October 2021

Page A34 OCTOBER 2021 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A overdrinking fine wines, cham- pagnes, and whiskeys did noth- ing to help his deteriorating health. His weight increased from 185 pounds to over 225 pounds. In time he was diag- nosed with Bright’s disease, a then-fatal kidney ailment. By June 1886, Arthur was in constant agony. Breathing was difficult, he was irritable and restless, and he could only sleep with the aid of narcotics. His body was swollen with ede- ma, and by November, he was confined to bed. He ate little and slept most of the time. His memory faded and conversations became difficult. There were times when he could not recognize his own children. Then on Tuesday, November 16, to the delight of every- body, Arthur experienced a short improvement. He ate well, again late at night, and around 11:30 PM, he kissed his daughter on the forehead before retiring. It was not unusual for Arthur to sleep late. Wednesday morning at 10:00 AM, his valet entered the bedroom to wake Arthur up and found him in great distress. The phy- sician was summoned, and it was clear that Arthur had suffered a stroke, which had paralyzed his left side and his center of consciousness. Arthur lingered in this state until Thursday, November 18, 1886. At 5:10 AM, Chester A. Arthur breathed his last. His death was so quiet that people found it hard to know that he was actually gone. President Arthur lived 56 years and 44 days. President Arthur was a member of the Church of the Heavenly Rest in Manhattan, and the sexton/undertaker of the church was Alexander Davidson , who was called to the Arthur residence to prepare the remains for burial. On Friday, Davidson delivered the casket to the Arthur residence. The casket was made of solid oak and covered with plain black cloth. An ornate molding spanned the circumference of the casket, and on the molding were at- tached six silver handles. By Todd Van Beck No one thought that Chester A. Arthur, who was the vice president under James A. Garfield would ever be- come president, but an assassin’s bullet thrust Arthur into the White House. Arthur’s reputation before becoming the 21st presi- dent was shaky at best. He was seen as a political hack and lackey and was beholden to Tammany Hall, the corrupt New York political machine, for his success and lucrative political appointments. No one took him seriously. Upon hearing the news of Garfield’s death, one New York political observer wrote, “Ches- ter Arthur, President? GOOD GOD!!!” However, Chester Arthur was to prove himself wor- thy of the nation’s highest trust. As president, Arthur proved himself so honest and capable that he infuriat- ed his Tammany Hall cronies, who then conveniently saw to it that his chances for election in his own right were destroyed. After his term in office, Arthur retired to his town- house on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan in 1885. His retirement was short, because he left the White House an ill man. He had kidney and gallbladder problems, and his habit of overeating at ten-course meals and C hester A lan A rthur the twenty-first President of the United States of America Rest in Peace, Mr. President. That was the hope...that our presidents would rest in peace, but that has not always happened. For example, between 1865 and 1901 Lincoln’s remains were moved 18 times. Funerals are a reflection of how people live their lives, and this remains true for the funerals of our U.S. presi- dents. This series offers a glimpse into the deaths and fu- nerals of our presidents, while offering overdue recogni- tion to the scores of funeral professionals who labored ceaselessly to carry out the wishes of the presidents, their families, and in some cases, the wishes of the United States government. Each account tells an interesting story. —TVB Rest In Peace, Mr. President On Monday, November 22, 1886, the funeral for President Arthur was held in the sanctuary of the Church of the Heavenly Rest. President Grover Cleve- land attended, as did Robert Todd Lincoln, President Lincoln’s eldest son. Following the funeral at the church, the funeral pro- cession traveled to Grand Central Station. A funeral train would transfer Arthur’s remains to the Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York, where the burial would take place. At 10:10 AM, the funeral train left for Albany. In Albany, the graveside com- mittal was conducted by Marshall W. Tebbutt , who was the leading undertaker in the city. The funeral train arrived at the Rural Cemetery at 1:40 PM. Tebbutt’s hearse was waiting at the train tracks, which ran right in front of the entrance to the ceme- tery. At 2:20 PM, the grave- side service began, and by 3:00 PM, everything had been completed. The funeral train left Albany at 4:45 PM and arrived back in New York City at 7:15 PM. On June 15, 1889, three years after Arthur’s death, a beautiful monument was erected at the Arthur grave at a cost of $10,000. Significant to the monument is a heroic-size bronze Angel of Sorrow that stands next to the stone, laying a palm leaf on the monument. Todd W. Van Beck is associated with John A. Gupton College in Nashville, and has been an author, teacher, practitioner, and speaker for over 40 years. On May 30, 2018 Van Beck celebrated 50 years in funeral service. You can reach Todd at 615-327-3927. F U N E R A L H O M E & C E M E T E R Y N E W S w w w . N o m i s P u b l i c a t i o n s . c o m Monthly Columns online at Marshall W. Tebbutt Chester A. Arthur www. vischerfuneralsupplies.com Convention in Atlanta, GA in August 2022! Find more information at www.goCANA.org/education Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America is an international organization of over 3,300 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crema- tories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization. CANA Continued from Page A33 NEWS Association CONTINUED SEND US YOUR NEWS! PO Box 5159 Youngstown, Oh 44514 1-800-321-7479 info@nomispublications.com