We laid our beloved father Albert Kraker to rest this afternoon in a little rural cemetery surrounded by the farmland where he lived his entire life. It was a gloomy day, rain off and on, appropriate for our sad hearts. The funeral and lunch were at their nearby church in Allendale. On Thursday evening, soon after he heard the news of Dad's death, the church janitor went over to the church and rang the bell 94 times. Dad had served in the Navy in World War II, and at the end of the service this morning, a bugler played taps. At the close of the graveside ceremony, the flag that draped his casket was folded in military fashion and given to Mom with these words: "This flag is presented on behalf of a grateful nation and the United States Navy as a token of appreciation for your husband’s honorable and faithful service."
