Ride report posted for Dennis J.

This was a last minute request by the family to have us stand and honor Karl Stachel, Army, Vietnam Veteran.  I worked out the details with Karl’s long time friend Duane Longfellow, (United States Navy, Vietnam Veteran, and Gold Star Family).

As the mission unfolded, we come to find out that Duane is the Dad of (DJ) Duane Longfellow, Jr.  We welcomed Marine (DJ) Duane Jr. home on April 25, 2010.

http://picasaweb.google.com/JollyFamily10/WelcomeHomeLCPLDUANELONGFELLOW#

If you recall that night, it was raining and we were asked (told by DJ’s Mom  to stay for food and let the guys dry out.  This was also the same mission that Pastor Paul rode with us for the first time. Pastor Paul is friends and pastor of both the Longfellows and Stachels families.

Ok back to the mission.

Thanks to all WWR that came out for the viewing Thursday night and the funeral escort Friday morning.  You WWR folks never let our hero’s down.
As I discussed our mission with the funeral director the day before, he had his reservations about having bikers at the service, as he didn’t know about us.  After we stood with flags in hand for three hours, he came to me and said you guys are something standing here all this time.  He thanked us.  The family couldn’t have been nicer and more appreciative of us.  Since many of the family were at DJ’s welcome home it felt like we were with family.

At 9 PM on Thursday, I got to the end of the receiving line to give our condolences and present Karl’s wife with our coin and the kids with an “In Memoriam” Pin (thanks Jane).

As Maria and I stood looking at picture of Karl’s life we decided he looked very familiar to us. I came home and looked at my picture from DJ’s welcome home.  Well there was Karl standing next to Maria holding up the A Hero’s Welcome banner. See picture

On Friday morning we again stood our flag line in front of the funeral home, we see Pastor Paul walk up.  Pastor Paul was going to do the service at the grave site.  At the grave site there was an Army Honor Guard.  Taps played and flag folded and presented to the Wife.  When all was over we walk over to thank the Honor Guard.  The Funeral Director came over to me and thanked me again and said he hoped he would see us again.

OK you know what I’m going to say next.  Small world!