Dennis Grubb's Notes from Sarge's wake and funeral Mass

Friday:

At Holy Trinity Church , Georgetown ( JFK’s neighborhood church) along with several hundred “Shriver friends, exPCV’s, Special Olympics staff , exOEO staff “” 5 children, 19 grandchildren, the ex Governor of California . Along with many RPCV’s ( Jerry Critchley, Georgina McGuire, Maureen Carroll) and I attended the wake and eulogies for Sarge. Barney Hopewell and Dan Wemoff of my Group were  cited in the early condolence line and before the official program began at 6:45

C-Span was there and if you are interested in the eulogies delivered by Bill Moyers, Chris Dodd, Maureen Orth ( Colombia XIII), Steny Hoyer ( D-MD) ,C.Payne Lucas (PC Director-Africa),and Washington Post columnist Coleman McCarthy check the C-Span achieves.

 Saturday:

At the unique mass for Sarge at Our Lady of Mercy in Potomac , Maryland about 10 miles from downtown Washington  Sarge family. friends and apostles were the feature of the day. Anthony  Shriver opened the gathering by welcoming everyone on behalf of the family . He conclude his remarks by asking the congregation ,which include President Clinton, VP Biden, Michelle Obama Nancy Pelosi , the Maryland Senators and Congressman, the Governor and hundreds of friends  including ex Peace Corps Volunteers, Head Start parents, Special Olympic athletes to read aloud and affirm a pledge to Sarge , and to ourselves to be his Apostles. The Mass of Christian Burial and Holy Communion officiated by Washington’s Cardinel Wherl ( Sarge was baptized , married and buried by a Cardinal) followed.

The pledge: I hope  you remember to believe in things until you die. I hope you remember to be guided by beliefs powerful enough to change the world. I hope you remember the example of the Peace Corps volunteer, The Head Start parent, the Special Olympics athlete. They each in their own way, are waging peace. Maybe you will even remember me and my family. Remember the importance of family of giving and receiving of love. You have such a Chance! Oh, how, I wish I were you!!!!

Yale University Class Day
May 1994

A Reception attend by 500 at the Congressional Country Club in Potomac followed  with 500  friends and notables in attendance. Peace Corps types included Chris Dodd  (DR 6), Pat Wand ( Colombia 8), Maureen Orth (Colombia XIII), Chris Matthews ( Malawi), Bill Josephson ( PC General Consul), Rossie  Drummond , Wendy Grieder ( Recruiting), and , of course many I couldn’t identified.