DUNCAN: CONKLE FUNERAL HOME

1/18/24

REMEMBRANCE DAY

By Duncan

The photograph above is the parking lot of Conkle Funeral Home in Speedway, Indiana. Lana Elaine Timbler-Mink, a Pike High School Graduate in the year 1962 passed from this earth on December 16, 2023. Today, January 18th, 2024 we remember her life.

Let me say, I was not a close friend of Lana, but of course, our lives brushed up against each other from time to time. So, it’s not like I didn’t know her at all. This is my story, about what happened as I attended a Celebration of Lana Mink’s Life.

When I was younger, life was all about graduations, engagements, weddings, and the birth of life. Now the tables have turned, now it’s about retirement, doctor appointments, funeral homes and death.

It’s sobering once you (meaning me) get to a “certain” age in life. And when a door opens to me I try to walk through it.

Don’t stay at home, go and do and experience life. Thus, today I drove around the interstate to the funeral home in Speedway, Indiana. Lana, a classmate, has passed.

My purpose in going was to simply pay my respects, and listen to the words being spoken on her behalf. I would then leave and have lunch somewhere. Keep in mind, having lunch was important to me. It will be my way of being rebellious to the clouds. I’m still here, and I’m not ready to be lifted up, just yet. I’m going to enjoy my life, because I don’t know how much time I have left. I will treat myself to an excellent lunch as evidence that I’m still alive.

I entered the Chapel and walked to the front of the room. Flowers on both sides of the ern.

I was early, and decided to sit in the back of the room and wait for the service to begin.

As well-wishers entered the room, several other classmates happened to see me and came to say hello. Danny Sacks, a Pike Classmate, came up to me and said, “You need to go outside, someone hit the “Mean Yellow.” I assumed he was pulling my leg, and was joking. I laughed it off, and said something like, “Yeah Right.”

“No, Really, you need to go outside, a woman is standing in the cold who hit your car, waiting for you to come out to the accident.”

I did a double take, I stood paralyzed for a second or two. In my mind I thought, I caused this to happen. It’s called a “A Self-fulfilling Prophecy.” (If you think about an accident, it will certainly happen.) I was coming around the interstate today thinking I have owned my 2007 Mean Yellow, Pontiac, Solstice, Supercharged GXP for 17 years and I have not had any kind of accident. I need to be extra careful.

How lucky I have been not to bump into someone or have a serious accident in all these years. I was thinking about all the road trips all over the country.

As I moved quickly to the cloakroom to get my coat, I had visions of my car on its side. No, it wouldn’t be on its side. It’s gotta be mangled on the front end or the side door is bashed in.

Someone got upset about something and slammed into my car, and I will have a huge repair bill. I moved as quickly as I could to exit the front door of the funeral home and headed to the parking lot.

There she was, an older woman, standing in the cold. Art Gakstatter, (Pike Classmate) was standing with her as I approached the “event.” Art apparently noticed the accident in process.

He explained that the woman backed into my car when she was pulling out of her parking spot. Art pointed to the damage on her passenger-side back bumper. I then turned to my vehicle. Art pointed to the area where her bumper hit my car. It was above my driver's-side back tire finder.

Art and I looked very carefully, and I couldn’t see any damage or scratches. I looked again and a third time.

“Well, little older lady, as far as I’m concerned you are free to go. Thanks for waiting to tell me what happened.”

Back inside, I was breathing easier, I had just missed a bullet. The room was full of people. I will say based on other Celebrations of life, this one was very well attended. I’m guessing there were about 65 people in the room.

Don Mink - Lana’s husband speaking to the congregation.

Derek Mink - Lana and Don’s son who spoke.

Terry Thimlar - Lana’s brother.

https://www.conklefuneralhome.com/obituary/lana-elaine-mink

The mood of the speakers was one of a woman that gave her life completely to her family. She was deeply loved by family, and friends. As I sat in the back row on a couch with four other people, I was impressed with the legacy she has left behind. She was a kind, sharing and giving woman. Her life was one of service to her family.

The television in the back of the room displayed her life in pictures. I watched the photographs go by one by one. Family, Kids, Birthdays, Christmas, Travel by the sea to the mountains in far off places. A rich and full life.

It gives me thought, what will be said if anything about my life. I have been asked several times what do you want to happen when I die. And I say, quickly, “What difference does it make? I won’t be there.” Or as Bob Hope is known to have said, “Surprise me.”

So, as the service came to a close, people seemed reluctant to move. It was announced that there would be an activity after the service at Dawson’s in downtown Speedway. Everyone is invited to attend.