Video From Rod's Memorial

I just found this video from the memorial and although it is short is shows how relaxed and laid back everyone was.

Rod's Memorial

When my good friend and banjo instructor RCCook (Rod Veverka) died back in December it was decided that there would be a celebration of his life down at his cabin. His cabin is located down by Dennison Ohio and I looked forward to going. I drove down Sunday morning with a terrible head cold but in good spirits. TomTom allowed me to relax, sip on my coffee and listen to NPR programs for the two hour drive.

TomTom took me down a dirt road and announced, "You have reached your destination!" I stopped and I was nowhere. I got out and took three pictures of the side of the road. I just combined them into a panorama. As you can see I wasn't quite near civilization.

I drove around a while and found the road. TomTom almost got me there so I can't really complain.

Rod's cabin is back in the hills and what is the closest thing to heaven that I've seen. Across the way are beaver dams and a swamp that is full of wildlife. The whole area is so alive. I saw this flower and had to take a picture.

I ambled up to the cabin and was surprised by how many people were there. I only knew a few but knew that by the time I'd left I'd have many friends. Not surprising, Nick was set up playing music with a bunch of guys. I found out that many of them had been in bands with Rod in the old days. Each were marvelous musicians and I spent a lot of time just watching them play.

There was lots of food and lots of stories of Rod. I didn't know he was a professional wrestler when he was young. Of course, I forget that I only knew him for the last year of his life. It's hard to believe that kind of friendship could be forged so fast.

Later in the day a ceremony was held where a minister said a few words and then Nick scattered Rod's ashes. Then the men fired off a few rounds with their rifles. When they finished there wasn't a dry eye for quite a distance. When the ceremony was over there was a solemn silence that lasted for a long while.

Nick went back to leading the music and I walked around listening to stories about a young Rod. I would have loved to have known him as a young man.

Just as dusk was approaching Nick took a group of us up to the peak of a mountain across the way and we looked down over the valley. The view was breathtaking.

We went back to the cabin and sat by the fire for a while. My cold was getting worse and I decided to head home. It was a little over a two hour ride and I was tired. Today had been a fitting tribute to Rod. It had been about music, stories and family. I hope we do it every year.

Helen and Rod

I was going through a box and came across this picture of Rod and Helen.