Military Honors

Last Monday a long time family friend passed away at the age of 93.  Ernie Zahner was such an interesting guy and we have known him and his wife for years and years, because they were part of a group of parents we have known whose children grew up together.  The children of the ten couples all attended St. Boniface Martyr School in Sea Cliff.  Each Christmas one of the couples would host a Christmas Party and we would all come and bring a dish.  That's when I had a chance to really talk with Ernie.  The obituary describes him this way:  "In his youth, Ernie was a pilot and learned to fly a plane before he learned to drive a car.  He served in the United States Army between 1951 and 1953 and graduated from Columbia University with a degree in biology followed by a doctorate in microbiology from St. John's University. He worked as a cancer researcher before becoming a professor of microbiology at Queensborough Community College.  He was passionate about his hobbies which included meticulously building and flying model airplanes as a longtime member of the Long Island Silent Flyers."  What an amazing guy and a joy to talk to.  He had such a wonderful life with his wife and four children.  We were seated in the church when a young woman came in and said that there would be military honors in front of the church.  The military honors included the flag, seen here which was carefully folded into a triangle and taps were played with a bugle, and the flag was presented to his wife.  I have forgotten how powerful military honors are at a funeral.