[78-L] Hank Penny^

[Julian Vein]

Cary Ginell wrote:
When he died from a sudden heart attack in 1992, Hank chose to be 
cremated. All of his friends were invited to his home in the Santa Rosa 
Valley in Ventura County (Calif.) for the great send-off. The Pennys had 
a very nice country estate with a large backyard. It was a celebration 
of his life, and all of his friends told stories about him, with the urn 
with Hank's ashes sitting right there in the room. After this ended, 
someone, I forget who, left with the urn. The person took the urn to the 
local airport and it was loaded aboard a bright red helicopter. The 
helicopter did a flyover over Hank's house and then proceeded to the 
Pacific Ocean where the ashes were deposited. The idea was that the 
helicopter was Hank's "little red wagon," taking him on his last ride. 
It was very moving and very positive without being overtly religious. 
It's still the only funeral I've been to where people left happier than 
when they arrived.

Cary Ginell
===========
Not overtly religious? Still he managed to resurrect himself to make his 
wishes known! A Penny for his thoughts, perhaps? Or just a drop in the 
ocean...

I always come away from funerals happier than from weddings. At least 
the outcome at the former is a known quantity.

      Julian Vein