October 2 dawned bright and chilly. We went to the funeral home about an hour ahead of time and people were assembled there already, among whom were Rose's beloved godparents, her father's oldest sister (and her husband) from nearby Fremont, who never forgot a birthday, Christmas or Easter during her childhood. She loved this aunt and uncle dearly.

As we gathered in front of our Saint Joseph Church and took our place behind the casket which held our daughter, Fran' s wife and the mother of his little children, the church bells began to toll. We all looked at each other, a question in our eyes. Then the bells began to ring out in joyful tones. You see, Fran had been given the choice of the old funeral rite or the new, and he chose the new. Then we understood the tolling of the bells represented the ringing out of the old custom, and Fran's choice was ringing in the new. And what followed was the new white funeral Mass being sung for the first time in our church.

The Easter candle was lit to represent "Resurrection" at the head of the casket. The white covering was used instead of the black, and a white covering draped over the pulpit 1:0 match the one on the casket. T he children's choir sang joyous songs of resurrection and of entrance into Heaven. I have since found out that the Sisters rehearsed these new songs with the children for two days before the funeral, so we could have this new rite.

Father Ricker, who has surely proved himself a dear and close friend through joyful times as well as sad, celebrated this new rite as much at ease as though he had done it throughout his priestly life. At the time of the Eulogy he spoke mostly for the comfort of the children, for which I was thankful. With all of the extra preparation of this new rite I was amazed that he had time to put together such a beautiful sermon, but if you knew this young Priest you would realize he does nothing in halfway measures.

Rosalie' s family naturally took the seat right behind Fran and the children. At Offertory time there was something on the little table for each of her children to take up as an offering before the Altar of God.
Her brother Benedict was one of the Mass servers, along with a neighbor of the Brickners and a very close friend.

The pallbearers were three cousins of Rose' sand three of Fran's nephews.

When we received Holy Communion it was in both species, bread and wine (Body and Blood of Christ). This custom was relatively new and it is reserved for special occasions, with just the close family.

After we returned to our places, we realized just how big her funera1 was. How many people were there I could not begin to imagine because the lines going to Communion seemed never to end. All I know is that it was one of the biggest (besides Msgr. Gabel's, Our pastor of twenty-five years, who had passed away a few months before) funerals our parish has seen in a long time.

You may note that I have mentioned two pastors of our parish. Let me explain that Msgr. Richard Gabel passed away in June of 1969, and Msgr. Michael Walz was appointed to fill his place in August of this same year. Rosalie died on September 29, and this new pastor, Msgr. Walz, passed away a few weeks later on November 13. Thus her death occurred between the deaths of these two great men of the church.

At the cemetery there just was not enough room for everyone to get in close enough to even hear the short service. The ground was also muddy. As a result of these two things, some of the people remained in their cars.

At the residence where the dinner was being held, the hostess asked my husband and me along with Fran's mother if we would be more comfortable in the living room with Father Ricker. We agreed that we would.

Father leaned over to me and pointed out that the mud from the cemetery was still on my heels. He said he thought I would like to know. At this point everyone else started checking his own shoes, and sure enough everyone had mud, and our hostess had white carpeting in the living room. I point this out because of a dream I mention later.

The meal was lovely and so well prepared, and again the host and hostess insisted that we few eat upstairs instead of in the basement, because it was more quiet.

Jaimie is Gregory and Joan's godchild and anything he says and does, according to them, is much smarter than if it came out of another child's mouth. And so Greg was telling something that had just happened outside. It seems that one little boy said to J aimie, " Look, over there goes my mother" Jaimie, never being outdone in any circumstance, said, " That's nothing. My mother is up there," pointing to heaven.

Our Marilyn and Fran's brother Mike Brickner are Cary's godparents, and now that her older sister was not around Marilyn felt a new closeness to this twelve-year-old nephew.

Anne, whose godparents are her maternal uncle David and her paternal aunt Judy Brickner, now looks on her sponsors as truly those to whom she can turn if it ever becomes necessary.

Dennis, too, looks on Aunt Mary Jean and Uncle Bob Brickner as very special people in his life.

Aunt Pat Myers sponsored Becky, along with Uncle Mike Elchert who, at the time of the Baptism, was in the army and stationed in Germany and needed to have a proxy stand in for him.

Kathy looks with pride upon Aunt Rosie and Uncle John Lonsway, because she also knows that if or when the need ever arises she can go to them and they will completely fulfill any and all promises they made on the day of her Baptism.

(End of Chapter 7)