I'm back home from a quick trip to Long Island to honor Great Uncle Bob. It was great to see my parents and meet many remote family members. We spent Tuesday night visiting with family, listening to Mom play Bach on her ukulele, embroider a bit, and chat up Elaine's sister Louise about the Plimoth jacket project and the embroidery.

This morning I enjoyed breakfast with my parents, showing them pictures of the home renovations, and we hustled off to the service. A very lovely service for Robert E. A . Lee  at St. Peter's Church in Baldwin, NY with familiar ceremonies, hymns, and a touching sermon by his daughter Rev. Sylvia Lee-Thompson. After the sermon, the hymn of the day was sung by my Dad's cousin's, Uncle Bob's daughters. I had to catch it on video and I am glad I did, as it was wonderful:

The accompanying notes said "Soli Deo Gloria" is a round that the Lee Family has sung for years. Elaine Lee learned it from some German women she heard singing it on Jones Beach. Barbara, Peg, Sigrid, and Sylvia did a touching version of the song for their father. We rounded out the day with a brief graveside service- including taps on the trumpet and sailors from the Navy to drape, fold and present a flag to his family on behalf of his Navy service in WWII, and more family visiting back at Uncle Bob's house.

Each moment was sweet and touching, and I am sad for my dad's cousins who have lost their father and grandfather, and who mourn in his absence. But for me each time tears threatened all I could think of is the good he has done in his 87 years, and that his joy in reuniting with his wife in heaven helps balance the loss of being with his family here on earth. But I am blessed with enough distance and admiration for a fine and generous man.