"Funeral Day"
Nearly 1000 people showed up for my cousin David's funeral today. You might call it "Funeral Day" because it is a celebration -- like a "Birthday" -- that's just no fun. My cousin Jeremy, David's son, delivered a twenty minute rousing eulogy that had all of us in tears from the get-go. Quite simply, it was a boy heaping praise on his father. It included the annals of David's life. His words echoed in the words of Jeremy. Jeremy told one of his jokes to perfection.
He explained -- person-by-person -- what David meant to members of his family and his closest friends. There were plenty of tears, and chuckles mixed in to lighten the heaviness of the day. Indeed, this is one of the most difficult days any one of us have ever had to endure. The procession from the funeral home to the cemetery stretched nearly a mile, because he had so many friends that wanted to bear witness to the unbelievable: that David was dead.
Still now, nearly 12 hours after that funeral began, I am still in shock. It's rare that anyone has friends from elementary school, high school, college, law school and other walks of life that stay in touch. Throughout the years, David was the glue that kept everyone together. Truly. There were enough tears to flood a river today -- even into the evening hours. It's hard to console so many people in one place at one time.
Hundreds of people passed through my cousin's home today and tonight. They recalled David. They praised him. They shared stories with his widow, children, two sisters, et al. I was impressed with the range of people David touched -- people from every socioeconomic class. There were stories told repeatedly today about how he did free legal work for many people. Jeremy joked that his law partners would "not be happy if they knew all this free work he did." But, that's the kind of guy my cousin was. He understood the human condition and never failed to employ it in his daily personal and professional lives.
David missed out on many days, to be sure, but the sad fact is his time was up. There are no regrets. He got to say his goodbyes. As I have written here before, he never felt sorry for himself. The end was horrendous, but he fought it out. We all wish we could get more days for our loved ones, better days... Friday, David's days came to an end. Today, we remembered how wonderful those days were and why we'll remember him for the remainder of our very own days.
He explained -- person-by-person -- what David meant to members of his family and his closest friends. There were plenty of tears, and chuckles mixed in to lighten the heaviness of the day. Indeed, this is one of the most difficult days any one of us have ever had to endure. The procession from the funeral home to the cemetery stretched nearly a mile, because he had so many friends that wanted to bear witness to the unbelievable: that David was dead.
Still now, nearly 12 hours after that funeral began, I am still in shock. It's rare that anyone has friends from elementary school, high school, college, law school and other walks of life that stay in touch. Throughout the years, David was the glue that kept everyone together. Truly. There were enough tears to flood a river today -- even into the evening hours. It's hard to console so many people in one place at one time.
Hundreds of people passed through my cousin's home today and tonight. They recalled David. They praised him. They shared stories with his widow, children, two sisters, et al. I was impressed with the range of people David touched -- people from every socioeconomic class. There were stories told repeatedly today about how he did free legal work for many people. Jeremy joked that his law partners would "not be happy if they knew all this free work he did." But, that's the kind of guy my cousin was. He understood the human condition and never failed to employ it in his daily personal and professional lives.
A MAN SHOULD NOT BE JUDGED BY THE LENGTH OF HIS DAYS RATHER BY HOW HE SPENDS THEM.
David missed out on many days, to be sure, but the sad fact is his time was up. There are no regrets. He got to say his goodbyes. As I have written here before, he never felt sorry for himself. The end was horrendous, but he fought it out. We all wish we could get more days for our loved ones, better days... Friday, David's days came to an end. Today, we remembered how wonderful those days were and why we'll remember him for the remainder of our very own days.
What a wonderful way to remember him.
Posted by
Tai |
11:38 PM
A beautiful post...
Posted by
missy |
2:41 AM
That was a very beautiful post.
I know death is so hard and there is not much anyone can say to make it better.
I will say some prayers for David and keep you in my thoughts and am always here if you need a shoulder.
*hugs*
Posted by
Rachel Heather |
5:08 AM
A very nice tribute. I'm so sorry for your loss.
Posted by
Lori Stewart Weidert |
12:05 PM
i gotta say, i love doing funerals because it can be such a bittersweet celebration of life. the more stories told and the more laughter around the edges the better the celebration. it sounds like it was a mighty fine and appropriate funeral for a fantastic man.
Posted by
Kathryn Craven |
2:11 PM
Good for Jeremy. I know from personal experience how hard it is to give a eulogy, much less a good one. He can feel proud that he paid tribute to his father that way.
Posted by
Jaymie |
7:28 PM
Thank you all for your sympathy. Our grief continues today. For some, unfortunately, it has even worsened. The unofficial tally on the people who attended the funeral is 900. It was amazing to be there. He was just one of those guys who is so sorely missed. I am willing to guess nearly 150 people filed through the house tonight to pay their condolences.
Posted by
Ike |
10:57 PM
When I get a copy of the eulogy, I'll link it or throw it up here. I think you'll enjoy the prose and the tenderness in Jeremy's words.
Posted by
Ike |
10:58 PM
Hi Nigel.
I hope you're doing well during this difficult time.
I'm sorry to hear that your cousin suffered so much during his final days...But it's nice to know that he touched so many lives with his good nature and generousity while he could.
Take care, my friend.
Your Pal,
Zambo.
Posted by
Zambo |
12:40 AM