Wakes/ Funerals 47

across from McCabe’s store. Then in the summer of 1952 came the death of our beloved next-door neighbor and Iona legend, Joe Farrell, who was waked at our house. It was an honor for us to do this for our long-time friend and the doing of it helped sooth our sadness at his passing. Finally it was Mother’s death in the spring of 1954 and the wake at home in her former bedroom off the parlor. In this case family members selected a rose-colored casket which some of us feared might be considered a bit worldly. Our fears were unfounded.

Wakes at home were among the great social events of their day. There was scarcely a district house unvisited by death and then by the whole community during the two days that followed. They were occasions of deep hospitality and consolation, all celebrated around the fires of home. Having a loved one’s re- mains in the house was a comfort to the family and the lack of artificiality surrounding the home wake and funeral made it necessary and somewhat easier to deal head on with the reality of death. Changes in these customs were inevitable as Church and society rapidly evolved, but in losing these earlier homespun practices we have lost much indeed.