Interment

Today was the day of interment for Haven H. Freeman. Since his death, his body has been at Lucas Eaton Funeral Home in York, Maine. On February 5, 2013, the day he passed away the ground was frozen with a few feet of snow more or less. It was decided we would wait for better weather to put his body in it's final resting place.

My father was a veteran of the Korean War. The funeral director, Steve Martin asked if we would like military funeral honors. Since my Dad was very proud of his service we thought he would like this. We agreed.

When I arrived at the family cemetery today, the coffin was already in place and a U.S. flag was draped over it. There were two U.S. Army soldiers waiting as well as the funeral director and Pastor Don Nelson from the Cape Neddick Baptist Church. For family members there was my sister and myself. We had invited my Dad's last surviving brother who was pre disposed with family matters of his own.

Pastor Nelson read a few excerpts from the bible and said a beautiful prayer. Next one soldier stood north of the grave site with a bugle. He played a very solemn version of taps. Another soldier stood at my Dad's grave, saluting.

I knew my Dad would have been very proud. It was a beautiful spring day, the birds were alive with robust conversation which coalesced with the tones of the bugle into a mesmerizing harmony. As the bugle ended the soldiers joined on the grave, one at the head of the coffin, the other at the foot and they began folding the flag.

They worked together meticulously and methodically. When they finished they walked out of the plot to where my sister and I stood. The soldier with the flag reached out with the flag. My sister insisted I accept it. I insisted she accept it. She further insisted and without further contest I reached out and accepted the flag.

The soldier looked into my eyes and very solomnly said, "On behalf of the President of the United States, the United States Army and a grateful Nation please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service." I was very touched by the sincerity in which these words were spoken, by such a young soldier, not unlike my Dad, 60 years ago. As I looked into his eyes I could see my Dad as a young man, a young soldier at the beginning of his life.

There was something very moving about this aspect of the ceremony which I had not expected. The two soldiers conveyed a deep feeling of patriotism and self respect for their task. It was very powerful and somehow penetrated to the core of my conscience. I was very moved and realized how significant my Dad's duty had been to these young men, so many other like them and to our country. 

My sister and I watched as my Dad, inside his casket, was lowered into the hole in the ground, into a cement liner. It is all so unbelievable. My Dad gone now in the flesh. He has moved on. The skills of my learning which he enhanced can never be again. His pride for me can only be recalled in my memory. Never again will I hear him say, "I love you, Kev."