On Wednesday, the Schubergs, a prominent Big Rapids family, celebrated the life of their father, Carly, who died on Dec. 30. The Schuberg clan are some of the nicest people in town (some of the nicest I’ve met in life), but they’re all undeniably quirky. And I mean that in the best possible way. The first time I met Carleen, she offered to lend me her kayaks so I could tour the Muskegon River. The first time I met Rex, I think he was wearing a costume and running around downtown Big Rapids. They’re my favorite people. I didn’t know Carly, but he must have been awesome, too, and this is how I know. He restored a horse-drawn funeral horse to carry his casket, which he built himself, and kept two black draft horses, specifically so they could one day pull his hearse in his funeral procession. His funeral was complete with full military honors and a 21-gun salute. As I was standing on a roadside on Wednesday, waiting to photograph the procession (Carly’s family followed the hearse on foot about half a mile from his house, where the service was held, to the cemetery), a family friend approached me. “Are you a friend of the family?” he asked. “Um, kind of,” I said. “I know the Schubergs, but I’m taking pictures for the Pioneer.” “Oh. Well then. Carly would want you to have this,” the man said, handing me a can of Stroh’s. “Save it for later.” I didn’t even get the guy’s name. I protested a little, but not too much because, well, it’s gotta be considered rude to turn down a can of beer an amazing dead man would want you to have. And to turn it down at his funeral, no less. I put the Stroh’s in my camera bag, smiled, and caught up with the procession. RIP Carly. Some people live around the community, some people live in the community and some people live for the community. - Carly Schuberg (click for our coverage, none of which I wrote) On Wednesday, the Schubergs, a prominent Big Rapids family, celebrated the life of their father, Carly, who died on Dec. 30. The Schuberg clan are some of the nicest people in town (some of the nicest I’ve met in life), but they’re all undeniably quirky. And I mean that in the best possible way. The first time I met Carleen, she offered to lend me her kayaks so I could tour the Muskegon River. The first time I met Rex, I think he was wearing a costume and running around downtown Big Rapids. They’re my favorite people. I didn’t know Carly, but he must have been awesome, too, and this is how I know. He restored a horse-drawn funeral horse to carry his casket, which he built himself, and kept two black draft horses, specifically so they could one day pull his hearse in his funeral procession. His funeral was complete with full military honors and a 21-gun salute. As I was standing on a roadside on Wednesday, waiting to photograph the procession (Carly’s family followed the hearse on foot about half a mile from his house, where the service was held, to the cemetery), a family friend approached me. “Are you a friend of the family?” he asked. “Um, kind of,” I said. “I know the Schubergs, but I’m taking pictures for the Pioneer.” “Oh. Well then. Carly would want you to have this,” the man said, handing me a can of Stroh’s. “Save it for later.” I didn’t even get the guy’s name. I protested a little, but not too much because, well, it’s gotta be considered rude to turn down a can of beer an amazing dead man would want you to have. And to turn it down at his funeral, no less. I put the Stroh’s in my camera bag, smiled, and caught up with the procession. RIP Carly. Some people live around the community, some people live in the community and some people live for the community. - Carly Schuberg (click for our coverage, none of which I wrote) On Wednesday, the Schubergs, a prominent Big Rapids family, celebrated the life of their father, Carly, who died on Dec. 30. The Schuberg clan are some of the nicest people in town (some of the nicest I’ve met in life), but they’re all undeniably quirky. And I mean that in the best possible way. The first time I met Carleen, she offered to lend me her kayaks so I could tour the Muskegon River. The first time I met Rex, I think he was wearing a costume and running around downtown Big Rapids. They’re my favorite people. I didn’t know Carly, but he must have been awesome, too, and this is how I know. He restored a horse-drawn funeral horse to carry his casket, which he built himself, and kept two black draft horses, specifically so they could one day pull his hearse in his funeral procession. His funeral was complete with full military honors and a 21-gun salute. As I was standing on a roadside on Wednesday, waiting to photograph the procession (Carly’s family followed the hearse on foot about half a mile from his house, where the service was held, to the cemetery), a family friend approached me. “Are you a friend of the family?” he asked. “Um, kind of,” I said. “I know the Schubergs, but I’m taking pictures for the Pioneer.” “Oh. Well then. Carly would want you to have this,” the man said, handing me a can of Stroh’s. “Save it for later.” I didn’t even get the guy’s name. I protested a little, but not too much because, well, it’s gotta be considered rude to turn down a can of beer an amazing dead man would want you to have. And to turn it down at his funeral, no less. I put the Stroh’s in my camera bag, smiled, and caught up with the procession. RIP Carly. Some people live around the community, some people live in the community and some people live for the community. - Carly Schuberg (click for our coverage, none of which I wrote)

On Wednesday, the Schubergs, a prominent Big Rapids family, celebrated the life of their father, Carly, who died on Dec. 30.

The Schuberg clan are some of the nicest people in town (some of the nicest I’ve met in life), but they’re all undeniably quirky. And I mean that in the best possible way. The first time I met Carleen, she offered to lend me her kayaks so I could tour the Muskegon River. The first time I met Rex, I think he was wearing a costume and running around downtown Big Rapids. They’re my favorite people.

I didn’t know Carly, but he must have been awesome, too, and this is how I know.

He restored a horse-drawn funeral horse to carry his casket, which he built himself, and kept two black draft horses, specifically so they could one day pull his hearse in his funeral procession. His funeral was complete with full military honors and a 21-gun salute.

As I was standing on a roadside on Wednesday, waiting to photograph the procession (Carly’s family followed the hearse on foot about half a mile from his house, where the service was held, to the cemetery), a family friend approached me.

“Are you a friend of the family?” he asked.

“Um, kind of,” I said. “I know the Schubergs, but I’m taking pictures for the Pioneer.”

“Oh. Well then. Carly would want you to have this,” the man said, handing me a can of Stroh’s. “Save it for later.” I didn’t even get the guy’s name.

I protested a little, but not too much because, well, it’s gotta be considered rude to turn down a can of beer an amazing dead man would want you to have. And to turn it down at his funeral, no less.

I put the Stroh’s in my camera bag, smiled, and caught up with the procession.

RIP Carly.

Some people live around the community, some people live in the community and some people live for the community. - Carly Schuberg (click for our coverage, none of which I wrote)

  1. Date Posted Icon 7th January 2012