• It was a somber affair, the priest spoke with a heavy voice and did his best to keep it short. Then again, no one could blame any man who had to speak at his daughters funeral.

    "She was...is a good woman. Beautiful, in more than the way that she was giving and humble. Her memory will live on and we'll never forget her influence on us, the way she changed our community, and the sacrifices she gave to keep us, her friends, neighbors, and family, safe here at home. We have this portrait, painted by her husband, of her on her wedding day here in this very church. Not in a wedding dress, no, but in her uniform.

    She was always stubborn in that way." he let out a small chuckle as memories flashed through his mind and many others that were seated in the pews in front of the pulpit. "...we love h-, we love you so much baby girl, and no amount of time will ever wipe you from our minds." he said and let out a broken sob as he looked at the smiling face of the young woman he'd raised and then lost on the stretch of canvas that was to the left of the alter next to an urn that sat at the head of the deeply decorated and detailed wooden alter instead of a casket.

    The air was heavy as the priests wife quickly embraced and ushered her husband back to the pew, taking the stand herself and keeping the service moving along. More family spoke, the husband of course, and a few close friends of the family. The even moved at a snails pace to all those closest to the soldier and no one kept their composure as the final song came to it's end, the last note of Hometown Glory ringing in the ears of all those in attendance before they filed out of the church and into the meeting hall just across the courtyard, each trying to smile in reassurance as the tried to remember the joyful face of their friend. Her husband was silent, his eyes downcast but lips smiling as he held onto hands of family and friend. And her parents, who were leading the group, smiled as they lingered on memories of thier daughter...and squeezed the small hands of the one she left behind.