the band played the last post and chorus
Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009 at 8:43 a.m.

Hello, everyone. I know I haven�t been around lately, but, well, you know what�s been going on.

Dad�s funeral was actually quite wonderful. Dad had been an active member of the church choir and was songleader for like, forever. When Mom was working through the Mass music with the music minister at the church, she made an offhand comment about how nice it would be if a man could be the songleader. Well, the music minister pulled some strings apparently, because the songleader was a gentleman with the most wonderful baritone. Who also happened to be Jewish, but hey, he sang those Christian songs like nobody�s business.

Also, we weren�t expecting there to be too many people for the actual choir, since the funeral was on a Monday. However, people showed up that had gone on to other churches or had dropped out of the choir altogether to sing for Dad. So when we were expecting 3 or 4, there were, I think, about 18 people in the choir. Tons of people also attended, more than we expected. And the Monsignor from Bubba�s church assisted Mom�s parish priest with the officiation of the Mass, which was crazy, because Monsignor is like, the dude of the diocese who ain�t the Bishop. I don�t even think Monsignor gets to eat most days, he�s so busy, and here he was at Dad�s funeral as a favor for Bubba and the SIL. And Fr. D made a wonderful Homily.

Oh, let me back up. Before the Mass, there was a rosary, and my Agnostic Hubster got to experience that for the very first time . . . which, if you�re not Catholic, is kind of a doozy. Seriously. Mass or anything ritualistic like the rosary must look (and sound) kind of weird if you�re not as entrenched with it from birth. Hubster was sitting behind me, and SIL offered him rosary, but he wouldn�t have known what to do with it anyway. Hubster said later he knew the rosary wasn�t Mardi Gras beads, but beyond that, he was lost.

And anyway, Hubster was such a great guy the whole day. He drove all of us to the cemetery since Mom opted not to get a car. I guess it was also a very slow day for the local Sheriff�s office, because we had three cars to escort us, as well as two motorcycles, and I don�t know if it�s a Southern thing, because absolutely everyone stopped on our way to the cemetery. Even joggers. I just don�t see that kind of respect out here for some reason. I�ll have to pay more attention from now on.

Oh, get this � just recently, it was approved in Florida that you don�t need a hearse if you�re only transporting ashes. I never even considered that. How stupid, ne? To use a hearse for transporting ashes? The ashes always rode in the front with the driver anyway.

So we got to Fort Barrancas National Cemetery in record time (thanks to our Escambia County Sheriff�s Office escorts) and we knew that Bubba, the Drum Major for the local bagpiper�s band, had arranged for SIL�s nephew to play bagpipes and another buddy to play bugle (for Taps) but when we drove up, there were no less than 12 guys. In kilts. Playing �Anchors Aweigh� at the top of their pipes. I was so amazed.

Dad did have full honors with the 21-gun salute, and the young man and woman who folded the flag were incredibly proper, pulling the points of the triangle very sharply, and presenting the flag to Mom, along with three shell casings. Then the band struck up �Amazing Grace�, ending with a soloist walking away as the song faded out on his pipes.

We then walked with Mom, carrying Dad�s ashes, to his niche in the colibarium. We all placed the ashes in his niche and watched as another soldier places the faceplate back on the niche. Uncle J, Dad�s remaining brother, suddenly said, �I haven�t done this in 30 years.� And he saluted Dad.

Bye, bye, Daddy.

|

before o after

I suppose �odiferous pinecones� doesn�t have a good ring to it - Monday, Oct. 31, 2011
Click below to find out what he called me - Wednesday, Mar. 10, 2010
Yeah, he really did call me that - Wednesday, Mar. 10, 2010
Click below to go nowhere either fast or slowly; your choice - Monday, Mar. 08, 2010
HELLLLLLLLLLO NURSE! - Friday, Mar. 05, 2010






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