Staff Sergeant Rory R. Gavic, 25, US Air Force, Buffalo, MN., 20, 21, Nov 09



Visitation were held at the Peterson Funeral Home in Buffalo, MN. We had the honor to be greeted at our staging area across the street by Debbie (Rory’s Aunt) and Charlie (Rory’s brother). After a short briefing a flagline of 40 PGR members lined the side walks in front of the building with flags flying proudly. The afternoon was a warm lower fifties in the sun. Some of the members were treated to a beautiful sunset as the sun fell into Buffalo Lake, the sight was fitting for the occasion. Members attended from as far away as Thief River Falls. Of course as the sun fell so did the air temperature all the way down to about 29 by the end of the mission. Cold ride home for the 11 that came on their bikes.

All at the mission felt proud to stand for Rory and his family. The family came out and thanked each flagline member. After which Charlie, Rory’s brother honored the flagline with kindness. He went person to person thanking them again and asked if they would like coffee. He would come out with as many cups full as he could carry. I had to chuckle when I overheard him ask if someone wanted cream and sugar, because when they said yes he reached into his pockets and pulled out condiment bar, he was prepared for everything. What proud parents he must have.

Services were held at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Buffalo, MN. 59 PGR members lined the sidewalks and stairs to the church. During our flagline at both the church and cemetery we were all honored with fly bys of a low flying Bald Eagle. The eagle flew overhead low enough we could see his white feathered head and tail. Seeing him soaring so low we could see how majestic they really are in flight.

After the morning visitation the main group of PGR moved to the cemetery lead by Jack Foster. Chelsey the funeral director had indicated that it would be nice to have a motorcycle motorcade from the church to the cemetery, so anyone that came on a bike stayed back. Before the service was over Chelsey asked if six of our members would meet and carry Rory’s casket down the church stairs and to the hearse. Wasn’t hard for that to happen with great members like ours.

The motorcade all loaded their flags in to John G’s truck and he took them over to the cemetery ahead of the procession. The procession was lead by the Buffalo Police. They lead it along the lake shore and out to the cemetery with no incidents.

The flagline surrounded about half of the small cemetery, when the bikes arrived we parked and joined the flagline. Charlie and Curt (Rory’s brothers) were the last to leave after spending a few moments alone with their fallen brother. The PGR maintained a silent flagline until entire family left and was out of sight, we wanted to leave them with the sight of a cemetery full of people holding flags in honor of their loved one.

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(@) PGR National Thread

Tim Leonhardt