Great Grandpa is Laid to Rest

An emotional day. The sun dawned bright and the air was cool and clear. "A day great for flying," Great grandfather might have said. As I looked down onto Grandfathers wrinkled and smiling face, spotted with vitiligo, his strong, large hands to his side, laying uncharacteristically still in the dark gray casket...I had an impulse to kiss his cheek and did. Cold and odd smelling. Grandfather was not there. It was only his old body, cast off a strong and adventurous spirit. Hannah stayed up last night and wrote a detailed card to her Great Grandpa Clayton. On the upper front she wrote, "I will always remember you!" in her best cursive. On the back she wrote," I miss you sooo much!" She asked if it would be all right to tuck inside the coffin with Great Grandpa. I called Grandma Clayton and she said that would be fine. She had tucked inside the card a necklace with a heart pendant that she received at her baptism with the word "Remember" on it. Rebekah sat on Edith's lap or next to Great Grandma, watching, crying, pondering life after death. Last night at the viewing for family, Jonathan asked Joseph at the open casket if he could touch Great Grandpa. Joe mentioned that he might touch his hand. This morning, I glimpsed Jonathan alone, quietly standing next to the coffin, reach up, and hold Great grandfathers hand--reverently, quietly, with a look of awe on his face. A moment of quiet reflections for an active boy. (Great) Grandfather would have been proud. Who knows...like the lyrics to the song, "Where is Heaven?" When you're with the ones you love it's right where you are! Perhaps the veil is closer than imagined and Grandpa Vaughn Clayton smiled upon us and the tributes to his heroic life. The children enjoyed the thoughtful "lunch" sacs prepared by Grandpa Keith Clayton for the ride to Ogden. Large Ziplocs contained wrapped danishes, various chips, puddings, desserts, drinks, and small candy. Internment was in west Ogden. Two small planes flew above us, children ran in the rural grasses amidst tombstones and bees flew amidst the flowers, including the purple carnations with the large white QB on wings sent by the Quiet Birdmen Society (old aviator buddies of Vaughns').