The funeral of George Cooper Sr. is the funeral service in memory of George Cooper Sr. after his death, which took place in the penultimate episode "Funeral" of Young Sheldon.
History
Dr. Linkletter and Dr. Sturgis greeting the Cooper family
At the church, a memorial service for George is held with photographs shown, and the Cooper family is greeting attendees as they enter. Audrey gave her condolences to Mary, while Jim admits that he loved George even though he didn't know him for long. When Georgie mentioned that George thought of Jim as long lost friends, Jim struggles to hold back tears. Mandy then leads her parents to the pews. Meemaw thinks it's sweet for Dr. Sturgis and Dr. Linkletter to come, while Dr. Sturgis is visibly worried about Sheldon since he avoided talking to him on campus. Mary informs him that Sheldon isn't really talking to anybody, and Dr. Sturgis offers to tell Sheldon about the latest news regarding leptons to distract him. Separately, Hubert Givens and Brenda introduce themselves to each other and find out that they are both single.
Missy's last moment with dad
Georgie's last moment with dad
Mary tells Missy that she can have a last moment with her dad before the casket closes, and Missy agrees that she should. Missy comes up to the casket and reminisces her dinner with her dad at Red Lobster in "Summer Sausage, a Pocket Poncho, and Tony Danza". Next is Georgie's turn, where he tells George that he doesn't need to worry, that he has everything under control, and that he won't let him down. After a moment, he tearfully walks away back downstage. Mary then tells Sheldon that he can have a last moment with his dad, which he declines. Dr. Sturgis and Dr. Linkletter witnesses this and are visibly baffled by this odd choice.
Mary's last moment with her late husband before the casket closes.
Mary then walks up to the casket trying to contain her grief. She jokes that George really didn't want to take the family portrait, then kisses her hand and places it on his forehead. She tells him "see you later" and leaves after a quiet moment while sobbing.
Georgie begins with the first speech. He thanked his father for always supporting him even at points when he was convinced that his father would kill him, including quitting the football team, then dropping out of high school, and then getting someone pregnant out of wedlock. He ends by saying that he loves his dad. Mary then starts her speech recouting how she first met George while in high school, but stops halfway being unable to continue. She admits how angry she is that George left right when their relationship was finally in a good place, and that he left all of us. Mary starts to break down being mad at him, mad at God, and mad at herself for not trying harder when he was here. Meemaw rushes up the stage, hugs Mary to console her, and tells her it's okay. Pastor Jeff then walks Mary back down stage while Meemaw stays on stage to give her speech.
Meemaw gives a more light-hearted speech to honor her son-in-law.
Meemaw begins by acknowledge how difficult George's death is for everyone, including herself. She then lightens the mood by joking how no one is more upset with George's passing than the Lone Star Beer company, which was George's favorite brand of beer. On the other hand, cows everywhere are relieved as the King of Brisket has put down his fork and ridden off into the sunset. Missy is upset that others are laughing at her dad, though Georgie tells her that they are laughing because they love George, so she decides to laugh a bit too. Meemaw continues by revealing how she wasn't always approving of George and Mary's relationship, and would invite Mary's sl*tty friend Janice over in hopes that she would catch George's interest. Meemaw then thanks Janice for coming and says that she's a doll. Continuing with the speech, Meemaw says that George only had eyes for Mary, and of course brisket. She admits that George had earned her respect over the years and that he was a good man. She ends by declaring that she will always be proud to call George her son. After the speech, she gently places her hand on the casket in a show of respect as she walks downstage.
Tom speaks after Wayne couldn't from choking in tears.
Wayne Wilkins and Tom Petersen get up to make their speeches. Wayne can't speak from crying so much, so Tom summarizes saying that George was a hell of a coach, a hell of a friend, and that they will miss him a hell of a lot. Wayne musters a "thank you" at the end before both walk downstage.
Pastor Jeff then asks if anyone had a few more words. Sheldon gets up and seemingly gives a heartfelt speech about his final moments with his dad. It was morning and he was leaving for work, and his last words were "see y'all later". Sheldon said nothing, but regrets that as he could have said "bye", asked him for a ride, or told him that he loved him, but didn't. Instead, he barely even noticed he left. Sheldon admits that there were many times that he didn't notice his father, and that he wished his father knew how much Sheldon loved him. However, adult Sheldon's narration then reveals that he never actually got up to give that speech, being another scenario that he imagined. In reality, Sheldon declined, and continued to keep to himself. Pastor Jeff continues by leading everybody in a prayer.
End scene showing George's memorial table at the service.
Adult Sheldon voices over his thoughts on his father, and admits that he used to focus on his father's shortcomings. But now that he's the age that his father was when he passed away and has his own children, he realizes that his father was just a person doing the best he could, and that he did a lot. Sheldon can now say what he didn't at his father's funeral: "I loved my father, I will miss him forever."
