Lennie's Funeral

Lennie’s funeral was a graveside service. The family met at Corrine’s house and drove the mile over to Macedonia Baptist Church in Agelus SC, about 6 miles from Jefferson. Since Corrine was riding in our car, Phil kept coming over with instructions on where to park from the funeral home. Finally I just had Phil drive Corrine, Ceil, and Matthew, and I rode with Dic Dac, Teresa, Vic, and Laura.

My nephew Ben officiated the funeral, and Dic Dac added several personal remarks. I had not known that Lennie had played baseball at Clemson. Before adding scripture, Ben also shared personal stories. After the service I pointed out a couple of graves to Matthew: Lennie’s son was Phil’s age, who had died in 1977. Aunt Edie had passed away in 1999, so Anna and Matthew and Vic had no memory of going to her house for Thanksgiving and Easter. Vic thinks about her when she drives by her house.

Hopefully Aunt Corrine was able to appreciate the service. She remarked on some of the people who attended, including a sheriff who had once worked at a store that Lennie had owned. Ladies from the church brought lots of food to the house: chicken salad, ham and turkey, fresh tomatoes and other sandwich fixings, sausage balls, a cheese ball, brownies, several cakes and other desserts, chips, etc. Winnie and Goose got to run free out in the back fields, with Lennie's old sailboat as a backdrop.

The land where Lennie's ancestral home is located has been in the Middleton family since 1750. The house was where Lennie and Ceil's mother and aunt were all born in the house. When the highway was widened Lennie had the house moved several hundred yards back off the road, with two rows of trees planted to line the driveway.

The house and land will stay in the family: Beau recently renovated a house on Church Street in Jefferson. Of the 12 cousins, seven made it back to the funeral (plus two spouses). Laura was there representing husband Zane, who had stop by to visit with Corrine before heading to Charlotte for his flight to Canada. Afterwards when I rode back to Jefferson with Phil, Teresa, Vic, and Laura I mentioned how the service only could have been better if Zane had been there to speak.

I wasn’t able to leave Angelus until after 630 pm. Stopped for gas in Lugoff and drove straight through, getting home at 1122. Averaged 40.4 mpg and could’ve done better had I taken my time. Unloaded the car, opened the mail, and was in bed by midnight. Skipped the gym this morning. Ceil and Winnie drive back today.

Before leaving to head back, Matthew had loaded a large painting of Jack Nicklaus winning the 86 Masters into my back seat. It had been sitting up in Ceil’s parent’s attic for years. The new cabinets Ceil is having installed in our living room has a large open space for a piece of art – and the Nicklaus painting fit the space perfectly. I don’t thing Ceil will agree.

After being off work yesterday afternoon and working remotely all week, I started the day with 72 emails in my in box. This morning I was able to get it down to 18 emails.