I Attended My Cousin's Funeral Yesterday & Got Love From Our "New" Cousin

[OneEyedDiva]

A few days ago, I was shocked to read on the funeral home's website that my cousin Hamp had died. I didn't see his sister's post about it on Facebook until I went to her page afterward because FB has started controlling what posts show up in our feeds. I was on the phone with Honorary Son #3 when I read it and I know I freaked him out because I just kept saying Oh my God!! over and over. I had to get off the phone.

I had seen Hamp perform once with the group below at an R & B review show in Atlantic City. I found out months later that we were related. We wound up bonding four years later at our 2023 family reunion and stayed connected on Facebook. His death shocked and saddened me so much.

My son and I went to his funeral yesterday. The wake was at the church, so I didn't get a chance to mingle with much of anyone, not even Hamp's sister, niece and other cousins I was hoping to speak with. I don't like church wakes because people are just sitting in pews and not able to get up interact. I did get a hug, kiss on the cheek and words of love from Elijah however. He is Hamp's grand nephew, who due to Hamp's death, we found out is our cousin!

I had met Elijah at the mosque my son attends months ago and was immediately drawn to him because he looks so much like my middle grandson (age 26); both are so cute. We took pictures together back then. His mom had posted a photo tribute on Facebook about the uncle she lost. My son is friends with her and realized her uncle is the cousin I told him had died. He'd only met Hamp once when he performed in Atlantic City years ago and didn't immediately connect the dots. Now Elijah, his mom (who I subsequently connected with on Facebook), my son and I (and even my son's fiancee, who loves Elijah too) are excited to find out we're family!

The service was so nice. Three very talented singers sang solos. Those who spoke talked about how charismatic, stylish, talented, fun and loving Hamp was, especially his love for family. He was the consummate performer, even when he wasn't feeling 100%. He had toured the globe with two different groups, the last shown below that he was with for decades. Hamp is on the right. BTW the brothers, Peter (red jacket...my childhood friend) and Gerald, who's younger, wrote the hit song Turn The Beat Around.

Gerald spoke and said they knew immediately that Hamp was the one they wanted to form their trio. The young minister who spoke gave a brilliant eulogy. He related Hamp's life to parts of a song...the verse, chorus, bridge and outro. And of course, like all "good" funerals, those who spoke told stories about him that made us laugh. Rest in Musical Paradise Cuz. You will be sorely missed

 

[Been There]

I’m sorry for your loss. I have to add that I noticed the name Elijah. Other than reading this name in the Bible, I haven’t heard this name in years. I went to the Navel Academy with a young man named Elijah Jacob Miller. During our freshman year, a lot of the other Plebes made fun of his name, which is a violation at the Academy, but they got away with it because no one made it known.

One day while we were in U.S. history class and during a lecture, the professor or PMP, was talking about Elijah Muhammad, a civil rights leader and a former leader of the Nation of Islam. Suddenly, after that lecture most of the Plebes’ teasing stopped and by the end of the first month, it had all stopped. We had a few black Plebes in our class, so I was thinking maybe these kids that were teasing thought they should stop it since the name Elijah was connected to a racial figure. It could have been a serious infraction of the Academy’s principles, if they would have continued and been caught. At the Academy, integrity comes first.