Final Rest

If you scroll WAAAY down to an earlier post, you'll find that a very close friend of my family recently passed away. Her name was Joan Shropshire, but I always called her Mrs. Shropshire.

Today, September 30th 2008 at 1pm, the family held a small service in the cemetery behind where I live. It was an honor to be asked to attend. It actually worked out well as I tend to take my lunch break at that time. There were about fifteen or so of us. Mostly immediate family. The service was brief, lasting about twenty five minutes. A few things were read and many tears shed. Mr. Shropshire had brought a recording of he and his wife singing a duet. I was vaguely aware that they sung together. It was a simple song I can't recall, but it was sweetly sung with lovely harmonies. I'm a sucker for harmonies.

She was interred, although someone used the term in urned, in a memorial wall located at the back end of the cemetery. It's a small wall with many different compartments on each side. The remains; usually in a box or urn, are placed in one of these small compartments. On the exterior of each small box reads the name of the person within. I had actually at one time thought about doing this with my fathers ashes, but I don't think my crazy family were too crazy about the idea. For now Shel is in a box, in my attic, surrounded by crap. By crap I mean junk. By junk I mean stuff I own.

Just to the right of her compartment I noticed a familiar name. It was one of my former bosses from MANY years ago, who had died somewhat recently. He actually played a big part in my being hired. He liked me for some odd reason, and pushed for me to the powers that be, or actually were. I've been working at the same top secret facility for twenty four years.

I find it somewhat ironic, although I may be using that in the wrong context, that Mrs. Shropshire is now located in the same cemetery where my friend Martha is buried. Passing away two years to the day of Mrs. Shropshire's memorial service. That's comforting to me. We'll all keep an eye on each other.