July 24 2017...Utah Pioneer Day
On the 23 of July, I received a call from Robert Craig Brimhall, Bob's oldest son, who lives in St George. He had received a phone call from his dad requesting him to hurry and come to the hospital where Bob was, in Ogden Utah. When Robert found his dad in the hospital in Ogden. He was receiving chemo and other drugs because they had found he had cancer. The doctor informed him that Bob would only live two to three more days. He also notice that Bobs breathing was very shallow.
Robert stated that he ordered the chemo to be stoped along with all the other medications so that his dad could pass in peace. He was also having him moved to a nursing home, Oak Crest Nursing home, close by.
The next day Robert called me, on the 24th, to inform me that Bob had died.
Robert was upset because of Bob's current family, (3rd wife). about 20 people were in the room, arguing with each other. His body was taken to Leavitt's Mortuary in Ogden, where Bob had requested to be cremated. I had hoped to see Bob as it has been many years since I had seen him.
I asked, when I had entered the Mortuary, but was informed that there was no viewing at the request of the family. Later I found out Bob had been cremated before the services, at the family request.
For some strange reasons second families often feel that the children of the first family are not important, and have no place with them. Not realizing that their hearts are broken too. As has been the case with Ivan's children and Bob's from the first marriage. (Bob's wife Helen had died from a blood transfusion given to her from surgery, giving her Hepatitis C.)
Bob's children are out of state or on the border of the state line. His second family took no consideration to allow time for the kids to come for the funeral. They also dominated the funeral service, it was different, but not bad.
Jill, Bob's granddaughter, Tammy's only child, wrote the Obituary for the funeral home. I thought she did a great job, and tried to state facts and be fair to both families. Jill also has my mothers genealogy book that mom had kept. I think Jill's husband gave the opening prayer.
For the last few years the two families have been fighting where Bob was going to be buried when he died. Bob has a grave site in Provo City Cementery where his first wife is. Even has a tombstone with his name on it. But the second wife has said no, that he would be buried with her. She has been married before and all the family are hers. Bob had no children with Margaret. But their is a rumor around that she is seald to him in the temple. Helen, Bob's first wife, and Bob were married in the SLC Temple.
So his kids have been upset as to where they were going to find their dad, when they wanted to be close to him.
Leavitt's Mortuary was very beautiful, and the grounds were beautiful and peaceful.
I was hoping to be a hour early to visit with family, but was surprised to see we made good time and was two hours early. As we waited inside where it was cooler, I was also surprised to learn that Bob's funeral was the sixth one for the day.
Robert Craig came in and was talking with someone from the Mortuary. They brought a velvet bag to him. In the bag was a beautiful urn with some of Bob's ashes. After I took a picture he quickly took the urn out and hid it in his car.
The kids are wanting to have a simple marmoreal at their mothers grave, and perhaps bury the urn there with her. I also found out that their youngest brother Gary, has cancer. Robert told him, he would save the grave next to his mother for him.
Margaret and her family are planing to spread some of the ashes at a favorite camping spot, and the rest will sit on a shelf for about a year, until they decided what they want to do with the rest.
I was touched that four of the six boys, my brother Ivan has, came to Bob's funeral. Clyde, Robin, Richard, Randy and Randy's wife. My brother Verl came, and his daughter Pennie, drove him there.
Robert Craig, and Jill and her husband were the only ones who made it from Bob's family.
My daughter Paulette came with me, so I wouldn't be alone for the long trip.
I was glad she came, she was able to meet her cousins she had not met before both Ivan and Bob's funeral. Paulette made the comment that she felt more part of family, from these two funerals, than all of the Walker side of the family we have known, in all the years.
Verl and I are the only ones left of our family. Verl is eleven years older than myself.
He is worried, keeps saying he is next.
Ivan died March 16 2017 from Cancer, in SLC, buried in SLC
Bob died July 24 2017 from Cancer, in Ogden Utah
Update:
Robert Craig was able to bury the ashes he had, with his mother, at the Provo City Cemetery, in Provo Utah. I don't know what the other family will do with their part of the ashes...we may never know.
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