Remembering Phillip Jordan

Remembering Phillip Jordan

Phillip Jordan traveled all over this country, from Maine to Alaska, Montana to New Mexico, Seattle to Long Island, and up and down the East Coast.  He worked as an executive chef in Glacier National Park, on a dude ranch in Montana, and in many other resorts and restaurants. Fifteen years ago, he came to Albuquerque and never left.

He died on hospice care at the age of 71. Esophageal cancer had spread through his body. His brother Don was with him as he passed peacefully. About 30 residents of Encino Terrace gathered at the apartment building’s chapel to remember Phil in a brief, heartfelt memorial service.

Don spoke to the group, saying, “Phil traveled a lot in his life. He came here to Encino Terrace two years ago and found a home. He really thought a lot of all of you and loved you all. He really fell in love with Albuquerque.”

Phil and Don and their two sisters grew up in Bar Harbor, Maine. Don, who lives in Anchorage, Alaska, said Phil introduced him to that state in 1976. Phil had cooked on oil rigs in Alaska. Don, nine years younger than Phil, got to spend some quality time with his brother before he died. “He lived an adventurous life,” said Don. “His greatest experience was when he came here. He was at peace and he made a lot of friendships.”

The residents were invited to share their memories of Phil. He was described as a gentle, kindly man with a golden heart. He was also an artist as well as an excellent chef. Phil started the Sunday afternoon ice cream socials at Encino Terrace. One woman brought a butterfly painting Phil had done for her to display at the memorial service. He was also known for being an excellent Santa Claus at the annual Christmas party. Don found the Santa suit in Phil’s closet.

Phil loved his cat, named Molina. He’d put the cat on a leash and walk it around. A couple who live in the building took Molina and gave that sweet kitty a good home. Phil had two sons, and one son and daughter-in-law had visited him just a few weeks before he died.

“It was so quick and peaceful,” Don said. “He was ready. He’s in a better place.” One of the residents said, “Thank you for being such a loving brother.”

Knowing that he had cancer, Phil had planned ahead for his final arrangements. His body was cremated and will be interred in the cremation garden at Sunset Memorial Park. The epitaph on his marker will read, “I did it my way.”

Ordinarily, I keep a low profile at memorial services. At this one, I was asked to speak, because the Albuquerque Journal had just run a story about me and my 30 Funerals in 30 Days project. After witnessing so many events over the past three and a half weeks, here’s my take:

We gather to remember people who make an impression upon our hearts. There are many different ways to celebrate a life. It’s important for community to come together with those closest to the person who died and take the time to recognize a loss. As long as we remember those we know and love, they never truly die.

Like the butterfly, our spirits evolve from caterpillar, to cocoon, to a winged thing of beauty.

Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here

Death Cartoon Collection

Death Cartoon Collection

It’s been a while since I posted on some Death Cartoons – here are a few recent gems.

In Pickles, grandson Nelson says to Grandpa, “I’ll miss you when you’re gone, Grandpa.” Grandpa thinks about this for a frame and says, “Where am I going?” (I heard this a lot at Christian funerals reading from the book of John.) Grandma says, “I don’t know, but I hope you clean up this mess before you go.” We all need to clean up our messes before we go.

In F Minus, there’s a guy blowing up a beach ball while sitting in a pew. His neighbor says, “No, in fact I don’t think anything goes over well with the funeral crowd.” The moral of the story: don’t try to be entertaining at a funeral. Folks aren’t there for fun.

And lastly, we have a Close to Home cartoon with The Grim Reaper on a couch in a psychiatrist’s office. The doctor is saying, “I think we all have a fear of death. It’s just that in your case, you’re afraid of, well, YOU. Hmm, interesting.”

Whether you fear death or not, consider coming to the first Death Café event in Albuquerque on September 30, 2012, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Discuss mortality over tea and cakes! See the Death Café link at AGoodGoodbye.com for more information.

Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here

Rev. Sun Myung Moon Funeral

Rev. Sun Myung Moon Funeral

The three and a half hour funeral for the Rev. Sun Myung Moon was the longest of my 30 Funerals in 30 Days Challenge. Actually, it’s the longest funeral I’ve ever experienced. The Universal Seonghwa or Farewell Ascension Ceremony that took place in South Korea was most impressive.

After Leslie Linthicum’s column about me and the 30 Day Challenge appeared in last Sunday’s Albuquerque Journal, Joy Garratt with the local Albuquerque Family Church invited me to witness the live funeral webcast. Not only were thousands of people attending the service in Korea, the event was broadcast live on the internet. Thousands more viewed the proceedings live at Unification churches in 194 countries around the world.

About 35 people had gathered here at 4:30 p.m. local time, starting with a buffet dinner. In the church’s tradition, women wore white or light-colored clothing and men wore white ties and shirts. The service started in Korea at 9:00 a.m. Seoul time on September 15. After people here in Albuquerque had a chance to eat, we watched a video of Reverend Moon’s Last Prayer, spoken just before he took his last breath. You can see his prayer and an overview of his life with English voice-over in this 12-minute YouTube video:

Up to 35,000 people gathered in Cheongpyeong, South Korea for the funeral of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Unification Church who died on September 3 at the age of 92. He was hospitalized with pneumonia and was in intensive care since mid-August.

Rev. Moon, a high-profile international evangelist for decades, said that Jesus Christ came to him at the age of 16 and told him to finish Jesus’ mission. The Unification Church believes that Jesus was divine but that he is not God, a stance that puts it outside the bounds of traditional Christianity. Followers regard Rev. Moon as the messiah.

His church officially started in the 1950s, with missionaries being dispatched around the world by the end of that decade. His was one of several religious movements that emerged after World War II and the Korean War in South Korea and Japan. Rev. Moon was imprisoned in North Korea during the Korean War before being freed by the allies, an experience that turned him virulently anti-communist. He became active in conservative politics in the U.S. and other countries.

Globally, the church’s reach may have peaked in the 1970s and early 1980s, as hundreds of thousands joined the religious movement. In his role as church leader, Rev. Moon became famous for conducting mass weddings, including one in 1982 at New York City’s Madison Square Garden and one in 1995 in South Korea uniting 360,000 couples. I met one couple at this Albuquerque funeral who were in the New York mass wedding, still happily married.

He also gained influence in other ways as well — growing a massive, diverse business empire that included holdings in industries such as resorts, chemicals, arms manufacturing, mining and pharmaceuticals. Moon helped create news publications, universities, religious institutions and other groups. Some such organizations that Moon founded stress interfaith dialogue and peace, like the Universal Peace Federation, which advocates “building a world of peace in which everyone can live in freedom, harmony, cooperation and prosperity.”

Sun Myung Moon was referred to as The True Parent of Heaven, Earth and Humankind. He, also called The True Father, and his wife, called The True Mother, had 14 children. Four of their children had predeceased him.

The internet webcast began with a 30-minute procession to take the body from the Cheon Jeong Gung Museum to the Cheongshim Peace World Center, where 21,000 people waited inside the building and 14,000 would watch on video screens outside the building. Cameras followed the procession, led by a son carrying his father’s picture and accompanied by a young grandson. The True Mother followed the casket, escorted by other women. Everyone wore white robes.

Once the procession reached the doors of the museum, the casket was loaded onto a white and gold flower-bedecked vehicle for the short drive to the Center. A sedan with a large picture of Rev. Moon preceded his body as they drove down the road. Once the cortege reached the Center, the processional continued as in the museum. During the drive, a voice over of the MC in the Center extolled Rev. Moon’s many accomplishments in so many arenas.

Everyone in the arena and the church stood as the procession entered the arena. Attending couples, wearing white clothing and gold jackets, lined the aisle up the middle of the huge Center. The dais featured a huge floral display with an oversize portrait of Rev. Moon. White and gold uniformed pallbearers ceremoniously set the casket in front of this portrait. The True Mother took a seat on an elaborate white throne, one of two that the couple sat upon while presiding over church events.

A set of seven candles were lit by the international president of the church and his wife, the spiritual heirs to Rev. Moon. They lit in a back and forth pattern, representing three for heaven and four for earth and universal give and take.

Dr. Joon-Ho Seuk, executive director, said, “Today is a very significant moment that will never be repeated again. He has completed and perfected his mission on earth… As he enters heaven in this solemn ceremony, mankind and billions of spirits are participating.”

Everyone then sang the Cheon Il Guk anthem, called Blessings of Glory in English. Rev. Moon wrote the song.

Dr. Bo Hi Pak with the Korea Culture Foundation, said, “Heavenly Father, tightly embrace your son… What about us? Your poor children still need him. It feels like the sky has fallen, the sun has lost its light… Now that he’s gone, the sadness overflows from our hearts… We wish we could hear your voice one more time.”

