April 2021

Page A12 APRIL 2021 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A www. vischerfuneralsupplies.com Call 651-450-7727 to request a wholesale catalog, Our Extra-Large Cremains Bags (13”x 15”) are perfectly sized for the Standard Plastic Human Service Urn. or visit UrnBags.com to order some bags. Just $2.90 each*. * Bags sold in multiples of 10 Choose from Black, Blue, or Burgundy J t $3. 0 each* spected politician and was known as “The Great Compro- miser.” He was the first to lie in state in 1852. The next was President Abraham Lincoln. This is when the Lincoln Catafalque was created. Pine boards draped with black cloth fringes. The Architect of the Capitol tells us this of the historic bier: Presently the catafalque measures 7 feet 1 inch (216 cm) long, 2 feet 6 inches (76 cm) wide, and 2 feet (61 cm) high. The attached base is 8 feet 10 inches (269 cm) long, 4 feet 3½ inches (131 cm) wide, and 2 inches (5 cm) high. The platform is 11 feet 1 inch (338 cm) long, 6 feet (183 cm) wide, and 9¼ inches (23.5 cm) high. The cloth covering the Lincoln catafalque has been replaced several times, but the style of the drapery is like that used in 1865. When not in use, the Lincoln catafalque is kept in a specially construct- ed display area in the Exhibition Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center. I was in the Capitol Rotunda the day that Senator John McCain died. They were restoring some of the murals on the walls with scaffolding all around. At that moment, Sena- tor McCain was imminently passing. In a short time, they prepared the Rotunda for his viewing. I saw the catafalque in the visitor’s center behind the iron gilding and behind the controlled environment enclosure. The history of these events humbles you. The difference between lying in state and lying-in honor is the designated guards of honor that keeps watch over the re- mains. When lying in state, five guards of honor, each repre- senting the five branches of the Armed Forces, will periodi- cally rotate and relieve the preceding set of guards of honor who watch over the remains. Lying in honor is when other guards are used (such as the Capitol Police). Lying in Repose is when a person of high stature has a public viewing in a building other than the United States Capitol. For example, Ruth Bader Ginsburg lay in repose in the Supreme Court building and lay in state in the U.S. Capitol. “The U.S. Capitol has been considered the most suitable place for the nation to pay final tribute to its most eminent citizens by having their remains lay in state (in the case of gov- ernment officials and military officers) or in honor (in the case of private citizens).” –The Architect of the Capitol website Observations “The Capitol Building is the ultimate beacon of representative government, and Officer Sicknick and the other officers who protect it prove daily that government of, by, and for the people is worthy of their valor and dedication.” –Kevin McCarthy, statement on Officer Sicknick’s death The well-escorted hearse approached the United States Capi- tol steps at 9:30 PM on February 2, 2021. It slowly rolled to a stop. A Capitol policeman approached the back of the hearse and stood at attention. At the top of the stairs, inside the Cap- itol that had faced a hostile crowd less than a month earlier, family members were escorted out to watch the processional. The funeral director from Demaine Funeral Home of Springfield, VA stepped out of the funeral coach and opened the back door and respectfully walked away. The Capitol po- liceman approached the vehicle, reached in, and assumed cus- tody of the engraved wooden urn inside. Another Capitol po- liceman approached from the side with a folded flag enclosed in a wooden flag case. Together they approached the long mar- ble stairs that would lead them into the Rotunda. Precision steps led these officers up the hallowed stairs where presidents, senators, congressman and yes, other Capitol policemen, had been taken, Capitol Police Officer Brian David Sicknick was returning to his place of employment, this time in full honor, but sadly this would be the last time. The urn and encased flag were placed on a draped ped- estal, not the catafalque, and the public was invited to vis- it overnight. This was the first urn to be placed in honor of any sort in the Rotunda. Wednesday morning at 10:30 AM brought lawmakers. President and Mrs. Biden visited Tuesday night and Vice President Harris and her husband visited on Wednesday. Officer Sicknick’s urn was taken from the Rotunda, placed in the hearse, and a large procession that consisted of Capitol police vehicles and the Capitol Police mountain bike unit, of which Officer Sicknick was a member. The streets were lined by many law enforcement departments as he was taken for committal services at Arlington National Cemetery . “We also wish to express our appreciation to the millions of people who have offered their support and sympathies dur- ing this difficult time. Knowing our personal tragedy and loss is shared by our nation brings hope for healing,” the Sicknick family said in a statement. The cause of Officer Sicknick’s death has been revised several times as facts and evidence have surfaced. It was first believed By Steven Palmer that it was a traumatic blow to the head, this was not true. There is evidence and possible video that he was sprayed with either mace or bear spray. The repellant sprayed directly at him caused a health issue. The Capitol Police said in a statement: “He returned to the district office and collapsed.” The theory is that the irritant caused a blood clot and a stroke. Officer Sicknick was placed on life support to let his family decide what would keep him alive. He died January 7, 