06.27.2013: Papa's Funeral

Today is the day of Papa's funeral. 

Everyone is back in town and as emotionally ready as we can all be to do this once again.  I've spent the last few days writing what I want to say at the funeral.  And as much as I read it over & over, I feel it doesn't truly portray what Papa (and Gramma too) meant to me...or all of us cousins.  I knew Brent would be talking as well, but felt like in a way we should kinda represent how we all felt about them.   Although I think because we all had such different and personal relationships with them that it would be hard to portray and capture "together"....so I ended up gong back to a little more about my personal relationship with them.  I realized I would never capture everything I wanted to, no matter how much I shared or how long I stood up there and spoke.  Maybe I wasn't supposed to capture it all though...that's not what it was about.

Brent also got up to speak....and talked about the man that Papa was and all that he had overcome in his life.  We had both talked about how important it is to spend time with those you love, when they are alive...and how lucky we were to have been able to spend so much time with Gramma & Papa...and also what special and close relationships that we had with them.  Brent also recited the lyrics of a song that portrayed Papa very well.   It brought us all to tears.   I think the whole experience was a bit overwhelming for the kids too.  Both Andrew and Drake had their own breakdowns during the service.  They are both pretty emotional and were close to Gramma and Papa...but I think were also reflecting a bit on their relationships with their own grandparents as well.

The memorial was at the Akes Funeral Home out in Corona this time.  It was a little bigger than the one in Riverside. It was a really nice service.  We used the same priest as we did with Gramma's service.  After the service we processioned down to Olivewood Cemetery and had a short graveside service there too. 

After the service's we all went back to Mom & Dad's for a luncheon.  We had made some BBQ pulled pork...and had their canned peaches and apples that they made.  Thought they would appreciate that.  We also had a toast to them...a Bud Light and Diet Shasta toast!  It was really for both of them.  Bud Light had become Papa's beer of choice and couldn't wait to have an event where he could share one with someone.  He always had a couple in the fridge...just in case. In the past few months, there weren't many of those days, but one of the most significant ones I remember is him being able to share one with his brother Ray when he came to town in Feb.  I thought it was awesome that these 2 brothers, after 80 years, were sitting together on the patio sharing a beer and sharing memories...maybe for the last time.   I will never forget that moment....

For the non alcohol drinkers, we had Diet Shasta because Papa had ONE Diet Shasta everyday!  And Gramma used to sneak some of his Diet Shasta's too...but she would hide them & drink them in the toy room so no one would see her :)  I caught her a few times though!  She would cover her open can with a bowl so you couldn't see it in there & would sneak in to take sips throughout the day.  She stashed cookies that she would snack on in there too....especially around Christmas!  I thought it was cute that she did that...like she would get in trouble if anyone found out...heehee!!   

So, anyways, we had a toast  with something for the alcohol drinkers and the non-alcohol drinkers!  Everyone got the opportunity to say something nice about them or share a memory they had of them.  It was very cool....wish they were there to be a part of it.  I know they were watching down from above though...

It was a nice day today....a good memorial to them both...and a good opportunity to give us a start to some partial closure.