SOBERING EXPERIENCE

 Mennonite Funeral
(all pictures at the funeral were taken discretely from the vehicle with absolutely no purpose
 to exploit the people but taken for our own memory.
 We feel very humble to have shared in this day)

we received a call Thursday evening that 

Ivan, the auction manager had a fatal heart attack.

forever 57

leaving a lot of people in shock.

 Ivan worked closely with the growers & buyers of

Cedar Valley Produce Auction (click for link)

 Our family attended the funeral/burial....

we were among the handful of

Englishers
welcomed warmly.

In the crowd of 600-700 black clad 

we stood out, however we never made to feel awkward.

Many that we (especially Laura & Kerry) know from CVA warmly greeted us.

We learned quickly the women & men are separated,

women enter/sit in the church on the right,

men on the left.

The burial was before the service

 after the congregation filed past the body in two lines,

men on the left, women on the right,

then the casket bearers took the casket to the open grave & lowered it in,

very primitive,

 the committal service was held,

as the hymn was sung the sons/SIL began to fill the grave,

We then gathered in the meeting room that was overflowing for the lengthy service.

The large charter bus brought family, neighbors & friends from  Pennsylvania.