Funeral: To Each His/Her Own

 Yesterday I attended my Uncle Al's funeral.  I rode with my other baby brother and she who sees robins first.  The funeral was in a town 45 minutes away. There was a gathering time before the funeral service.

My Uncle Al had leukemia and bone cancer, he fought a good fight for over six years ...then the Doctors told him that there was nothing they could do for him anymore.  That was a few months ago shortly after that he went on Hospice.   

Uncle Al was seven years older than me.  He said "I am going to try like heck to make it to my 80th birthday." He was 39 days short of his goal.  He died exactly 4 months after his oldest sister (my Mother).

Uncle Al planned his own funeral.  Hence the name of the blog today To Each His/Hers Own.   The funeral was in an event room at the Holiday Inn.  The casket was in the far corner surrounded by flowers of many purple colors ( He was a Vikings fan).   A slide show of photos played on an large screen...but it was hard to see in a room with so many lights.  A Minister read the obituary out loud ( one of my pet peeves) ...because we cannot read for ourselves??  The sermon was the great message that we are all saved by the grace of God through his son Jesus Christ who lived a perfect life, was crucified and died for ALL our sins.  A number of people shared stories and one of his granddaughters wrote a lovely letter...it was apparent that she loved her Grandfather very much...this I knew was mutual because Uncle Al talked about all of his grandchildren with a huge smile on his face.  The music was fine...Frank Sinatra singing My Way and Elvis singing How Great Thou Art and one other song I cannot recall.  After the service the burial took place at a local cemetery and afterward there was an open bar and food served at the event center. 

We left shortly after the service. 

My Uncle Al is on the far left.  He was the 10th child born to my grandparents.  My Mother is the oldest in this photo on the far right.  Two children not pictured Alfred died in 1947 and James who died in 1948.  Now the only living person in this photo is my Uncle Kenny front row left who is two months younger than me. 

 Me and my Uncle Al in 1952. Uncle Al was seven years old when I was born.   He was the chief baby rocker in the Fall of 1951 and the Winter of 1952...there were three babies in the house...I was born in September and my Grandmother had twins in November. 

 

Funeral flowers from my siblings and I for our Uncle Al.

Far Side