I love funerals. I get to hear the many wonderful things about a person I have known and cared about. It's even better than reading a biography. It's a humbling thought to me that the spirit of the deceased may be there, at the funeral, listening to and enjoying our memories of them.
Grandma’s funeral today was beautiful. I heard and learned even more great things about her.
Her friend of 31 years, Lucille, spoke first. She told of a time within the past year that she sent a gift to Grandma, and she misspelled her name, Frances. She spelled it, “Francis”. Grandma said something like, “you still don’t spell my name right after this many years.” And Lucille said, “Oh, it’s just habit.” Grandma said, “Oh, well if it’s habit then it’s okay.”
Lucille also shared the time that she was new to the ward, not many even knew her name, when she was told that she was to be a counselor in the R.S. as Grandma was the president. She asked Grandma how she knew her name. Grandma told her that she prayed and fasted about who would be a good counselor for her, and she remembered her name. They had met only briefly before! One of their first nights as the R.S. presidency, they went out to visit the new sisters in the ward. Grandma offered a meal to the sister at the first house. Then she offered a meal to the sister at the next house. Soon, they had several meals lined up for sisters, and Lucille was beginning to wonder who was going to do all this cooking! She was very busy the next day preparing meals, as well as the other counselor and Grandma. Another time, Grandma saw to it that a sister in need have her home cleaned. It took Lucille 2 days to do the job, but it got done. She told several more stories of Walt and Francis and the services they did for others.
Then grandchildren, Davis and Kristi, read memories written by each of the grandchildren. Mine was a shortened version of the previous blog entry. Here’s Jared’s:
It's hard to focus on one single experience that sticks out about Grandma. I spent a lot of time at her house for a few years of my childhood when my mother was sick. Grandma was always good to me. One experience that does stick out a little is a time we were all at the cabin. I wanted to go fishing in the river and I wasn't allowed to go on my own. I asked a few people to take me, but nobody wanted to go back to the river. I asked grandma and she agreed to go with me. I didn't have a pole, but I found some fishing line, a hook, and some cheese. She stood on the bank for a few minutes and I threw the hook in the water several times. She eventually said it was time to go. I asked to do just a few more casts and she agreed. I caught a fish and soon the whole family was back fishing the river. We pulled in many fish that day. I know Grandma gave of her time for me many times. I'm sure she did that for all of us. I don't think she really wanted to be standing with me on the river when she could be visiting with all the other people who were at the cabin that day. But she did it anyway. I'm thankful for all the times she cared enough about me to set aside time to help me have a good time. She was a great example to me, and I hope I have acquired some of her qualities.
Grandma’s son, Steve, always at ease with public speaking and making people laugh, shared a few fun facts. If Grandma had known that her casket would be the first one carried in the same limo. that carried Gordon B. Hinckley, she would have been sure to make it so. Grandma always enjoyed having Steve read the paper to her. She liked keeping up on current events. She was interested in politics. In fact, she has already voted. He wouldn’t say who she voted for, only that it was a wise choice. He shared his memory of when he was a wayard teenager. Grandma and Grandpa must have gone to some fireside or meeting that gave them the idea, but one day, out of the blue, Grandma and Grandpa told him that they loved him very much, and they trusted him to make good decisions. He said, “after that, what was the fun in being rebellious?” He didn’t want to hurt his mom and dad. It wasn’t because he was worried about his salvation or anything, he just didn’t want to hurt his mom and dad.
There were many other great stories told about the kind of energy Grandma had and so many things that she did, and I know I’m just not doing the funeral much justice, but I will just close by saying that I am so grateful to have had this amazing woman in my life. I will strive to live my life better because of the example I have seen from Grandma and Grandpa.
