The Fun--eral

Granny's funeral was held on January 9, 2009 at Noon in the Nephi North Stake Center.  It was a such a beautiful funeral.  So often it seem like speakers speak 10-15 minutes longer than I want to hear them.  This didn't happen at Granny's funeral.  Her children were the speakers and each one of them did a wonderful job, each of them shared insights into her life and what they learned from her.  Granny had class, a fettish for cleanliness and a delightful personality that inspired so many.

In preparing for the viewing and funeral, I decided there were a few things I needed to do for Granny -- I guess my last acts of service to her.  For the last few weeks she was alive she wanted to have her nails done.  At one point in her life she wore acrylic nails, this went on for years.  Her nails were starting to split and she was hoping this could help them.  As part of our Juab Title Christmas party, Granny was given a gift certificate to have her nails done.  She was planning on having the appointment the week after the baby blessing, well, it never happened. One of my friends, Tracy Tischner, painted her grandma's nails after her death.  I guess this gave me the determination that I could do it as well -- you know, if Tracy can do it then I can do it too.  I got to go to the mortuary and do this for her.  It wasn't as weird as I had expected and I'm really glad I had the opportunity to do so.

The second thing I decided I wanted to do was make puffed rice balls to hand out at her viewing and to be served at the funeral luncheon.  Granny loved to give out puffed rice balls, usually for Halloween, Christmas and Valentine's Day.  This last year she didn't get them made, she thought "you couldn't buy puffed rice anymore."  I think that some of the real reason might have been that she couldn't do it on her own and she didn't want to bother anyone. . .  Well, I have some friends who are always so willing to help anytime I have a screwy project -- these are friends that I am so grateful for.  Susan Allred, Trina Baker, Tracy Tischner, Lori and Kayla Veater and Lisa Woodland all came to cook, ball, wrap, cut ribbon and tie bows (did you know that if you tie a bow backwards it looke prettier?).  We made nine patches the first night and because I was so worried about running out we made two more the next night.  In all, we had over 570 rice balls and they were all given away except for about 20 that made it back to my parents house and were gone by the next morning.  I heard many comments about it was the first time they had ever gotten a treat at a viewing - it may be a fun trend to start and we can say it all started with Granny.
My parents have been dealing and coping and coping and dealing.  It has been really hard for all of us.  She was a part of our everyday lives that I am missing -- like maybe she is just on vacation for a few days and she will be returning home soon . . . My sister, Diane, went with me to to mortuary to do the nails - we arrived at the same time as Dorothy Sperry - my granny's weekly hairdresser for as long as I can remember.  She was coming to do her hair for one last time.  It had been set in different size curlers and not in the normal fashion so it took her quite a while to get it to look "normal."  She asked us to wait with her while she worked so she could know that we were happy with the result.  While we waited, my mom and dad brought Kyler to the mortuary, telling him that they were going to see Granny.  Kyler had been told for the past few days that Granny had gone to live with Jesus.  When they pulled up to the mortuary he looks at both of them and states and questions at the same time, "This is where Jesus lives?" He kept trying to see in the backrooms - trying to see Jesus.  He saw her in the coffin and also let us know that she hadn't gone anywhere, she was just asleep.  I need to learn how to explain things just a little better but on the other hand, he is just 3 and you shouldn't have to know a few of things until you are a little older.
The sun was shining but it was bitter cold outside.  When we opened the door to go to the cemetary (which is in fact within walking distance) we retreated quickly to a part of the church not effected by the brisk winter wind.  I asked Andy to drive me in the car so we could be protected from the chill for as long as possible.  The Nephi City grounds crew had gone to so much work to make it nice for us  - - the snow had also been shoveled around the gravesite as well.  I was honored that Andy was asked to be a pallbearer and my uncle Dennis gave a beautiful dedicatory prayer.

I'm certain I have never seen all of my brothers/husband in a suit together.  They really are a handsome bunch - - if we could just find a girl that felt the same about Uncle Paul - maybe the next suit occasion could be at his wedding.
This is all of us.  It isn't the best picture in the world but the lighting in the church's cultural hall is not too impressive.  And, for the record, I do love my family and I'm so glad we were chosen to be together as a family - we don't always get along on the surface but deep down we all know we would do whatever we could to help that person.