Jake's last surviving grandparent passed away at the end of July, taken quickly by pancreatic cancer. We were incredibly fortunate to be able to travel back to Utah for the weekend of the funeral as a whole family. I was one week away from being told not to fly in my condition, so I was very grateful I could go and be a part of the funeral and family gathering.
Here is Grandpa McCune's obituary:
Keith Noble McCune
1919 ~ 2013
Keith Noble McCune, 94, passed away peacefully on July 28, 2013.
He was born July 15, 1919, in Ogden, Utah, to Clarence Scott and Elsie Noble McCune.
The McCune family later moved to Salt Lake City, where Keith graduated from East High School in 1936. He loved cars and motorcycles, but his favorite hobby, since his youth, was photography. He also stayed active with golf, swimming, tennis, and skiing.
He attended the University of Utah for one year prior to leaving for Argentina on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After his mission, he had the opportunity to work in Panama for Pan American Airlines. While there he entered the military and served in Counter Intelligence for the 6th Army Air Corps.
Following the war, he returned home and graduated from the U of U Law School. He married Mary Lue Knell, January 10, 1947, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. He was employed by State Farm Insurance. Later in his career, the Insurance Commissioner appointed him to the first Board of Directors of the Utah Insurance Guaranty Association, for which he served as legal counsel for the next 40 years.
His Mary Lue passed away in March of 1979 following a number of years of tenous health. He married Beverly Bushman Young in December of 1979. Keith often commented on the blessing of having had these two remarkable women in his life as wives and companions. He and Mary Lue had five children, and Beverly had been blessed with six in her earlier marriage. He dearly loved these two wonderful families.
Keith was an enthusiastic member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having served in many callings including bishoprics, and stake presidencies. He was called as Stake Patriarch in 1983, where he served for 30 years, thus being allowed to fulfill a promise given him in a blessing when he was young that he would be "a preacher of righteousness" to the youth.
Keith Noble McCune was a great man, young at heart, with an incredible wit and sense of humor, deep wisdom, a kind heart, and a giant spirit. We are grateful that he could be a part of our lives for so many years.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Mary Lue, his son, Mark (Liz) McCune, and Beverly's son Gaylen (Lori) Young.
Survived by his wife, Beverly, his children; Darcy (Steve) McBride, Sally (John) Hollingshead, Shannon (Lynn) Dallin, Midge (David) Baird, and Beverly's children; Julie Bird, Susie Irwin, Janie MacFarlane, Cokie (Ron) Price, Lulu (Mitch) McClellan, and many grand and great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at the Big Cottonwood Stake Center, 1750 East Spring Lane, Holladay, UT. Viewings will be held at the same location on Fri, Aug 2nd from 6:00-8:00 p.m., and Sat, Aug 3rd from 12:30-1:45 p.m. Interment will be at Larkin Sunset Lawn Cemetery, 2350 E. 1300 S., Salt Lake City, UT.
Keith Noble McCune, 94, passed away peacefully on July 28, 2013.
He was born July 15, 1919, in Ogden, Utah, to Clarence Scott and Elsie Noble McCune.
The McCune family later moved to Salt Lake City, where Keith graduated from East High School in 1936. He loved cars and motorcycles, but his favorite hobby, since his youth, was photography. He also stayed active with golf, swimming, tennis, and skiing.
He attended the University of Utah for one year prior to leaving for Argentina on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After his mission, he had the opportunity to work in Panama for Pan American Airlines. While there he entered the military and served in Counter Intelligence for the 6th Army Air Corps.
Following the war, he returned home and graduated from the U of U Law School. He married Mary Lue Knell, January 10, 1947, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. He was employed by State Farm Insurance. Later in his career, the Insurance Commissioner appointed him to the first Board of Directors of the Utah Insurance Guaranty Association, for which he served as legal counsel for the next 40 years.
His Mary Lue passed away in March of 1979 following a number of years of tenous health. He married Beverly Bushman Young in December of 1979. Keith often commented on the blessing of having had these two remarkable women in his life as wives and companions. He and Mary Lue had five children, and Beverly had been blessed with six in her earlier marriage. He dearly loved these two wonderful families.
Keith was an enthusiastic member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having served in many callings including bishoprics, and stake presidencies. He was called as Stake Patriarch in 1983, where he served for 30 years, thus being allowed to fulfill a promise given him in a blessing when he was young that he would be "a preacher of righteousness" to the youth.
Keith Noble McCune was a great man, young at heart, with an incredible wit and sense of humor, deep wisdom, a kind heart, and a giant spirit. We are grateful that he could be a part of our lives for so many years.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Mary Lue, his son, Mark (Liz) McCune, and Beverly's son Gaylen (Lori) Young.
Survived by his wife, Beverly, his children; Darcy (Steve) McBride, Sally (John) Hollingshead, Shannon (Lynn) Dallin, Midge (David) Baird, and Beverly's children; Julie Bird, Susie Irwin, Janie MacFarlane, Cokie (Ron) Price, Lulu (Mitch) McClellan, and many grand and great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at the Big Cottonwood Stake Center, 1750 East Spring Lane, Holladay, UT. Viewings will be held at the same location on Fri, Aug 2nd from 6:00-8:00 p.m., and Sat, Aug 3rd from 12:30-1:45 p.m. Interment will be at Larkin Sunset Lawn Cemetery, 2350 E. 1300 S., Salt Lake City, UT.
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Simone's baptism was on the same day as Grandpa's funeral. Double fortunate for us. We don't usually get to be a part of these things since we are so far away. Tessa was thrilled to be there to see her cousin get baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
We met for an awesome breakfast at Matt and Mary's house, and then headed over to the stake center.
Right after, we zoomed back to Salt Lake to get to the funeral. The church was packed. The family prayer in the viewing room surely exceeded its limit in bodies. Cole chose to have a melt down right before the family prayer over crackers, so I was having a keep the kid quiet wrestle, along with Paige, who he was upsetting, in a room where I felt like people were sitting on my pregnant self. It got a little crazy, but I'd do it again if it meant Jake was able to take the time he needed with family. Which he did. It meant a lot for him to be a full participant in everything going on, so again, I was so grateful I could be there so he didn't have to wrangle children. Cole was crying when everyone else was before they closed the casket, and Grandma and Great Aunt looked worried about him until I waved them off with, "It's about crackers." Grandpa McCune had a great sense of humor, so I'd imagine he'd appreciate the dose of kid reality in a somber situation.
Because of our over-tired bundle of children, we somehow were the last ones out of the viewing room. This meant that there didn't seem to be a seat for us in the chapel in the family section. Ummmm. It got a little awkward as we scouted out a location. Jake was supposed to sing in the program, so it really wouldn't do for us to march to the back of the whole place. We were able to split up and smash in. The funeral was a lovely tribute to a lovely man whom I adored. Among other talks and a musical number, Darcy gave a really sweet talk about her dad and Jacob and Jonathan sang a duet that was a beautiful and loving gift to their grandpa.
At the gravesite, there was an all white floral arrangement on the casket. After the services were over, colorful daisies were passed out so that grandchildren and great grandchildren could put the bright flowers into the arrangement. It was incredibly fitting.
A couple of wards in the stake hosted a family luncheon afterward. Cole wanted a brownie. I wanted him to stay clean:
And then this was Paige hanging out outside, where she loves it best. The mornings were so cool. I love having the chance to soak that in before heading back to still steaming Texas.
Thanks be to God for allowing us the opportunity to get back to Utah and take part in this weekend! Everything fell into place and worked exactly how we needed.
