wiegie Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Former President Bush among Lay's mourners 07/12/2006 By KRISTEN HAYS / Associated Press Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay was a high-powered businessman, philanthropist and family man who didn't succumb to despair despite the scandal that destroyed his company and left him a vilified convicted felon, friends and family members said at a memorial service Wednesday where mourners included former President George Bush. Lay's 90-minute service drew some of the high-profile guests who were close to him before he was convicted in May of fraud and conspiracy for lying to investors and the public about the energy company's financial health before it collapsed in 2001. Neither the Bushes nor former Secretary of State James Baker III, Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane Jr. and noted heart surgeon Denton Cooley spoke. The Bushes sat directly behind Lay's wife, Linda. Instead, Lay's family and friends sought to show a kinder view of him than had been seen publicly since the company's collapse. Some expressed bitterness over their — and Lay's — steadfast belief that he was wrongly convicted in one of the biggest corporate frauds in history. "I am angry because of the way he was treated in the last five years of his life, and I think I'll leave it there, leave it at that," said Lay's stepson, David Herrold, who attended much of the four-month trial. "I am glad he's not in a position anymore to be whipped by his enemy," Herrold said to the hundreds in attendance at Houston's First United Methodist Church, which Lay attended for 12 years. His mother, Linda Lay, dabbed tears with a handkerchief. As guests entered the sanctuary, they passed a framed photo of a smiling Lay wearing a red Enron T-shirt, blue athletic shorts and gym shoes. Two large bouquets of sunflowers sat on either side of the pulpit, while two burning candles sat on each side of an open Bible in the center. The Rev. Bill Lawson, prominent pastor of the African-American Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, said the Lay he knew wasn't the butt of late-night TV jokes or a pariah. Lawson called Lay a "victim of a lynching" and praised mourners for staying friends with him through the scandal. "The folks who don't like him have had their say. I'd like to have mine and I don't care what you think about it," he said, eliciting brief applause. "Now his grandchildren won't ask, 'Why is Papia in jail?' No more persecution. That is behind him," Lawson said. Lawson evoked leaders who he said were vilified in life but vindicated by history, including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and "our Lord Jesus Christ." Lay died of heart disease July 5 in Aspen, Colo., where he was vacationing with his wife. About 200 friends and family, including his co-defendant, former Enron chief executive Jeffrey Skilling, attended a small memorial service there on Sunday. But Skilling decided not to attend Wednesday's service because of heavy media coverage, said his attorney, Daniel Petrocelli. His wife, former Enron corporate secretary Rebecca Carter, attended both services. Minutes before Wednesday's service began, shrieks pierced the sanctuary as Lay friend and former Houston Mayor Bob Lanier, 80, collapsed in an aisle. Carter and Lawson comforted Lanier's distraught wife, Elyse, before paramedics whisked him to a hospital. He was hospitalized in stable condition with an irregular heartbeat. Lay and Skilling were the faces of Enron throughout the company's meteoric rise from a stodgy pipeline company to a powerhouse energy trader. Their reputations shattered alongside the company as their images switched from business visionaries to perpetrators of fraud that fueled a spectacular crash that evaporated $60 billion in market value and left thousands jobless. A jury convicted Lay of six counts of fraud and conspiracy and Skilling of 19 of 28 counts of fraud, conspiracy, insider trading and lying to auditors. Lay also was convicted of bank fraud and lying to banks in a separate, non-jury trial related to his personal banking. Lay died awaiting their Oct. 23 sentencing, and his lawyers are expected to ask a judge to erase his conviction because his death left his case unfinished. Skilling still faces sentencing on that date and could be ordered to serve decades in prison. Beau Herrold, another Lay stepson who manages the family's finances, read from a letter he had begun writing to U.S. District Judge Sim Lake that he intended to deliver before Lay's sentencing. In the letter, he described Lay as a devoted husband, father, grandfather and brother who "always found a way to make time for family." Lay is survived by his wife, children, two sisters and 12 grandchildren. Mick Seidl, a former Enron executive, called Lay "my good, honest, God-fearing friend who did not have a criminal bone in his body" and who "demonstrated true bravery in the face of battle." Michael Ramsey, Lay's lead criminal lawyer who was sidelined with his own heart problems for several weeks during the trial, referred to the wave of conspiracy theories posted on the Internet starting within hours of Lay's death questioning whether he faked his demise to avoid prison. Lay's body has been cremated, but the family has not divulged what was done with his ashes. "When I read the garbage that's on the Internet, I'm reminded of the parable of the jackass kicking the dead lion. I think that's enough said," Ramsey said. George "Mac" Secrest, another attorney for Lay, praised a heartfelt service for his famous client. "I thought there was a lot of love and most important a lot of respect shown for a wonderful man," he said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 c'mon, it's the guy's funeral. he's dead. what do you want his friends and family to say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh B Tool Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 c'mon, it's the guy's funeral. he's dead. what do you want his friends and family to say? Well for starters maybe his wife should say "how much do we owe all his employees who got screwed out of their collective retirements?