Funeral Weekend

Sunday morning we drove up to my parents' house in Kaysville to meet up with the rest of my family for the drive to Idaho for my grandpa's funeral. We made it to our hotel in Idaho Falls around 2. My Dad was nice enough to get hotel rooms for his kids, so we had a nice place to stay and relax. We met with my family at my grandma's house before heading to the funeral home before the viewing.

Most of my mom's family was able to meet at the funeral home an hour before the viewing started. We helped finish setting up the pictures and flowers, and then we gathered around my grandpa's casket. One of my grandpa's favorite songs was "I Love" by Tom Hall, and as we sat and stood together around him, my sister got out her ukulele and we sang the song together for him. It was very emotional and special.  Then all the grandkids that were there practiced the songs we were going to sing at the funeral the next day.

Pictures of my grandpa and some of his favorite things at the viewing. 

It was hard being there. Hard seeing my loved ones sad and tearful, hard seeing my grandpa in his casket, hard seeing all of the pictures of him throughout his life. It was also nice though, to remember the good times and to have the support and love of my family.

Me, my siblings, and our families left as the viewing started and people started coming in. We had decided to attend the second viewing before the funeral the next day instead. We wanted to go have some fun to take our minds off things. Me, Dustin, our girls, Miranda and Sara figured out the beautiful Idaho Falls Temple was close to our hotel, so we walked around the grounds and took some pictures. The day was gorgeous, and it was really nice to feel the spirit surrounding the temple, especially after the somewhat gloomy and oppressive air of the funeral home.

If there is water in the vicinity, they will find it!

I tried to get a nice picture of them....

...but this is probably a better representation of their silliness anyway!

From the temple we went around the corner to the river and spent some time taking pictures by the waterfall. I believe the Idaho Falls Temple is in one of the most picturesque settings of any temple. Looking upriver from the falls and seeing the gorgeous white building rising from the landscape is just breathtaking.

I just love these sweet girls!

Gorgeous

Sara taking advantage of the beauty to do some contemplation.

Love this picture of Daddy and Daughter.

After spending some time at the waterfall, we went back to the hotel to go swimming, which my girls loved. Later that night the rest of my siblings and my parents met up in my and Dustin's hotel room for pizza and relaxing. It was fun being all together. I am really grateful my Dad suggested we have fun and try to enjoy ourselves instead of just being sad the whole weekend. I learned it's possible to be in a sad situation and still make the best of it, and make new fun memories with family.

I thought I'd sleep great that night in the comfortable hotel bed, but unfortunately I couldn't get my mind to turn off long enough to get any good sleep. Early the next morning we got ready and headed back to Shelley for the funeral. We got there about an hour early for the second viewing, and already the church was packed with friends and family of my grandparents. I never realized how many people knew, respected, and loved my grandpa. It was really touching.

We were lucky enough that the Relief Society sisters in my grandma's ward provided babysitting during the funeral. There were ten young great-grandkids and babies there, and it would have been hard indeed to focus on the services with all of them there. Don't get me wrong, it was wonderful to have my girls there with me to keep me smiling and laughing, but for the funeral itself I wanted to be able to focus on my family and my grandpa, and not just my girls.

The funeral was wonderful, as far as funerals go. I mean, funerals are never fun, but I think my grandpa's was probably the best possible scenario. My mom and Aunt Lauri wrote a "Life Sketch" that had us laugh and cry. I learned some things I never knew about Grandpa, which was cool and also a little sad, because it made me wonder how well I really knew him. My grandpa's longtime friend Dallas Furness and my dad both spoke to honor Grandpa. Dallas said he could feel my grandpa there with us in spirit, and my dad said he knew Grandpa had had a joyous reunion with his family in Heaven after he passed from this life. My aunts Debbie and Julie played a beautiful piano duet. All of the grandkids sang two songs together, "Grandmother" and "The Family is of God."

"You give me a kiss.

You give me a hug.
You smile when you see me too.
I wish ev'ry child in the whole wide world
Had a grandfather just like you.

You read me a book.
You sing me a song.
You whisper you love me too.

I wish ev'ry child in the whole wide world
Had a grandfather just like you.

I'll try to be good;
I'll do as I should.
I'll whisper, "I love you too."

I wish ev'ry child in the whole wide world
Had a grandfather just like you."

"Our father has a family. It's me! 

It's you, all others too: we are his children.

He sent each one of us to earth, through birth, 

To live and learn here in fam'lies.

God gave us families, 

To help us to be who he wants us to be--

This is how he shows his love,

For the family is of God.

A father's place is to preside, provide,

To love and teach the gospel to his children.

A father leads in fam'ly prayer to share

Their love for Father in Heaven.

God gave us families, 

To help us to be who he wants us to be--

This is how he shows his love,

For the family is of God."

I don't know how we got through the songs, but we did. Luckily there were 25 of us (ages 3-30) singing, so when one would get overcome with emotions the others covered and we made it.

It was raining as we picked up our children from the nursery and headed to the cemetary, but by the time we got to the cemetery the rain had stopped. My grandpa's only son, my uncle Dennis, dedicated the grave. After the dedication, the Jefferson Veteran's Team and Idaho Honor Guard performed Military Funeral Rites. They did a 21 gun salute which was pretty cool, and then they folded up the flag that had been covering Grandpa's casket and presented it to my grandma. We took some pictures and said our final good-byes to Grandpa.

I took a minute to go up and put my hand on the casket. I felt like I should say something, but what could I possibly say? Finally I just whispered, "I wish I knew the last time I said good-bye would be the last time I said good-bye." I told him I loved him and thanked him for everything. We headed back to the church for the luncheon graciously prepared by my grandma's ward relief society. After the luncheon, we took some family pictures. I gave more hugs to my grandma and family, and then we headed for home.

Edgar's grandsons as pallbearers.

Military funeral rites.

Presenting the flag to my grandma.

The pallbearers put their corsages on the casket.


My cousin Connor, the only son of my grandpa's only son. I think he and Grandpa had a special bond.

Dustin thinks it's weird to take pictures by a casket. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. What do you think?

My grandma and her 5 children: Lauri, my mom Mary Jo, Debbie, Dennis, and Julie


So much love!

My family at the luncheon.

 Dustin and I decided to take a little detour on our way home, through Cache Valley. We haven't been back to Logan since we moved over a year ago, so it was nice to see our old apartments and all the changes that have been made in town and on campus. The girls had fun playing at the playgrounds at Willow Park, until the mosquitoes started attacking! 

Beautiful Cache Valley!

The girls got pretty silly on the ride back from Logan.

Dustin's work offers up to three days off work for "bereavement," and his boss was kind enough to give him all three. So on Tuesday we bought a new movie as a family, set up our tent in our living room, and had a movie/camping family night. It was fun! We were glad to be able to spend Tuesday and Wednesday together as a family.

Snacks and Ice Age! Fun times.

I think the number one thing I learned from this weekend is how amazing it is to be part of a large, loving family. My mom and her siblings loved, supported, and helped each other and their mother while Grandpa was sick and after he passed. There was no petty squabbling, no family feuds getting in the way. All of my cousins, aunts, and uncles were there except my brother who is on his mission. It was such a relief to be surrounded by love during such a hard time.

The other thing that made the funeral such a nice experience was the wonderful spirit of the Lord that filled the church, reassuring us that my grandpa was happy and whole with his family members who have passed on, and that we will all see him again. I cannot imagine going to a funeral where family members of the deceased do not have this assurance. I am so grateful for Heavenly Father's plan of salvation and for my family!