Family and friends kind of thing

[f569]

I hadn't thought about posting anything regarding this until a few moments ago when I really smiled for the first time in a few days.

It was a sad morning at church today, saying goodbye to a friend of 41 years. I met him when I was 18 helping him unload his truckload of custom electrical enclosures, he was my elder by about 10 years. We pretty much worked together for almost all that time and remained in touch the years that we didn't.

Sitting hear I am remembering Father's sermon when he told us to "keep telling the stories" and figured no time like the present to tell my first one.
Please see the screen shot of a text message I just had with one of our crew.

Everybody loved Uncle Mike, and we still do!
Rest in piece my Brother.

 

[Budnicks]

RIP Mike

 

[Hey-O]

R.I.P.

 

[Charles Cook]

R.I. P.

 

[PlymCrazy]

RIP uncle Mike!

 

[1 Wild R/T]

RIP Mike, Sounds like someone we would all like to have as a friend... Mischievous even at his own service....

 

[demonram]

RIP to your friend Mike, sir! My condolences to you and his families. Memories are what it’s all about! Take care!

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Kinda funny, I'm sure the folks from the Mortuary were mortified when the Hearse wouldn't start & needed a jump... Yet those who knew Mike just see it as part of the Celebration of his Life & Spirt..

 

[kiwigtx]

Rest in peace Mike.....it's nice to have friends who will still talk about you when you're gone.

OK...I'll do it ....at my Grandfather's funeral a bit over 30 years ago, we had a dummy run with a fake coffin the night before the service. My father and his three brothers, plus me and my brother hoisted a 3-seater couch and marched it around the house......with Granny just laughing in hysterics. Unfortunately, the couch got dropped a couple of times....probably a sign of things to come. We all played pool & darts downstairs, drinking some of the stash that Grandad had put away for that very occasion.....it was a good night. That is probably the last time my father had any fun with his brothers due to family bickering.

I will always remember the coffin being slowly loaded into the Hearse, and everyone standing back as it slowly drove away and over the brow of the hill. It only took about 5 seconds after disappearing out of sight, and you could hear the driver hit that kickdown like a MoFo.....the engine was easily audible that close. One last laugh for us all. One of the hardest things to do is to speak at a funeral/memorial in front of a crowd...who are by enlarge strangers. I have had that task twice now for both parents of my buddy Cliff......a few years apart. It's also amazing the distance that some people will travel to be at the service....but never get up to say anything. One guy flew across from Australia to be there at Cliff's father's service.....must have only gone there for the open bar.

 

[Skytrooper]

RIP Mike

 

[f569]

Kinda funny, I'm sure the folks from the Mortuary were mortified when the Hearse wouldn't start & needed a jump...

The look on the poor guys face, he didn't really know what to do, Mike's son John to the rescue!

....at my Grandfather's funeral a bit over 30 years ago, we had a dummy run with a fake coffin the night before the service.

Funny you say that. That very thought came to me yesterday, for the first time in my life, as I watched Mike's family members attend to the coffin. Unless you work for the mortician it's not like you do that every day. Not a good time for an "oops"!

 

[f569]

Mikes son, John. Beautiful day!

Mike's scoot.

 

[chargervert]

If you have great friends, even if you can only count them on one hand,you are a fortune man! RIP Mike!