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godtomsatan Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 c'mon, it's the guy's funeral. he's dead. what do you want his friends and family to say? Lawson evoked leaders who he said were vilified in life but vindicated by history, including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and "our Lord Jesus Christ." Maybe not quite that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 c'mon, it's the guy's funeral. he's dead. what do you want his friends and family to say? I figured it would be between you and H8 as to who would be the first to come out and defend this nonsense, but the odds were with H8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 I figured it would be between you and H8 as to who would be the first to come out and defend this nonsense, but the odds were with H8. pathetic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 pathetic my thoughts exactly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Lawson evoked leaders who he said were vilified in life but vindicated by history, including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and "our Lord Jesus Christ." Maybe not quite that. yeah, i agree, that's pretty f'n stupid. but ripping people for trying to say nice things about their friend at his funeral is pretty f'n stupid, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 yeah, i agree, that's pretty f'n stupid. but ripping people for trying to say nice things about their friend at his funeral is pretty f'n stupid, too. they didn't just say nice things about their friend... they freaking compared him to JESUS How anyone could not find that ridiculous is beyond me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 they didn't just say nice things about their friend... they freaking compared him to JESUS How anyone could not find that ridiculous is beyond me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 they didn't just say nice things about their friend... they freaking compared him to JESUS How anyone could not find that ridiculous is beyond me. of course it's ridiculous. i think you're missing the point. whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecerwin Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godtomsatan Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 yeah, i agree, that's pretty f'n stupid. but ripping people for trying to say nice things about their friend at his funeral is pretty f'n stupid, too. i understand the man was a loving family member and devoted friend, and to those people who knew that side of him, it's important to grieve, but it's downright sick don't you think to have a speaker compare him to assassination victims whose deaths altered the course of history and/or our national psyche? It's this kind of arrogance that made people loath the man and the deeds he was ultimately responsible for in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 i understand the man was a loving family member and devoted friend, and to those people who knew that side of him, it's important to grieve, but it's downright sick don't you think to have a speaker compare him to assassination victims whose deaths altered the course of history and/or our national psyche? It's this kind of arrogance that made people loath the man and the deeds he was ultimately responsible for in the first place. You're missing the point! WhatEVer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 i understand the man was a loving family member and devoted friend, and to those people who knew that side of him, it's important to grieve, but it's downright sick don't you think to have a speaker compare him to assassination victims whose deaths altered the course of history and/or our national psyche? It's this kind of arrogance that made people loath the man and the deeds he was ultimately responsible for in the first place. if he's your friend, who you love and respect, and he was brought to ruins very publicly and, in your own opinion, wrongfully. those are the sorts of people you're going to think of. obviously, if you think he was guilty, as i do, you think he deserved everything he got (and then some), and you don't even think about shedding a tear. but that's not quite the same as ripping into his loved ones, who DID believe him innocent, for engaging in a little hyperbole as they mourned his loss. just seems off to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 i think you're missing the point. whatever. I guess I am. What exactly is your point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Lawson evoked leaders who he said were vilified in life but vindicated by history, including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and "our Lord Jesus Christ." "evoking" the name of jesus at a christian funeral?! imagine the NERVE! and wedgie, my "point" is that sniping at someone for the things said AT THEIR F8CKING FUNERAL is petty and vulture-ish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 "evoking" the name of jesus at a christian funeral?! imagine the NERVE! and wedgie, my "point" is that sniping at someone for the things said AT THEIR F8CKING FUNERAL is petty and vulture-ish. the name "Jesus" was evoked so that He could be compared with Ken Lay--that DOES take nerve I'm not sniping at Ken Lay here--I am sniping at the people who made the ridiculous comparisons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 "evoking" the name of jesus at a christian funeral?! imagine the NERVE! and wedgie, my "point" is that sniping at someone for the things said AT THEIR F8CKING FUNERAL is petty and vulture-ish. In the context of your quote "evoking" is synonymous with "comparing" whach is apparently what they did, and is deserving of the criticism. Unless, of course, you somehow think Jesus was about stealing from the poor to give to the rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godtomsatan Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 but that's not quite the same as ripping into his loved ones, who DID believe him innocent, for engaging in a little hyperbole as they mourned his loss. just seems off to me. It was the officiating pastor who made the evocations. He's fair game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecerwin Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 It was the officiating pastor who made the evocations. He's fair game. I bet he was a Steelers fan too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 of course it's ridiculous. i think you're missing the point. whatever. He started this thread... perhaps, you're missing his point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 they didn't just say nice things about their friend... they freaking compared him to JESUS How anyone could not find that ridiculous is beyond me. I am demanding in my will that I be compared to Jesus at my remembrance. After all, we both had beards and wore sandals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I'm actually a lot like Jesus... except for that part about being a spiritual leader, and not raping horses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I'm actually a lot like Jesus... except for that part about being a spiritual leader, and not raping horses. Well, it doesn't say he didn't. I mean, the Bible never mentions Jesus taking a dump but I'm pretty sure that happened once or twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.