Since so many family and friends could not be there, I am sharing some pictures I took the day of Jon's funeral. It was also the day of the blizzard in Leesburg, VA, when visibility was often white-out conditions.
From the window in the morning. Snow continued to pelt down, and the wind created drifts and blinding sideways snow.
Downtown Leesburg, at 5 mph--the roads had not been cleared yet and driving was tricky.
Drift on drift, snow on snow
In the cemetery, the snow continued to fall like white rain.
Larry and I returned to the cemetery several days after Jon's funeral. This is a picture of the grave beside Jon's.
I looked up Jesse Jabez Stansbury online, and learned that he was married in Baltimore County Maryland in 1852, had a son (named Edwin) in Loudoun County, VA in 1853, was a jeweller and fought in the Civil War on the side of the Confederacy in the Virginia 17th Regiment Infantry.
The stone chapel in the cemetery is a peaceful place, and only a few feet from Jon.
A large sycamore hangs over Jon's grave, and in the far distance you can barely see a blue mountain, a reminder of the hills of home.
Granny Sue, I taught in Loudoun County. I think I recognize that cemetary. I think I've been there, have walked those same paths. You're right. It's a place full of history and a sad and strange sort of beauty as well.
ReplyDeleteSad but peaceful photos!
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely place to be laid to rest.--Jane
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful, peaceful place. But oh what a day!
ReplyDeleteIt was a day none of us will ever forget. This time will live always in our hearts and memories. Jon was such an amazing young man. I'm trying hard to just be on time at work. I had to start small to begin my pledge to live up to his good example. He did that so largely and with such high standards.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures are breath taking. At the time, admiring the beauty around us was difficult and at times impossible since visiblity was nil anyway.
ReplyDeleteJaime, I have others. I will try to send them to you. I hesitated to take them at the time, but I wanted the memory for myself. When I got home, I realized that these were photos others might want to see too.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the snow gets old, but these photos have a surreal beauty about them. One of them looks like a painting in hues of gray and whites. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWendy