When my grandmother passed away, our family held a funeral service at our church. She was to be buried at the cemetery at our church immediately after the service. Visitation had been at the funeral home earlier that day, so this was where our family gathered. The family followed the hearse to the church. When we arrived at the church, the family and pall bearers gathered at the rear of the hearse. The pall bearers were already in formation before the back door of the hearse was open, standing in two lines so an even number of men would be on each side. About the time the back door of the hearse opened, a friend of the family arriving late pulled into the parking lot of the church. As he rolled into the parking lot, he missed the drive slightly with the back passenger-side tire of the car fell into the ditch. The pall bears moved from behind the hearse, in formation, and lifted the car out of the ditch. As the family friend parked. The pall bearers returned to their posts at the back of the hearse. Now the funeral procession into the church could begin.
