Time Experience Thoughts

FUNERAL, ORDER OF SERVICE January 22, 2008, Fort Scott, Kansas ~ Prelude Music, Peace in the Valley (Elvis) ~ Welcome, by Rev. Jared Witt ~ Opening Song, Church in the Wildwood (The Jordonaires) ~ Opening Prayer, by Sydney Vanatter ~ Family Memory, by Carrie Motley (and Introduction of that Dad and Tracy danced to at Tracy’s wedding.) ~ Song, Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground (Willy Nelson) ~ Eulogy, by Scott Vanatter ~ Song, My Way (Elvis) ~ Closing Prayer, Carrie Motley ~ Masonic Service . . . ~ Interment Prayer (U.S. National Cemetery, Fort Scott, Kansas) # # # FOOTNOTES 1. Why We Visit (“The Vision-Place of Souls”) Many, though not all, families and friends naturally gather together at special events: graduations, weddings, reunions, etc. and, of course, births and deaths. Sometimes we all are drawn to visit the places where those special, even sacred, events took place. Sometimes long after those who were there with us have gone on. Why do we visit these sacred places? Thi...

Jared Demke, 1957 ~ 2006 Hallelujah, All the Time Without the slightest exaggeration, I count it as one of my life’s great blessings that Jared Demke was my friend. To paraphrase Brigham Young regarding Joseph Smith, “I feel like shouting Hallelujah, all the time, when I think that I ever knew [Jared Demke].” So thankful am I for the love and perspective of thirty years of close friendship. The Things of God For more than fifteen of those recent years, my wife and I have been privileged to have Jared stay with us in our home in northern Virginia, during his usual twice-a-year business trip to the DC area. When not visiting in person Jared and I would talk on the phone -- often. Ginger related to me that one of his friends commented that talking with Jared on the phone was like going to Disneyland. I wholeheartedly agree – the printed theme on the sign outside Disneyland is “The Happiest Place on Earth.” That’s Jared. He brought prodigious amounts of happiness and shear joy -- and ligh...