Farewell

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Dad’s memorial service was at Houston National Cemetery. As a WWII veteran (83rd “Seabees” Battalion in Trinidad) he received a military flag ceremony. After a brief scripted ceremonial eulogy by the caller the flag was ritually unfolded, passed over the remains, refolded and given to a next of kin — in this case my sister Kathy. Then the honor guard in a neat row of six rifle bearers plus a trumpeter shot blanks on the caller’s command. The service continued with my eulogy for Dad, and closed with a beautiful prayer by my step-niece (and now a candidate for the 12th Texas Congressional district) Vanessa Adia. Dad's and Mom's ashes are both interred in a columbarium at the cemetery. In attendance were Kathy and her husband Mark, their children and grandchildren, Lynn and I, and our cousin Harold See Jr. who had flown in from Nashville.

Mom’s service in January had been dismayingly spare, with just a pro-forma eulogy by a lay pastor. With that in mind, we resolved to do better for Dad, and my speaking was part of an effort to step up for it, and also somewhat to include in Dad's eulogy a few words about Mom. I found it was easy to do. Dad, as you might already know from reading about him below. is a great subject.

An actual "21 gun salute." Well, we made do with 18.

Me

"Caller" is on left.

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