Mt. Nittany

After the backyard memorial on Saturday, June 16th at 11am we did the White family hike up Mt. Nittany! We all started at different times and places, so it wasn't a large group hiking up the trail together, but we did meet at the top to watch Dan (Grampa Dan/Jeff's dad/the youngest son of Hal & Stevie White) scatter his parents' ashes. The trail up the mountain was steep and rocky, and about a mile long. Plenty of time to work up a sweat. I hiked with Amber and after I helped her find a walking stick, we admired the beautiful white flowers growing all over a grove of trees as we climbed. 

Jeff led a contingent of cousins on a run up the mountain. He ended up tripping and kicking a very sharp rock so hard that blood seeped through his shoe. He fell and scraped up his shin, his knee, and a hand, effectively ending his hopes of swimming in Spring Creek later in the day. But he still did a traditional Tarzan yell at the top of Mt. Nittany while we waited for the last few people to arrive.

Watching Jeff's dad Dan scatter his parents' ashes in such a meaningful place was special. I loved feeling part of the extended White family. The extended White family is incredibly open and loving and welcoming, and I felt proud to be a part of it at this gathering.

This sign was propped up on the back of the "outhouse" (a small shed/apartment behind the main house) at the homestead, and when the grandparents' ashes were brought out, we found that they had been stored in this manky cardboard box that was covered in cat pee. It was an amusing juxtaposition to place the cat pee urn holder box next to the "Best Event" sign. I greatly appreciated Helen's (Jeff's cousin) sense of humor with this arrangement.

Sweet Jay asked for a picture with the remains of the great grandparents that he never met. I heard him quietly say, "hi great grandma and grandpa." Before the memorial, their ashes were in separate boxes/urns. Uncle Hubie mixed them together after the memorial.

A vibrant variety of living family members milling around catching up, while the table with the ashes looked on in silence. It was an unexpectedly moving scene and made me think a lot about family and roots and life and legacy.

Gathering for the memorial. It wasn't exactly what I'd call a memorial service, it was just the living sons sharing a few memories before mixing the ashes together.

Hubie, Boo (Harold), and Dan (their fourth brother Hebron passed away a few years ago)

Mixing the ashes. Grandpa White had almost twice as many ashes as Grandma!

This whole process was actually really funny. We didn't think about details like rubber gloves or spoons or funnels, so it was messy and weird and funny and perfect.

Time for the hike! About a quarter mile from the White Family Homestead, Mt. Nittany Road leads up to the trailhead. 

This was a very sweet note at the trailhead. Grandpa White created the trail up to the top of Mt. Nittany, so it is actually called White Trail. I loved experiencing the deep roots the White family has in this town.

The trailhead!

Rocky trail and beautiful white flowers.

Jeff met us at a fork in the trail near the top and showed off his wounds.

Hiking the last little bit together.

Amber, following Grampa Dan (carrying his parents' ashes) to the viewpoint.
[Photo credit: Lillian Pintea-White. Lillian was amazing at documenting the reunion with both his phone and his nice camera.]

The White Family crew atop Mt. Nittany! [Photo credit: Lillian Pintea-White]

While waiting at the top of Mt. Nittany, Amber got out her sketchbook and drew a picture for her great grandma's niece's husband, Roy Conli (I can't piece together what relation that is to Amber just now, haha). Roy accepted Amber's artwork graciously. [Photo credit: Lillian Pintea-White]

The crew at the viewpoint on Mt. Nittany. [Photo credit: Lillian Pintea-White]

At the request of the family, Jeff did his best Tarzan yell from the top of Mt. Nittany.

The view from the top--Grandpa White cleared this viewpoint, which looks down on his house below. (Trees have grown up so we couldn't see the White Homestead while we were there.) The Penn State University Campus is visible in the distance.

Family gathering and waiting. A group of our party took a wrong turn and hiked all over the mountain before arriving at our viewpoint almost an hour later.

Another generation of White family at the top of Mt. Nittany.

Dan, saying a few words before scattering his parents' combined ashes.

[photo credit: Lillian Pintea-White]

Amber followed in her father's footsteps and tripped and fell on a rock on the way back, so Jeff hefted her onto his shoulders for a bit while she calmed down. I had two thoughts at this moment: 1. "wow, this might be the last time Jeff can get Amber up onto his shoulders like that!" and 2. "YIKES, husband, please don't trip and fall again!"

Rose, with one of the signs for White Trail. It was so cool hiking on a trail named after our family because a family member literally made the trail!