Milton’s Memorial Cortège

By Michael Bromka

Bill Deringer and I hurried at 11 a.m., gluing two dozen photos onto Milton Limbert’s bier.

We loaded into Bill’s pickup and drove to a semi-shaded lot one block south of Denton-Wood Funeral Home via the broad gravel alley.

There, I’d pre-cached two huge empty Amazon boxes to serve as a base for the bier.

Bill briefly sought refuge from 98° F in his air-conditioned truck.

Our fellow Carlsbad Heights Lion Vishal Kholwadwala was the first to arrive. Shortly thereafter, Lions Lázara Reyes and Rhonda Jones arrived, then Rhonda’s United Way boss Kyle Marksteiner.

Milton’s CHS 1966 classmate Homer Freeman and my lanky friend Troy Williams (whom I met years ago at an MLK church service) arrived. Tall Yolanda Jimenez and masked Ellen Krumm of the NAACP followed, as did Norbert Rempe of SE NM Vets Transport (a medical transport), Stacey, Tina, and Dustin Britain of Blue House Café, and Tish Chavarria of Enhabit Hospice. Finally, from Sunset Church of Christ, Diane Clem came arm-in-arm with Ann Halford, age 96.

Except for Bill and I, everyone had parked in the lot of Denton-Wood Funeral Home, where Milton’s remains had been cremated the previous day. Mourners walked south along the alley to our starting point. Each person got a hymn sheet.

Seeing Diane and Ann still far off, I trotted ahead and urged them to wait in the alley-side shade. Striding back, I quietly growled down to my lowest possible key for commencing “Star Spangled Banner.” Folks joined in. One hand each on a side, Troy, Rhonda, Homer, and Lázara carried the bier. (Vishal and Norbert carried our base boxes).

“God Bless America” and “Amazing Grace” helped us reach shaded Diane and Ann. We slowed to match their gait. “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “I’ll Fly Away” got us across to Denton-Wood’s concrete griddle.

Citing Matthew 5:5, my brief homily extolled Milton’s reserve, kindness, and courage. Blessed was he. We were blessed to know him. From Ann, Lázara, and Bill came fond reminiscence. Yolanda led our heartfelt closing prayer.

For a stretch, Lázara’s phone overheated and ceased shooting video. We all fled to air-conditioned cars.

Despite the oppressive heat, the love of Milton Limbert had drawn a lunch-hour crowd of hymn-singing mourners.