As you might recall, Friday morning Justin, Judy J. , and I were part of the "honor guard' our community put forth to welcome back a fallen airman, Scott Speicher. His procession, for those familiar with Jacksonville at all, followed Roosevelt Blvd. (Hwy. 17) north to downtown. There was a ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Wall, although I do not think they actually stopped the procession at all. The parade went on passed Speicher's church and his high school, out to NAS Cecil Field where he had trained and from where he was deployed. The route then took the procession down Argyle Forest Blvd., passed Good Shepherd, where the preschool kids, some parents and the staff, stood with flags in salute.
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The photos on-line showed views looking north from the cemetery toward I-295, and the traffic was gone. The only vehicles appearing were the motorcycles leading the hearse and other vehicles in procession. This brought back memories of our having the same effect on traffic with our funeral procession on a Friday afternoon. Blanding Blvd. is about the busiest roadway in the area and our extended-length procession from the church to the cemetery certainly ruined some people's schedules that afternoon in 2001.
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I was able to see the "missing man formation" fly-over as they must have flown over the cemetery during the 21 gun salute and playing of Taps. Judy J. was on her way back from church after standing with the children and saw the "missing man" leave the formation and "punch a hole in the sky". She called from her car to tell me about it and I told her they came over the house too. Quite spectacular a sight and experience for our community!
2 comments:
Hey Friend!
I was cleaning the new pre-school when I heard the jets fly over. I pictured the missing man formation happening overhead, and prayed.
I still remember everyone going down Blanding for Timmy. The officers stopping traffic, and the line of cars was endless. Mike and I were in the first third of the line of cars and we were pulling into the Gardens. I looked back and saw cars still coming off Argyle. I said out loud, " Wow, Timmy would have loved this"! Mike and the boys thought I was nuts. I explained how Timmy loved cars, and the flashing lights from the police cars would have thrilled him. They still didn't get it, but I think it's because they were so stunned about what happened, and they are men. It was totally a "Mom" comment I made.
At one point Dave giggled when he saw me stuff my purse with tissues, then sheepishly asked for a tissue during the service. MJ was afraid to go into the church, so he sat in the fellowship hall not knowing it would be televised. It was their first funeral. MJ said it was better that way for him. One of the many people in there asked him how he knew all the words to the hymns. He didn't have a hymnal and refused one when it was offered to him. He said, "I was raised in the church." I still remember the boys going with me to Timmy's place. MJ fixing the wind chimes I hung on the tree, weeding around the tree.
And now one of those boys a Third Class Petty officer in the Navy.
So much emotion tied to Friday, especially with the little children around. My heart was all over the place and still is.
Cindy
Hi Cindy!
Today, in Pastor's sermon, he mentioned what it would be like if Jesus Himself would come to speak to us at Good Shepherd. He said we would have standing room only and probably need close-circuit TV to the Fellowship Hall to accommodate everyone....Whee, here we go down that memory land again!
Mom recalls the motorcycle cop who led the procession, standing at the entrance to the cemetery with his helmet over his heart as we drove by....
We all remember certain special things....
Thanks!
Kim
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