Dad's Service, Part 2

Feedback was unanimous: Dad had the most beautiful service. For the most part, it didn't feel like a funeral; rather, it was a celebration, which is exactly what he wanted. The night that he passed, Scott and I frantically started contacting our friends to arrange music. Dad was always a big lover of music, and CDs were not going to cut it. The result was a stirring tribute to my dad, with more than a few people saying, "I want this at my service." Everything was perfect. Yes, there were tears, but there was also a lot of laughter and many smiles as we joined together to recognize dad as a special, special guy.

When mom and dad first started talking about arrangements, he said that he didn't want a traditional Catholic service and named four people who he wanted to speak - Stacey and I were two of them. And it had to be "both - not one or the other." Speaking was probably one of the simultaneously hardest and easiest things I've ever had to do. Hard because it was emotional and easy because it's not difficult to think of the many reasons that made my dad wonderful.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the service, internment, and reception. My mom is a little peeved because she doesn't think the funeral director announced the reception loud enough for people in the back to hear, but there's nothing that can be done about that now. I would also like to thank my friends once more for being a part of an unforgettable day and providing music for dad to dance to up in heaven. Here, for your listening pleasure, are the pieces that were performed, along with our tributes to dad:

1.

Scott kicked things off by playing the second movement from Böhme's trumpet concerto in f minor. He was accompanied by my friend and old (not in age, but we go way back) piano teacher, Rumiko.

2.

Cynthia followed immediately after Scott, singing Ave Maria beautifully and making many cry in the process. Again, she was accompanied by Rumiko.

3.

This is me.

4.

This is Stacey.

5.

After all the tributes were delivered, my friend Catlin sang You'll Never Walk Alone, supported by my former TABB mates, Robin (drums), Jesse (keys), and Andrew (bass). It was an odd feeling listening to an emotionally charged number and not bursting into applause at the end.

6.

Alyssa (with Jesse, Robin, and Andrew) was the last to sing. She sang We'll Meet Again to close the service, which I thought would be very fitting and uplifting. After she went through it once, everyone was invited to sing along, so keep your ears open for that. It was a joyous moment.

While we were exiting the chapel, we had Harry Chapin's Circle playing in the background. Harry was dad's favourite artist, and my earliest memories of music involve my dad playing guitar and singing Circle and Cat's in the Cradle.

It may seem weird to post these excerpts from the service, but I honestly feel that it was a positive day - something I'll look back on and smile about. I hope whoever listens to these files takes away from them the fact that dad was very, very loved. I only hope that I am so lucky when my time comes.