People + Place
from page 19
BRINGING IT BACK HOME: BILL McGEE
HC: So what would be your ideal role? RL: I would love to play Daddy Warbucks in Annie. I would just love to do that. H C : What’s the ideal role of a good funeral director? If he or she is doing the job well?
By Hal Calbom
A
decorated Viet Nam veteran, Bill McGee was born and raised in Kelso and lives there still. In a few days he’ll visit The Wall That Heals, bringing with him profoundly mixed feelings.
“Believe it or not, the worst thing that happened to me in the Vietnam saga was not getting blown up,” he told me in a conversation a few weeks ago. “It was coming back home to all the hatred that was thrown at us. There was so much misinformation, exaggeration.
RL: It’s so important that families know the final wishes of their loved ones, o f e a c h o t h e r. I emphasize all the time that if people will simply bite the bullet, come in and see us, they will save so much stress and conflict and even financial strain later on.
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H C : We’re here surrounded by merchandise, from casket types to memory books to urns. Do you ever feel conflicted by the business side of the business? RL: I never do, especially if we have made prearrangements with the family and they’re doing exactly what they’ve planned to do. So often a family, stunned by shock and grief, comes in fighting with each other, and actually spends more money than they might need to. HC: Are people still opting more for cremations than ever before? RL: It’s pretty balanced. And we encourage everyone to do anything they might wish, have a picnic, scatter ashes, whatever. It’s just crucial that they have final wishes in mind, and keep some kind of tradition in place with their families and their futures. I just value traditions and what people have done, sometimes for centuries. If we don’t have ceremonies, the traditions can be lost. We need to embrace our history and our traditions and the way we deal with death and dying is part of that. Understanding what our families have done in the past and embracing it is part of continuity and community. HC: Speaking of continuity, what happens here, after The Wall That Heals? RL: We’re opening an entire new section of the park — we’ve finally outgrown our original plot from the 1920s and had been planning this expansion for years — and we’re going to have a special section devoted to veterans and their families. •••
Editor’s note: Interviews are edited for length and clarity 20 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2021
Schedule of Events September 21-26 Tues, Sept. 21, 2pm Wed, Sept. 22, morning Wed, Sept. 22, 6pm Thurs, Sept. 23, 9am Thurs., Sept. 23, 6pm Fri, Sept. 24 Sat, Sept. 25 Sun, Sept. 26, 1pm Sun, Sept. 25, 2pm
Motorcycle Procession into the City Assembling The Wall That Heals Volunteer training The Wall That Heals opens (24 hours) Welcome Ceremonies Open 24 hours Open 24 hours Closing Ceremonies Dismantle
