Fairmont Interment/Inurnment Ceremony

August 22, 2009, 3PM
Fairmount Memorial Park

The day was just magnificent, and the view to the northwest was beautiful.

The Opening

John said: Wow, isn't this beautiful?

All this (gesturing) comes with the niche that Mom & Dad picked years ago.

I'd like to begin by telling about when I brought Mom to the cemetery last January 26th, with snow on the ground. (I called ahead to be sure the path was clear.) When we arrived, I got out of the car to check the way. When I came around that corner, there was a Big Buck standing right over Here. It gave me a thrill to see it. I thought, Did Jerry send this!?

When we left, there were more deer over there, under that tree. Mom said "Back up! Back up!" She rolled the window down and talked to one deer, who listened, telling it how sweet it was.


About the Niche and Ashes

The Mountain View mausoleum (?) has a low wall overlooking Riverview State Park, and mountains further out. The niche has a stone face with a bronze "companion" nameplate on the front. The niche was open when we arrived. The stone, with the nameplate, was set aside.

John said, approximately:

Most of Jerry's are back in there. The day that we put them in there, Mom watched as a worker put a cement "shutter" in place, sealing Jerry's urn in to the back half of the niche. She said: "Now how am I supposed to get in there to visit him when you put me in there!?"

We'll we had held some of Dad's ashes out for IDAHO, and had them sitting on top, here. So, we assured Mom that when her time came, we would add some of Dad's ashes to hers inside her urn so they would be together. She accepted that.

Therefore, today, some of Dad's ashes are mixed in with hers. And yesterday, before we brought Mom's ashes out here be sealed into the brass urn, we cut a Peace rose from the yard. We placed it in the urn, with the stem sticking into the ashes before it was sealed. So there is a Rose inside the Brass as well.

To summarize, Bob also has two separate vials of ashes held out "Just in Case".. And we have the portion of Dad's to be taken to IDAHO.

We are ready for the niche to be closed.

This photo shows inside the Urn before it was closed. Some of Dad's ashes are mixed in with Mom's. The stem of the peace rose was stuck into the ashes.

The Closing

We all just watched as it was sealed, and the stone front with the nameplate was re-set. Fairmont Staff Left. (Virginia C. "Gina" was yet to be added to the name plate.)

The Blessing

A blessing was given by grandson Rob Stewart. Great-grandson Zach Stewart had the courage to say how lucky he was to have such wonderful grandparents.

The Leaving

Come back... Memorial Day, ... any time between Aug 5th, Aug 24, Sept 19, Sept 25th. Any time, really. Mom is there now. Mom made it in time for Dad's birthday!

Then it was all quiet, and for one still moment everyone knew that Life must go on without Virginia.

As we broke up to leave, Bob gave us Virginia's last handout of Albertson's Chocholate Chip Cookies, limit: one bag per household.

Following Days

On Sunday, after a lunch of leftover Longhorn, Judy, Bob, and John scattered a portion of Virginia's ashes under the Peace Rose at the Millwood home.

On Monday, John, Cynthia, and Gus came back to place roses from the yard, and to say Happy Birthday to Jerry.


Please send anything that you would like to be added.