You only find out who you effected when you are gone.
Yesterday was Gerry Master's funeral. We went to the temple and there was a lot of people who said hi to me. Most I knew their voices. (how come the people I know very well, tell me their names and the ones who I dont know well, dont tell me their names? strange) After catching up with some, we finally got to the family's room. We went down the line.
Marilyn is the wife and the one I know the most. She was a mess. thanking me for coming and just crying. She hugged me for a while. Then was Linda, one of the daughters. Then Howard, the son, his wife and two kids, Rebecca (maybe 10) and son, dont remember his name, (maybe 15) Then Alyssa. I know her well and I hugged her, she was like her mom, a mess. just crying and thanking me for being there. (she is usually a tough cookie, no attitude, I am the queen and what I say, goes, type of woman,) Her husband Bryan, and their two girls, Jessica and Emily, one is 11 and the other is 9.
Then we went to the sanctuary.
This place was packed. My parents said there was over 200 people. It was a standing room only crowd.
Cousins on both sides of my family were there and even some friends of my family who didn’t know the family well, were there.
First the rabbi got up, said a few words and then the Masons took over the service. Gerry had being to a masonry for 34 years. Some of his Mason brothers got up and conducted the service and did a very nice job. They spoke of his entire life. He grew up in Chelsea MA (same city I spent the first 6 years of my life) and he joined the marines just out of highschool. He went on a blind date with Marilyn and they were in love. They were engaged soon after and Gerry was called to serve his country so he left for 18 months. When he returned, they got married soon after. He started his own successful business. They had 3 children. He had joined the masons in 1976. It was mentioned on a few occasions, “he loved his family, he loved his country and he loved his community”
Somehow, someway, Alyssa found the strengths to get up and speak. I could barely understand a word she was saying, fighting through rivers of tears and talking softly into the microphone. She talked about growing up. She talked about how her father sat in his chair to watch baseball and when football came, you knew were he was on Sunday when the Patriots game was on. She talked about how much he loved his grand kids and she ended with “I miss you daddy and will always love you”
Howard’s son got up on behalf of all the grand children. He did a great job. Although he cried a bit, he stayed strong. He talked about some of the trips they took, some of the places they have gone, about coming over and doing crossword puzzles or reading the Sunday globe and watching a lot of redsox games and keeping score of the games.
He said “papa someday we will all join you but until then, you will always be on my mind and in my heart. I love you”
The rabbi had spoke of Jerry’s desire to have a Bar Mitzvah. Soon after it was learned that he had a terminal desease, he decided that he wanted to be Bar mitzvah. He studied with the canter of the temple for a few months and on January 8th? He, with his oxigine tank, got up to the bima and did his haftorah. The Rabbi said that it was one of the most happiest days of his life.
The survices was concluded with a few prayers and. It was off to the cemetery.
There was a lot of people who went to the cemetery. The rabbi said a few prayers and the family put some dirt on top. Some people were going back to the temple but my sister and father were going to exchange some papers with the people my sister was buying a condo from and measure the rooms. (more about my sis in another entry)
I swear, I think too much.
During the funeral, I was thinking “I wonder how many people will be at my funeral?” When the grandson spoke about the Redsox, I thought of my grand father who is 92 years young, and what it will be like when he passes. I thought of how I will defanately talk about the redsox and how he gave me and my brother’s our first packages of baseball cards in 1988.
I thought of the time that my best friend had an English assignment in high school, to write his own ulagy. He wrote it from my perspective, as he would figure I would give it.
I thought of how before I was 21, I only knew one person to pass away from my life. In the last 11 years, there has been close to 30 who passed away. (I think it is 28) and I thought of some of those people. Uncle Denis, uncle Gabe, Chief bill, Rabbi Kuma, punchy, Fran, Aunty Charlotte, Aunty Ruthi, uncle Dicky, Aunty Sofey, uncle Todels. Grand mar Marther, My uncle joe’s mother, my aunt Cheryl’s grand mother. Cherryl’s father-in-law Leo. A friend of the family-Peter’s mother Charlott. A highschool friend Jared (RIP Jared always love you bro)
Coworker-Marti, Clients: David F, Ricki C, Richard, Mana C, Kristo, Joni, Marry, Annie and one more I cant think of his name.
Lastly, Professor DR. Paul Gerson
Please forgive me if I left someone off but again, all these people passed in the last 11 years from my life.*****************
Went to dinner with my twin Justin, his wife Lindsay and my older bro Rob. We went to the Halfway café. I got buffalo wings, salad with a yummy strawberry balsinic and onion rings. Justin and Lindsay shared a chicken pie and rob got a fancy burger. They got an apatizer sampler too while I had my salad.
We went back to Justin’s house for game 5 of the NBA finals between the Celtics and lakers. The series is tied at 2 and it is a must win for the Celtics at home because game 6 and if needed, game 7 are in L.A.
Can I tell you how passionate the Boston fans are?
During the nationally televised Redsox Phillies baseball game, starting in the 4th inning on Saturday and again on Sunday, they were chanting “beat L.A.! Beat L.A.!”
People had to step up for the Celtics. The captain, Paul pierce did just that along with KG and Rondo. They all brought their game on this night. Except for Kobe going off with an amazing 3rd quarter, scoring 23 points in a row for his team at one point, the rest of the Lakers already packed their bags for LA. The Celtics won. |
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wah thats one hudge paragraph!!!