randy's memorial

Surrounded by her children, Virginia kneels next to the ashes of Randy, her husband of 56 years. Randy liked to say "I robbed the cradle," and if you do the math she was 16 when they married and he was 20. They were always together, particularly in latter years when Randy had many health problems. 

   They called it a country-western memorial service, and folks were with the program. You can see some of them in this video here when I finally remembered to pan some of the crowd.

  It was set on the first day of spring, because, Virginia said, "Randy loved the spring." And we were lucky ("blessed") with the weather, since there's no way a hundred people would have fit in their house. I started crying when the crowd gathered here to some of the saddest country music ever. Carly came in from L.A., so she and I were probably the people who came the furthest. We sat on hay bales draped with rugs. That's Carly on the right listening to Lulu, one of Randy and Virginia's many grandchildren, play a hymn. Lulu also played during the service here, which was enlivened by having somebody's dog wandering around. Her older sister Taylor delivered a moving tribute to her grandparents here.

Virginia is surrounded by her children: John, Nikki, Anna and Mona. Below, Randy's sisters.

 

The things Randy carried in his pockets. There was also a food tent. With a LOT of food. 

 

Carly took the panoramic below. That's their house in the background, long since converted from a trailer. The party went on into the night, with fireworks and floating candle lanterns, slide shows and more. It was quite a sendoff—emotional and wondrous.