Jerry Garcia’s Widow Puts Ashes Into River

In a private goodbye to that most public of men, Jerry Garcia’s widow sent his ashes swirling down the Ganges River on pieces of paper bearing farewells from members of his Grateful Dead band.

Deborah Garcia and Bob Weir, a guitarist with the legendary band, waded into the swirling waters of India’s holy river and released the ashes as dawn broke Thursday after a lunar eclipse.

The ceremony was held secretly near the holy city of Rishikesh on the upper Ganges because Mrs. Garcia was afraid that if word leaked out, thousands of fans in the United States and Europe might have come to India and spoiled the private occasion, said Britain’s The Independent newspaper.