Bring your lawn chairs, some wildflowers and some fond old memories

Bring your lawn chairs, a bouquet of wildflowers and some fond old memories as our dear friends, Jeannie Nash and her brother Jim Nash, remember and say goodbye to their mother.

Our destination on this early May afternoon was the DePriest Cemetery on the Silver Hill Road in Searcy County. Little family cemeteries are always a surprise as you explore thinly populated county roads. This cemetery is neatly marked with a chain link fence and a covered pavilion, obviously for feeding the crowds on Decoration Day or at burials, like the one Saturday afternoon for Wanda Fowler (August 12, 1933 - May 1, 2014).

If you were wondering what Dwain was carrying in that basket, we walked through our yard before we left. Colorful Iris were blooming everywhere in our yard. We took a pair scissors and cut a fresh bouquet. We couldn't imagine not sharing our colors and scents of spring with Jeannie and Jim in honor of their mother.

We were encouraged to take lawn chairs and dress casually for the service. We were welcomed by the small crowd of mostly familiar faces already seated in folding and lawn chairs neatly lined up in four rows underneath a shady cedar tree in the southwest corner of the cemetery. People were already telling tales and exchanging stories. In this particular picture, we have Kaye and Thomas (T.J.) Taylor (left), Larry Johnson (red chair), Judy Chatterton (blue chair, center), Jeanne's daughter Kayla (wearing hat in front of my hat), Wanda's sister, Joyce Douglas, (in wheelchair in front of Kayla), Jim Nash (blue shirt and tie) and Jeanne (black-and-white outfit beside Jim).

Jim welcomed the crowd and shared a joyful memory, as his mother would have wanted. Waving his arm in the direction of the Buffalo River, Jim said whenever he smells the oily fumes of a kerosene lantern burning, he is a 3-year-old child listening to his old, mostly departed, DePriest relatives make joyful music at Grinders Ferry on the Buffalo River.

Jeannie's and Jim's mother, Wanda Fowler, was the daughter of Ben and Ruby DePriest. Her parents are buried in the DePriest Cemetery and Wanda is buried beside her brother Rex DePriest. That's what his headstone says ... "Our Brother ..."

Jeannie Nash is the only childhood friend I remember meeting for the first time. I was in elementary school at Valley Springs and walking around the southwest corner of the downtown Harrison square. This unknown girl, Jeannie Nash, stopped me and said she would be a classmate of mine in the fall. How she knew that, I'll never know. Then she invited me to take her to Coffman Drug Store and buy her a soft drink. Did you do it? Megan just asked. Lawd, yes! We were destined to be lifelong friends.

Mark Donald officiated at the graveside service. On a magnificent, cloudless 85-degree day, he stood out in the sun in dress slacks, a coat and a tie and gave a full service and sang one of Wanda's favorite hymns. Then he concluded the service by playing Elvis Presley's version of Amazing Grace and his own childhood memories of listening to Elvis Presley's gospel album every Sunday morning as his mother put goop in his hair and tugged him and his brother into suits that were probably a little too small. But we do know one thing, Wanda Fowler liked to dance and was especially fond of Elvis Presley's gospel music.

We joined Dwain's old neighbor and childhood friend, Larry Johnson, at the back of the crowd. Larry's mother had fallen and had surgery earlier Saturday. She was in the good hands of a local orthopedic surgeon. Trauma and broken bones are terrible at any age.

Too bad I don't have sonic hearing, but I don't doubt Kaye is swearing to Jeannie, "I swear I'm telling the truth ..." lie, lie, lie. Just kidding. These are two of Dwain's closest friends, and their history goes back to childhood adventures and untold mischief.

Bill and Judy Chatterton have obviously visited the pavilion at the far side of DePriest Cemetery. Family members had gathered in the shade to visit and share refreshments. That's what we do at many funerals in the country where everyone knows everyone.

Jeannie, we're so sorry. That's all we can do. Your look says it all ... but we are always ready to listen to you if you want to talk. That's what friends are for. You've been there for us many times.

The very sweet woman standing beside Kaye wanted Dwain's e-mail address. Boy was he flattered.

Here's Dwain's old college roommate, Jim Nash. At times, we could escape to our carefree days as students at the University of Arkansas. That look on Jim's face masks his pain, in double. We can't imagine how he keeps up this outlook.

And here's Jim and Megan. Friend Jim was introduced to Megan in the early-1970s after he had left college and was a ski instructor at Marble Falls and later in Colorado. Jim's a trooper. He was sitting beside his mother when she took her last breath. Jim is just a really good guy.

The shadow looks like it's time to take our basket and lawn chairs and walk back to the car. The family needed some time alone ...

 Dwain and Megan