YES, VANDY'S FUNERAL WAS PERFECT

Yes, Vandy's funeral was perfect. Gene Rund gave a wonderful message at the church. You hung on every word. At the end, he read an open letter to the community from Bill Vandermeer. It was so well written and special. We have asked for a copy to post on the Vandy Blog. The Hall of Excellence at Center Grove looked really cool for the showing. I have some pictures and I think Bob is sending them to PT. Maybe she will post them on the Blog. Vandy had only one school kid pall bearer, Bob Davidson, and the rest were teachers and probably community leaders or something. Bob was so humbled to be asked to be a pall bearer.

There were several Class of 65 kids at the showning and funeral. Mary Ellen R came in from Illinois. She told her friend she was going to Indiana to her high school principal's funeral. Her friend said why in the world would you do this? Mary said he was a special principal. Her friend said she didn't even remember her high school principal's name.

The flowers from the Class of 65 were the biggest arrangement there. They were very pretty and tasteful, and as every arrangement but one there, red and white. There were many flowers, several other classes sent flowers, but only one went on to the cemetary....The Class of 65.

Vandy had set aside money for a lunch after the funeral. Everyone at the Church for the funeral was invited to the lunch. About 75 of us went. An executive type guy, about 30 years old, Ben, spoke at the dinner. His family lived across the street from Vandy and Margaret in Carefree. He told about asking Vandy to be his Grandfather when he was 6 years old. Vandy said he would. Vandy went to 1st grade Grandparents Day with Ben. He was such a hit, he was asked back two weeks later as Ben's "show and tell".

Ben went on to tell about getting off of the bus from school and going directly to Vandy's house where the two of them played a daily game of "Fish". This friendship of young and old kept going on. Ben was visably shaken at times, but kept his voice even. He talked about splitting wood and building fireplace fires for Vandy. He said the last time he and Vandy talked was May of 2006. It was then that Vandy made him promise to say nice words about him after he was gone. Ben's voice cracked as he said he now had kept his last promise to his friend.

Ben is married and lives in Pinehurst, Pineville, or something, South or North Carolina. He has several tax service businesses and a car dealership there. Ben was also my student helper one period of the day when I was Center Grove Registrar. He did a great job delivering the US Mail and inter-office mail for me. He drew a picture of a rose for me. I still have it. I had him sign it at the time and told him I would keep it for when he became famous. I told him I thought he was now famous! He shook his head and smiled at me with tears. We both know that being Vandys friend makes anyone famous!

The Journal has a story today written by a former Center Grove student, Norman Knight. He is a teacher at Clark-Pleasant Middle School and he writes a weekly column for the Daily Journal. He is, by his own definition, a former student radical and the column is about his participating in a sit down strike at Center Grove. Vandy did not handle the sit down strike with an iron fist, but he called the four ringleaders into his office and talked to them about the issues that led to the confrontation. No one was kicked out of school.The many stories just keep coming out......a live well lived......a man well loved....HL