) had put much work into making sure that these family connections did not falter just because of the ocean between their children.

I was deeply pleased that representatives of the next generation of the U.S.-based Bowe and Casey family members (Charley and Katie Bowe, and Margaret Casey) were able travel to Paris to remember Jean-Gwinn with other members of my Aunt Nancy’s extended family. Their time with the Latours, Lacombes, and de la Chapelles brought to mind an earlier and happier coincidence of once joining my Lynch cousins, Frank and Susan, at the same time they were visiting the Ribouds in Paris.

Finally, I particularly appreciated that Charley Bowe wrote me a short account of their visit and sent along some family pictures. His writing of this sad occasion reminded me a bit of Louis Latour’s Letter to Mary Gwinn Bowe describing a happier kind of transatlantic family event, in that case the 1961 wedding of Chesley Riboud to Peter de la Chapelle.

Dear Bill,

It was a fine salute!

Upon hearing of Jean-Gwinn Riboud passing, I fondly remembered the times we had spent together. I notified my wife, June, and shared the sad news. After talking to Margaret Casey, June and I decided it would be good to attend the celebration of life. We arrived on Wednesday and met that night with Livie Riboud, Cecilia Kuhn and Augustin Lacombe. Over dinner, we shared stories and caught up on current events. As always, the welcoming hospitality put us all at ease despite the jet lag.

The service was held Thursday at Église Saint-Léon near the Eiffel Tower. June and I arrived early and found Myriam and her family in the chapel. Katie Bowe flew in that morning and met us at the church. Many more friends and family arrived, and the service began at 2:30. Music was provided by James Lacombe, Timothy and Jean-Paul de la Chapelle. The closed casket was brought in for the service. Reading and memories were shared by Jean-Gwinn’s children. At the conclusion, mourners congregated in front of the church on a hot afternoon.

We all walked east across the Jardin de la Tour Eiffel to La Bourdannais Hotel. Myriam had organized a “reunion” for everyone. We were joined by Ribouds, Latours, de la Chapelles, Lacombes, Kuhns, and many more. The time got away from us as we saw old friends and met their children. There were many questions and fond memories of the Bowes, Caseys and Lynches back home. We arrived back at our hotel at 6pm and quickly changed for dinner with Gregory, Florence, Marie-Hermance, Augustin, Cecilia and Livie. Margaret and Katie joined us for dinner and went on to the burial service in Cancale the next day.

June and I flew back to Chicago on Friday. We both felt sad at the loss of a friend but honored to experience his celebration of life.

Charley Bowe