Next, a floral tribute took place, the offering of flowers on a long, white-draped table. Red roses and white lily were the single stems placed upon the table. The floral offering was followed by a video of that chronicled Moon’s life and accomplishments.

The Seonghwa Address was given by Rev. Hyung-Jin Moon, international president and one of Rev. Moon’s sons. “God sent our True Father in order to bring salvation to fallen humankind,” he said. Take to heart his teachings, the path to the ideal world.” He identified January 13, 2013 as the start of cosmic unity, the establishment of freedom, truth, peace and happiness in a new era on earth and in heaven. At the end of his speech, everyone shouted “We love you” three times in Rev. Moon’s honor.

Three eulogies followed by Dong-Suk Kang, chair of the Oceanic Expo, Lord Tarsem King from the House of Lords in Great Britain, and Alfred Moisiu, fourth President of the Republic of Albania from 2002 to 2007. Each spoke of Moon’s contributions to humanity, culture, family, world peace, and democracy.

By 11:45 a.m. Seoul time, the audience on the screen was starting to look a little antsy. A hymn of praise sung by 340 singers from Korea and Japan and an orchestra with 40 musicians played two songs that rang the rafters of the large arena.

Another flower offering followed, first by The True Mother and The True Family, then by dignitaries and other special guests. Family members bowed twice, first bending from the waist, then kneeling down and making a full bow on the floor. There were flower offerings from representatives of Korea, Japan and America; from the six continents, from the main religions, from democracies around the world, and many other groups.

At the end, all stood, both in Korea and in the local church, for the Three Cheers of Eog Mansei. It was described to me as a Korean “Hip-hip-hooray!” Everyone threw their hands in the air in unison. Then, “For the endless effort on behalf of mankind,” everyone said “thank you” in Korean, repeated several times.

The recession out was as grand as the procession in, and took almost as long. By the time Rev. Moon’s elaborate inlaid casket left the building, it was 9:40 p.m. Mountain Time on September 14, 12:40 p.m. Seoul Time on September 15.

In the Albuquerque Family Church, we closed with a prayer: “We are here to thank you for his life… Be with the family and Mother Moon. Thank you for blessing us and continue the legacy of Father Moon. Spread showers of peace through out the world… showers of praise in your son Jesus’ name. Amen.” The local reverend Rick Schnorr added, “We’ll keep him in our hearts every day… Give a little more, just as he did.”

My thanks to the Albuquerque Family Church for inviting me to witness this celebration of Rev. Moon’s transition to the next reality. It was a truly unique event. If you’d like to add a memory or story, please use the comment box below.

4 Comments so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here

Debi Lester Anglican Celebration of Life

Debi Lester Anglican Celebration of Life

An impressive eight-page program was handed to all of the attendees as they entered the celebration of life for Debi Lester. As the Parish Administrator for Christ the King Anglican Church of Albuquerque, Debi had created many programs like this for families who had held funerals there.

Today, church members returned the favor with a beautiful document that laid out all the elements of The Burial of the Dead: Rite Two. Each section featured an illuminated capital letter: The Collect; Opening Hymn “I Will Sing of My Redeemer”; From the Old Testament; Psalm 23; From the New Testament; The Gospel Hymn “The Good Shepherd”; The Gospel; Reflections from the Family; Homily: The Very Rev. Pete Falk; Apostles’ Creed; Prayers of the People; The Peace; Offertory “Take Heart My Friend”; The Great Thanksgiving; Communion Music; Post Communion Prayer; Commendation; The Blessing; Closing Hymn “For All The Saints”; and Dismissal.

A number of clergy from Anglican churches in New Mexico came to the celebration of her life. The Very Rev. Pete Falk, now at Wellsprings, an Anglican Church, used to work with Debi at Christ the King Church, and she facilitated his family’s move from Canada to Albuquerque. The Rev. Canon Dan Klooster, interim rector at Christ the King, The Rev. Deacon Bill Lock and well-known Christian musician Fernando Ortega also played roles in the service.

The Rev. Canon Dan Klooster recited the Collect, an opening prayer: “O God of grace and glory, we remember before you this day our sister Debi. We thank you for giving her to us, her family and friends, to know and to love as a companion on our earthly pilgrimage. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, so that in quiet confidence we may continue our course on earth, until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

The readings from the Old Testament were Job 19:21-27a and Isaiah 61:1-3:

Job said,
Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends,
for the hand of God has touched me!
Why do you, like God, pursue me,
never satisfied with my flesh?
“O that my words were written down!
O that they were inscribed in a book!
O that with an iron pen and with lead
they were engraved on a rock forever!
For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that at the last he will stand upon the earth;
and after my skin has been thus destroyed,
then in my flesh I shall see God,
whom I shall see on my side,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another.”

Isaiah 61:1-3

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to provide for those who mourn in Zion–
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, to display his glory.

Everyone recited together the Psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.), followed by readings from 1 Corinthians:

In fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.

So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body.

For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

The Gospel reading came from John 10:11-16 and John 14:1-6:

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away– and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

During Reflections from the Family, Debi’s brother Paul spoke about her. “Debi did things really well, not haphazardly,” he said. “When God put her in the administrative position in the church, that’s where God meant her to be.” Not only did Debi work at Christ the King Anglican Church, she also held similar positions at St. Mrks on the Mesa Episcopal Church in Albuquerque and Christ the King Episcopal Church in Lakeland, Florida.

Paul described her as a great sister, a role model, a friend, and a Type A personality, which drew knowing chuckles from the audience. He said she was in charge growing up. “Ask her, she’d tell you,” he said. “Debi would brighten your day.”

The obituary described her as a woman of strong faith, fun loving, adventurous, charming and comforting to all who knew her. She enjoyed traveling and the adventures she would find along the way. She loved New Mexico, having moved here with her husband Art in 1991. They were married for 26 years. She enjoyed sunrises, sunsets, moons and star-filled nights.

Paul shared a poem, actually the lyrics to a song, “Beyond the Sunset” by Hank Williams:

Should you go first and I remain, to walk the road alone
I’ll live in memory’s garden dear, with happy days we’ve known
In spring I’ll wait for roses red, when faith the lilacs bloom
And in early fall when brown leaves fall,
I’ll catch a glimpse of you
Should you go first and I remain, for battles to be fought
Each thing you’ve touched along the way, will be a hallowed spot
I’ll hear your voice I’ll see your smile
Though blindly I may grope
The memory of your helping hand, will buoy me on with hope
Beyond the sunset oh blissful morning
When with our Savior, heaven is begun
Earth’s toiling ended, oh glorious dawning
Beyond the sunset when day is done
Should you go first and I remain, to finish with the scroll
No lessening shadows shall ever creep in
To make this life seem droll
We’ve known so much of happiness, we’ve had our cup of joy
And memory is one gift of God, that death cannot destroy
I want to know each step you take, that I may walk the same
For someday down that lonely road, you’ll hear me call your name
Should you go first and I remain, one thing I’ll have you do
Walk slowly down that long long path, for soon I’ll follow you

Debi’s death at 56 followed a brief battle with lung cancer caused by exposure to second-hand smoke throughout her life. She hadn’t been feeling well most of the year, and by the time the cancer was diagnosed in late May, it was already stage four. Many were stunned by the quickness of her health’s decline.

In the Homily presented by the Very Rev. Pete Falk, he spoke about memories of Debi as a colleague and what the Scriptures had to say about what everyone was going through with her loss. He first met her in 2003 when she handled all the details of a complicated move for he and his family to come to Albuquerque from a small town in Canada. “She was a wonderful manager, an organized person, and fun to be around,” he said.

She started the delightful traditions of “Elevensies,” an 11:00 a.m. tea time with coffee, tea and cakes. You could hear her great laugh all the way down the hall. She was also a great encourager who loved life. She helped all the church’s families put together funerals, many of them unexpected. “She had a tender heart for her ministry, being there for people in need,” he said. “Debi liked to say ‘What comes up, comes out.’ It’s weird that she’s not here. She was the one who put together these services. I think she’d be proud.”

“Debi knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ was her Lord and Savior and her purpose in life,” he said. He turned to the Scriptures, noting Job and his suffering while still proclaiming I know my Redeemer lives and will see God face to face. Isaiah’s passage promises no more mourning and that a new order has come.

He talked about the shepherd passages from John and the 23rd Psalm. “We’re in the valley of the shadow of death all the time. We never know when death will strike,” he said. “Yet we fear no evil, for thou art with me. With death nearby, God is still with us… We get through the valley of the shadow of death as a family and a church community. Everyone suffers and we offer each other a level of comfort and care.”

