7 August 2023:
Grandpa’s reinterment service.
The night before.
Departure and arrival.
Preparation.
The service.
The service began with a rendition of “Amazing Grace” and continued with readings of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and John 14:1-6. 三 叔叔 said a few words and then 小姑姑 said a few words from a woman’s perspective. She told us that she appreciated her father’s insistance that the women in the family be allowed to go to college if they were accepted. Our grandmother was content to have their sons go to college but thought it was too expensive to send their daughters; our grandfather prevailed.
She also attributed her independence to him. She said when she left Taiwan he told her that her siblings would take care of her, but that she shouldn’t expect to stay with them forever; she would have to eventually find her own way.
After the service.
Family portraits.
Paying respects.
Reception.
At lunch, 小叔叔 said that the decision was made at the last reunion to bring our grandfather’s remains to the States and have him reinterred near grandma. It was agreed that 三叔叔 and he would make the trip to Taiwan together to do so.
However, when the cemetery in Taiwan scheduled the exhumation he had already booked a trip to Alaska and was unable to fulfill the original plan. Fortunately, Irene and her family had decided to stay in Taiwan a little longer and were available to attend the exhumation and to help bring grandfather back with them.
He was thankful that they were able to help and handed out red envelopes to Irene and her family. Sebastien confirmed it was the good loot.
