Burial In Santa Fe

Left: Family gathers at the grave of Uncle Ramon and Aunt Arlene.

Left: Casket Cart at graveside.

Left: Casket Cart at graveside (close-up).

Left: Grave, minutes after interment.



A military honor guard ceremony accompanies burial at the veteran's cemetery in Santa Fe. Just three guards, but their somber and funereal mien impressed me - impressed everyone - particularly when they removed the flag from the casket, folded it, and presented it to me as I sat in the 'red chair' (as chosen family representative), with grave words of thanks for my father's service. I thanked them on behalf of my family, and on behalf of his unit.

My father's casket was laid on top of my mother's casket, in the same grave. We saw another grave where a veteran was buried with two wives (That's impressive; caskets stacked three deep in the same grave. I wonder how many caskets they'll stack before balking? Three seems the maximum practicable....)

We also visited the graves of my aunt and uncle, and the grave of my childhood friend, Eddy Lewis, who died abruptly this spring....