Chapter 16 – Sayonara
10:45 AM, Tuesday, August 19th, 2014
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The casket was closed. The mortician apologized, saying as politely as he could that no amount of makeup could repair the damage to JD’s face.
Cole insisted that it be opened; he didn’t believe his father was inside it. It took a lot of convincing by Kris, dad and finally the funeral director for him to let it go.
We had a private family viewing first, if you could call it that. Gloria had arranged for her pastor to conduct a brief memorial service to begin at 11:00. A few people straggled in, paid their respects at the closed casket and looked at the blown up picture she’d had made of JD then they took seats for the memorial.
Pastor Donoho came into the viewing room at ten minutes before the hour. Just as Gloria ste
