Funeral Procession

[Jedi-Jack]

• The Funeral Procession

   

  A man was leaving a convenience store with his morning coffee when he

  noticed a most unusual funeral procession approaching the nearby

  cemetery. 

  ~

  A long black hearse was followed by a second long black hearse about 50 feet behind the first one. 

  ~

  Behind the second hearse was a solitary man walking a dog on a leash. 

  ~

  Behind him, a short distance back, were about 200 men walking single file. 

  ~

  The man couldn't stand the curiosity. He respectfully approached the man

  walking the dog and said, 'I am so sorry for your loss, and this may be

  a bad time to disturb you, but I've never seen a funeral like this.

  Whose funeral is it?' 

  ~

  'My wife's.

  ~

  ''What happened to her?' 

  ~

  The man replied, 'My dog attacked and killed her' 

  ~

  He inquired further, 'But who is in the second hearse?' 

  ~

  The man answered, 'My mother-in-law. She was trying to help my wife

  when the dog turned on her.' 

  ~

  A poignant and thoughtful moment of silence passed between the two men. 

  ~

  'Can I borrow the dog?' 

  ~

  The man replied, 'Get in line.'

[Frost]

nice

[tsw 8.5]

where is the end of the line .know a few people that want in

[PhantomOperator]

LOL, I need that dog too for the ex.

 

I don't think my stupid chuchuawa (i can't even spell it right) will do for this mission.

[GorillaXI]

Heres a not so funny story for you. FU..Oklahoma is not OK by me.

 

 

Fallen warrior’s funeral procession denied free access on toll roads in Oklahoma

Posted on 14 October 2010 by Jerry Castillo

Oklahoma draws ire for toll-road policy that would bill McKinney soldier's funeral procession

05:45 PM CDT on Friday, October 15, 2010

By NOAH BUNN / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]

On Saturday, the 300-car funeral procession for Cody A. Board will make its way over the Oklahoma prairie to the 19-year-old McKinney soldier’s gravesite. The procession will cover 50 miles of tollway and rack up a bill of nearly $400.

That toll tab, usually passed along to families, has sparked an outcry in Texas and elsewhere. It’s prompted one Oklahoma legislator to vow to seek a change in the state’s policy.

In the meantime, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority officials promised to pick up the tab for Board’s funeral procession — but not before the agency’s spokesman, Doug Damrill, fielded more than 150 angry calls in the wake of media reports about the toll policy.

“These people are calling us unpatriotic, scum of the earth,” he said. “I’d say over 90 percent have cussed me out.”

Damrill said the authority’s hands are tied by Oklahoma statutes and the agency’s agreement with its bondholders. Under the rules, tolls can only be waived for emergency vehicles and state troopers.

The authority’s practice is to bill funeral homes directly for tolls incurred by funeral processions. Those costs are then typically passed along to families.

Board, a first class private in the Army, was a 2009 graduate of McKinney North High School. He was killed Oct. 4 in Afghanistan by an improvised explosive device. His body was returned from Afghanistan this week. He’s being buried with military honors at Fort Sill National Cemetery in Elgin, Okla.

Mike Lambert , a representative of the Patriot Guard, a motorcycle group that provides funeral escorts for fallen soldiers, was one who took exception to the Oklahoma toll policy. He acknowledged that his e-mail plea for support spread beyond its intended audience.

“When this got put on the Internet, it got away from the Patriot Guard,” he said. “That’s when the weirdos jumped on it.”

Lambert said Oklahoma Rep. Mike Reynolds called him this morning to offer support. He said the Republican lawmaker promised to help find a solution — possibly using special toll tags and a fund that would cover the cost of tolls for funeral processions.

Damrill, the turnpike authority spokesman, said the state’s toll roads carry about 10 processions a year.

“The average, car-wise, is 25 or 30,” he said. Board’s funeral procession, on the other hand, is expected to include about 300 vehicles, “so this is very unusual.”

Lambert said he was pleased with the turnpike authority’s responsiveness in the case of Board. But he hopes that permanent policy changes are made.

“They know now for sure that this touches a nerve all over the United States,” he said.

A memorial service for Board will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at Our Savior Lutheran Church in McKinney. Graveside military services will follow at 3:30 p.m. at Fort Sill.

 

UPDATE: The Governor of OK is working on having this matter resolved.  In the meantime, the Director of the Turnpike has agreed to pay the toll himself. It is important they understand it is not about the price, it is about dignity and honor owed to an American warrior and his family, who has paid the ultimate price.

In preparation for Pfc. Cody Board (KIA) mission, we have learned the family has chosen to welcome America’s son back to McKinney, TX for his funeral services.  Additionally, they have chosen to return him back to Oklahoma, where he was born, at Ft. Sills National Cemetery for his interment services.  The route includes a short toll road from the TX border to just outside of Lawton, OK.

Considering this young warrior has paid the ultimate price you would think his funeral procession would be allowed access free of charge.  To our shock and horror, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, after repeated requests for an exception, has informed the family they must pay the toll fees.

Help us remind the state of OK; not only is America’s history paved with the blood of her patriots, but so are the highways.

Please join us in a phone campaign to the governor of the great state of OK and the appointed bureaucrat of the OK Turnpike Authority to demand they do the right thing and allow all families of fallen warriors a free pass on their turnpikes

[Toothpick]

brilliant!

[Jedi-Jack]

Good story Gorilla, deserves to be read everywhere.