“The Christian hope is death isn’t the end of the story. Life continues beyond the grave. We’ll receive a new body and the dead shall be raised imperishable. We shall be changed and achieve victory over death through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our hope is in the good shepherd who laid down his life for us, that we may have life abundantly.”

“We are here to say goodbye to Debi for a time, not for forever. She did not leave at a time of our choosing, but of God’s choosing. She’s on the next stage of the journey,” he said. As he finished the homily, he spoke to the urn holding Debi’s ashes, “Goodbye, Debi. We’ll see you again.”

The rest of the service reminded me of a Catholic Mass. The Apostles’ Creed, the Prayers of the People, the sharing of “Peace be with you” with our neighbors, and the preparation of the Eucharist and service of Communion all looked familiar from other services I’ve attended. Some took the host and sipped from the communal cup. Others, to protect compromised immune systems, dipped the host in the wine.

During Communion the song “Give Me Jesus” was performed by Fernando Ortega, a Christian musician who has won two Dove Awards. He used to work with Debi at Christ the King Anglican Church and they were friends. Here is the rendition of the song as he performed it at a memorial tribute for Ruth Bell Graham, Billy Graham’s wife.

During the Commendation, the Celebrant held his hand over the urn and led this prayer, where the people joined in (noted in bold type).

Give rest, O Christ, to your servant Debi with your saints, where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting. You only are immortal, the creator and maker of mankind; and we are mortal, formed of the earth, and to earth shall we return. For so did you ordain when you created me saying, “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Give rest, O Christ, to your servant Debi with your saints, where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Debi. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.

After the Priestly Blessing and the closing hymn, everyone was invited to a luncheon reception in the social hall, where the family greeted and received condolences from all who attended. If you have stories or memories to share about Debi, feel free to post in the comments section below.

Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here

Death and The Civil War

Death and The Civil War

The American way of death changed dramatically during the Civil War from 1861 to 1865. Embalming was just starting to be used experimentally in the 1840s and 1850s. The huge number of war dead, and the surgeon-embalmers who saw an entrepreneurial opportunity, changed the way bodies in general were treated in the U.S. in the 20th century.

In the 1860s, surgeon-embalmers utilized chemical compounds, including mercury and arsenic, to preserve soldiers’ bodies long enough to ship them from the battlefield to their hometowns. Embalming certificates were sold to families. Soldiers would pin the paper inside their uniforms so if they were killed in battle, the certificate vouched embalming was paid for and the body’s ticket home.

Before the Civil War, there were no national cemeteries in America. No provisions for identifying the dead, or for notifying next of kin, or for providing aid to the suffering families of dead veterans. No federal relief organizations, no effective ambulance corps, no adequate federal hospitals, no federal provisions for burying the dead. No Arlington Cemetery. No Memorial Day.

You can learn more than you ever wanted to know about death and the Civil War on AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Presents Death and the Civil War, premiering Tuesday, September 18, 2012 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET on PBS (check your local listings).

Here’s more information about the program:

From acclaimed filmmaker Ric Burns, Death and the Civil War explores an essential but largely overlooked aspect of the most pivotal event in American history: the transformation of the nation by the death of an estimated 750,000 people – nearly two and a half percent of the population – in four dark and searing years from 1861 to 1865.

With the coming of the Civil War, and the staggering and completely unprecedented casualties it ushered in, death entered the experience of the American people as it never had before – on a scale and in a manner no one had ever imagined possible, and under circumstances for which the nation would prove completely unprepared. The impact would permanently alter the character of the republic, the culture of the government and the psyche of the American people – down to this day.

“Transpose the percentage of dead that mid-19th-century America faced into our own time – seven million dead, if we had the same percentage,” says author Drew Gilpin Faust, on whose groundbreaking book, This Republic of Suffering, the film is based. “What would we as a nation today be like if we faced the loss of seven million individuals?”

Death and the Civil War tracks the increasingly lethal arc of the war, from the bloodless opening in 1861, through the chaos of Shiloh, Antietam, Gettysburg, and the unspeakable carnage of 1864 – down through the struggle, in the aftermath of the war, to cope with an American landscape littered with the bodies of hundreds of thousands of soldiers, many unburied, most unidentified.

The work of contending with death on this scale would propel extraordinary changes in the inner and outer life of all Americans – posing challenges for which there were no ready answers when the war began – challenges that called forth remarkable and eventually heroic efforts on the part of individuals, groups and the government – as Americans worked to improvise new solutions, new institutions, new ways of coping with death on an unimaginable scale.

Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here

September 11 Memorial Service in 2012

September 11 Memorial Service in 2012

Today is the day Americans pause and remember the losses, the pain, the chaos of September 11, 2001. Memorial services are taking place all over the country, not just in the places where the jets hijacked by terrorists went down.

Here in Albuquerque, the 11th anniversary of this solemn day was marked with a gathering featuring the governor and mayor at a new fire station still under construction. Fire Station 2 is dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives on September 11. The theme for the ceremony was Rebuilding For The Future And Honoring Our Fallen Heroes. The start time of 8:46 a.m. (local time) was the moment the first airplane hit the North Tower.

The event, which you can view on the YouTube video associated with this blog post, started with the presentation of the colors, the singing of the national anthem, and the pledge of allegiance. Every speaker offered thanks to those who came together to remember and salute those who died, those who serve in the fire and police departments and the military, and for the rebuilding of the United States.

In the invocation offered by Albuquerque Fire Department Senior Chaplain Lt. Jerome Rael, he said, “Greater love has no one than this than has laid down his life for his friends… Almighty God, in ancient days, you are the author of life and salvation from whom every good gift and blessings come. We acknowledge your presence today as we commemorate and honor the memory of the fallen. We also remember the victims and their families. Today may we put into action our faith, works and love in memory of the fallen and honor the military who continue to fight and protect our freedoms at home and abroad… We thank you that good will always overcome evil… Grant us the wisdom and courage to look forward with hope and purpose and unswerving resolve in building toward the future by learning from the past and living in the application and light of your wisdom in the present. Amen”

Governor Susana Martinez spoke first. “It is hard to believe that today marks the 11th anniversary of the tragedy that came to be known as 9-11… We also pause to remember the brave men and women who courageously put their lives at risk in order to protect our nation from future threats. Eleven years ago, not only did our fellow citizens come under attack, so did our way of life as we knew it, and our freedom.”

“These acts of terror were intended to frighten us, to divide us, to drive us into retreat. But the United States of America is far too resilient to let this attack bully us into submission. Our nation and our people have met terror with valor, threats with resolve, and we’ve confronted tyranny with liberty… God bless those men and women in uniform that protect us and live among us every day. Thank you for all that you do. God bless America. “

Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry spoke next. He revealed that he has a flag with the names of all who died on September 11, 2001 in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon. “I have it in my workshop because that’s where I go to be by myself, to reflect, to have a little quiet time, to build stuff… We are a nation of builders: buildings, democracies, trust, dreams, and builders of the future. One World Trade Center is a perfect example and metaphor for this great nation’s ability to overcome challenges and enemies regardless of the initial attacks.”

The 104-story new building will stand 1776 feet tall, signifying the year of our declaration of independence. “It stands for our resilience, our resolve, our dedication, and our refusal to give in to those who want to see our way of life destroyed. We are a great nation, and we will continue to help each other heal, find courage hope and we will rebuild. Because terrorists may have gotten in a cheap shot, but the American people will not be kept down. We will never stop remembering and we will never stop rebuilding.”

City Council President Trudy Jones recalled how the nation stood still in shock when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963. That autumn day is seared into our common memory. “Eleven years ago today, our world was forever changed one more time,” she said. “Each of us has our own personal memories of that horrible day. Whatever those memories, whatever those connections, 9-11 is and always will be part of who we are as individuals, as Americans, and as citizens of this world.”

Albuquerque Police Chief Raymond Schultz noted, “We may never know how many lives were saved that day, but we do know that it was firefighters and policemen who didn’t stop and ask whether or not they should go inside. They didn’t stop and say, ‘It’s not my job.’ They did as they were trained and responded as we expected them to.”

“What we saw in New York, in Washington and in Shanksville in 2001 is nothing different than we see here in Albuquerque each and every day… We don’t ask many questions, we respond, knowing we are prepared to deal with whatever we may find… We only want to make a difference in someone’s life.”

Colonel John Kubinec, 377th Air Base Wing Commander spoke on behalf of the military. “Thank you for your support of our men and women in uniform. When I think of September 11, 2011, I think of places. I think of numbers. I think of faces.”

Some of those numbers are staggering: Almost 3,000 innocent victims and heroic first responders in 2001. 4,488 soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who gave their lives in Iraq. 1,987 who gave their lives in Afghanistan. More than 17,000 wounded in those two wars.

