One of my older frat brothers, Bro Roderick Bell, was one of the multitude of brothers who attended Bro. Tracy Stokes funeral. After leaving the funeral, Rod sent an email to our chapter's email listserve to give an account of how the funeral turned out. Below is the message
Brahs,
I just left the Funeral Service for Brother Tracy Stokes. It was truly moving. There were a lot of people in attendance. The weather stop some from making the trip, however they were there in Spirit. There were about 6 people there from BET, Tracy's Class of 1990 from his high school, members from his church in Clinton and also MD, NSU representative, old classmates, childhood friends, family and of course Alpha Phi Alpha, we all sat together.
Some selected members of the audience were allowed to say a few words about Tracy. This went from the Class of 1990, The Community, The Family (his two cousins), The Churches he attended, BET News and his Parents. Not listed on the Obituary, were his LB's from FALL 93 (John, Q, Bush and Derrick). They all went up to say a couple of words about Tracy and the impression that he left of them. It was a very emotional moment. Derrick telling stories of the birth of his child and how Tracy song "Eye is on the Sparrow" to him and his wife while they were in the hospital, Q quoting Tracy with one of his favorite sayings "Now how about that", John telling everyone how Tracy got them out of trouble and how they both were the singers of the line. Then Bush, this really hit me when he started reading the poem that their Dean sent, via cell phone. That was a tear jerker. From my angle they were all in line with Tracy's casket, it was a sight to see.
Then Tracy's parents got up to say a couple of words. His dad went first, and the one thing that he said that will stick with me was "If a tree falls in the woods, and there is no one there to hear it, does it make a sound. Tracy was the tree that fell, and he made a huge sound. You can tell this by all the people that were there to pay their last respect". That was heart warming.
Then his mom took over after that, and let me tell you, for those who never met Momma Stokes (as John M. calls her), she can go. She had everyone in there feeling it. She thanked everyone.
Tracy's casket was Black with Gold trim which was draped with flowers. Tracy did not have an open casket, due to his request that follows: Back in August, Tracy told his mom, that "I have been blessed with all these material things, however I am not enjoying them. I am tired, I am tired. Mom, if I go before you and dad, do not have an open casket at my funeral, I don't want people looking down at me...and don't bury me in the ground." This was the reason there was no open casket, and he will be buried in a Mausoleum.
As the funeral ended we were asked to exit the building, as we were waiting outside, they asked us to help carry his casket to the hearse. So Q, Bush, Derrick and myself along with others help carry our Frat brother away. Now I don't know about yall, but that was a very touching moment for me to carry Tracy away like that and say my last good byes.
I have enclosed a copy of his Obituary for those who were not able to make it.
Life is too short, Love yall dudes.
I just left the Funeral Service for Brother Tracy Stokes. It was truly moving. There were a lot of people in attendance. The weather stop some from making the trip, however they were there in Spirit. There were about 6 people there from BET, Tracy's Class of 1990 from his high school, members from his church in Clinton and also MD, NSU representative, old classmates, childhood friends, family and of course Alpha Phi Alpha, we all sat together.
Some selected members of the audience were allowed to say a few words about Tracy. This went from the Class of 1990, The Community, The Family (his two cousins), The Churches he attended, BET News and his Parents. Not listed on the Obituary, were his LB's from FALL 93 (John, Q, Bush and Derrick). They all went up to say a couple of words about Tracy and the impression that he left of them. It was a very emotional moment. Derrick telling stories of the birth of his child and how Tracy song "Eye is on the Sparrow" to him and his wife while they were in the hospital, Q quoting Tracy with one of his favorite sayings "Now how about that", John telling everyone how Tracy got them out of trouble and how they both were the singers of the line. Then Bush, this really hit me when he started reading the poem that their Dean sent, via cell phone. That was a tear jerker. From my angle they were all in line with Tracy's casket, it was a sight to see.
Then Tracy's parents got up to say a couple of words. His dad went first, and the one thing that he said that will stick with me was "If a tree falls in the woods, and there is no one there to hear it, does it make a sound. Tracy was the tree that fell, and he made a huge sound. You can tell this by all the people that were there to pay their last respect". That was heart warming.
Then his mom took over after that, and let me tell you, for those who never met Momma Stokes (as John M. calls her), she can go. She had everyone in there feeling it. She thanked everyone.
Tracy's casket was Black with Gold trim which was draped with flowers. Tracy did not have an open casket, due to his request that follows: Back in August, Tracy told his mom, that "I have been blessed with all these material things, however I am not enjoying them. I am tired, I am tired. Mom, if I go before you and dad, do not have an open casket at my funeral, I don't want people looking down at me...and don't bury me in the ground." This was the reason there was no open casket, and he will be buried in a Mausoleum.
As the funeral ended we were asked to exit the building, as we were waiting outside, they asked us to help carry his casket to the hearse. So Q, Bush, Derrick and myself along with others help carry our Frat brother away. Now I don't know about yall, but that was a very touching moment for me to carry Tracy away like that and say my last good byes.
I have enclosed a copy of his Obituary for those who were not able to make it.
Life is too short, Love yall dudes.
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