Thursday, October 1, 2026
Ninety-five bereaved parents left their grief at the door and came together at the Pompei Ristorante in West Hempstead on Oct. 16 for a birthday luncheon to mark the 24th year of the Rockville Centre chapter of The Compassionate Friends, founded by Elaine and Joe Stillwell of Rockville Centre, after they lost their two oldest children, 21-year-old Denis and 19-year-old Peggy, in a 1986 car accident. The Stillwells continue as chapter leaders today. “Be careful what you start! Who would dream we would be doing this 24 years later, but we are family now,” said Elaine Stillwell.
This support group for bereaved parents had its first meeting on Oct. 9, 1987 at Molloy College and is still there welcoming heartbroken parents, offering them understanding, comfort, friendship and tools for coping and surviving. On that first night, 36 people came. Currently there are 60-70 parents who attend its monthly meetings at 8 p.m. on the second Friday of every month, in the Multi-Purpose room on the second floor of the Wilbur Arts Building, to learn about the grief process and to find hope and inspiration. There are no dues or fees to join this non-denominational group. The Compassionate Friends of Rockville Centre, one of 600 chapters across the U.S., is recognized as having the largest attendance of all chapters at its monthly meetings that service bereaved parents from Nassau, Suffolk, Queens and beyond.
For further information, contact Elaine and Joe at (516) 766-4682 or visit the chapter’s website: www.tcfofrvc.org.