2021. Four other members of the Capitol Police have died in the line of duty. The Capitol Police were established in 1828 after John Quincy Adams II was assaulted by Russell Jarvis who wished to duel with Adams’ father President John Quincy Adams. As Presi- dent Adams would be protected from dueling, his son was Jarvis’s target in the Rotunda. Adams was slapped and punched and did not respond. It was decided there was a need to protect all in the Capitol. On March 1, 1954, four Puerto Rican nationalists, in the visi- tor’s gallery of the House of Representatives, fired semi-automat- ic pistols down on the floor of the House. Five were wounded, all recovered. On March 1, 1971, seventeen years later to the day, the Weath- er Underground planted a bomb in a ground floor restroom in the Senate wing. Its explosion led to the searching of all visitors to the Capitol. One Capitol policeman, Sgt. Christopher Eney, died in train- ing exercises in 1984. On July 2, 1998, Russel Eugene Weston walked through the metal detector at a Capitol entrance. Officer Jacob Chestnut told him to go back and walk through again. Weston pulled a .38 caliber pistol and shot Chestnut in the head. Officer Douglas McMillan happened to the be in the area, fired unsuccessfully on Weston but was wounded in return fire. Weston ran through several doorways and now was in offices near the Majority Whip. Detective John Gibson, in plainclothes, heard the gunshots and confronted Weston, who shot and killed Gibson. Gibson, in his last moments, returned fire on Weston, hitting him four times. Senator Bill Frist, a heart surgeon, applied resuscitation proce- dures on Weston, keeping him alive. He was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial and was committed to Federal Cor- rectional Complex, Butner, a federal medical facility that also has behavioral science treatment. The caskets of Officers Jacob Joseph Chestnut and Detective John Michael Gibson lay in honor in the Capitol. Officer Chest- nut was the first African American to lay in the Capitol Rotunda. They both are buried in Arlington National Cemetery. When a celebrated person dies, and the request is made to be honored in the Rotunda of the Capitol, it becomes a procedur- al mission. A resolution is created to allow the honor. Some re- quests are obvious, and leadership can approve without resolu- tion; other requests may require a vote. There are 32 that have laid in state. Five have laid in honor, in- cluding Rev. Billy Graham and Rosa Parks. Two have laid in state in the Statutory Hall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Elijah Cum- mings. Henry Clay, Senator from Kentucky, Secretary of State under John Quincy Adams, and Speaker of the House, was a well-re- A Nation Honors Steven Palmer entered funeral service in 1971. He is an honors graduate of the New England Institute of Applied Arts & Sciences. Hehasbeen licensedonbothcoasts, heownedtheWestcott Funeral Homes of Cottonwood and Camp Verde, AZ, where he remains ac- tive in operations. Steve offers his observations on current funeral serviceissues.HemaybereachedbymailatPOBox352,Cottonwood, AZ 86326, by phone at (928)634-9566, by fax at (928)634-5156, by e- mail at steve@westcottfuneralhome.com or through his website at www.westcottfuneralhome.com or on Facebook. FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS www.nomispublications.com Monthly Columns online at CareNotes’ New Title offers Support for Helping Professions ST. MEINRAD,IN— In response to a challenging year, CareNotes has de- veloped a new title to add to their line of eight-page booklets. CareNotes is a ministry of Saint Mein- rad Archabbey in Indiana that offers inspirational booklets on a variety of topics to help individuals heal mind, body and spirit. Being Alert to the Signs of Compassion Fatigue is written for those in the help- ing professions (medical, mental health, teaching, spiritual guidance, funeral ser- vices and many others). This past year, these professionals have worked endless- ly helping others – caring for patients, supporting families through loss, coun- seling others as they maneuver through life and teaching students in the midst of unprecedented challenges. “It is our hope that, with this new ti- tle, we can provide a bit of support to those who have spent seemingly unend- ing hours over the past year continually giving of themselves without asking for anything in return,” says CareNotes di- rector Jennifer Keller. The new booklet is written by Judith E. Courtney MPS, MA, LPC, NCC, a licensed professional counselor. The author offers practical advice on how to recognize the signs of compassion fatigue and steps to take to avoid and alleviate burnout. Section titles include Working Your Way Through, Find a Balance, Recognize the Signs, Set Lim- its, Realize that Hospitality Comes First, Seek Support and Guidance, and Take Heart. Written with genu- ine words of comfort and reassurance, this CareNote is now available online at www.carenotes.com. Here’s an excerpt from Being Alert to the Signs of Compassion Fatigue: Simply put, as a caring helper, you are the tool of your trade. And how you care for yourself physi- cally, emotionally, psychologically, and spiri- tually has a direct connection to the quality of the care you are able to offer. Taking care of yourself makes it possible for you to help take care of others. If the well-being of the person you are attending is the goal, ignoring your own self-care should raise some red flags. For a free sample of Being Alert to the Signs of Compassion Fatigue, call 800-325-2511 or email info@carenotes.com. View other CareNotes titles at www.carenotes.com. SEND US YOUR NEWS! PO Box 5159, Youngstown, OH 44514 1-800-321-7479 info@nomispublications.com