Sagavanirktok
That’s a river in the North Slope region of Alaska. It’s an Eskimo word meaning “strong current.”
I love strange place names. One of my favorite books is Passing Gas, a book about strangely names places in the US.
This AP article touches on some of the strangely named places in Alaska, like Eek, Chicken, and Mishap Creek. Neat stuff.
It Is Time
Here’s an email I sent out today to many folks I’ve worked with over the last seven years.
Almost seven years ago, I answered an ad in the Dispatch looking for people to escort funeral processions. I knew the history of the situation, but applied anyway. What a ride it’s been.
I’ve run almost 3,500 processions in that time, for babies, centenarians, and everyone in between. I’ve ridden in conditions I wouldn’t have been driving in. I’ve seen the best and the worst Central Ohio has to offer in the way of drivers - sometimes in the same procession!
I’ve seen twelve-year-old boys stop playing, and hold their hands over their hearts for a procession.
I’ve seen entire communities turn out to honor a fallen soldier.
I’ve seen tearful “Thank you”s mouthed through countless windshields.
I’ve escorted processions with tow trucks, motorcycles, fire apparatus, police cruisers, school buses, classic cars, and more. I had a low-boy lead a procession once, and have seen a flatbed tow truck used as a hearse. I did one with a horse-drawn hearse, too.
Through it all, I’ve been privileged to work with some of the best colleagues in the profession. I might be biased since I’ve helped train most of them, but I think it’s safe to say this is one of the best groups of escorts in the country.
Likewise, I’ve been honored to work with some of the best funeral directors and support staff in the industry. I’ve made many friends over the last few years, which makes it hard to move on.
I’ve got many fond memories from my time in the funeral industry. I’ve done one-car processions, and 140-car processions. I’ve worked with almost every police department in central Ohio at one time or another. It’s been an honor to run some of the processions I’ve run, and I’ve always tried to give every family the same professional effort to get them safely to the cemetery.
What’s been the best part? There are too many to name. I loved being able to say, “I’m getting paid to ride a motorcycle.” Introductions were always interesting, as well. “What do you do for a living?” “Oh, I’m a male escort.” Watching the kids wave to me from limos and cars was always a kick, too.
This blog isn’t going away. I plan to continue talking about the industry, and I’m hopeful that my friends and colleagues will keep me informed about local news. So, until next time, be safe.
Escort Dies
Steven Keith, the 51-year-old funeral escort hit by a drunk driver on 3 April, has died.
Here’s his employer. You can send your condolences there.
A Good Idea Then, But Now?
In 1923, Plimmon H. Dudley, an engineer who worked for the New York Central Rail, left over $150,000 to Yale to establish the the Dudley Professorship of Railroad Engineering. His desire was that the professorship continue his research into railway safety, particularly as it applied to the development and improvement of designs of rails, roadbeds and crossties. That was all well and good in 1923. But eventually, rail’s luster dimmed, and the chair sat empty for 70 years. Yale finally realized that the 1923’s steam engines were destined to be replaced by magnetic levitation trains, and in 2002, seated a professor.
Many other schools are facing similar dilemmas in dealing with quirky endowments. This NY Times article discusses it in more detail.
It was an interesting piece to me as my wife and I created an endowment a few years ago to benefit our church. We made no special conditions on the endowment, other than to create a chain of succession should our congregation or district go away. But it’s interesting to see what others have done with endowments.
A Matter of Common Courtesy
Stuff like this still occasionally happens, even up here in Central Ohio. I think the coolest time I ever saw it happen was three or four years ago, when 2 young boys, maybe 11 or 12 years old, stopped what they were doing, stood to, and paid their respects to the procession. It wasn’t a nice neighborhood, either, which made it all the more poignant.
Escort Hit By Drunk Driver
A funeral escort working Jackson County, Missouri was hit by a drunk driver April 3d. The escort suffered “life-threatening injuries” when a 20-year-old intoxicated male began passing the procession one car at a time, leapfrogging his way up. The escort, moving up to the front of the procession, was struck when the intoxicated driver swerved out to pass another car.
Funeral Humor
The graveside ceremony had just ended when the sky flashed with the sharp crack of a nearby lightning strike, followed by more flashes and rumbles on the horizon.
The widower glanced over at the pastor and said, “Well, she’s there now.”