Trivia
- It is unknown whether any other members of the Cooper family attended the funeral.
- Several people who knew George Sr. missing from the funeral include: Victoria MacElroy, Evelyn Ingram, Tam Nguyen, Paige Swanson, Linda Swanson and Herschel Sparks.
Quotes
- Audrey: Mary. We’re so sorry.
- Mary: Thank you.
- Jim: Well, I didn’t know him long, but, uh, I loved that guy.
- Georgie: He felt like y’all were long-lost friends.
- Jim: (voice breaking) Oh, here we go.
- Mandy: Come on, let’s get you some Kleenex.
- Meemaw: Aren’t y’all sweet to come?
- Dr. Sturgis: Of course. (pause) I saw Sheldon the other day. He wouldn’t speak to me. Is he okay?
- Mary: He’s not really talking to anybody.
- Dr. Linkletter: We’ll keep him company.
- Dr. Sturgis: I’ll, uh, try to distract him by telling him the latest news about leptons.
- Meemaw: He’ll like that. He’s crazy about the leptons.
- Dr. Sturgis: Who isn’t?
- Mary: Missy, if you want a minute with Dad before they close the casket, now’s the time. It’s okay if you don’t.
- Missy: I have to. (walks up to casket)
- (Scene of dinner at Red Lobster replays)
- Missy: Thank you for that. Thank you for everything. I love you. (sniffles)
- (A moment later, now Georgie is at the casket)
- Georgie: You don’t need to worry. I’ve got everything under control. (breathes deeply) Won’t let you down, Dad. (sniffles)
- Mary: Sheldon, they’re gonna close the casket. If you want to say goodbye to your dad…
- (Sheldon shakes his head, and Mary walks up to the casket herself)
- Mary: You really didn’t want to take that family portrait, did you? (kisses her hand and places it on George's forehead) See you later. (cries)
- Pastor Jeff: And now George’s loving wife Mary would like to say a few words. Mary.
- Mary: Thank you, Pastor Jeff. Um… (clears throat and breathes deeply) I met George in high school. Well, I was in high school. He was an older man with a motorcycle. (light laughter from congregation) I’d like to tell you he caught my eye, but actually it was the motorcycle.
- (laughter from congregation)
- Mary: (voice breaking) I’m sorry, I can’t… do this. I am… so angry. (sighs) George and I had our ups and downs, but we were finally in such a good place, and then he… left. (crying) He left all of us. How-how could you do that? I am so mad at him. I’m mad at God, I’m mad at myself for not trying harder while he was here. This wasn’t supposed to happen. (crying)
- (Meemaw walks upstage to comfort Mary)
- Mary: Okay. Oh.
- Meemaw: Thank you, thank you, darling, thank you. Jeff, could you…?
- Dr. Sturgis: (seated at the pews, quietly) Very heartfelt.
- Meemaw: I know this is hard for everyone. It’s certainly hard for me. But no one… is more upset with George’s passing than the Lone Star Beer company. That flag is at half-mast. (laughter) On the other hand, there’s a lot of cows out there that are breathing a sigh of relief. As the king of brisket has put down his fork and ridden off into the sunset. (laughter) And, uh, I’ll tell you something…
- Missy: (to Georgie next to her) Why are they laughing at Dad?
- Georgie: (to Missy) 'Cause they love him.
- Meemaw: …that I always kind of kept to myself, but… I wasn’t always a big supporter of George and Mary being an item. As a matter of fact, whenever he came to visit, I would always invite Mary’s slutty friend Janice over, hoping to catch his interest. (laughter) (to Janice seated in congregation) Hey, Janice. Thanks for coming. You’re a doll. (back to speech) Anyway… George only had eyes for Mary. And of course brisket. (laughter) And over the years, he surely earned my respect. He was a good man, (voice breaking) and I will always be proud… to call him my son. (crying)
- Pastor Jeff: Before our final prayer, would anyone else like to say a few words?
- Mary: Missy? (Missy shakes her head) Shelly?
(Sheldon seems to walk on stage)
- Young Sheldon: I’ve been thinking a lot about the last moments I had with my dad. It was morning, and he was leaving for work. He said, “See y’all later.” And I said nothing. I regret that. I could have said “Bye” or asked him for a ride. Or told him that I loved him. But I didn’t. I barely noticed he left. So many times that I didn’t notice my father. I hope he knew how much I loved him.
- Adult Sheldon: (voice over) I wish I could tell you I said all those things. But I didn’t.
(Scene replays)
- Mary: Shelly? (Sheldon shakes his head)
- Pastor Jeff: Let’s bow our heads in prayer.
- All: Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name…
- Adult Sheldon: (Voice over) For a long time, I focused on my father’s shortcomings. Now that I’m his age and have kids of my own, I realize he was just a person doing the best he could, and he did a lot. I didn’t say it at his funeral, but I can say it now. I loved my father. I will miss him forever.
Gallery
