A woman priest spoke early on and mentioned that she and Dick had become close when she had confided to him her desire to be ordained. He encouraged her and one day confided in her that he had always wanted to be a priest. She spoke of Dick as a priest, reminding us all that he certainly was that, and it rang very true throughout the church. The thought of him as a great priest of the arts was very fitting and reassuring, and a warm glow spread throughout the church.

Pastor Bruch Chilton also spoke of Dick in most wonderful ways, including evoking those occasional mentions to him that Dick was "difficult" with some humor. His last conversation with Dick was in the locker room at the local gym where he discussed with pointed irony that despite a large sign- there were several locks with locks on them, and all of these belonged to the staff.

Bryan Mc Hugh read from the Gospel of Saint Matthew and Alison, Jessica and Hannah read Psalm 23. There were also later, more reflections on Dick's life and his relationships. Dick's sister sang a folk song he enjoyed - "When I die, Bury me Low" - The final words of the song are : "There's a certain peace of mind, I've seen the Hudson and the tide, I've floated by Lake Willoughby's side. I dearly love the border."

The time of the ceremony seemed just right and as the Recessional occured, there were many hugs and many tears. People lingered in the antechamber, and also on the lawn outside, where there were more hugs and expressions of disbelief that this man could really be gone.

It had been most sobering to realize that the elegant and tasteful metal container up at the front of the church was what remained of Dick's earthly presence- his passion, his intensity and the authority of that booming voice through which he filtered the huge storehouse of his mind's accumulations. His spirit too was and is quite large,however and without exaggeration I can say that it did indeed make itself very strongly felt during the service, particularly as the service was coming to a conclusion.

As I was leaving, I glanced back several times to see how we mourners looked, gathered on the lawn beside the church . Everyone looked very lonely- etched figures standing and moving somewhat awkwardly , sillhouetted against the November sky. Bereft.