We were so sad to get a phone call from Joan Sunday evening telling us that Uncle Bill had passed away. We knew he was having heart trouble.  We had been up to Bryan hospital to see him a couple of weeks ago when he had a pace maker put in. When we were there we could tell he was feeling better by then because he was being ornery. It was our last visit with him and it was a good one.

His funeral gave us an opportunity to make a couple of trips to Fairbury. It’s sad that we don’t make it to Fairbury as often as we’d like. 

A lot of people I work with don’t appreciate small town living, but it’s times like the funeral that I really appreciate it.  The men who work for the mortuary know most everyone and they make sure that families get to sit together. Uncle Bill was a big baseball fan, in fact, he passed away while watching the 2nd inning of the last game of the world series.  So in honor of Uncle Bill, Ken wore his tie that has the emblems of all of the MLB teams.  As soon as Ken walked into the Church, one of the guys said “you know, Bill would love that tie.”

Family and extended family really added to the funeral service. Carolyn played the organ and harmonized with Tish as she sang all of the songs. Ryan and Adam Umland (even though Ryan is a college student) were alter servers. Allen Scheer did the readings. A really moving part was when they rolled the casket out of the church and family and friends followed behind singing “On Angels Wings”.

Ken got to visit with a lot of the older people at the dinner which was held in the school gym.  A.M. spent a lot of time at St. Michael’s serving meals. Sometimes I wish I could look in the kitchen and see her working there.

St. Michael’s has been all redone inside and its really beautiful, so I went back into the church after we ate and took some pictures. The statutes have all been repainted and there is a new alter. The two front pews have been cut shorter to make room for wheelchairs. I think A.M. would have loved the how the church looks now.