Elyse Weasley Freer GoFundMe: Fundraiser raises over $50,000 following The Washing Well Wenches member's passing

Renaissance Faire comedian, Elyse Weasley Freer passed away on Sunday, August 6, 2023, due to a sudden heart attack. Elyse, a member of the Washing Well Wenches, an interactive theater sketch comedy group, also served as a yoga instructor online through her website, Evalesco Yoga.

Elyse's memorial service is scheduled for Sunday, August 20, 2023. The memorial will also be live-streamed. A GoFundMe page was set up by Marian Brock-Whippo, on behalf of Elyse's husband, James Roland Freer, for the medical bills, memorial services, and his grieving process. GoFundMe has collected $64,760 at the time of writing.

Elyse Weasley Freer was a beloved Renaissance Faire comedian, well-known for her time as the character, Nutmeg, in the Washing Well Wenches interactive theater, troupe. According to their official website, the Washing Well Wenches is the "largest and longest-running female-fronted comedy show performing nationwide on the renaissance festival circuit."

The Washing Well Wenches put out an Instagram post on August 8, 2023, as a tribute to Elyse Weasley Freer, their beloved Nutmeg. They wrote:

"It is with heavy hearts that we tell you of the passing of our dear cousin, Nutmeg."

Remembering Elyse as someone who "brought laughter and love to many festivals", they wrote:

"Wherever you saw her, you were likely to leave with your beer in her hand, but a smile on your face. Her energy was unstoppable, her joy was infectious, and her love for all of you was undeniable."

They revealed that Elyse had suffered her fatal heart attack while performing at the Great Lakes Medieval Faire. They concluded by requesting people to:

"Please raise a pint, tell a joke, or just attempt an impossible yoga pose in honor of this beautiful biscuit."

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Elyse Weasley Freer's GoFundMe gets an incredible response as friends pay tribute

A GoFundMe was set up by Marian Brock-Whippo, on behalf of Elyse Weasley Freer's husband, James Freer. GoFundMe has currently received over $64,760 from 1.2k donations, which goes to show how beloved Elyse was. Regarding the purpose of the fundraiser, Marian wrote:

"We want to raise enough money to pay for Elyse's medical bills, cremation, and memorial services."

She added:

"We are also hoping to provide a few months of food, bills, and living expenses for James so that he can properly mourn this incredible and profound loss."

Elyse's GoFundMe page

She concluded by sending out a heart-wrenching farewell to Elyse:

"To know Elyse was to love her. She was hilarious, smart, talented, beautiful, and an endlessly kind social-justice warrior-woman!"

Marian remembered "the vivacious soul" as someone who "approached life with a readiness rarely seen", and requested people to give what they can in such difficult times.

Some of the messages on Elyse's GoFundMe

Elyse Weasley Freer's husband, James put out multiple Facebook posts talking about the incredible loss that he was dealing with and thanked people for sending kind messages to him.

As a testament to the impact Elyse had on the lives of people, Facebook was filled with tributes from those that had loved her. Elyse's friends as well as members and fans of Washing Well Wenches posted tributes detailing their time with Elyse and the shock of her sudden passing.

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The fundraiser detailed that Elyse's memorial service will be held at the Loyola University of Chicago's 2nd Floor Music Hall. The ceremony, which will also be live-streamed, will take place on Sunday, August 20, at 2:00 PM CT. The link for the live stream will be provided on the GoFundMe page and social media.