When I awoke Saturday morning, there was a text message from my sister asking me to call her as soon as I could. There is a two hour time difference between Kentucky and Utah so I opted to send a reply text stating I was up and ready to talk whenever she got up Saturday morning.
The first session of General Conference started. We were about 30 minutes into the session when my cell phone rang. It was Junie. Claude put the DVR on hold while I took the call. It was apparent immediately that Junie was struggling to talk through tears. She was telling me her youngest child was not with us anymore. It was heart wrenching to listen and find words of comfort and understanding with this news.
Junie told me that Mike was found dead when she and Steve returned home. It was a suicide. Mike suffered with paranoid schizophrenia. The last few years have been particularly hard for him. This is a relentless illness. Junie didn't anticipate a funeral for Mike until the next Saturday and probably not before noon that day to allow her other children to get to their home.
After speaking with Junie, Claude and I determined we would both fly to Utah. We called Bonnie to be sure she would be home so we could stay with her. Then I got airline tickets and a rental car. I sent Junie a text and gave her our flight times and told her we would have a rental car and would stay with Bonnie. Junie sent back a message of deepest gratitude for our plans. She really wanted some of her family there. Our family is not nearly as large as Steve's family. Our mother has passed away, Papa can't travel like that. So Junie was particularly happy that Claude and I would be there. I assured her we would come directly to her home from the airport.
The week was full of setting things in order for an impromptu trip. I did send Junie a thought each morning via text to help lift her spirits a little.
Friday morning, the 10th of October, Claude and I left for the airport by 6am. We had a direct flight to Salt Lake and the pilot got us into Salt Lake 13 minutes early. Claude and I were grateful our luggage made it with us. We headed to the Enterprise Car Rental to pick up our car. They were buzzing with people picking up and returning cars. The young guy came over to us and said he had two choices for us. They were a Jeep SUV of some type and a Dodge Challenger. I was very amused at my hubby who replied without hesitation and about a split second after the young man gave us our options that we would take the Challenger. This seemed to stun the young man helping us. He didn't know Claude drives a Jeep every day. The Challenger would be a fun change. We have had three rental cars this summer and this would be the best of the lot. I took a picture of Claude by the black challenger when we picked up the car but we took this one Saturday as we left Bonnie's to go to the funeral. Claude in his black suit and sunglasses by his black car. I called him the Man in Black (after the movie Men in Black). He said I should caption the picture, "Don't push the red button." which is a line from the movie. It was a fun ride for both of us.
When we got to Junie's she just hugged me and wept for a long time. It was one of those moments in time that we are so grateful for. Hugs and tears can often be the very best therapy. Junie had her oldest two children staying with her. Kristi and her three girls as well as Steve. I have only seen Kristi's oldest child when Kim, her sister, was married in 2000. Needless to say Celeste is a little older now. It was fun to meet these sweet girls and to see Kristi again.
Junie was working on a huge poster with pictures of Mike throughout his life. Steve, her hubby, was out getting copies of other pictures for the board. I was able to help her a bit with the pictures. She had also made 200 CD's of Mike's music. He was a very talented musician. Claude and Kristi helped put them in sleeves and make a display to encourage guests at the funeral to take a CD of Mike's music. Claude and I left to go get double-sided tape to help with easily mounting the pictures to the board. After finding the tape, we went down a few doors at the shopping center to a Deseret Book store. We don't have one of these in Kentucky and we decided we would take a quick turn. I sent Junie a text that we had the tape and would meet them at the mortuary for the family viewing. Here is a picture of Mike sharing his musical talents while playing guitars with Papa when Mimi was in the nursing home.
Saturday we were able to sleep in a bit which helped with the time change. We went directly to the Church in Bountiful where a viewing would be help one hour prior to the funeral. The viewing started at 12:30pm and the funeral was to start at 2:00pm.
The service was beautiful. I had been asked to offer the opening prayer. Tough to keep it together but made it through. Kristi played a piano solo. Steve spoke. He is Mike's father and he did a masterful job of sharing what Mike was really like as a child and then explained his 'condition'. Mike didn't accept the doctor's diagnosis and so, to respect Mike's opinions, the family always called it a condition. Steve referred to it in that manner throughout the remainder of his talk. He read from a letter Mike wrote to his cousin. It was just a beautiful tribute to Mike. Kim sang a solo with violin and piano accompaniment. The siblings were each asked to say a few words and they each spoke from their heart. Very tender. Then Steve's brother, Rich, spoke. Eleven years ago his son took his life. He had the perspective needed to offer counsel and comfort. It was a beautiful service. The Relief Society served a lunch for the family. We all enjoyed funeral potatoes. I took a few more pictures.
Sunday was spent in Thatcher with Bonnie. We slept in. Then attend church with Bonnie followed by dinner with the family that were able to be there.
Monday we slept in a bit. Then we went to Brigham City to see the movie "Meet the Mormons". Excellent for non-members of the Church as well as members . Then we drove up Ogden Canyon to The Oaks for dinner with Claude's sister, Lynette, and her family. Brian entertained us by talking like a minion. I was able to capture this on my cell phone video and send it to the Mini's to enjoy.
Tuesday morning Julie and Cordell dropped in for a final chat. Then Claude and I headed back to Bountiful to meet Junie and Steve for lunch at Paradise Bakery. After a wonderful lunch and a good visit, we were off to return that great rental car and find our gate at the airport.
This was a good trip. I was so very grateful to be able to visit with Junie and Steve and support them at this very difficult point in their lives. It was good to see Bonnie and have time with Claude's family.
Mike was a wonderful nephew. You know how you can read in people's eyes what they are really like. Mike had good eyes. He had a winning smile. There was so much good about him that just radiated. He was given a huge trial to bear in his short life. And, as Kristi, his sister, said during his funeral, "We are all given something to live with. Mike did good." And he did. From the impish littlest brother in the family, to the teen with long beautiful natural curly blond hair, to the young man with musical talent, he was such a good person. I will post a few of my pictures of this wonderful nephew. Love Ya Bunches, Mike!!
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