GERRY TANK

Doctor and friend

August in Grants Pass usually has hot, dry weather and such was the case today. I have a few recollections to share. It was an open casket affair and a number of Carl's fans had come great distances for the occasion. The furthest was over 3,000 miles and that was Don Ault, a close friend for many many years, clearly devastated by the loss. John Lustig came down from Seattle with his family. The reverend Ed Bergen, another close friend and now President of the Carl Barks Fan Club came from the Chicago area. Bruce Hamilton, publisher from "Another Rainbow", came from his home in Arizona. Although they had sent a bouquet, there was no representative of Disney in attendance. If memory serves me correctly Malcolm Willits was there and a few other acquaintances and fans from Washington and California.

A number of relatives attended and although I had met all of them I can't recall exactly who was there. I know his great grandson Jodie and his grandson-in-law Brad were there. Also Patti Lutzenhiser.

Let me digress for a minute. In the last months of life Carl needed around-the-clock care. A David Veselik was hired. Also as Carl neared the final weeks of life he began to have a desire for music, especially music of the 50's and 60's and more especially Bing Crosby and Perry Como. I searched my resources and took my boom box, set  it up with tapes of Perry Como. While he was listening David did a sing-along. He impressed Carl so much with his voice that he was requested to sing at the services.

I would say that there were maybe 60 or so guests at the funeral. Carl was little known in Grants Pass just as he had been anonymous in the United States for so many years. Other than the visitors from out of town and the relatives and a few close friends from Grants Pass, most attendees were neighbors.

The funeral was officiated at Carl's request by Pastor Bob Wood, a one time comic book dealer. Brad Pattie sang a song he had written commemorating his grandfather-in-law and at the end of the sermon David Veselik gave a sterling rendition of "Amazing Grace".

At the end of the ceremony there was a walk by the open coffin, for me and several others a rather traumatic experience, but having seen his life ebbing over the previous several weeks I felt relieved that he had finally found his peace.

Carl had prepared well for his demise. Arrangements had been made and paid for at one of our fine restaurants. He had reckoned that some of the mourners would have come a long way and might be hungry. He made sure that everyone who attended had a hearty meal and an opportunity to renew acquaintances.

There would be another sermon at the gravesite on September 1st attended only by family members, his major caretakers and myself. He is buried next to his wife Garé and the plaque over his grave in the memorial park is inscribed "The Good Artist".