The final tribute

As the brass notes called out over the cemetery, Jim Foster's granddaughter turned her head to watch the man on the hill play a last salute and goodbye to her grandfather. She kept her red and glistening eyes on the suited trumpeter while taps rang out. At the end of the song she finally turned them back to the flag-covered casket.

For countless family members who have to watch their loved ones lowered into the ground, taps serves as a final tribute to the time he or she spent in the military while alive. Even those who play the song know the weight the notes carry.

Narvol Randol Jr. played "To the Colors" and taps at Jim Foster's funeral Thursday. Randol's wife, Amy, said on average he plays the military honors with the VFW at a funeral about once a week.

"He just feels like this is a real honor to do this for these gentlemen and ladies who have served," she said.

Randol never served in the military himself, but his father was a brigadier general in the Army National Guard.

"This is kind of his way of saying thank you to them and paying tribute," Amy Randol said.

In September, the National Guard announced it would stop using live taps players at military funerals in favor of a ceremonial bugle outfitted with a cone-shaped microphone that played a recording of the song.

Less than 10 days later, Gov. Matt Blunt reinstated the practice, saying the recorded version should be used only when live players were unavailable.

Melvin Kuehle, head of the color guard at VFW Post 3838, said the post bought a ceremonial bugle and electronic versions of taps and "To the Colors" three or four years ago.

"We have that, but we only use it in case of an emergency," he said. The color guard performs an entire ceremony when the VFW is called to provide the military honors at a funeral.

Narvol Randol Jr. held his trumpet during a burial Thursday at Cape County Memorial Park. (Aaron Eisenhauer)

They salute, read a program, fold the flag and have a live trumpet player -- usually Randol -- play "To the Colors" and taps.

"He doesn't charge us anything, and the state of Missouri doesn't pay anything," Kuehle said.

One reason the Guard listed for stopping the use of live buglers was cost cuts, but locals said money isn't discussed when they play for funerals here.

"I was never paid," Jerry Ford said. "I played taps for probably 30 years all over the area."

Groups used to call him when he was a high school trumpet player to come perform the song. At most, he was given a T-shirt one year for Christmas, he said.

Kuehle said that when he heard about the National Guard not using live buglers anymore, he was not worried.

"I couldn't imagine them doing it, but really truly it didn't really affect us," he said. "We have our own live bugle and we use it."

When Randol is sick or out of town, Kuehle said they use the artificial bugle, but in the more than three years they have had the recording, they have used it fewer than five times.

"Live is better anytime," said Mildred Foster, Jim Foster's widow. "But if there is nobody available, the other is great, too. I think taps is important."

Foster served in the Navy during World War II and was the oldest active member of the VFW Post 3838 before he died Tuesday.

"Our generation grew up honoring the flag and honoring taps," Mildred Foster said. "It meant something to us, so it's special to have it played at your funeral."

Foster said her feelings were torn between live and recorded playings of taps.

"In my case we knew Narvol and we knew his father and his whole family. It was something special for us to have him there," she said.

charris@semissourian.com

After playing taps, Narvol Randol Jr. rolled up the flag at the conclusion of the burial of Jim Foster, a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, on Thursday. (Aaron Eisenhauer)

335-6611, extension 246