A meaningful funeral is a combination of ritual and personalization. When the loss of a loved one turns our world and lives upside down, going through the familiar rituals of our culture and faith is reassuring to us.
Participating in funeral rituals helps to reinforce the reality of the death, and reminds us that we are a part of a community that shares our grief. Personalization involves a recognition of who our loved one was, the impact their life has had on ours, and a celebration of the unique gifts that this personality has brought to our lives.
On Friday, May 29, 2009, at the funeral services for Norman ‘Boppo’ Thompson, fellow clowns from the Antioch Funster Clown unit honored his memory and service. The comforting and reinforcing rituals of passing by the casket to offer respects, and carrying one of own to their place of rest, were made even more meaningful with the personalization and participation of his fellow clowns.
Looking at the pictures, we can tell right away that this was a special and meaningful part of Mr. Thompson’s service. The participation of his fellow clowns reminded all present of Mr. Thompson’s spirit and of the impact he had on others.
Special thanks to blogger, Christine Quigley for finding this story. To view her post on this subject, visit: http://quigleyscabinet.blogspot.com/2009/05/clowns-funeral.html
This story was first reported by Bridgette Outten in the Springfield News Sun. For the original news story, a video and more great photos by Marshall Gorby, visit: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/springfield-news/clown-laid-to-rest-with-highest-honor-from-peers-139855.html
