Dad's Funeral

Today I attended the funeral of our dear friends' brother-in-law. As the wood casket with yellow and orange flowers rolled past us I felt like it was time to write about my dad's funeral. I think most of you that read this blog were able to attend the funeral, but in case you didn't or don't have your own pictures, here are a bunch taken by my sweet friend Raedawn.

It really was a pretty cool funeral. I think (and hope) we did his life justice with the displays, pictures, stories, talks, thoughts, Harley riders, EMT/firefighter honor guard and National Park Service friends and co-workers. It was extremely difficult to get my mom to start planning the funeral. The displays of his things and the pictures were her idea. Luckily my uncles volunteered to scan the pictures and make CD to be used at the viewing. I am eternally grateful for my extended family for helping immensely through it all. I volunteered to do the life sketch thinking that would be the least hardest because it is just the facts and dates of his life.It was probably the hardest thing I have ever had to do ...... I'm not really sure what I was thinking. Sherylen begged me to sing with her and I really REALLY RRREEEEAAALLLLYYY did not want to and told her no, but duty and responsibility won out and I gave in. We talked Jen into singing as well while we were driving to Heber to meet my aunt with yet more pictures to scan. Jim did not want to speak either, but my mom has a way of talking him into things and I think that duty and responsibility probably won out for him too.

My aunt mentioned something in one of her letters a couple of weeks after the funeral. She said that one good thing that could be said of the whole tragedy was that we were brought closer together as a family. How true that statement is. So many prayers were given on our behalf, so many hugs and I love you-s said that I think for maybe a short time I felt what it was like to be in heaven. Where all my family was around me with so much love and support to offer. I really do believe that our family support system carried us through the whole ordeal and is still carrying us.