He thinks of faces and names of people and the memories of those killed in the service of our country. He recounted memories of rendering final salutes to those making their journey back to the U.S. in a flag-draped coffin. “Let us never forget those who serve today, are in harms way right now, here and abroad, and always honor them,” he said.

Fire Chief James Breen said that this fire station under construction is dedicated to the memory of all who have served and provided public safety. The construction industry was instrumental in working with first responders to rescue the living and retrieve the dead. The American flag flying over the construction site is flying there for the first time. It was raised and lowered to half staff for this one day. It will fly there again when the station opens officially later this year.

At the end of the service, Briane Dennison, APD Chaplain, offered words from Psalm 107: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. Faithful love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord proclaim that he has redeemed them from the hand of the foe… Gracious father, we do give thanks to you today, for you are a good God. And though we are here eleven years later, you were present there at Ground Zero and you are present here today… We see that freedom still reigns, that this nation still stands as a beacon of freedom… We pray for those hearts that are still sorrowful for the losses of 9-11. May we always pay tribute to those who died by living courageously, and living a life that gives honor unto you.”

After the invocation, several doves were released to mark the end of the service. This was one of the few memorial services not followed by a reception with food and drink. We will always remember this day.

Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here

National Pet Memorial Day

National Pet Memorial Day

September 9, 2012 is National Pet Memorial Day, so declared by the PLPA, the Pet Loss Professionals Alliance, a committee of the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association. To honor our beloved pets, today’s post, Day 24 of the 30 Funerals in 30 Days Challenge, is about pet funerals.

Originally, this post was going to be just about the unique people-pet cemetery Best Friends Forever here in Albuquerque. However, my charming cat Caesar went outside on Thursday night, as he usually does, and my husband Dave and I haven’t seen him since. I’m hoping Caesar is simply getting spoiled in another family’s home and not the victim of some awful fate. This turn of events made me think about advice I’ve given regarding pet funerals and the elements that make them emotionally satisfying.

They’re the same elements that make people funerals emotionally satisfying. I call them The Four Rs: Recognize the death, Remember the individual, Reaffirm your beliefs, and Release the spirit. I don’t yet want to give up hope for Caesar’s return. I’ll tackle the second R and share some stories about Caesar.

He came into our lives in 2007 when he was already six or seven years old. Our neighbors down the street had taken him into their household when their daughter moved to Spain. But they already had several dogs and cats, and Mr. Caesar was getting pushed around by the others. He’d taken to wandering the neighborhood, and once we knew his name, he came to visit us on a regular basis. The neighbors said they were looking for some nice folks to adopt him. We asked all of our cat-loving friends if they’d like to adopt this lovely cat, but they all said no.

It was summer time, and we were grilling salmon in the back yard. Caesar came around, and I gave him a little piece. From then on, it was love. I’d been allergic to cats most of my life, but thought if I washed my hands after petting him, I might be okay. We walked down to the neighbors and said we’d adopt him.

The first day after he became ours, we were sitting on the patio reading the Sunday paper and having breakfast. He walked up with two young doves in his mouth (freshly killed) and dropped them at our feet. It was like he was saying, “Here’s a present for each of you. Thank you for being my parents.”

We really didn’t like that he was such a hunter cat. Yet at the same time, he was in great shape. He would stretch out on the carpet and I swear he was two feet long! I used to teach yoga classes at home, and he would go crazy on the shoes of my brother Mitch and my friend Gary – no one else’s. He loved to jump up in my lap while I was busy at the computer, curl up and stay there. He loved to have his rump patted, often quite vigorously. And often he would curl up next to me or Dave as we went to sleep – and then wake us at 2:00 a.m. to go out. He had a great purr and he could sense a can of tuna being opened from the other side of the house.

We miss him and we’re still looking for him. Hail Caesar!

* * * * * * * * * *

I went and visited with Vaughn Hendren, general manager of Best Friends Forever, the only cemetery in the Southwest that offers a final resting place for people with their pets. The cemetery was established in 2010, and it is one of the few in the country to offer side-by-side people/pet interment.

Check out what he had to say in this short video:

He provided a tour of the grounds, which is pet friendly. People are welcome to bring their animal companions to visit the spot where their other beloved pets are laid to rest. Just make sure you clean up after them!

One woman, Carmelita Gonzales, is already interred in a niche wall with the remains of 17 cats – at last count. As they die, more are added to her niche. There’s also the option of placing cremated remains in an ossuary. It’s a nine-foot-deep “wishing well” with a cover. Pets can be memorialized with a tile on a nearby wall or a sidewalk pavestone.

The first animal buried there was Dexter the guinea pig. They also have a sun conure named Sydney buried at Best Friends Forever. They do have space for the cremated remains of horses, which can weigh as much as 30 pounds – human cremated remains average 3-5 pounds.

Best Friends Forever actually had a burial there last week, but I missed it. A mother and son watched the burial of their family dog.

* * * * * * * * * *

Spend a few minutes reflecting upon pleasant memories of your petContribute to an animal protection groupVolunteer at an animal protection groupCreate a small memorial in a flower garden in your yardPlant a tree or a shrub as a living memorialThink about your late pet. Look at old photos. Talk about your pet with others who were familiar with it. Reflect on all the great memories you made with your pet. If you lost your pet unexpectedly, try to keep your thoughts positive.Visit your pet’s burial site. Make a tribute to your pet by decorating its burial site with something it may have enjoyed in life. Talk to your pet while at the burial site.Create a small memorial in your pet’s honor. Plant trees, shrubs and flowers to memorialize your pet. These things can remind you of your pet long after National Pet Memorial Day has passed.Donate money or time to a charity or organization in honor of your late pet. Choose an organization or charity based on your animal’s breed or a particular cause that is close to your heart. Animal shelters, rescue groups and humane societies all appreciate volunteers.Send sympathy cards to former pet owners. National Pet Memorial Day does not have to be a solitary affair. Include everyone who has lost a pet in your observance of National Pet Memorial Day.

1 Comment so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here

Miguel Caro Buddhist Memorial Service

Miguel Caro Buddhist Memorial Service

Miguel Caro was a talented performer, choreographer, dance teacher, and well-loved man known for his hugs and smiles. He toured the world performing baile folklorico, traditional Mexican folk dancing. He was introduced to Buddhism while on tour in Japan and embraced the religion. A Buddhist memorial service was held for him at the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) New Mexico Buddhist center.

As with many memorial services, there was a photo board with pictures of Miguel through the years, many showing him in colorful, elaborate costumes that he designed and his sister Beatriz made. A photo montage was projected on the screen at the front of the room, showing Miguel dancing and with family and friends, always, always smiling. Between the photos at the start and the open comments period and reception toward the end, something very different happened.

Having never experienced a Buddhist memorial service before, I am grateful to Marilyn Mendes for taking me under her wing to describe the traditions and meanings ascribed to the ceremony.

SGI members follow the teachings of Nichiren, a Buddhist monk who lived in thirteenth-century Japan. Nichiren’s teachings provide a way for anybody to readily draw out the enlightened wisdom and energy of Buddhahood from within their lives, regardless of their individual circumstances. Each person has the power to overcome all of life’s challenges, to live a life of value and become a positive influence in their community, society and the world.

The invocation (chant) of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is a universal practice to enable people to manifest the Buddhahood inherent in their lives and gain the strength and wisdom to challenge and overcome any adverse circumstances. Nichiren felt that everyone can attain enlightenment and enjoy happiness while they are alive.

“Enlightenment exists within you now, with your human frailties,” Marilyn said. “The difference between the common mortal and  Buddha is behavior. The struggle is to manifest enlightenment in our behavior.”

Buddhists believe the essential nature of life continues, whether manifest in this physical world or not. They believe the spirit of the deceased still exists. The person’s life is celebrated and prayers are offered for rebirth in the best possible circumstances, to be reunited with loved ones.

The screen was put away and the assembled centered themselves with prayer beads looped around their middle fingers. Some slid the beads back and forth, to make a focusing vibration in their palms. A cabinet at the front of the room was opened, revealing a mandala (an object of devotion) which was the writing Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in Japanese characters.

A man sat in front of the mandala with a large black bowl next to him. He started the chanting by striking the bowl with a large stick. The bowl rang like a gong, and everyone began the Nam-myoho-renge-kyo chant. Each person had their own booklet copy of the sutra, written in Chinese and Japanese characters with English transliteration. They intoned their prayers in unison in between the chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. How can I best describe this? It felt similar to the hypnotic repetition of the Rosary in a Catholic church.

