This was all I could see of the grave side service since everyone stood in front of me. The sailor was part of the honor guard..

I buried my friend Al this week—well, I did not bury him I went to the funeral, so I was part of the group who attended and as part of the collective—WE all buried good old Al. I am still trying to process the event and I am really trying to keep civil about the whole thing, especially since I think that is what Al would want or have wanted. Again for the most part the events of the day were OK and I think would have been what my friend wanted.

Al and his wife be long to the dominate religious culture in the Murray area, LDS and that is OK there are many benefits to belonging to such an outfit mainly not having to rent any type of hall have hoe downs like funerals, quite a substantial savings hat is why I was so impressed when I heard that Al's send off was going to be at the chapel at the mortuary which prepared the body. Cool,the more I thought I though yes, that is exactly what Al would have wanted since he did not really participate in any of the ward activities. How ever the couple did receive the ward representatives who visit on a monthly basis just to make sure all was well an to deliver some religious instruction. Actually Al and his wife are too nice to refuse these folks form coming over monthly. So they came over and when Al passed they kicked into high gear and did give support to Lanae in her time of need. Luckily for Lanae that have a most supportive family helped to keep the mormon neighbors away. Still they needed or felt they needed someone to say the words and they did what the felt natural was to turn to their benevolent home teachers. The one in particular had been in the position for over twenty years. The home teacher did an OK job . He got off on a religious tangent hijacking the whole ceremony for atleast half an hour. Eventually he rested and the everyone mounted up for the ride to the cemetery.

The day of the funeral was cold day, just family an a few others made it to the grave side. Al was military, he served in WWII—he was buried with full military honors,which I doubt was his idea. Al has always felt guilty for not seeing combat. He felt he should not get benefits from the VA even though he was part a PBY5a crew which was active all through the war. I know someone else arranged the military detail. I am glad he got it-He deserved so much more.

Dianne and I were honored when Lanae as us to join the family in the traditional post funeral meal. The ladies of the ward put together a rather spectacular hotmeal. There were about thirty others at the meal in the cultural hall. We were impressed with how many neighbors were in attendance and how many knew us be we did no really know them. It was kinda cute,members of Al's family seemed to take turns and came over and sat at our table so we would not have to sit by our selves.

Even though had some issues with some of the events of the day, over all I think Al would have been happy and in the end being happy is all one can ask for.