May Day Funeral

On May 1st we celebrated Uncle Archie's life.  ( Arch is the last of his generation, he and Far Guy's Dad were brothers.)
The church was full, he had many friends during his 89 years.

Jen and I attended the funeral.  Far Guy was just not well enough to attend. After the funeral I came home to get Far Guy so he could go to the cemetery.

It was also a funeral service for Archie's son Steve who died in February.  His ashes will go back to be buried in a Veteran's Cemetery in Missouri as per his wishes.

Archie enjoyed his sunny yellow 1969 Mustang Convertible.   It was only fitting that it made it to the cemetery.

While we were at the Cemetery many Loons were calling down on the lake and as the Minister kept saying prayers there were a few flakes of snow in the air.

Full Military Honors were conducted at the church.

Arch was a career Air Force man, a Navigator on the B 52's.  I took this photo on Memorial Day 2016 when Arch was the speaker for Memorial Day. 

This past winter was tough for Arch, he had stents placed in blocked arteries on two different occasions and both times the stents failed.  The Doctors did what they could with medications but he was sent home on Hospice. We were able to visit with him several times before he died.

We will miss him.

Far Side

Saw one Grand

There was a wedding shower for Maddie on Saturday.  I arranged to meet Paige...I was coming down with the Flu.  Paige took my gifts and I came back home.

Paige April 20 2019   20 years and twelve days old.

I was sad to not attend the party...but I would have shared this awful bug.

It is a head cold that goes to your chest and makes you ache all over even your toenails and teeth.  I ran a temperature for about 24 hours.  I am better now but weak.

Far Guy is still struggling.  His cough and chest congestion is worse...he is taking his steroids, an antibiotic and doing extra breathing treatments...I am not sure what else we can do.

Far Guy's Uncle Archie died on Good Friday,  he will be missed.  He is the last of his generation.

Far Side

Uncle Archie

Far Guy’s Uncle Archie was the speaker at the Memorial Day Service in Park Rapids Minnesota.

His career spanned 23 years in the United States Air Force. He was a Air Policeman, Personal Clerk,  Navigator Bombardier and a Plans and Operations Navigator. He had many Temporary Duty Stations: Spain, England and NATO Countries.  He served nine months in Vietnam.  He went into the Air Force a Private and retired a Major.

He says “God was my navigator!”

He gave a fine speech.

I won’t share every story he told….but a few.

As a small child he recalls going to the cemeteries on “Decoration Day” with his Mother and flowers she had gathered. (No doubt Lilacs, Iris and Peony as that is what is blooming most years the last Monday in May.)

December 7, 1941.  The family had a small Coronado radio that kept them updated on the events of the war.  The batteries were as large as the radio.  Soon his oldest brother would be working at the B26 Bomber Plant in Omaha Nebraska, another brother was in the Army stationed in Kodiac Alaska, his other brother was his eighth grade teacher.

About his time spent at Bien Hoa AFB in Vietnam…he was never so glad to get out of anyplace in his life.  When he returned to San Francisco, he was the only Air Force Soldier, the other soldiers on the plane were Marines and Army that had busses to pick them up.   Arch had to go through Customs and the Terminal.  Outside on the street he was confronted by college age protesters asking how many babies he killed. He told them when they got a little older they would understand. 
When his speech was over he got a standing ovation.

There was a ceremony at the Rusty Bridge Park(Red Bridge) and a wreath was thrown into the waters of the Fish Hook River.  I heard the gun salute and Taps being played but I never saw the splash of the wreath landing in the water.

Far Guy said “Years ago it was a large wreath and they threw it off the bridge on Hwy 34.”