Dad’s going away party………..

[woodland]

My dad Barry passed away a month ago and on Sunday we’re having his funeral which he always referred to them as a “going away party” so that’s what his will be. Just curious if there was anything unique that you have seen at a farmer’s funeral? Planning on getting the old 414 International that he used as a kid running as he restored it sometime ago and even put power steering on it. Probably will bring a 4wd to park beside it for comparison. Built a simple urn out of pine the other day with my FIL that we have to brand with my folks and siblings brands yet.

Haven’t had an abundance of time to spend on this yet as there was a lot of cow stuff that got pushed aside this fall that we’re still whittling away at. Thanks in advance for any ideas………
Usually the best things are done here under pressure at the last minute it seems.

[farmaholic]

My Dad died in the beginning of June 2021. He was cremated. I got a small urn to put a wee bit of his ashes in it. That fall that urn was taken in the tandem grain truck for harvest, in the combine, in the sprayer, in the old Versatile heavy harrowing, everything.... on the last nice day in October before we buried that small urn under the wheat sculpture at the beginning of our driveway, I took him on his last tour across the whole farm, every piece of land we own. I drove him through a dried out marsh that is very seldom dry. Picked a rock, he was adamant about keeping the rocks picked. We gathered bits of unharvested(missed) crop to lay around the hole we would later lower the small urn into. But before we put him in we poured various grains into the hole and threw a potato in as well, he loved growing potatoes. I took some rich black soil from a low spot in the last quarter he and mom broke to fill the hole. There was no funeral, but I'm thinking his going away party suited him to a tee. He was a simple humble man who wasn't much for being in the limelight or center of attention.

Another cool thing we did was during the family viewing just before the cremation, we drew pictures and wrote messages on his cremation casket. That was more fun than the old somber funerals of the past.

They're never really gone, they're no longer physically with us but they live on in our hearts and in our memories forever. And this guy was, and always will be, woven into the fabric of the land he farmed as long as his health permitted him to. Even when he could no longer do field duties he was usually watching from the seat of his half ton. Imagine how poorly he must have physically felt for him not to come out himself, sometimes mom would bring him out to watch some harvest. It seems you become part of it.

Be imaginative...
Take care...

[BreadWinner]

Thanks for sharing, your dad raised a great family.