A Final Farewell to a Great Man, General

By: DeAntha Wright-Thornburg

On Thursday last week, we took General Chastain home to rest beside his beloved wife, Marlene. The family walked behind the flag-draped coffin to Oakland Cemetery.

 General Martin Umbarger, who served with Chastain, described him as a great leader. He used words like loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor and integrity. Then we heard Cindy Chastain share a beautiful eulogy. She shared stories about her father calling her and her siblings with what her father knew best. Her father ran the house with military expertise. Chastain would call using the command “Report.”  That was the father she knew.

She recalled how wonderful those family dinners were, how they would sit around the table and reminisce. Cindy said the most important job the General loved, was being a father. The most cherished memory was the bond the two shared with their military career. Cindy retired as a Captain from the Indiana Army National Guard. Her father watched her career climb. He knew how difficult it was for a woman to climb the ranks, especially when you have the last name of Chastain.

As the funeral escorts left, the armory soldiers stood at attention; citizens lined Washington Street in reverent silence, with hands over their hearts, as the Chastain Family took their father to his final resting place. The caravan rolled slowly through the city past our courthouse, where County Councilman Chastain spent many a morning hashing over the budget for the coming year, debating politics or sharing a good laugh with many of his peers. He was a gentle, kind soul who loved life and the people around him. His life was well-lived as we were about to celebrate on Saturday, Aug. 5. A day after his 90th birthday, his life ended tragically in a house explosion. He was killed along with his new wife and partner, Marylin Fox of Winamac.

Hidden between the corn and bean fields of Montgomery County on a narrow country road, there sits a little cemetery called Oakland. On that Saturday, the cemetery became a bustle of activity. All waited patiently for the Chastain children to walk that last half- mile behind their father’s casket on the military caisson to Oakland Cemetery.

The clouds began to move as the winds started to blow across the cemetery’s hilltop. The caisson moved slowly past the corn and bean fields where Dick Chastain and their family once farmed.

The men checked the radar to see if the pending rain would move further north. Others had gathered near the funeral canopy as it began to sprinkle. The ladies declared that the cemetery was no place to wear high kneels—those who could toss theirs aside did so and stood barefoot under the canopy.

The weather began to worsen.  A single bolt of lightning shooting straight downward to the ground brought an unsettling jolt to those standing near the trees in this hilltop cemetery. We continued to wait as the procession was still off in the distance. Wondering if the weather would worsen, we huddled even closer together. The canopy began to fill with water.  What was intended to be a solemn afternoon to honor Dick Chastain turned into a memorable occasion.

I stepped outside the gathering to give the family enough room to stay dry. Several taller gentlemen started to drain water off the canopy to keep it from collapsing. I turned to see if the caisson was moving closer. Never turn your back to a crowd needing something to laugh about. What was once a still and somber moment turned into laughter. As several gentlemen attempted to rid the canopy of as much water as possible they began to lift the canopy – running buckets of cold water down my back. Others close by were drenched. There was not a dry shirt or skirt under the awning.

Heavy rain continued to pour as the caisson entered the cemetery.

Soldiers on horseback led a flag-draped coffin up the hill in the pouring rain. General Chastain’s final resting place is beside his beloved wife Marlene. Under a cloud of heavy rain, we watched reverently as the family each was honored with a folded flag from their father’s years of service.

As the service ended and we loaded the tour buses to return to the armory, the sun emerged from the skies. The man upstairs sent us a summer shower to hide our tears of sadness. Rest in peace Richard L. Chastain Major General United States Army, Retired. Thank you for your service.

– DeAntha Wright-Thornburg worked for the Indiana Department of Transportation for more than 30 years and is also a freelance journalist.