Before I went into LTD and SSDI full time, I had my DREAM job. I was the first female co-owner/VP of human resources for a US ship repair yard. We employ more than 2,500 employees; 24/7 operation; 11 unions, and a lot of agitation!!!

My agreement with the Managers who fixed ships was simple: I made people; they made great “things” out of metal.

It was a rainy Wednesday, late October night, around 8:00 pm. We had a ship under repair with an English captain, Head, and his wife on board (they traveled the world together). They went out for a walk, and for some reason, they were walking in the middle of the one-way street leading from the ship repair yard. 8:00 pm is “lunch time” for Swing Shift; And they only have 30 minutes.

A young man who worked in the yard for a contractor ran out of the yard exceeding the speed limit, trying to drive while cleaning the windshield. He felt a thud and stopped the car, only to find that he had hit and unfortunately killed the captain. Head. I got a call at home around 3 am to come to the patio and “deal” with the situation, since I did “people”. I went in, dealt with the police, the grieving widow, the hospital, etc. I took the widow to a downtown hotel; he contacted her family in England and arranged to get them tickets to fly to stay with her; she went home for a few hours sleep.

Now remember, the customer is always right. So the next day, Thursday, I was reunited with family, and the widow wanted to have an open casket, full Catholic mass, memorial service, the next day, at the shipyard, so the ship’s crew could say one last good thing. by the Cap. He had already quoted for caskets, embalming, cremation, etc., and when I started relaying the information to the family, the “Ship’s Representative”-our “client” said: “They don’t pay, you pay!”

I thought that was fine, but I wonder what Accounting would think when they saw my VISA statement for next month in which I uploaded a casket, embalming and cremation.

I leave the family; make arrangements with the Funeral Home to prepare the Capt. for the following night’s service – Friday – for a 6 pm service. Now the only place within the courtyard suitable for service was a nice room off our company cafeteria. And, the only door wide enough to accept a coffin was the one that would lead the coffin through to the kitchen. So I had to call the State Department of Health. to make sure I wasn’t violating any health codes by pushing a coffin through the kitchen (and it didn’t take me as long as the body was embalmed).

Now, that Friday, luckily, was Halloween. And remember this is a rough and dirty ship repair yard! Just years before the courtyard hosted Halloween parties with an open casket filled with ice and alcohol! And, despite the fact that we were kinder and gentler now, I did not want the shift on duty to see a group in the room with windows next to the cafeteria with an open casket! So, we bought and figured out how to hang curtains.

Then, I remembered that I needed to find a Priest! Take some time to find one last minute ~ It’s finally Friday, around noon. I panic, remembering that I don’t have any suitable “Catholic funeral mass” music to play, and run to the nearest mall music store. I order mournful music, momentarily forgetting that it’s Halloween, and the clerk tries to sell me the Monster Mash. I explain and get the right music; Return to the courtyard and prepare the room for service. Run home to change your clothes; I run back to the Patio, where I remembered that I had to pay the Priest for his services!!

So, I ran to Accounting and requested a check made out to the Priest, and received the strangest looks, until I remembered that not everyone who worked in the Yard knew about the upcoming Memorial Service.

Go back to the room; everything arrives and the Service begins. Now, I hope you realize how serious this event is. He had told the priest that the captain’s name was Richard Head. But his family came from the UK and they insisted on calling him throughout the service by his nickname, Dick. I was horrified when people at the service put the two names together, in “American slang,” and started laughing. Well, we went through the Service; afterward we had arranged for a light dinner, and the evening ended with satisfaction.

Remarks: First of all, I defy any other HR executive to have these types of tasks to perform. Second, this is a true story! Only at an American ship repair yard can you have a full Catholic Mass memorial service for the captain. Dick Head on Halloween.