My friend, Allan:

What a touching tribute to your Mother. My wife and I went to a funeral yesterday and in the black Baptist churches they call them homegoings. Even though there is mourning at the loss (and the woman who died had a sudden heart attack) there is also rejoicing for a life well-lived.

One of the first times I sang with my quartet, we sang at the homegoing of the sister-in-law of Frankie, one of the members of my group. One of the songs we sang was When I Get To Glory, and people actually got up out of their pews and danced in the aisle. For a midwestern white kid, that was something totally new to me. But, it seemed right.

I know the angels are dancing in Heaven today, Allan...

Jerry