Craig Davis
East Mountain House is the culmination of a 12-year-old vision which has been carefully refined and nurtured over the years with the help of our Co-Founder, Keavy Bedell. Craig has lived in Lakeville for the past 25 years and though known to be somewhat reclusive he is an ardent and vocal supporter of our community. He loves it here.
Craig’s true passion is tuning in to quietude and stillness. He frequently is walking on our trails and paths with his dog, Lucy. Craig has been practicing meditation for most of his adult life and is a graduate of New York Zen Center’s Foundations in Contemplative Care program; a 9-month hands on journey into pastoral care. Craig was on the Board of Directors of the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care for six years and most recently was Chair of the Chokgyur Lingpa Foundation, Kybagon Phakchok Rinpoche’s teaching and education organization in the United States.. Craig enjoys his time with 6 grandchildren, 4 of whom live in Lakeville. His favorite time is retreat in Nepal and he is passionate about simply being with friends and neighbors at the end of their lives who need compassionate support.
Keavy Bedell
Keavy has lived and worked in the Northwest Corner of CT for 20 years. Originally from New York City, with a background in finance and insurance, she settled in Lakeville upon meeting Craig and his wife Sandy and joining their employee benefits firm. Her true calling revealed itself when she began working with the elderly and infirm in their homes on a part time basis. Keavy began working exclusively, and independently, in the caregiving field after the arrival of her twins in 2010. This focus of the work soon evolved into building and managing care teams of qualified aids and other professionals to care for the sick, elderly and dying.
The Covid-19 pandemic brought Keavy to the Zen Center for Contemplative Care in NYC while working full-time while working full time with the home bound. After completing ZCCC’s Foundations in Contemplative Care program and bearing witness to the suffering endured in isolation, she was led to The Art of Dying Thanatology Program with the One Spirit Alliance in NYC and to Henry Fersko-Weiss, a pioneer of the Death Doula movement. Keavy is a certified End-of-Life Doula, serves as the Chair of the Board of the After School Enrichment Program (S.O.A.R.) at the local public school, actively participates & volunteers in the community at large. It is her goal to meet all people where they are and be of service by providing an added layer of support to people and their families, as a care provider, patient advocate and care coordinator.
Sandy Dennis (in memoriam)
Sandy, Craig’s wife who died in 2020, was a beacon of support and light for Craig and countless others in our community. East Mountain House exists as an extension of how Sandy lived in our turbulent world. It was a life dedicated to family and community, to love and happiness and sadness; to living fully in every moment, even at the end of her life.