A regal picture of Miguel in Aztec costume sat on a table at the front, with two incense burners before his image. As the chanting continued, people lined up in the center aisle and came forward to take a pinch of incense and drop it into one of the burners. This ceremony allowed each individual to offer up a prayer for Miguel’s eternal life. Many carried prayer beads in their hands. They were young and old, black and white, Hispanic and Asian. Some hugged Miguel’s longtime partner Keith Langford after they offered up their incense and prayers.

After the incense offering, the booklet indicated it was time for silent personal prayers and a prayer for all the deceased. As one person said, the endless cycle of birth and death is eternal. The leader sounded the bell continuously to end the chanting portion of the service.

Keith Langford, Miguel’s partner for 26 years, got up to speak. He started with words of thanks for everyone who helped during Miguel’s long illness. In the last few years, Miguel had broken a shoulder and a toe, and he had liver cancer and coronary artery disease, which ruled out his chance for a liver transplant. But Miguel always kept up his chanting and his strong faith.

Miguel was born in the small Mexican town of Ameca in the state of Jalisco. He loved to dance as a teenager – while he didn’t understand the words, he loved the beat of American rock ‘n roll. He trained at the Institute of Fine Art in Mexico City and toured the world as a soloist with the Nacional Ballet Folklórico.

He moved to Albuquerque in 1972 and started his dance company, Miguel Caro y la Fiesta Mexicana, in 1978. He became a U.S. citizen in 1983. He taught dance at UNM for 20 years, as well as at his own private dance studio and several local high schools. In 1999 he was the recipient of the Bravo Award for Excellence in the Arts and was named Arts Educator of the Year.

He designed and made the costumes with fine attention to detail. He also got a cosmetology license and had his dancers all wear the same hair and makeup.

Miguel’s body was shipped to his native Mexico, for burial next to his mother. A mariachi band played at the graveside service.

The floor was opened for others to speak and share stories and memories. Miguel was remembered as a great, kind person who always wanted to hug you. His smile brightened the room. He was a citizen of the world who illuminated the stage with music and dance. He embodied vigor and grace, determination and connection, passion and compassion.

Al Soto, the man who led the chanting, spoke about understanding the reality of life and death. “Every day, you get up, you wake up. You’re born, grow stronger, mature, age, tire, go to sleep, die. If you understand one day, you understand the entirety of life,” he said. “Buddhism goes beyond this view. In the latent phase of death, the entity cycle remains unchanged. Life and death are one and the same.”

Marcella Sandoval, a dancer with Miguel’s company for 23 years, asked those from different spheres of his life to stand and be recognized: the SGI community, those who took dance classes from him, those who danced in his performance groups, and those who sat in the audience for his performances. “The legend does and will live on,” she said.

Paula, a student in the 1980s to 1990s, offered some “Miguelisms,” things that he would say and what he really meant. “Put all your fingers on the floor” meant put your feet flat on the floor (the word for fingers and toes was the same). “Up your face” meant hold your head high. “Change your face” meant turn your face right or left. “Up your dress” meant lift your skirts. “We are the really reallies” meant that they were the true professionals and genuine Mexican folk dancers. “Ay Labio Vary Mach” means “I love you very much,” although the word labio means lips.

Miguel got his 15 minutes of national fame doing his show-stopper dance El Tilingo Lingo on the “Late Show with David Letterman” in 2001. He kept a tray of 10 glasses of water perfectly balanced on his head while his feet tapped out a staccato rhythm. The service wound down with video footage of Miguel doing that dance in the KNME program “Colores.” Miguel’s spirited dancing and beaming smile left everyone with a sense of joy.

At the end of the service, everyone was invited to share food and stories at a reception at the center. If you have stories you’d like to share, please write in the comments box below.

3 Comments so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here

Multiple Memorials for Doug ReVelle

Multiple Memorials for Doug ReVelle

Sometimes, one memorial service is not enough. The many facets of our lives can be celebrated over time and space with different people. Such is the case for Douglas O. ReVelle.

Doug died on May 2, 2010 and a memorial service was held on May 23rd in Los Alamos, NM, where the family lived and Doug retired from the lab there. Another memorial service was held in August of 2011 at a family cabin in Maine. That’s when the majority of his cremated remains were buried next to those of his brother Chuck.

A third celebration, The Douglas O. ReVelle Memorial Balloon Launch, took place on August 15, 2012  at the Russell Woods Forest Preserve in Genoa, IL. A small portion of his cremated remains were sent aloft in a weather balloon. This salute to Doug as a professor gave his students the opportunity to honor his life and work. It was also the fulfillment of his last wish.

Doug was my mother’s cousin. His mother and my grandfather were siblings. Doug and his family lived a two and a half hour drive away from me. Over the past 18 years, Doug and his wife Ann and their two sons David and Peter came to my house in Albuquerque for holiday celebrations and my husband and I went to Los Alamos for milestone events. During the disastrous Cerro Grande Fire in May 2000, when Los Alamos was evacuated, they stayed in my home while I was on a long trip back East.

Doug had battled lymphoma and seemed to have beaten it with chemotherapy. However, the treatment activated a latent hepatitis B infection, which eventually led to his death. Doug was in an Albuquerque hospital during his last two weeks. Ann, David and Peter came to stay at my house during that trying time.

Doug ReVelle with an Einstein mannequin at the CosmoCaixa-Science Museum in Barcelona, Spain, 2007

Doug’s last wish, expressed to Ann before he slipped into a coma, was to have his ashes scattered in the upper atmosphere. “Don’t forget me,” was the last thing he said to her. He was an aeronomer, someone who studies the upper atmospheric regions of the Earth.

Aeronomy is also concerned with the atmospheres around meteors, comets and satellites, or any other atmosphere where ionization, particularly of oxygen, takes place. Doug taught dynamic meteorology, atmospheric sciences and climate dynamics at Northern Illinois University from 1984 to 1993.

He studied in pioneering theoretical work the interaction of meteors and planetary atmospheres.  He addressed, in particular, aerodynamics, ablation, meteor acoustics and infrasonic meteor observations. An asteroid was named in his honor, 13358 Revelle, with the dedication “Douglas O. ReVelle, for his pioneering work in meteor physics and astronomy based on theoretical aerodynamics, in meteor acoustics and in the interpretation of infrasonic meteor observations.”

Doug’s past students worked together with Ann to create this memorial event on August 15, 2012. They found an appropriate weather balloon, poured his ashes into the balloon, then filled it with helium. The cremated remains of two of his beloved dogs, Sparky and Shadow, were also mixed in so he’d have company on his trip. Ann obtained permission to do the balloon launch from Russell Woods Forest Preserve management. The sledding hill location of the event was significant. It’s where Doug and Ann took the kids for winter fun when they lived there. Here’s the video of the launch.

Doug’s favorite quote was from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.” A payload card attached to the balloon with his photo read:

Douglas O. ReVelle
1945-2010
Memorial Balloon Launch
August 15, 2012
Husband and Father
Our Relative, Our Friend, Our Mentor, Our Colleague
We send you off to the skies
where you will never be forgotten
If you find this card, please contact us on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Douglas-O-ReVelle-Memorial-Balloon-Launch/247960855322727?ref=hl

After the launch, there was a gathering at a picnic shelter for food and sharing of stories and good memories about Doug. It was a catered sack lunch affair where everyone ordered off a menu: no platters to worry about and easy to clean up. One former student brought a cooler of drinks as their contribution. This was followed by a tour of the Geography Department at Northern Illinois University by the woman who took over after Doug went on to other positions. Ann also got together with his former students the next night at a restaurant to talk about memories and stories of Doug.

Doug’s first memorial service was held three weeks after his death. Family, friends and neighbors gathered at a community center in Los Alamos. The Los Alamos Jewish Community’s Rabbi Jack Shlachter facilitated the service, which included readings by family members and remembrances from friends. Readings included passages from the Bible, poetry, prayers, and Psalms 23 and 121: A Song of Ascent (especially appropriate here in the Rocky Mountains):

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—?where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Here’s the Hebrew version, Asa Eni, that Rabbi Jack sang:

Ann’s friends put together a lovely reception at the community center. The family later went to Rancho de Chimayo Restaurante, a place where other family milestones were celebrated.

Doug did not want his remains buried in Los Alamos. His parents were buried in a Conservative Jewish cemetery in Tucson, and he was more Reform, so that didn’t seem like the right place for him. His brother Chuck had died a few years earlier, and his cremated remains were buried in an apple orchard at the family’s cabin in Maine.

So in August 2011, the family held a small interment ceremony there, planting an apricot tree over his remains. Apricots were special to Doug and a favorite fruit.

