So yesterday I was in Wichita Falls for the funeral of my great uncle, Bobby Ray Burross(http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2008/dec/09/bobby-ray-burross/). Anytime someone dies it is obviously sad, but for me this one was harder than I expected it to be because he was like a second grandfather to me. Bobby was Poppi’s (my grandfathers) older brother and since they were so close in age all of the kids and grandkids just grew up together – we were one big family.
Everyone in Wichita Falls knew Bobby, and he was loved by all – he never met a stranger. Bobby loved to talk, but he never liked to talk about himself – he always wanted to know what was going on in your life. I remember Bobby being a constant fixture on the sidelines of my younger sister’s soccer games – he was everyone’s biggest fan no matter what you were doing. You could count on him for anything and everything.
Anyone who knows the Burross family – you know how stubborn we can be and once we have made up our mind to do something we are going to do it. Bobby lived up to this Burross trait until the very end because all the nurses and doctors said he would probably die over the weekend and they were certain he wouldn’t make it past the day nurses shift at Hospice on Sunday. When he did it was apparent to the entire family that he would let go sometime early in the morning of December 8th because that was the day his wife died four years earlier, and sure enough he went to heaven within 30 minutes of the four year anniversary of Louis death.
The funeral itself was beyond fitting for someone like Bobby – while we all cried, we all laughed – it truly was a celebration of his life. The church was packed with people who all loved Bobby and all had found memories and stories to share. While the funeral was very bitter sweet, it was as we pulled up to the graveside that everyone lost it – I don’t think their was a dry eye in the crowd. To our surprise as we pulled into the cemetery there was a navy regiment (Bobby served in the navy during WWII) lining the road beside what was to be his grave, as the casket turned the corner the entire regiment stood at attention saluting the casket. The soldiers proceeded to help the Pallbearers unload the casket. After the pastor had prayed the final prayer the soldiers once again stood at attention while one of them played silver taps on the trumpet – I honestly felt like I was in a movie. The soldiers then removed and folded the flag that had been draped over the casket and presented it to Steve, his eldest son. This was such a special and fitting tribute to a very special man, who impacted so many people’s lives for the better.
The flowers, cards, food, prayers, and support for our family were amazing and I can’t thank you enough.
Everyone in Wichita Falls knew Bobby, and he was loved by all – he never met a stranger. Bobby loved to talk, but he never liked to talk about himself – he always wanted to know what was going on in your life. I remember Bobby being a constant fixture on the sidelines of my younger sister’s soccer games – he was everyone’s biggest fan no matter what you were doing. You could count on him for anything and everything.
Anyone who knows the Burross family – you know how stubborn we can be and once we have made up our mind to do something we are going to do it. Bobby lived up to this Burross trait until the very end because all the nurses and doctors said he would probably die over the weekend and they were certain he wouldn’t make it past the day nurses shift at Hospice on Sunday. When he did it was apparent to the entire family that he would let go sometime early in the morning of December 8th because that was the day his wife died four years earlier, and sure enough he went to heaven within 30 minutes of the four year anniversary of Louis death.
The funeral itself was beyond fitting for someone like Bobby – while we all cried, we all laughed – it truly was a celebration of his life. The church was packed with people who all loved Bobby and all had found memories and stories to share. While the funeral was very bitter sweet, it was as we pulled up to the graveside that everyone lost it – I don’t think their was a dry eye in the crowd. To our surprise as we pulled into the cemetery there was a navy regiment (Bobby served in the navy during WWII) lining the road beside what was to be his grave, as the casket turned the corner the entire regiment stood at attention saluting the casket. The soldiers proceeded to help the Pallbearers unload the casket. After the pastor had prayed the final prayer the soldiers once again stood at attention while one of them played silver taps on the trumpet – I honestly felt like I was in a movie. The soldiers then removed and folded the flag that had been draped over the casket and presented it to Steve, his eldest son. This was such a special and fitting tribute to a very special man, who impacted so many people’s lives for the better.
The flowers, cards, food, prayers, and support for our family were amazing and I can’t thank you enough.
Bobby, BJ and Poppi
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