Roll Call for Our Veteran Friend

This morning before Jonathan left for work I asked him about our friend Faye's funeral which he and our pastor attended last night in Wanblee. While we've attended two Christian native funerals recently, this one was different in that our friend was a veteran. Right about now, she is being laid to rest in the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis. 

Last night, an Episcopal "mother" officiated the service, complete with communion served including wine from a common cup! 

"None of us missionaries went up for it," Jonathan said. 

But it was interesting to him to observe typical native funeral customs (including one season of drums and wailing, Jonathan said, since relatives were not Christians). What was most special was that Faye received special honor as a veteran.

"There was a point in the funeral," Jonathan told me, "when all the veterans were asked to go to the back and sign their names in a roll book. Then they came back up front and lined up.

And then there was a roll call. 

The leader would call a name, and that veteran would salute and answer, "Here, Sir!"

The next one the same. 

At the end, Faye's name was called. "Jewel Faye Lemay."

No answer.

"Jewel Faye Lemay."

No answer.

For a third time, "Jewel Faye Lemay."

This time, Jonathan said, "someone in the back called out, 'She's been called Home."

As he told me this, Jonathan was tearing up. 

"All the veterans then went up and filed by Faye's casket, saluting her," he said.

And for a moment in our South Dakota kitchen, all I could think about was the song "When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder, I'll Be There." 

Faye was no longer answering the roll down here on earth. She had been called Home, and now she is answering to a heavenly Roll Call.

Sweet Faye, precious Jewel, my friend to whom I sang and quoted Scripture and tried to reassure her at the end that her sins were forgiven,

by God's grace I will meet you up Yonder.

"When the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there!"