Ann’s brother Tom, a talented woodworker, made the box for the cremains with wooden pegs – no metal parts as Jewish caskets are traditionally made. Pink granite from Vermont with bronze plates were placed as markers.

Ann said she had gone to a bereavement group and learned that it is helpful to do conscious activities, to plan and to do, to help process the grief of loss. “Each event fulfilled a different need to honor his memory in a lasting way,” she explained.

And the events will continue. Ann will celebrate her 65th birthday on October 4 with a large Oktoberfest kegger party. Doug only made it to his 64th birthday. The party will recognize that life goes on and give a big thank-you to everyone in Los Alamos who supported her through the loss. She has lived in Los Alamos for 18 years, the longest she’s ever lived anywhere in her life. Ann will retire on November 1 and will sell the family home to downsize into a smaller house in Los Alamos.

Change is constant. Death happens. Life goes on. Treasure every day. Celebrate often.

Douglas Orson ReVelle, we will always remember you.

Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here

Final Thoughts on the 2012 30 Day Challenge

Final Thoughts on the 2012 30 Day Challenge

I have walked through the valley of the shadow of death, and I have feared no evil. After attending and writing about 30 funerals and memorial services in 30 days, I have made it through to the other side. It has been a journey of tears and laughter, of rituals and symbols, of love and loss.

This was the third year doing my 30 Funerals in 30 Days Challenge. As in years past, my goals were three-fold:

Illustrate the many creative ways people celebrate the lives of those they love.Help reduce a fear of talking about death – something that will happen to all of us.Show that funerals are a life cycle event much like a wedding, best planned more than a few days ahead of time.

There were so many creative, personalized ways people celebrated the lives of those they love. Some of this year’s services that were especially memorable include:

One of the memorial services focused on the 11th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. September 9 was National Pet Memorial Day, when I wrote about pet funerals in honor of my cat Caesar who disappeared on September 7. Outside of those two non-specific memorial events, here are the statistics:

The services honored 20 men and 10 womenThere were 11 funerals with the body present and 22 services with cremated remainsOne funeral was followed by cremation and a rental casket was usedOne funeral took place in Mexico and the service in Albuquerque was a memorial serviceOne funeral was webcast around the world from KoreaReligions for the services included Catholic, Anglican, Latter Day Saints (Mormon), Unitarian Universalist, Seventh Day Adventist, Jewish, Evangelical Christian, Church of Christ, Buddhist and Unification ChurchOut of the 30 events covered, only about six people had planned their funerals in advance – four were women

A few other things I observed:

As technology becomes more integrated into services with music and video tributes, funeral homes and their clients need to coordinate on AV formatting. At several services there were glitches due to incompatible media.QR codes on prayer cards and memorial folders offer an innovative way for family and friends to access tribute videos outside the memorial service through smart phone technology and YouTube.Memorial services are taking place in settings other than funeral homes, cemeteries and houses of worship: assisted living facilities, nursing homes and at private homes – wherever the deceased or their close family members live(d).In some cases, obituaries in the newspaper are as short as possible, directing readers to the funeral home’s website for service information and more about the person. This is utilized to save money on the per-line fees the newspaper charges.Some obituaries indicate there will be no service, or the service is listed as a private event. Perhaps that’s to keep folks like me from crashing the party.

It has been an awesome trip. My thanks to the families who allowed me to cover the services for their loved ones. I hope these stories will help them remember and continue to celebrate the lives they lived.

If you missed last week’s story about the 30 Funerals in 30 Days Challenge in the Albuquerque Journal, you can read Leslie Linthicum’s column online. Many thanks to Leslie for her great story.

I will be glad to reclaim the three to four hours a day it took to attend and write about all of these stories. It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you challenge yourself and put yourself to the test.

1 Comment so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here

Remembering Annie Jones Hogan

Remembering Annie Jones Hogan

Annie Jones Hogan spent the last ten years of her life at a senior living center, and that’s where her grown children held a gracious memorial service in her honor.

Classical music preceded the service, as pictures of Annie throughout her life were projected onto a screen. Flower arrangements stood next to the piano and microphone. The couches in the large lobby/living area were supplemented by folding chairs to accommodate the residents and visitors who had gathered for the event.

Chaplain Edith Lambert opened with a welcome and prayer, then recited John 14:1-7:

“Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him.”

A woman played the piano for the hymn “How Great Thou Art” and everyone was invited to sing along.

Then daughter Lisa Hogan spoke about her mother. “My mom was the groovy mom. She worked, she trusted us, and our house was the place to hang out, the place to be,” she said. “She believed in letting us be ourselves. And no matter what our ages – teens, twenties, thirties – she always insisted we spend holidays together.”

No one was more stubborn, and her children admitted to being as stubborn as she was. She was a woman of integrity, with a clear vision of right and wrong. And she was loving and compassionate.

“I learned from her that you can make a mistake and admit it, and that it’s liberating,” Lisa said. “She gave me so much. She helped me believe in myself and encouraged me to be anything I dreamed. My mom was like winning the Lotto, for sure.”

Lisa came to visit Annie a lot during the last four years, as the dementia progressed. Annie passed away at the age of 87. And Annie had let her know that she wanted her life celebrated.

Son Michael thanked everyone for coming, saying, “Mom would love this. She gave us the best of herself and that’s what she expected of others, and that’s what she got 99 percent of the time.”

She taught English at a college and pushed for equal pay for women, she started a program in a prison to educate inmates, many of whom never went back to prison after earning their degrees. She drove as long as she could – and she had at least a dozen accidents none of the kids knew about. Unbeknownst to them, she was a real estate baron with rental houses and properties on the West Coast. And she was a killer ping pong player – none of them could beat her while they were kids.

Son Patrick said, “It was tough to find anybody who didn’t like her and easy to find everyone who loved her. I think her greatest gift to me is to continue with her example of how to love and be a family. My biggest regret is that I started my family late and Annie didn’t get to know her granddaughter.”

Annie liked to eat, watch movies, read books and hang out with friends. And she considered her kids as friends. “She was exceptional, a very special woman,” said Patrick. “She’s at peace now. She was ready to go home. And I’m sure she’s happy to see this gathering. I know she’s up there watching.”

Two friends, Betty Starkey and Barbara Marshall, shared other stories of Annie.

Betty and Annie traveled together. They had both had surgery about the same time, and Annie set it up so that they shared the same hospital room during their recoveries. Annie said, “What are we going to do when we get out of here?” They hatched a plan to go to India, where Betty’s grandparents had been missionaries.

Betty called traveling with Annie “seat of your pants style.” They arrived in Bombay at midnight and didn’t have reservations. “We don’t need ‘em!” Annie said. The first day, when they asked about things to do and see, the hotel staff suggested the Thieves Market. They took a cab there and were a bit nervous about thieves. Annie decided she’d leave her purse in the car with the driver. She was sure he would take care of it and asked him to return later to pick them up. Sure enough, at the end of the day, her purse was still there, safe and sound with the cab driver.

The best thing they shared was faith and love in Jesus Christ, said Betty. She was a strong believer.

Barbara Marshall knew Annie for 12 years through playing bridge. “She had the ever present gift of affirmation and making folks feel good,” she said. “It was plain out fun to be with her.” She said Annie was a technical writing assistant at Sandia Laboratories, very professional and competent as she helped engineers there. Annie introduced Barbara to PEO, a women’s organization that she belonged to for a very long time.

Last Christmas, Annie gave Barbara a bookmark that reads, “Friends are special and you are a special friend.” “I keep it as a reminder that I knew a great lady,” said Barbara.

Chaplain Edith said that Annie had requested the reading of two of her favorite Scripture passages, John 3:1-18 (about being born again) and Romans 10:8-13:

But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile —the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Chaplain Edith closed with a prayer of thanksgiving for Annie’s life and a prayer for those who mourn. It ended with, “Nothing can destroy the good that has been given.” Everyone was invited to sing “Amazing Grace” with the pianist, and we listened to an a cappella version of “Wayfaring Stranger.” Sweets and punch were served afterward.

If you have a story or memory of Annie Jones Hogan you’d like to share, please post a comment at the bottom of this post.

Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here

Celebrating Ernest Garcia: Artist, Teacher, Activist

Celebrating Ernest Garcia: Artist, Teacher, Activist

The memorial celebration for Ernest Garcia took place at the Albuquerque Museum of Art – a place he loved to visit every week. A classical string trio played as more than 60 people gathered on Sunday afternoon to remember man of passion and intellect, an artist, a teacher and a union organizer.

His art was on display in the lobby of the museum and in the community room where the service was held. A framed self-portrait stood on the stage with several flower arrangements. Donna Swanson, a friend, colleague and 17-year president of the Central New Mexico Community College Employees Union that Ernest help start, reminded everyone to silence their cell phones before the event started.

