The grave of Robert F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery

My alarm goes off not with a buzz but with a local radio station coming on.  Yesterday (June 5) I awoke to the news that it was the 50th anniversary of former Senator Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination.  It brought back memories to me of a 10-year old kid on the motorhome trip of a lifetime with my family in Anchorage, Alaska.  That is where we were on that night in 1968.  Our family was not backers of the Kennedys but most people understand that a lot of America’s future for peace in the world died that night also.

Yesterday being June 5, brings me to today – June 6, and the 74th anniversary of America’s D-Day invasion in World War II.  It was a day of sacrifice for America, another day in which a lot of America’s future died, but a day when the sacrifice of those brave people rushing the French hillside under heavy fire  led to our liberating Europe and the world from the shackles of Nazi-ism.  I think of my mother every year on D-Day, because she always told us that she graduated from high school on D-Day weekend back in 1944.  She, and her classmates, received their diploma on a Saturday night — and every boy in the class enlisted in the military service on Monday morning.

American troops ready to land, storm the beach, and take the hill at Normandy June 6, 1944

Thinking of those two instances I shared above brought me back to my childhood and life growing up next door to our funeral home.  As an elementary aged student my jobs were to shovel the sidewalks, wash the cars, and take out the garbage.  I also got to interact not only with my dad, but with the other funeral directors who faced the world with a great deal of reverence, but also willing to give a helping hand to a young worker.  Having that experience has given me a lifetime of tools which turned out good to have in the business world — respect everybody, be kind, work hard, and care for every one — they are potential customer families.  I’m grateful for growing up in a funeral service family.

I’ve never been in the military but hearing of the anniversary of Robert Kennedy’s death also brings me back to the 1960’s, the Vietnam War, and my first experience with military deaths.  We had several Vietnam battle deaths come thru our funeral home in our small town in Minnesota during the time I was an elementary aged student.  As you may know, in those times a military escort of equal or higher rank would accompany the body all the way to the gravesite.  I remember the hospitality of my parents as, living next to the funeral home, my dad always brought the escort to our home to get a good home cooked meal.  Those were special nights that I remember very well — to have that service member as our guest, probably just before the start of the public visitation.  I can even remember some of their names to this day.

The American sacrifices on the hills of Normandy

So, I really didn’t know where I was going when I started today’s column and I really don’t know how to end it.  A radio news story made me reminisce on some things that still stick out to me from 50 years ago as a child.  I guess my hope would be that maybe I can convince you in funeral service that memories matter.  While you are doing your job, or just having dinner with someone, your impressions matter.  It’s our duty in funeral service to be the best we can be all the time — some young person is probably watching, listening, and learning.

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