Well, as it turns out, I did cry, but not until the last verse, and by then everyone else was crying. I knew I was going to have trouble when I saw the program. They called it the "farewell to Granny" and it was immediately after the eulogy at the very end of the service. It also happened to be my dead sister's birthday, and a song that she had chosen for her own funeral. When I started singing that last verse...

Then we'll walk the streets of the City
With our loved ones gone before
And we'll sit on the banks of the river
Never to depart no more

...the tears just started flowing. I sang through them and managed to stay on pitch, if a bit strangled, and it really was a perfect song with which to end a beautifully done memorial service. From start to finish it was a wonderful celebration of my grandmother's 97 years of life. She would have absolutely loved it! There were something like 42 of her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, siblings, cousins, neices and nephews who traveled to Sarasota to say our last goodbyes.

All the great advice I got here really helped me keep it together until that last little bit--and as I indicated above, by then, it was OK to cry.

Hugs and kisses to all of you.

Janie