Posted by:
NormaRae
(
)
Date: January 19, 2011 05:36PM
And there wasn't a dry eye in the place.
This was a woman who had nothing but love. She had worked for a community organization that solicits money for non-profits and writes grants, for over 20 years. She always smiled. She fought for the underdog. We'd rented extra chairs for the service but it was still standing room only and we had to let people park on the grass. She was so admired in our community.
She was a founding member of our UU church but was a practicing Wiccan. She was a witch and proud of it and loved Mother Earth and the spirituality surrounding it.
She had asked that a medely of Wizard of Oz songs be played. She loved that show. When the pianist started playing "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead," everyone was laughing and crying and the sniffles got louder and the smiles got bigger. We all knew it was exactly what Vicki would want. It ended with "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and we all lost it. They closed the service by calling the quarters - a very Pagan ritual and it was one of the most spiritual moments of my life.
What a contrast to Mormon funerals. This really felt like a celebration of a beautiful life. It felt like we all knew she was immortal because her love and legacy would live on. We went away just feeling like, "Wow, I knew that person!" Instead of the pathetic rituals with the temple clothes and boring drawn out songs and preaching about the afterlife and little about what a wonderful person has left our midst.
Every UU memorial service I've been to has been a cremation. Doesn't have to be, just has. We have a memory garden and many incredible people have had some of their ashes spread there. I've informed my kids that they are to spread some of mine there so that they can honestly tell my grandkids I've gone to live with the angels. If I ever have to go to a Mormon funeral again, I just hope I have plenty of anti-nausea medication to get me through it.