, Sitting down next to Arley Fadness at the lunch after Mary's funeral I said "Do you know Al Negstad? I hear he's here." Arley said "Yes, I do, who are you? I said "Al Negstad." That's when he hit me, before we had a good chat.
The funeral, huge for, an eighty-five year old, was ably conducted by a pastor, Kent Stillson, I've known since he was a camp counselor at Camp Metigoshe about 30 years ago. Seated next to Bishop Norm Eitriem, whom I've known since 1965, we compared notes on life after the death of a spouse. Doris Rye, was there with her husband, Pastor Kermit. It was Doris who decided not to go to Holden Village with the young adult group in 1963, whose place Joanne took. She likes to claim credit, rightly, for bringing Joanne and I together. During the lunch Kent asked me it I knew the congregation's community coordinator, Twila? "Yes, " I said, "She's my cousins granddaughter." And...so it went.
Sam, Mary's spouse served 6 Lutheran Parishes in South Dakota and as interim pastor in many more after his retirement. It was apparent that Mary and Sam are remembered by those congregations with deep love and respect. Mary is buried at the Toronto Cemetery, Toronto, S.D., near her childhood home. Now Sam, too. dwells in the land of grief.
All of these people were known by Joanne as they all knew her. In addition to the grief of Mary's death it's times like this when the presence of absence is acute. At least I wish I could report who I saw and the conversations.
Takk for alt,
Al
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