Mom's memorial service.....
Last week, I went up to Buffalo for my mother's wake and funeral service. I rode up with K, who is another expatriated Buffalonian living in Dayton, and was going back to visit with her relatives.
Wed 5/2: K picked me up. We stopped at Katzinger's Deli in Columbus, OH for lunch. I didn't know this place existed! Roads were good. There's still some contruction on I-90 in northeast Ohio. Arrived in Buffalo around 8:30pm. Walked to Pizza Di'Lite and had a sub. (I think I like their subs better than John & Mary's.)
Thu 5/3: Met with Mrs. Smith, the music director at St. Christopher's Church, where the memorial service was to be held. I selected the readings and the music. Some of there selections were the same as what we used for my father's memorial service three years ago. (Even though I left the Catholic faith years ago, there are still some aspects of the Catholic mass I still like, such as the liturgical music. Here's a sample: "Shepherd Me O God" by Marty Haugen , based on Psalm 23.) Then it was off to the Amigone Funeral Home in Tonawanda for the afternoon and evening wakes. Mom's cremains were in a rose-colored urn with gold-colored edging. Got to see most of the surviving relatives on both sides of my family. (I still hate that some of them still call me "Jimmy", as if I'm still a 5-year old boy in their eyes.) In between, I had dinner with my aunt Angie and her oldest son Anthony Jr. at the Old Country Buffet in Clarence. After the evening wake, I went to Alternative Brews and had a couple pints of Shock Top Raspberry Wheat ale.
Fri 5/4: The memorial service went very well. It was prayerful, spiritual, and dignified. Mom's cremains were buried, along with Dad's cremains, at the family plot. We then had the post-funeral luncheon at La Bella Sicilia in Cheektowaga. From there, my sister and I drove to UB South Campus, and boarded the light-rail subway to meet with the estate attorney at her office in downtown Buffalo. She told us what to expect and what would happen in the upcoming months. Then after taking the subway back, I dropped off my sister at UB North Campus, where she would meet with Christa, her best friend and "sister" -- they've been friends since the first grade in elementary school. Went to pick up my friend Liz, who missed a bus and thought she was going to be late for a doctor appointment. We also had dinner at Coffee Culture, and attended a pagan meetup at the UU Church of Buffalo.
Sat 5/5: Spent most of the day going through my belongings at my parents' house, and boxed up the stuff I wanted to bring back with me. Met with dagonell and cigfran_cg at the Buffalo Brew Pub for dinner, conversation, and a few pints of their Amber Ale.
Sun 5/6: K came to pick me up. We loaded up the car, and attended services at the UU Church of Amherst. From there, we had lunch at Bob Evans, and got on the road. We had dinner at the North Star Cafe in Columbus. We arrived in Dayton around 9:30pm.
Wed 5/2: K picked me up. We stopped at Katzinger's Deli in Columbus, OH for lunch. I didn't know this place existed! Roads were good. There's still some contruction on I-90 in northeast Ohio. Arrived in Buffalo around 8:30pm. Walked to Pizza Di'Lite and had a sub. (I think I like their subs better than John & Mary's.)
Thu 5/3: Met with Mrs. Smith, the music director at St. Christopher's Church, where the memorial service was to be held. I selected the readings and the music. Some of there selections were the same as what we used for my father's memorial service three years ago. (Even though I left the Catholic faith years ago, there are still some aspects of the Catholic mass I still like, such as the liturgical music. Here's a sample: "Shepherd Me O God" by Marty Haugen , based on Psalm 23.) Then it was off to the Amigone Funeral Home in Tonawanda for the afternoon and evening wakes. Mom's cremains were in a rose-colored urn with gold-colored edging. Got to see most of the surviving relatives on both sides of my family. (I still hate that some of them still call me "Jimmy", as if I'm still a 5-year old boy in their eyes.) In between, I had dinner with my aunt Angie and her oldest son Anthony Jr. at the Old Country Buffet in Clarence. After the evening wake, I went to Alternative Brews and had a couple pints of Shock Top Raspberry Wheat ale.
Fri 5/4: The memorial service went very well. It was prayerful, spiritual, and dignified. Mom's cremains were buried, along with Dad's cremains, at the family plot. We then had the post-funeral luncheon at La Bella Sicilia in Cheektowaga. From there, my sister and I drove to UB South Campus, and boarded the light-rail subway to meet with the estate attorney at her office in downtown Buffalo. She told us what to expect and what would happen in the upcoming months. Then after taking the subway back, I dropped off my sister at UB North Campus, where she would meet with Christa, her best friend and "sister" -- they've been friends since the first grade in elementary school. Went to pick up my friend Liz, who missed a bus and thought she was going to be late for a doctor appointment. We also had dinner at Coffee Culture, and attended a pagan meetup at the UU Church of Buffalo.
Sat 5/5: Spent most of the day going through my belongings at my parents' house, and boxed up the stuff I wanted to bring back with me. Met with dagonell and cigfran_cg at the Buffalo Brew Pub for dinner, conversation, and a few pints of their Amber Ale.
Sun 5/6: K came to pick me up. We loaded up the car, and attended services at the UU Church of Amherst. From there, we had lunch at Bob Evans, and got on the road. We had dinner at the North Star Cafe in Columbus. We arrived in Dayton around 9:30pm.