Part 3-Graveside - Dad. Louis E. Kok, February 18, 1929 to January 27, 2017

Before the church service and reception, we had visitation at Gillies Funeral Home on Wednesday night, Jan. 25, and at 1:15pm on Friday, we had the graveside service at Monumenta Cemetery with full military honors.

The day of the funeral was freezing! It had been a cold, sometimes rainy, sometimes clear and sunny week until Friday, when a terrible snowstorm hit Lynden. Several of us waited for the ceremony to start in the warmth of the small bus that Lynden Manor used to transport Mom in her wheelchair to the service. Lydia was in the bus with me the whole time and had fun seeing people arrive as she watched through the window.

For the ceremony, we huddled under or around a canopy that Gillies set up. There were a few chairs that we asked the aunts to sit in -- Aunt Toots, Aunt Betty, and Aunt Marcia. Mom's wheelchair was the first in line with the chairs. She was covered in the beautiful purple print quilt that Kathy made for her.

Dad was cremated so there was a box we were burying in a plot near his grandparents. Mom's cremated remains will also go there when it is time. This is what Dad and Mom had decided, and they also chose a tombstone marker.

Two uniformed officers stood in front of the gravesite, in front of Mom and all of us, and ceremonially unfolded the flag, displayed it, then folded it again. It was beautiful but I felt so sorry for the guys -- they were shaking with cold! They thanked Mom on behalf of a "grateful nation" for Dad's service and when they went to give her the flag, I came over beside her and took hold of it for her, since Mom's arms were under the quilt. After presenting the flag, one of the soldiers played taps, and then some others gave a 3 gun salute. They presented Mom with the shells from that as well.

Pastor Van Noort gave a short homily. He did wonderfully as well. Then we all walked to our cars. I was heartened by the turnout of so many people, in spite of the terrible weather. The snow turned to sleet and it almost felt like needle pricks as the ice hit our faces.

I found out later that Zach had gotten stuck in the snow as he and Ashlee left the cemetery. There was a small hill to get to the road and Zach's wheels started spinning as they tried to go up it. He got help from several who pushed them on.

The day before Dad's funeral Randy and I drove around and took some photos of the mountains.