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Feb. 3rd, 2008 02:16 pmThe funeral was yesterday. Kathy had asked Mom to plan it, and Mom's goal was..."I don't want generic, I don't want anyone to leave that funeral with any doubt in his mind that was Kathy Ford."
I think we achieved that; it was unique and celebratory and so very Kathy.
I wanted to speak, and ended up choosing "Poem" by Eeyore from the last chapter of The House at Pooh Corner. My very first memory of Kathy, probably my first memory period, is when Kathy was part of the Center for Puppetry Arts' touring cast, and we went to see the show. They ended with a preview of upcoming shows - there was a Pooh show planned, and the only thing I remember from the entire trip was Tigger bouncing Kathy down.
( Poem )
My sister had written a poem about Kathy's death she wanted read but didn't think she could hold it together enough to read, so we asked one of her friends from a local theater company (Catalyst Theater, one of the places we asked donations in Kathy's name be made to) to read it. She agreed, and asked if she could do a reading of her own, too. So she read "Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten", which fit wonderfully, and then Andrea's poem.
( Going Home )
We finished with a slideshow I put together that people seemed to like, a hymn Kathy had requested (When the Roll is Called Up Yonder), and - best part - the postlude was "Angels We Have Heard on High", because she loved Christmas and loved singing and that was her favorite carol.
And OH MY GOD we held a reception after in place of a viewing before, and one of Kathy's old boyfriends from Atlanta showed up. He was easily the nicest guy she ever dated...Tom. We found, in a box of pictures in Kathy's apartment I was digging through for the slideshow, a letter to her from my grandfather. Apparently he'd just started the letter when I asked what he was doing and he said writing to Kathy...so I asked if I could write to Kathy and "uncle Tommy", too. I was 2ish years old. And yeah. The one time those two visited, Tom brought me on a sleigh ride, another one of my earliest memories. So he showed up (who DOES that, drives all the way from Atlanta to Vermont for an ex's funeral...that's just so YES) and I got the biggest fucking hug and you guys that was the first time I've cried...Jesus, since this began.
Got home, took a massive nap...and still went to bed reasonably early and got the best sleep I've had in weeks. And now it's naptime again :)
I think we achieved that; it was unique and celebratory and so very Kathy.
I wanted to speak, and ended up choosing "Poem" by Eeyore from the last chapter of The House at Pooh Corner. My very first memory of Kathy, probably my first memory period, is when Kathy was part of the Center for Puppetry Arts' touring cast, and we went to see the show. They ended with a preview of upcoming shows - there was a Pooh show planned, and the only thing I remember from the entire trip was Tigger bouncing Kathy down.
( Poem )
My sister had written a poem about Kathy's death she wanted read but didn't think she could hold it together enough to read, so we asked one of her friends from a local theater company (Catalyst Theater, one of the places we asked donations in Kathy's name be made to) to read it. She agreed, and asked if she could do a reading of her own, too. So she read "Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten", which fit wonderfully, and then Andrea's poem.
( Going Home )
We finished with a slideshow I put together that people seemed to like, a hymn Kathy had requested (When the Roll is Called Up Yonder), and - best part - the postlude was "Angels We Have Heard on High", because she loved Christmas and loved singing and that was her favorite carol.
And OH MY GOD we held a reception after in place of a viewing before, and one of Kathy's old boyfriends from Atlanta showed up. He was easily the nicest guy she ever dated...Tom. We found, in a box of pictures in Kathy's apartment I was digging through for the slideshow, a letter to her from my grandfather. Apparently he'd just started the letter when I asked what he was doing and he said writing to Kathy...so I asked if I could write to Kathy and "uncle Tommy", too. I was 2ish years old. And yeah. The one time those two visited, Tom brought me on a sleigh ride, another one of my earliest memories. So he showed up (who DOES that, drives all the way from Atlanta to Vermont for an ex's funeral...that's just so YES) and I got the biggest fucking hug and you guys that was the first time I've cried...Jesus, since this began.
Got home, took a massive nap...and still went to bed reasonably early and got the best sleep I've had in weeks. And now it's naptime again :)
