The Funeral

I'm trying to catch up on my posting. Sorry for not being up to date but there are some things I know my out of state readers would want to hear about. Jim Bruce's funeral was held last week at the First Methodist Church in Hopkinsville and if you did not know better you would have felt like you were standing in the State Capital. There was an all star cast of elected officials, present and past, in attendance. Much of the West Kentucky Delegation of the House and Senate was there. Former Governor Martha Layne Collins, Bill Collins and Steve Collins came. State Treasurer Todd Hollenbach Jr. and his father Judge Todd Hollenbach were also there. Speaker of the House, Jody Richards delivered the eulogy.

It was nice to see so many old friends but at the expense of having to say a final goodbye to another. A few of us did have the opportunity to sneak away afterwards to break bread and catch up. The Collins, the Hollenbachs, myself, Rep. Tilley, the Rutlands, Steve Hamrick and Dr. Travis Calhoun took in lunch at Roundie's near the Riverside Cemetery.

I don't know if it was irony or just interesting that we would pass Gov. Breathitt's grave as the motorcade circled around to the Bruce family plots. Our two most noted political figures now gone. With the passing of one generation I am still optimistic and expect great things from a new generation of leadership now emerging in Western Kentucky with the likes of Will Cox and Rep. John Tilley. As we say goodbye to the past let us look forward to the future.