Winfield packed the First United Methodist Church for the funeral of Brian
Redford today, as several stalwarts of the Walnut Valley Festival said they
were ready to work on the festival next year.
"It's going to be hard to get it together without Brian," said Jerry
Jacobs, crew chief.
"I know a lot of us are willing to work on it," said Wayne Steadham, who
has assisted festival promoter Bob Redford, Brian's father, in the past. "I
think people in town can probably count on it."
The Rev. Rick Thornton praised Brian Redford, 38, who was the festival's
director of operations, for his helpfulness and hard work. Thornton
recalled the image of Brian, with wires slung over his shoulder, moving
from stage to stage at the festival.
Near the end of his message, Thornton spoke directly to the Redford family.
"We love you and we care about you from the bottom of our hearts," he said,
encouraging the congregation to "put your arms around them, hug them and
bring them to your hearts."
A poignant part of the service came when the congregation sang a verse
written by Brian's son, Kevin, when he was nine, to the song "Jesus Loves
Me." It went:

"We love Jesus, does He know?
Have we ever told him so?
Little kids are here to say,
That we love Him every day."

Brian's wife, Gail, and daughter, Kayla, sat with Kevin on the front row.
Brian's brother, Bart, came from Russia, where he has been a student for
two years. His sisters, Keira and Krystal, were also with their parents,
grandmother, Barbara Shively, and stepgrandfather, Floyd Thomas.
A videotape of photos of Brian as a boy, at play and with his family was
presented on two large television screens. The video was provided by Miles
Funeral Service.
Martin Rude sang two songs, "Thank You" and "When God Ran." The latter was
about a father's welcome for a lost boy who had come home.
Thornton addressed the mental illness that took Brian Redford's life. "Some
of the greatest people we have ever heard of" are believed to have suffered
it, Thornton said, naming Lincoln and Mozart.
Brian committed suicide Nov. 12.
Thornton also addressed what he described as Brian's sense that Winfield
did not fully appreciate him, attributing it to misunderstanding. He called
Brian "someone who for some reason failed to understand our great
appreciation for him."
Jerry O'Neil, a local farmer who has worked closely with Brian on the
festival and supported him in the battle with depression during the past
few years, echoed Thornton's words. "This town needs to appreciate the
festival - and the Redfords - more than they do," O'Neil said.
Publicity on next year's festival, the 27th, has already begun. It is
scheduled for Sept. 17-20. Steadham said he had been in touch with festival
staff and said he thought putting on a full-scale event with five official
stages depended on how well organized things could become.
Bob and Kendra Redford, the longtime leaders of the festival, have not
commented publicly on its future. They were unavailable for comment today.
Neither was Jane Laughlin, who has worked closely with performers in the
past. Laughlin has moved to Wooster, Ohio, but has returned to work at the
festival.
Steadham's restrained optimism harmonized with comments from Larry Hittle,
who has worked on the festival grounds for years. "Love for the entire
Walnut Valley family will keep us going," Hittle said. "I feel like there
will be a festival next year."
Leo Eilts, a performer with Spontaneous Combustion and a friend of the
Redfords, in a message on the Internet, said his visit here this past
weekend left him assured the Redfords were "under the watchful eye of a
community who cares."
"While I am not a spokesman for either the family or the WVA (Walnut Valley
Association), I have heard Bob speak of the future as if it exists. If they
have it, I'll be there."
If there is a festival, he, too, will be willing to work, said Ron Deal,
one of Brian's casketbearers along with Les and Wes Baucom, Brian Bell,
Terry Burley, Hittle, Ross Lumbert, O'Neil, Blake Orr and Larry Schuster.
Jacobs and Tim Sidebottom were honorary casketbearers.
A fringed afghan celebrating the 25th Annual Walnut Valley Festival in 1996
was draped over Brian's coffin as it left the church. A burial service was
to take place in Atlanta Cemetery.