Farewell Larry

First, we are still home.  G caught a cold, or did it catch him?  Mute issue - he is a terrible patient!  But we elected to stay home another day with the hopes he will be better tomorrow.


I wanted to tell you about Larry's memorial service.  It was really something.  I don't know if he would have liked it a little or a lot, but it was good for those of us who are left here.


It was held in another Lutheran church - not the one where he Pastored for 20 years.  I think the family still has some problems with that one.  It is a nice church, and with the financial problems at our present church, now we have an option if our church fails - which is a definite possibility.  But that's a topic for another day.


When we got there, parking was at a premium.  There was absolutely no street parking, and no lots around.  It was the church parking or none.  The guys parking cars did a masterful job. They had it well in control!


When we walked in, there was a jazz band playing.  Their music was wonderful.  Larry would have liked that.  When he was young, before seminary, he played in a traveling circus (!!!!)band, and he was in the band in Viet Nam.  He was quite the musician.


When it was time for the service to begin, we had 40 clergy process in.  What a tribute.   I was thrilled to see them.  They respected Larry as one who wasn't shy about expressing his feelings.  At the synod meeting, he was outspoken - even if he and "Match-maker Don" skipped most of the sessions.  They were there at the meetings, but Larry spoke his mind.


His son gave the "eulogy" which was a blog post of his dad's from 2002 when things were really bad.  Larry was honest about things.  He faced depression.  He fought it with a vengeance.   It was at this time there was turmoil in our church, he suffered yet another heart attack, and decided that he would retire on disability.  There were mean things going on in the church.  There were terrible things said about him at this time.  He was very low, and he admitted he was really mad at God.   He soon did get over that.  



I was amazed that his son could read that blog post.  I don't think I could have done it.  He chocked up often, but he got through it.


Others spoke, and in true Lutheran tradition, we then shared communion.  That was moving to me because I was communed by one of my favorite pastors in the area along with our Assistant in Ministry from the other church.  It was rather like home.  Marc - the minister - was one of Larry's close friends.


Hymns were sung - to the jazz beat.  It was beautiful.  And at the end of the service we left to the strains of "Proud Mary."


Yes - we sent Larry off in style.  It was really a liberal Lutheran ceremony.  Just the kind he would have liked.


Peace.