On September 29, 2009, Ezher Uremez died peacefully in her sleep. At the time of her death, Ezher was living near her family home in Istanbul, Turkey. Her health was relatively good, and she was enjoying the time with her family and friends. Her death, while unexpected, was painless and brief.
The Lou Beeler Foundation will continue to accept posthumous contributions to the Ezher Uremez fund until the end of 2009.
Ezher started her folk dance training at age 16 in Istanbul, Turkey in 1965, as a member of the Turkish National Ensemble. She participated in competitions all over Europe and toured in Turkey. She started international folk dancing in the U.S. in 1970. She founded Turkish Folk Dance performance groups in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Winston Salem, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; and Rochester, NY, while increasing her knowledge of the dances of other nationalities under master teachers, and by attending hundreds of workshops and obsessively collecting music and notes.
Ezher became ill in the early 1990s, and had her first brain surgery in 1993. Another surgery followed in 2003. After her recovery, Ezher began performing and teaching folk dancing in Charlottesville, VA, where her son, Emre, was a student at the University of Virginia and UVa Law School. Ezher taught dance to adults as well as children, and worked passionately to introduce Turkish folk dancing to the Charlottesville community.
Ezher’s brain tumor recurred in 2008, and she participated in a chemotherapy trial through the UVa Cancer Center. After unsuccessful chemotherapy, Ezher was accepted as a patient at Duke Medical Center in Durham, NC. She underwent brain surgery in June, 2009.
The Lou Beeler Foundation accepted Ezher Uremez as a special funds recipient because of her unique personal needs. Although Ezher’s health insurance had covered a great deal of her expenses, fighting an illness of this magnitude comes with significant personal expenses. Her stay at Duke Medical Center had increased her expenses as she and her son had been living away from home.
For more information about Ezher Uremez, please visit the following external links:
http://www.rochester.edu/College/dance/events/2006springdetails/2006springfolk
http://www.phantomranch.net/folkdanc/teachers/uremez_e.htm
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ezher-Uremez/674723984
Donations can be made through mail:
The Lou Beeler Foundation
PO Box 5152
Charlottesville, VA 22905
* Please note on your donation that
it is for The Ezher Uremez Fund