Thanks for the loving support, it was needed and appreciated. The funeral was this morning and I went. There was one JW family there-ONE. The rest were all non-JW's and family of the girl he had been dating. The parents were grateful for the attendance of all that were there. This was one of the few families that I had genuinely missed from my JW days. The service itself lasted less than 5 minutes, with a person I had never seen before reading a few scriptures and concluding with a prayer. The word Jehovah was never mentioned although God was. The man who conducted the service was awkward and scared to death. I rather doubt he was an elder or even a witness. The parents did have a stack of the "What Hope for Dead Loved Ones?" brochure available to pick up and I only saw one or two in the hands of the people there. The boy was euligized, something I had never seen at a witness funeral, by two friends who were not JW's and his younger brother who I think is about 18. It was the most tragic funeral I have ever seen.
I was outraged at the lack of support by the JW's. What kind of "Witness" did these people give by not showing up? They showed their true colors by not showing up. I hugged both parents before I left, both said they have missed me and thought of me often. The father remarked that we had once been very close and that one day maybe we would be again. They are both obviously still in, but I hope from the bottom of my heart that they will reflect upon the unloving and uncaring attitude and actions of all their "friends".
You-the people of this forum are an example of love and care, any who are JW's would be well served to follow your loving example and spirit. It is certainly not over dramatizing to comment about the cold and callous attitude of Jehovah's Witnesses, it is all too true.
Deb