Dad's Funeral

I've been having a hard time deciding how to write this blogpost. I have so many things to say but don't quite know how to say them. 

My dad was on home hospice care for about a month before he died. We're glad that he was able to be at home in his own bed surrounded by family and friends his last days on this earth. 

It's been a roller coaster of emotions for all of us since he was put on hospice care but especially the last few days before he passed. It was tough (and still is). Sometimes I'll see something that reminds me of my dad and it'll make me teary-eyed or I'll think of something that my dad might like to hear and want to tell him about it but then realize that I can't anymore. It makes me sad. I know it'll get better with time, but it's still hard.

 

My dad's viewing was on a Monday evening. It had rained quite a bit that evening and when we all got back from the viewing, there was a double rainbow greeting us. (The view from my parent's neighborhood.) (It's hard to see the double rainbow in this picture, but the next picture shows it better.)

 

 

The view from my sister's neighborhood about a mile or two away. Isn't it gorgeous?! I like to think that the double rainbow was my dad pulling some strings on the other side to say hello/tell us it'll be okay.

 

The next day (Tuesday) was my dad's funeral. It was a beautiful service and I learned some new stories about my dad that I had never heard before. 

There's one story I'd like to tell about the service. My niece, Cami, gave the closing prayer at the funeral. Before she gave the prayer she announced that she would say the prayer in French (since she served in France on her mission) because she thinks that's what Grandpa would like (since Dad spoke French too). She proceeded to say the closing prayer in French and I'm pretty sure there wasn't a dry eye among our family at that point. (And I think it is exactly what Dad would have wanted.)

At the gravesite, my brothers, brothers-in-law, and uncles (my dad's brothers) were the pall bearers.

 

Since my dad served in the military for a few years, he had a U.S. flag draped over his casket and then the flag was given to my mom.

 

They did a 21-gun salute and played taps. I'm pretty sure there wasn't a dry eye at the grave site as this was all going on.

My dad was a huge BYU sports fan. So we thought my dad would appreciate a BYU casket in true blue color. :)

After the burial at the cemetery, my parent's ward provided lunch for all of our family members who were there. The food was delicious! They had funeral potatoes, salad, fruit, rolls, jello salad, and desserts. Since my dad loved Mountain Dew, they also had some of that there. Although I'm not a big soda drinker, I drank a can in honor of my dad. :)

My mom and those of us staying at her house received a lot of flowers after my dad died. Here's a picture of a few of them. They're beautiful and they really made the house smell good.

I got teary-eyed when I saw who some of the flowers were from... some of my friends from Virginia. Thank you friends!

My parents at a family reunion in Virginia in 2019.

 

My parents and all of my siblings in 2019.

 

I love you and miss you Dad. Until we meet again.