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Contact Info
Home Town Hurley and Wakonda, SD
Last Address Buried with full Military Honors, Patriot Guard Riders / Honor Mission Union Cemetery, rural Wakonda SD
Date of Passing Jan 27, 2012
Location of Interment Union Cemetery - Flandreau, South Dakota
A friend, mentor, tremendous human being, and true combat-tested Sailor was laid to rest yesterday in a small S. Dakota cemetery lined with Patriot Guard riders.
You'll be missed, Chris, and I hope the following story finds you doing well! "The Senior Chief and the Pope In Heaven"
The Pope dies unexpectedly and finds himself at the gates of Heaven at 0300. He knocks on the gate and a very sleepy eyed watch opens the gate and asks, "wadda you want?" "I'm the recently deceased Pope and have done 63 years of Godly works and thought I should check in here." The Heaven's Gate Guardian Angel checks his clipboard and says, "I haven't got any orders for you here, just bring your stuff in and we'll sort this out in the morning." Off they go to an old WWII barracks, 3rd floor, open bay. All the bottom racks are taken and all empty lockers have no doors. The Pope stows his gear under a rack and climbs into an upper bunk. The next morning he awakens to sounds of cheering and clapping. He goes to the window and sees a shiny Cadillac convertible coming down from the golden headquarters building on the hill. The sidewalks are lined with Angels cheering and throwing confetti. In the back seat of the convertible is a Navy Senior Chief, ESWS pin shining on his chest, a cigar in his mouth, a can of beer in one hand and his other arm around a beautiful blonde Angel. This upsets the Pope greatly and he runs downstairs to Heavens Gate and says to the Guardian Angel, "Hey, explain this to me, here I am, the recently deceased Pope, and I have spent 63 years doing Godly deeds on Earth and am here in open bay barracks, and I see this Senior Chief that I know has committed every sin known to man, staying in the mansion on the hill and getting a hero's welcome. How can this be?" The Guardian Angel calmly looks up and says, "We get a Pope up here every 20 or 30 years, but this is the first Senior Chief we've ever had."
