Wednesday, January 22

We left home shortly after 6:30 am – with a five-and-a-half-hour-drive ahead of us. Our goal was to arrive at the funeral home about 12:30 pm for the 1:00 pm funeral. We figured that by giving ourselves six hours we would have time for a quick McDonalds brunch and a fuel stop.

I loved that we could see the outline of the entire moon – even though it was a waning crescent.

It was a nice winter day for traveling.

Approaching State College

There is apparently some industry in the background.

I took this picture shortly after passing the highest point on I-80 – east of the Mississippi (2,250′). This is not the highest point east of the Mississippi or the highest point in Pennsylvania – just the highest point on I-80 east of the Mississippi. 🙂

Cerwin was fascinated by driving so close to United Refining Company in Warren, Pennsylvania. He knew there was a refining company in this area from his 40 years of hauling propane.

About that time I thought I saw an eagle looking for lunch above the Allegheny River, so quickly snapped a few pictures.

It is an eagle! When I cropped the pictures, I saw another one above it. I would have enjoyed time to stop and get a good shot, but this is what I got – through a side window – while driving 45 miles an hour.

It appeared that Warren had more snow than some of the surrounding areas.

I love the beauty created by the snow.

New York state line – 11:40 am

I was surprised to see an Amish carriage – then remembered that Earl told us there were Amish in their area. I had never seen an orange carriage.

We were thankful for the safe trip without any delays – arriving eight minutes before our 12:30 pm goal – and thirty-eight minutes before the service.

The extra minutes gave us time to visit with his three sons, one daughter, in-laws, grandchildren and friends. We had previously met his son Tommy and daughter Kathy when Cerwin served as TFC’s Northeast Region Director (1990 to 2006) and visited with Earl on the chapel at Pembroke (Buffalo), NY, or attended a picnic or banquet.

I didn’t take any photos before or during the funeral service, but couldn’t resist taking photos of the military honor he received for serving in the US Navy. Earl’s son Dennis (right with his arm around his sister) is almost a replica of his dad – in size, movements and voice. Notice Earl’s hat above the casket and the TFC model chapel in the background.

Because we were in the back part of the room, it was easy for me to get up and go around a doorway to an area where I wasn’t a distraction to the audience. In this photo they are opening the flag.

The ceremony of refolding the flag – as only the military can do it.

The family in the front row – left to right: James (son-in-law), Kathy (daughter), Dennis (son), Craig (son), Vicki (daughter-in-law), a grandson (plaid shirt), Cathy (daughter-in-law), Tommy (son). His first wife, Katie (the children’s mother) and second wife, Colleen, preceded him in death.

Presenting the flag to the family. I was standing next to the bugler (too close to take a picture).

We left as soon as the funeral was over (1:50 pm), because we had another six-hours of travel (including supper and a fuel stop). We were invited to a meal at the church – following the service – and would have enjoyed that, but we wanted to be home by 8:00 pm.

This is how we remember Earl – visiting with truck drivers at the truck stop. This picture is from 2006. By the insulation on the table behind them, we must have been there for Cerwin to remove and clean an AC. We usually washed the chapel at the same time and did any other necessary repairs.

Earl was 94 when he died on January 16 – just 9 days before his 95th birthday.

From his obituary: He was born in Visby, Sweden, on January 25, 1925. Earling (his full name), immigrated to the United States with his parents when he was a child. After serving in the US Navy during World War II, he became an over-the-road truck driver, then got his masters degree in Theology and became a chaplain with Transport For Christ (now TFC Global).

We retraced the same roads as we headed southeast.

Our trip home was slowed down a bit when we followed a convoy of trucks traveling slowly down a mountain on I-80 in a no passing area.

It was a good day of travel. Cerwin said he felt like a truck driver again – with twelve hours on the road in one day.