A friend’s dad passed away last week. I didn’t really know him -- but just how special this man was in life was literally brought to life at his funeral. At the risk of sounding morbid, this was the nicest funeral service I have ever attended.

It went on for close to 90 minutes with speeches starting from the smallest grandchildren up through the grieving wife. This is clearly a family of public speakers and their skill for communication made sure we knew that grandpa never missed a game, that he had an odd and ever-present sense of humor, that he had a secret friend that entertained the grandchildren wherever he went, and that several of his grandchildren referred to him as their “best friend”.

By the end, I felt that I knew my friend’s dad even though I am not sure we had ever met.