Small, rural towns like Sillmac and Mapleview often carry over traditions from the days when immigrant settlers lived closely like family. In those days, farming, hunting, gathering and building homes were often community projects. Together, the community of olden times learned to survive in the harshest of conditions. In those days, people needed one another. Independence and a need for solitude were never an option.
And when a member of the community passed away, the entire town gathered for the funeral and then a dinner. Everyone brought a dish to pass around. You certainly wouldn"t expect the grieving family to cook for the entire town! In those moments, love and a shared meal were needed.
In modern times, Mapleview and surrounding areas maintain the old customs of funerals. The enti
