An act of hate brings faiths together

A gunman's attack on the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle targeted the followers of one religion, but the pain has been felt by all faiths.

Jew and Muslim and Christian — they all gathered Monday at Bellevue's Temple B'nai Torah for the funeral of Pamela Waechter, 58, killed by a man who barged into the federation's Seattle office Friday and randomly opened fire after spewing invectives against Jews and Israel.

A simultaneous service was held in Minneapolis, where Waechter was raised a Lutheran before converting to Judaism.

More than 1,000 mourners dressed in black or deep purple crowded into the Bellevue temple where Waechter had been president and had touched the lives of many with her kindness, generosity and dedication to her faith. Others came not because they knew Waechter, but because they wanted to make a stand against the violence that took her life and injured five other women — a stand not bound by a specific faith or belief.

"The Quran says if you kill an innocent person you've killed the entire world," said Joy Carey, one of many Muslims who attended the funeral. "All lives are sacred."

"I want people here [in the Jewish community] to know they have friends everywhere," said Andy Hoskins, an Episcopalian.

Rabbi James Mirel pointed out that Waechter's funeral brought together Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Jews, as well as Muslims and Christians and even those without faith.

"Pam is known by millions throughout the world," said Mirel. Waechter's family filled the front row for the solemn service, where she was praised for her activism, her fundraising, but most of all for her humanity. Waechter was director of the federation's annual fundraising campaign.

"When I think of my colleague, I think of her smile ... her eyes would twinkle," said Nancy Geiger, the federation's interim chief executive. A simple "hello" always was more of an inquiry into someone's well-being. And Waechter had "an uncanny ability to draw people to her," she said.

Waechter's ex-husband, Bill Waechter, described happy memories with her and their two children, Nicole and Mark, both now adults. He also recounted that Waechter was such an animal lover that she captured bugs that would wander into the house and put them outdoors rather than kill them.

"Her theory of dog ownership was to have two or three to keep each other company," he said.

Daughter Nicole Waechter Guzman, 36, read a letter she had written to her mother.

"You'd be very proud of all the people in the world remembering you for your greatness," Waechter Guzman read. "I want you to be at peace. I want you to make a latte every morning at 8 ... and take long walks."

Chuck Hall, Waechter's brother, recalled their youth when his sister was his protector, willing to defend her little brother whenever necessary.

"To honor her memory is to live the way she lived. She loved people," Hall said. "I was really impressed by the number of cards written by Muslims."

One letter sent to Waechter's family was from the family of 30-year-old Naveed Afzal Haq, facing aggravated-murder and attempted-murder charges in the shooting attack at the Jewish Federation. His family expressed condolences to the Waechter family and the federation.

Haq, who is being held in King County Jail on $50 million bail, is expected to be charged Wednesday.

Two women wounded in Friday's shooting, Layla Bush, 23, and Christina Rexroad, 29, were listed in serious condition Monday at Harborview Medical Center. Cheryl Stumbo, 43, was upgraded Monday afternoon to satisfactory condition.

The families of two other victims, Dayna Klein, 37, and Carol Goldman, 35, have asked that no information be released.

After Monday's funeral, the family left for a private graveside service where each took turns placing a spadeful of dirt into the open grave. Meanwhile, the rest of the crowd lingered at Temple B'nai Torah.

"Humanity collectively has lost their moral consciousness," said Ali Salaam Mahmoud, the imam of a mosque in Des Moines, who was among a number of Muslims who attended. "They've forgotten the value of that one life."

Nancy Bartley: 206-464-8522 or nbartley@seattletimes.com