Funeral service recent story

[Rich]

As a guitarist, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper’s cemetery in the back country. As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost.
I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.
I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn’t know what else to do, so I started to play.
The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I’ve never played before for this homeless man.
And as I played ‘Amazing Grace,’ the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my guitar and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full.
As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, “I never seen nothin’ like that before and I’ve been putting in septic tanks for twenty years.”
Apparently, I’m still lost…

 

[horseless carriage]

As a guitarist, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper’s cemetery in the back country. As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost.
I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.
I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn’t know what else to do, so I started to play.
The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I’ve never played before for this homeless man.
And as I played ‘Amazing Grace,’ the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my guitar and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full.
As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, “I never seen nothin’ like that before and I’ve been putting in septic tanks for twenty years.”
Apparently, I’m still lost…
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What a wonderful story Rich. I was at an amazing funeral last week. The lady was very popular on the vintage circuit where she sang jazz, 1930's style. Her wicker basket coffin arrived at the church on the back of a truck from the WW2 era.


So many eulogies of the lady during the service. There was laughter amongst all the tears.


Tributes galore for Annie, two very moving, yet amusing were from husband, Darren and her eldest son,
who wants to remain anonymous.

At the end of the service, Annie's coffin was carried in a procession, from the church, New Orleans style.

Farewell dear lady, always in our hearts.

 

[old medic]

As a member of the Patriot Guard Riders I have attended 100s of funerals since 2006. From just a simple graveside service to a few that were held in auditoriums and school stadiums and lasting hours. One that was very interesting was a traditional Hmong funeral for a high ranking officer.

But never been to one like this......
Woman arranges flash mob dance to 'Another One Bites The Dust' at her own funeral