What, When, and Why Hans Will Be Laid to Rest at the United States Naval Academy

What: Hans’s life will be honored with military funeral services next week in Annapolis, Maryland, on the grounds of the United States Naval Academy, with a memorial service to be held at a later date in Hampstead, North Carolina, his home.

When: Friends, classmates, colleagues, and extended family are invited to a viewing and visitation on Tuesday, 8 April, between 15:30 - 19:00 (3:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.) at the Naval Academy Chapel. Hans’s family will be there along with his first and favorite surfboard to sign (a fitting guest book).

Hans's funeral will follow on Wednesday, 9 April, at 12:00 noon, again at the Naval Academy Chapel. A walking processional from the Chapel to ‘Hospital Point’ for his internment in the Naval Academy cemetery will begin immediately after the funeral.

Please come to the USNA via the Main Gate 1 at the intersection of King George and Randall Streets. Upon arrival to the guard gate, present your driver’s license and tell them you are attending Midshipman Loewen’s viewing/funeral. You will be directed to the Chapel (first left onto Cooper Road, first left again onto Porter Road, next right onto Buchanan Road, at which point you should see the large Chapel dome to your left; take a left when the road ends onto Blake Road, and follow this to the front of the Chapel). Park as directed.

Why: Hans’s grandmommy (my mother), HelenMarr Wakeman Johannesen, lived and worked in Annapolis as her father (Hans’s great grandfather CAPT [deceased] Philip F. Wakeman, USNA Class of 1928) was stationed nearby. HelenMarr met Hans’s grandpa, CDR (Ret.) Robert 'Bob' E. Johannesen, Class of 1960, there in January of 1960, they were engaged in February, and married in June at the Naval Academy Chapel. Hans’s mom (me, Jennifer), was born at the Naval Academy hospital in the early 1960s in a room overlooking the cemetery grounds and where Hans will be buried on Hospital Point. Grandpa returned to the Naval Academy as a Company Officer, 1966-1969, where Jennifer started her education at the U.S. Naval Academy Primary School, with her sister Janet and brother Jonner. Hans’s uncle, CDR (Ret.) John 'Jonner' R. Johannesen was Class of 1983. Additional family alumni include Hans’s great-great uncle Eppy Wakeman (’22) and great uncle John Ruhsenberger (’60). Jennifer is a 1985 graduate of St. Mary’s College of Maryland in St. Mary’s City, Maryland, and an alumni of Calvert High School in Prince Frederick. His dad, Eric,

was a Navy nuke for six years, serving as a Division Officer on the USS Long Beach and four years active reserve. We have many friends and family living in Annapolis and surrounding areas. Hans’s sister and best friend, Zatha, will graduate in May with the Class of 2014 and receive her commission as a 2nd LT in the United States Marine Corps. Our ties to the Naval Academy are anchored deeply. It will be a peaceful and meaningful place to visit Hans’s resting place, at the Academy he’d wanted to attend since his Grandpa gave him his first Navy Seal poster when he was five years old.

As we move toward the funeral next week our hearts are still heavy with pain, grief, and sadness, yet they are continually finding light spots – the funny, heartwarming, and silly memories of Hans and his sweet, playful, and comedic personality.

As we wrote last night about the chess game of life, the Master can make moves to propel us in a certain direction (or things can happen to change our direction), and we can choose to respond to those moves or not. The next move in our grieving process is to come together to celebrate Hans’s life at the funeral. We extend an open invitation to all, it is a large Chapel.

In lieu of flowers we will be suggesting a few wonderful organizations to which you can donate in memory of Hans. Please look for that tomorrow here. Please join us tonight as we settle in wherever we are to remember and pray for everyone we love.

Flow with love from all the Loewens.