The Viewing

This is how beautiful my mother is.

All twelve siblings plus mother, with daddy's casket.

Uncle Floyd presented mom with a statue of Joseph and Hyrum as 'BROTHERS', representing his and daddy's close relationship as 'brothers' also.  Quite beautiful.

Alison, Alene, Lowene and Shirlene with my sister Rebecca and me.

My cousins Ruth (and her daughter), Melody and Janelle.

SOOOO glad that my sweet baby dolly Kathryn was with me on this trip.  It was her first funeral.

My cousin Vicki was one of my past BYU roommates.

Having a humorous moment with my brothers Mark and J.D.

JD and I are at it again while being in mother's support line.

Phil and I with my daddy's sister Barbra and her husband, Jay.

P.J. having a terrible memory from his childhood.

Elder Hyde and his wife came to honor daddy'.  There were about 12 missionaries from the Chile Santiago North Mission.

Giving my last respects to my daddy.

some of the memorabilia visitors got to view of daddy's life.

The viewing for the public was Friday, May 17th at the funeral home.  Del, Kathryn and I arrived early to help Rachel and Rebecca put up some of the memorabilia for the visiting friends and family to see.  Not realizing that the room would already have daddy's casket situated, we entered to find his body off to the right, and immediately in our view.  Kathryn was unnerved a little as this was her first funeral AND the first time she had seen her grandpa in years.  It stopped her heart for a minute and I had to make sure she was okay before continuing on.
There were soooo many people who came to visit my mother and our family.  Uncle Floyd's children were there...ALL 14 of them.  Uncle Ron's family was there...ALL 7 of them.  It was the first time we had all been together in probably over 35 years!!!  What a tribute to my father.  And the visiting was amazing.  We so enjoyed laughing and talking together...They absolutely LOVED daddy and considered him their father as well as we did.  It was touching.
Some of daddy's missionaries came too.  I was stunned to see my first zone leader, Gordon Farr, and then some of dad's assistants...about 12 missionaries in total.  Fun memories to be shared.
Daddy's brothers and sisters were there...and several more of my cousins...past ward members and friends from our youth.  It was a wonderful night shared by so many of us remembering daddy and all the good he had done for so many people.
Hard to see him lying there in the casket.  He was so thin, but had a slight smile on his face and appeared to be just waiting to sit up and ask 'where the next Make -a -Million' game was going to be played.  I will be honest, I was slightly unnerved myself.
It was a long evening, but I was glad I was there to support my mother.  Not a tear was shed; by her or by me.  Everyone else cried, but I was holding my own well.  Mother was just being...mother.  British.  Strong.