“I suspect most of you share the knowledge that Ernest was not a religious person,” she said. “In fact, he was rather decidedly NOT a believer in a higher power, heaven, hell, and all that. Some of you, I’m sure, have this in common with him. And others of you do not share in his non-belief.”

“But, I believe what we can agree on is what a devoted, passionate, truly good life Ernest led. I am fairly certain he would be rather annoyed that we are even talking about this, but funerals and memorial services exist to not only honor the deceased, but also give comfort to those left behind.”

Ernest died on July 18, only two and a half weeks after receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis. The aggressive cancer spread quickly and he died at home on hospice. Everyone was shocked at the swiftness of his passing.

“Ernest chose a life dedicated to family, friends, students, and in his artwork, beauty. He was passionate about human rights and human dignity, for everyone,” said Donna. She shared a reading culled from Ernest’s collection of writings: “21 Suggestions for Success” by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

1.    Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.
2.    Work at something you enjoy and that’s worthy of your time and talent.
3.    Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
4.    Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
5.    Be forgiving of yourself and others.
6.    Be generous.
7.    Have a grateful heart.
8.    Persistence, persistence, persistence.
9.    Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary.
10.    Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
11.    Commit yourself to constant improvement.
12.    Commit yourself to quality.
13.    Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.
14.    Be loyal.
15.    Be honest.
16.    Be a self-starter.
17.    Be decisive even if it means you’ll sometimes be wrong.
18.    Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.
19.    Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the ones you did.
20.    Take good care of those you love.
21.    Don’t do anything that wouldn’t make your Mom proud.

“Whatever your beliefs and spiritual system, that about covers all the bases,” she said. “The world is a better place because Ernest was born. How amazing it is and how lucky we are to have had the gift of his love, friendship and ideals.”

Then the window shades were lowered and the room darkened to show a very polished video produced by Ernest’s son David. Brother C.D. Garcia, his first art teacher Frances Heussenstamm, activist Mark Rudd, niece Elizabeth Castillo and son David all provided insights.

Ernest’s parents had moved from New Mexico to Los Angeles to find work, and that’s where he was born in 1944. He and his brother shared a bedroom growing up, and C.D. had to give Ernest his space to make art. “He was always interested in astronomy, and the way he learned to read was by reading the entire astronomy section in the Whittier, California library,” said C.D.

And Ernest was very intellectual. “He wanted to know things, and the priests and nuns in the church just couldn’t give him the answers,” said C.D. Early on, Ernest rejected the Catholic faith.

When he went to art school, Frances Heussenstamm saw the Native American-inspired work in his portfolio and saw great potential for him to make a living as an artist. She noted he was overweight and chronically late, but over time as he was increasingly respected he showed respect back. “Ernest was my favorite student,” she said. “He put a lot into the outlines for his college courses.” He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of California.

When Mary came into his life, she adored him and he adored her. They were soul mates. She handmade the embroidered dress she wore at their wedding. When son David came along, then it was all about David. Mary and Ernest have been married for 44 years.

While he was raised in California, his heart called him back to the blue skies and white clouds of New Mexico. He went to Chaco Canyon for three weeks, and as a result produced powerful, mystical images of ruined walls and windows. After many visits, he finally returned in 1989, bringing his wife and son to his ancestral homeland.

He became an art teacher at Albuquerque TVI, which later became Central New Mexico Community College (CNM). His students looked at him with affection, love and interest, even while he was a strict disciplinarian who demanded much. And he was never late to class. In the early 1990s, he organized the CNM Employees Union, a local of the AFT and the AFL-CIO. He designed the banner for the union, which bears the slogan, “The Boat Moves Faster When We All Pull Together.”

Ernest’s devotion to union representation was fired up by his grandfather’s experience working at a sawmill in Albuquerque. A heavy beam fell on his grandfather, injuring him badly. However, he was not allowed to leave for nine hours, until the end of his shift, then told to “go home and sleep it off.” He went to Memorial Hospital (now the Hotel Parq Central), where the doctors discovered he had a broken back. He was in the hospital for six months.

After the video ended to applause, David spoke about his father. “The fundamental thing that is so interesting about my father is his strict adherence to the rational while at the same time he lived in awe of the mystery that he pursued in his work. You can see the cosmic contemplation in his last pieces.” These were on display to the left of the stage, different interpretations of a bevy of spiral swirls.

“As I’ve gone through my life I’ve been blessed to stop and think about what he would do. His code was based on respect and treating people with dignity,” said David. “Wherever he may or may not be, I’m thankful to have had him in my life and hope there are a lot of pretty things.”

Brother C.D. noted, “Ernest did everything with passion. He was very political and non-religious. He loved politics, he loved a good debate, but he wanted to know the facts.” He also sensed that there was a part of Ernest that never left the traditions of the Catholic Church, saying how they would kneel for a blessing from their parents before setting out on a journey.

Before the open comments period, the string trio Eleganza played DeBussy’s Reverie for everyone to take a moment of contemplation. Wife Mary read a humorous poem by Ernest titled “The Sneeze and The Lecture.” Niece Elizabeth Castillo and teacher Frances Heussenstamm added to their comments in the video.

During the open comments period, others added details: At full faculty meetings, Ernest predictably would stand up and tell teacher to join the union – not very popular. He fought Atrisco Land Grant sale and was disappointed in the deal that went through. When the vote came in, he said, “Where can I go to resign from my ethnic group?” Students and fellow teachers saluted his excellence as an artist and instructor.

Mark Rudd said, “Ernest was a visual artist and a moral artist. I wish there were more people like him who could get people together and get things done.” Then he introduced the Jewish prayer, the Mourner’s Kaddish. It’s over 2,000 years old, written in Aramaic, which was the language Jesus spoke. The prayer doesn’t mention the deceased, it praises God and ends with a call for peace. All stood for the recitation of the prayer.

In closing, David said that the Albuquerque Art Museum was the closest thing to a church his father had. He came here every Sunday. Everyone was invited to a reception afterward, to enjoy some food, drink, music and Ernest’s art. A memorial fund is being established in his name at CNM.

Here is the obituary that appeared in the Albuquerque Journal:

GARCIA — ERNEST PAULO Born on January 25, 1944 in Los Angeles where his parents had moved from New Mexico to find work, Ernest succumbed to cancer July 18, 2012 at his home in Albuquerque.

A talented visual artist, he began his career as a screen printer and moved on to become an art director for one of California’s largest T-shirt companies. In the eighties, Ernest turned his attention from commercial to fine art, returning to school to pursue a Masters of Fine Art in painting.

His work in this period was largely concerned with Southwestern themes and he developed a style that synthesized a passion for abstract expressionism with the loosely representational. He culled his subject matter from amongst the abandoned ruins of the Anasazi civilizations which provided a strange geometry that was both abstractly beautiful and profoundly mystical.

After many visits to New Mexico he finally “returned” in 1989, bringing his wife and son back to his ancestral homeland. He found work as a teacher at what was then Albuquerque TVI where, in the early nineties he pioneered the studio art program instituting the school’s first studio classes. In the 22 years that followed he touched countless students’ lives in his art history and studio art classes at Central New Mexico Community College. The son of a United Rubber Workers union member, he was a founding member, strong advocate, and long-time officer of the CNM Employees Union, an AFT local.

Ernest was a loving husband and father, a committed citizen, talented artist and moved through life with a genuine sense of wonder and curiosity. He earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues both as an inspiring, caring, and effective teacher and as a dedicated union advocate for professional recognition and fairness for his fellow workers. His memory will continue to inspire the best in us.

Predeceased by loving parents Climaco Damacio and Ignacita Baldonado Garcia; an older brother William; and sister Alice. He is survived by his wife, Mary Humphreys Garcia; son David C. Garcia in Albuquerque; and brother C.D. Garcia of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. A memorial celebration will be held Sunday, August 26 at 4 pm at the Albuquerque Museum of Art. Donations can be made in his honor to a scholarship fund in his name at the CNM Foundation.

Feel free to add your own stories or memories of Ernest Garcia in the comments section!

Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here

Ralph Perea: A Victory Celebration

Ralph Perea: A Victory Celebration

A victory celebration for Ralph Perea coming into the radiant presence of his heavenly Father filled the funeral home chapel with family and friends gathered to remember and pray for a man who died too young. Ralph was 49 when his body succumbed to cancer, but his soul went to be with the Lord.

Ralph’s first cousin Julianne Ashford, an ordained minister from the Bible College School of the Spirit, conducted the service. She opened with a prayer honoring God, remembering Ralph, and praying for peace to his wife Ramona and the family.

