January 2019

Page A22 JANUARY 2019 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A The New York City Funeral: Arrival Monday, April 24, 1865, 10:00AM It was a strange sight witnessing the Lincoln funer- al train car bobbing the current of the Hudson River making its way from the shores of New Jersey to the shores of New York City. The ferry carrying the mor- tal remains of the 16th President of the United States landed at the foot of Desbrosses Street in Manhattan at 10:00 am, April 24. Funeral guns were fired, bells tolled, a German choral society sang a funeral chant. Todd W. Van Beck is associated with John A. Gupton College in Nashville, and has been an author, teacher, practitioner, and speak- er for over 40 years. On May 30, 2018 Van Beck celebrated 50 years in funeral service. You can reach Todd at 615-327-3927. www.nomispublications.com Funeral Home & Cemetery News Contributors share insights and exchange ideas. B logs The coffin was conveyed to the magnificent funeral hearse that had been prepared especially for this occasion by well-known Brooklyn undertaker, Peter Relyea. On the platform, five feet above the ground, was a dais on which the coffin rested. At this elevation the coffin could be readily seen by those at a distance and over the heads of the massive crowd that had gathered. Above the dais sat a canopy fifteen feet high supported by columns. On top of the canopy was positioned a miniature temple of liberty. The platform was covered with black cloth, which fell at the sides nearly to the ground. The temple of liberty was an interesting creation. The temple was depicted as being empty, symbolic that for the moment the leader of liberty had been struck down. There was a small American flag on top of the temple at half-mast. From the center of the canopy a large eagle was suspended with outspread wings and holding in its tal- ons a laurel wreath. The platform around the coffin was strewn with flowers. The entire funeral vehicle was edged with silver bullion fringe, which hung in graceful festoons. Black cloth hung from the sides festooned with silver stars and this was also edged with silver fringe. The canopy was trimmed in a similar manner with black cloth, festooned and spangled with silver bullion and the corners each were surmounted by rich plumes of black and white feathers. At the base of each column there were three American flags, slightly inclined outward festooned and covered with crepe. The funeral car was drawn by sixteen white horses cov- ered with black cloth trimming each being led by groom. By Todd Van Beck President Lincoln had died. The country was stunned and the funeral profession would be forever changed over the next 20 days. There’s been nothing compara- ble to Lincoln’s final odyssey. It made the unreal real for millions, some 90 years before the advent of television. This is part 7 of our 18 month series as we delve into the 1,654-mile journey with highlights of funerals held in 12 cities. We will conclude with some insight into John Wilkes Booth as well as having some fun with Lincoln trivia and answers to some of the questions I am asked during my presentations. When I present my Lincoln assassination program I always have a packed house. I have found that even those that dislike histo- ry have a great interest in the Lincoln funeral. Anyway that is one old undertaker’s opinion. –TVB The Lincoln Funeral Diary Route of Lincoln’s Funeral Train From the foot of Desbrosses Street the remains of President Lincoln were escorted by military guard to Hudson Street, then to Canal Street, and up Canal Street to Broadway and down Broadway. At 11:00 am the funeral procession entered the east gate of City Hall Park for the final destination of New York City Hall. On arriving at the New York City Hall the coffin was borne into the rotunda amid the solemn chanting of eight hundred voices, and was placed on a magnificent catafalque which had been prepared for this reception. The rotunda was richly and tastefully decorated with several American flags, and mourning drapery. After being placed within the confines of the catafalque the coffin was almost buried with rare and costly floral of- ferings. A large military guard kept watch over Lin- coln’s remains. NEXT: THE NEW YORK CITY FUNERAL CONTINUES The Union Pacific No. 4141 George Bush Locomotive was unveiled October 18, 2005. On December 6, 2018, 4141 carried President George H. W. Bush from Houston to his presidential library at Texas A & M University in College Station. The custom-painted locomotive incorporates the colors of the Air Force One used during Bush’s presidency, symbolizing national pride and strength. The locomotive’s rear panel features elements fromAir Force One’s wings and tail, including the American flag and sweeping lines of forward motion representing progress. The train’s sixth car was fitted with transpar- ent sides to let mourners lining the tracks see Bush’s flag-draped coffin. Seven other presidents have had funeral trains, the last being Dwight Eisenhower in 1969. The people began to gather long before the New York City Police had even arrived. Ev- ery available spot along Desbrosses Street from West to Hudson Streets was occupied. The window sashes had been removed so oc- cupants might have an unobstructed view of the funeral procession. As far as the eye could see there was a dense mass of heads protruding from every window in the street. The fronts of the houses were tastefully de- parted with mourning, and the American flag displayed at half-mast from almost every housetop. New York City had seen large funerals be- fore, but nothing like this one. SCI Scholarship Program Recognizes Mortuary Students from across the Country HOUSTON,TX— Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), North America’s largest provider of funeral, cemetery and cremation services, and its brand, Dignity Memorial , awarded over $80,000 in scholarships to 50 mor- tuary students as part of the 2018 Ser- vice Corporation International Scholar- ship Program. The goal of the program is to promote excellence in funeral ser- vice by recognizing and supporting those students with exceptional leader- ship potential. This year’s program received over 150 applications and SCI selected and award- ed student scholarships based on the cri- teria of academic performance, com- munity involvement, a personal video submission, and one-on-one interviews with SCI leadership. The students select- ed represent 14 mortuary schools located in 14 states around the country. Out of many outstanding candidates, two received honorary recognition. Hailee Trombley was awarded the Brenda Renee Horn Memorial Schol- arship and Jamie Fisher was named recipient of the Steve Mack Memorial Scholarship. The Steve Mack Memori- al Scholarship was created in honor of Steve Mack , a 42-year veteran of SCI and former Senior Vice President of Operations who lost his battle with can- cer in 2015. “SCI is honored to support these ex- emplary students as our next generation of funeral service professionals,” said Phil Sprick , Vice President of Human Resources at SCI. “Their dedication and passion for serving families are the skills needed to lead and be successful in our profession.” Since the program’s inception in 2011, SCI has awarded nearly $500,000 in mortuary scholarships. In addition, sev- eral past winners have secured positions as funeral directors, funeral attendants and apprentices at SCI’s Dignity Memo- rial locations across the country. Continued on Page A23 PO Box 5159 Youngstown, OH 44514 Fax 1-800-321-9040 press_releases@nomispublications.com www.nomispublications.com Send Us Your News! News Educational