A Celebration of John's Life

John's funeral services were at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 27, 2010 at the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, KS.  The funeral procession began at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the Amos Family Chapel in Shawnee.  The visitation was held from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 26, at the church. 

Here's an outside perspective from Lynne Byrne (one of Arv's very dear friends):

"Three weeks ago today, John was killed in the line of duty, trying to save two people from a burning home.  Later it was discovered the people were not in the home. 

Dad and I went to Kansas City to be with Arv, Patty, Amber, Michael and all the family.

The community of Kansas City, Shawnee, Overland Park showered the family with such love, honor, help and tribute.

The funeral services were held in a very large church in Leawood…needed to accommodate the huge number of friends who wanted to honor John and his family with their presence. 

The night of the wake John’s fireman’s hat, his boots and his big yellow coat were placed next to his casket.  Flowers too numerous to count adorned the massive front of the church.  John provided life to several needful people with the donation of his organs. 

John had a Marine honor guard, from his reserve unit, attending on both sides of the casket during the four-hour wake.

Michael stayed up all night to create a slide show of John and the family.  The slide show was displayed the entire evening from two massive screens built into the front sides of the church.  Michael did a tremendous job putting together a loving, sweet tribute to his big brother.

The family stood next to John’s casket for 4 very long hours greeting friends, dress uniformed Marines, firemen, policemen and emergency responders.

In the parking lot of the church that evening were seven fire engines.  Some of the trucks were from John’s Shawnee Station.  Surrounding fire stations covered calls enabling John’s unit to be present at both services.

All the firefighters, police, emergency personnel had black bands over their shiny badges pinned to the fronts of their dress uniforms to honor their fallen comrade, John.  I’ve never seen so many pairs of shiny patent leather shoes in my life!

The evening was a lovely tribute to John. 

The morning of the funeral a fireman from John’s unit escorted the family members in several cars to the funeral home.

Turning into Shawnee, we were greeted by large Old Glory flags lining the entire main street, in John’s honor.  Approaching the funeral home we noticed 100 bikes and their riders, veterans, who had come to ride in the procession.  Next to the funeral home was John’s fire truck #71 draped in huge black and purple satin bunting.  John’s casket was hefted up to the top of the back of his fire truck. Two of his fellow unit firemen attended the casket for the twenty mile procession to the church.

Fire trucks were everywhere, beautiful in their shiny, colorful, meaningful paint…filled with firemen in duty calls gear.  They came from Texas, from New York, from Chicago, from Colorado, from all over Kansas and Missouri…to say goodbye to a hero.

John in his fire truck, the family in slowly moving cars, filtered out of the funeral home parking lot, starting the 20 mile procession to the church.  People lined the streets with flags, handmade signs...Thank you Mr. Glaser,  We love you Mr. Glaser, Our Hero, God Bless Mr. Glaser.   
Arriving at John’s fire station in Shawnee, we saw all the wives and children of John’s unit…standing across from the station…all holding hands..it was a deeply moving, painful, touching scene…this could have happened to any of them…their father, husband taken away from them.  The sadness for John and his family was palpable.  

Parked at the station the family watched the solemn honor procession crawl by.  A huge police escort of police motor bikes, 76 fire trucks fully manned with fire fighters in their response ready gear, 40 or so other emergency vehicles, the veteran’s motorbike brigade and John’s casket leading the solemn parade.  

As the family again joined the procession…more and more citizens, entire elementary schools, the children with flags, or their hands over their hearts, I counted 4 or 5 schools, stood at attention in the grass on the side of the road.  At every street intersection there was a police car stationed with police men saluting John.  Veterans and grateful citizens by the several hundreds, personnel from doctor’s offices, from banks, from retail stores, hair salons…poured out…many with hands over their hearts, all standing solemnly on the side of the wide 4 lane street honoring John and all that he stands for.  Citizens lined the streets for the entire 20 mile trek.

Along the major 4 lane boulevard route in Shawnee for several blocks…someone placed large white ribbon bows in the green grass next to the boulevard, another silent prayer for John and his family.

We crawled along for an hour taking in all the love, sympathy, and gratitude pouring out of the citizens of Kansas City.  All oncoming traffic was stopped during the entire procession route.

All the fire engines, emergency trucks, motor cycles had lights flashing.  Three news helicopters hovered over head. 

As we approached the church we were greeted by two enormous ladder trucks on either side of the entrance, ladders extended and ladder tips crossing with a huge 20 by 30 foot flag hanging from the tops of the touching ladders. Our cars entered the church parking lot traveling under the greeting waving symbol of our country.  The sight was deeply symbolic and touching.

The huge church parking lot was rimmed several times deep by all the fire trucks and emergency vehicles from the procession.

Hundreds of uniformed firemen, Marines, policemen and veterans formed an honor guard in the parking lot as the family made their way to the church.  Inside the massive church foyer, more honor guards stood at attention.  It was so incredibly moving.

John’s funeral was truly a tribute of love and respect attended by 2,500.  The minister, Patty’s parish priest and John’s Fire Chief all gave moving tributes of John.   Michael created yet another slide show of John’s life.  The slide show was shown on the two large screens after the homily.  Two bagpipes played to end the service.

In the outside sunshine was the presentation of the flags, a 21 gun salute and Taps.  We watched the solemn ceremony of the folding and presenting of the flag, that had draped John’s casket, to Amber, Brecken and Emma Grace by a Marine pal of John’s.  Governor Parkinson and his wife came forward to Amber and the children, presenting her with the flag that had flown half mast from the state’s capital in John’s honor. 

 

Such a tribute, such love and respect shown, such an outpouring of Midwest caring for sweet, John.  We must keep them all in our hearts and prayers."