Bethany Beach gets ready for jazz funeral

While the summer season in the Quiet Resorts of the greater Bethany Beach area is just starting to swing into high gear, a group of local residents is preparing to celebrate the end of this year’s season by hosting the annual jazz funeral.

The 2012 Bethany Beach Jazz Funeral will begin at 5:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 3, Labor Day, at the north end of the Bethany Beach boardwalk.  The event is family-friendly and free to the public, according to Carolyn Bacon and Marie Wright, the assistant chairs of this year's Jazz Funeral events.

Accompanied by three jazz bands - Dixie Cats, the Downtown Dixieland Band and the Jazz Funeral Irregulars - the mourners transport a casket with a mannequin representing Summer 2012 to its final resting place at the Boardwalk Bandstand.

"The idea of the jazz funeral in Bethany Beach was originated by Moss Wagner," said Bethany area resident Kirk Rankin. "For many years, Moss owned the Bethany Beach Ice Cream Parlor on Garfield Parkway and later Moss' Boss Ice Cream Shop on Atlantic Avenue. He was also a member of the Bethany Beach town council who was known for his innovative ideas."

Former Bethany councilman Wagner was the leader of the jazz funeral for the first 12 years and embraced a jazz funeral tradition by dressing in costume as the Grim Reaper. For his contributions, Wagner was honored at the 20th year celebration of the jazz funeral he founded.

Last year, the jazz funeral honored the memory of Bethany businessman Art Antal, who passed away in fall 2010. The former Bethany businessman and town council candidate will be remembered at this year’s celebration for his humorous comments about Bethany at the end-of-season event.

A silent auction will be held at 3 p.m., Friday, Aug. 31, at Bethany Blues, 6 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in Bethany Beach. The beneficiary for funds raised at a silent auction will be named prior to the event.

Charities under consideration include the American Cancer Society and its Relay For Life program, the American Red Cross of Delmarva, the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, Sussex County Habitat for Humanity, and the Audubon Society of Delaware and the Chesapeake Audubon Society. All have been past Bethany Beach Jazz Funeral beneficiaries.

Anyone who wishes to volunteer to help out with the Bethany Beach Jazz Funeral or the silent auction is requested to email jazzfuneral@mchsi.com, call to leave a message at 302-537-1585 or drop a line to PO Box 505, Bethany Beach, DE 19930.