River Joy's Viewing, Funeral and Burial

May 16th 2020 was such a beautiful day!  The sun was shining and birds were singing!  Oh how grateful we are to all who were with us that day to celebrate River and her life that inspired us all.  And to all those who couldn't be with us due to Covid or distance, we are so deeply grateful that this was able to be recorded both with video and with pictures.  We are so profoundly grateful to those who captured these precious moments for us!! 

This was the video that was playing during the viewing:

Click here for Slideshow of River's Special Memories

        The songs on the slideshow:

        *Love is like a Butterfly by Dolly Parton

         *Eidelweiss from Sound of Music - River's favorite Movie

              River:  May you Bloom and Grow Forever

        *I'm a Brave Little Soldier by Dolly Parton

        *Help Me to Stand - by River Henderson.  River wrote this when she was 9 battling chemo and cancer.  She needed to get out of bed 3 times a day.  Some days she could make it to the door.  Sometimes she could make it to the window.  Sometimes she could make it to a chair to sit for a minute or two.  And sometimes the very best she could do would be to stand by the bed for 1 second.    Help me to Stand.  It is a very special song knowing how much she went through, and how hard it was for her to simply stand.  Her Primary Music teacher Collette Jourdain helped her put it to music.  

        *Butterfly Fly Away:  A special song recorded by her dear friend Savanah Jenson.   

Summer’s face here sums up all our feelings.  

The plaque on River’s casket was “Together In White” with all of our signatures. When Colt and I were engaged, we made a family motto of Together in White. That every choice we made we would ask if it brought us closer to being together forever or farther away. It has been a guiding light to our thoughts and decisions. We talk a lot in our home of acting in such a way that it invites the spirit into our hearts and home. 

VIDEO: Funeral Service for River Joy

Her Funeral to me was like a missionary farewell.  

Her patriarchal blessing clearly called her on a mission to the spirit world.  

Song written and sung by Savanah Jenson. Savanah sang this at River’s funeral program. A super special song that touched my soul. 

Ridge had a hard time thinking of her being buried.  He did NOT want her in a special box.  And he did NOT want to put that box in the ground.  One way we were prepared in advance in a small way was lots and lots of pet burials.  I feel like we took good care of our pets...but had abnormally high mortality rate - a theme over and over and over through the years...that we needed to say goodbye.  

In the video of the recording of the funeral you can hear Ridge say “No!!” when they talked about her burial.  We had River’s body in our home the night before the funeral. It was such a blessing for Ridge to be with her one last time before needing to say goodbye. He kept trying to wake her up. He would raise his voice and say “River!!”  “RIVER!  Wake UP!”  He would touch her hand and tried and tried to wake her up. She looked so peaceful laying there...it did look like she was peacefully sleeping.  All the pain that had been etched on her face for SO long was gone.  In the end, he would quietly go over to the casket...put his little hands on the side and peer in at his beloved sister. He had accepted that she was not there.  

 

Video of family and friends placing roses on River's casket.

We decided to stay with the casket until it was completely buried. Oh!  It was such a special/sacred time. I didn’t know the cement box they place the casket in is golden - with her name on it! It was so special and such a tender mercy.  

Slideshow of River's funeral and burial.

Ridge helped the men push the casket into the hole, and then the mortician came over and had a special talk just with Ridge.  He told him "This is where River's feet are, and this is where her head is.  When Jesus comes again, He will wake her up!"  And then Ridge was okay!  He went around telling everyone "When Jesus comes, He'll wake up my River!"   Even now, almost a year since she passed Ridge will ask me why I'm crying.  "Are you crying about my River?  DON"T CRY MOM!!  River is with Jesus!!"  I love his faith!  I love his love for his sister.  I love that he talks about River all the time.  She is his big sister and still very much a part of his life.  

Daddy and Ridge helped tamp down the dirt as it was shoveled in and brought over by the tractor.  We stayed until the grass was laid back on top.  We were SO grateful we stayed.  It was closure for all of us, but especially Ridge.  

Farewell Our River Joy!

Until We Meet Again!