“We are here to celebrate the life of one of my favorite cousins,” she said. “He was like a brother to me. We grew up together. Ralph is not in that box, he is present with the Lord.”

She had asked the Lord to speak to her heart and give her just the right Scriptures to offer at this service. These are the passages that spoke to her. She inserted Ralph’s name as appropriate.

Psalm 49:15 – But God will redeem Ralph’s soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive Ralph.

“Ralph is not in that box. He is present with the Lord,” Julianne said. “What you see there is simply a shell.”

Luke 9:56 – For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.

“Redemption is a free gift, you don’t have to pay for something given,” Julianne said. “I was with Ralph a few weeks ago. We cried, we prayed, and God’s presence came on strong. Let go of guilt and ill will. Remember the good times, the good memories. That is what the Lord would want.”

Romans 10:9 – If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Ephesians 2:8 – For it is by his grace that we have been saved through faith, and this faith was not from you, but it is the gift of God.

Revelations 21:4 – And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

“Nothing can ever hurt him now. We are the ones who are hurting because we miss him. Ralph believed in Jesus Christ and he is going to meet us at the gate.”

A recording “Amazing Grace,” a favorite song of Ralph’s, filled the chapel. This version had an additional stanza added by Chris Tomlin that I’ve not commonly heard:

Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I’m found
Was blind, but now I see
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
My chains are gone
I’ve been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace

Attendees were invited to share stories and make comments about Ralph. He was described as a kind person, unpredictable and fun. He was a good man who loved his wife, kids and family, a hard worker who loved providing for his family. In spite of his illness, he wanted to go back to work. He gave his best effort to fight the cancer.

One granddaughter confided that Ralph would “… give us snacks and chips and candy.” Everyone laughed as the truth came out of the mouth of babes. Then his granddaughters charmed everyone by singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” for their granddad.

In one story, a man spoke about the kid inside Ralph. It seems there were sprinklers at an apartment complex that missed a spot, so there was an area of dirt that turned to mud. In a bit of fun, Ralph and he got covered in two inches of mud. Then Ralph went to the convenience store to buy something and discovered the condition of his pockets. “Hope you don’t mind my dirty money,” Ralph said. “Hope you don’t mind change,” said the clerk.

He was also remembered as generous, someone who would give you the shirt off his back. He was good to everyone. He was also stubborn in his own way. Julianne commented that they used to have a competition to see who could be the most stubborn.

Two other songs that were meaningful to Ralph were played: “I Will Rise Again” and Donny Osmond’s song, “And They Called It Puppy Love.” Ralph and Ramona were introduced by cousin Julianne, only in their teens when they met. They would have been married 30 years come February 12.

Sister-in-law Judy said, “I asked the Lord what to say, and the message comes through the heart, the hands, the feet… We all have the opportunity to know Jesus Christ. We still have a chance to know Jesus Christ as our personal Savior… We thank the Lord for conquering the grave.”

After the open comments, Ralph’s Uncle Fred brought forward holy water to apply to the body. He led the recitation of The Lord’s Prayer and Hail Mary. “Receive his soul and present it to God most high,” they prayed.

Ralph came from Agua Fria near Santa Fe to Albuquerque 31 years ago. Following the victory celebration, his body was taken to the cemetery in Agua Fria for burial. The family planned to reconvene after the burial for a meal at the Community Center in La Cienega. The pallbearers all wore blue carnations as a sign of their solemn duty.

If you have a memory or story about Ralph Perea you’d like to share, please use the comment box below. May he rest in peace.

Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here

Charles and Claire Fenolio

Charles and Claire Fenolio

Charles “Chuck” Fenolio and his wife Claire “went home to be with their Heavenly Father” within 20 hours of each other on August 29 and 30. They would have celebrated 65 years of marriage on September 10. Today their life celebration was a standing room only event at their church, Glory Christian Fellowship.

The first thing I noticed about this large, loving family: the men were wearing white shirts and blue jeans. The women were wearing blue silk flowers in their hair. Son Ron told me that this was Mom’s wish. She wanted them to be comfortable and not get too dressed up, and the blue and white was a tribute to Dad’s favorite football team, the Dallas Cowboys.

In fact, Mom had planned out in great detail many aspects of her last days and had provided a list of things to do for the memorial service. The interesting boxes that held their cremated remains came from Hobby Lobby – classy and much less expensive than those containers the funeral home offered. (Point of information: you have the right to bring your own container to receive cremated remains from a funeral home or cremation provider.)

Chuck and Claire lived out their lives in the family home they occupied for 60 years, and they died at home. Their home was always open, their love of family and of Jesus Christ a strong bond. They had six children, 16 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

The family filled the first five rows from the front of the church. Members of the church streamed in carrying platters of food for the reception after the service. The Glory Christian Fellowship was Chuck and Claire’s church for a very long time. Pastor David Wintermute said he’s known them for 47 years and considered them his second parents. The memorial service program said “Officiated by Pastor (and adopted son) David Wintermute.”

He opened by saying, “Welcome to a fantastic celebration of Chuck and Claire Fenolio’s lives.” This was greeting with shouts of “hallelujah” and applause. After an opening prayer, we listened to the song “I Can Only Imagine,” a popular selection at Evangelical funerals.

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side

I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine

[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine

Pastor David said, “We can only imagine what Chuck and Claire are doing now. I can see her dancing before the Lord, although Chuck wasn’t much of a dancer.” Claire was confined to a wheelchair for the past 30 years because of multiple sclerosis, and Chuck was a devoted care giver.

Then he read two Scripture passages that Chuck and Claire spoke of often: Psalm 23 and Revelations 21. Then a photo montage video of the family showed Chuck and Claire in their younger days, a growing family, work and play, and many good times. The pictures to set to a Big Band song “To the End of Time,” “Edelweiss” from The Sound of Music, and “Shout to the Lord,” which prompted one great-granddaughter to dance on the stage.

Over the next hour, family members got up and shared many, many memories of both Chuck and Claire. One of the wonderful things about them was that they identified themselves by name and how they were related to the couple. They unanimously expressed thanks to everyone who came today to show their love and support.

From the children, to the grandchildren, to the siblings, nieces and nephews, loving portraits of both Chuck and Claire emerged.

Chuck was remembered as a supportive father who followed his children’s athletic endeavors and was a big fan of the Lobos and Dallas Cowboys. To daughter Kathy, he was “Daddy and my hero.” She was deathly afraid of bugs as a child. One night as she stood frozen in fear by a creepy-crawlie she encountered on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night, Daddy appeared and dispatched the insect. She didn’t call out, he simply sensed her distress and came to her rescue.

Grandson Justin said he wants to be a daddy like Grandpa was. Others said he was gracious, tender, loving, always there for you. You could count on him for a piece of candy or a trip to the Dairy Queen. He loved Jelly Bellies and donuts and was known for helping himself to many, many donuts. He was a man of true gentleness who hugged well and often.

Claire was strong-willed and strong in faith. She was full of joy and laughter. Granddaughter Shelby recounted the moment Claire met Chuck at a USO event. She called dibs on him to her friend who was with her that night. It was so romantic, just like the movies. Pastor David said that the film The Notebook depicted Claire and Chuck’s relationship.

She was loving and taught her grandchildren “God stories.” Grandson Justin accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior when he was nine years old thanks to Grandma. “The fruit of her going in the chair is our family’s faith,” he said. “She knew she would walk and dance again before the Lord.”

Sherry’s comments were inspired by John 10:10, and the theme of life in abundance, physically, emotionally and psychologically. This was a couple who lived a long life, who had a family in abundance, who had 65 years of love. Not even death could separate them. They left a legacy of lives touched and transformed with an abundance of good traits: faith love, forgiveness, fun, generosity… the list went on and on.

Sarah, who was Claire’s sister’s granddaughter, shared a moving tribute about Chuck and Claire’s true love story that she had posted on her Facebook page. After Chuck had passed, Claire followed him 20 hours later. With outstretched arms, her final words with her last breath were, “Charles, Charles.” “Your love story will never be forgotten,” Sarah ended.

For the loving care giving they provided Chuck and Claire over the past four years, four members of the family – Jackie, Stephanie, Shelby and Shawn – were recognized with a standing ovation.

Leland Grubb provided a beautiful rendition of “Amazing Grace” while he played the guitar. Pastor David invited everyone to invite Jesus into their hearts and receive eternal grace. Everyone stood for the final song, “Come Thou Fount.”

At the end of the closing prayer, the pastor extended the Priestly Blessing: “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”

Peace to the family, with thanks for the abundance of these two lives. If you’d like to share a memory or comment, please post in the comment box below.

Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment

View the original article here