Unusual funeral procession features trip to car wash to honor longtime employee

When David Duke suddenly died, his family knew exactly how they wanted to honor him.

Similar to how some families honor their loved ones by driving their body by meaningful places, Duke’s family wanted to do the same. Except their request was a little unsual.

They wanted their father to go to the car wash one last time.

David had worked at Soft Touch Auto Wash in Camby, Indiana for more than 10 years, and his family felt that it only made sense for him to visit a placed that he loved one last time.

“I met him a little over 11 years ago. He came and applied for the job, filled out an application, came back every other day for about three days and I said, ‘Why don’t you just start,’” Mike Harrell, the owner of the car wash, told WISH TV.

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Posted by Soft Touch Auto Wash on Friday, February 28, 2020

David’s daughter, Kristen Driver, contacted the funeral home and asked if they would be able to help her honor her father.

“I have this crazy idea. I don’t know if it would be possible, but I am going to go for it.”

“They said that that was the first time that they had ever done that as well as Mike Herrell. He said, ‘I have never done anything like this,’” Kristen said.

But both were willing to give David a proper send off.

Following his funeral, the hearse that carried David’s body drove through the car wash that had become a second home to David.

“The night before he passed, he had his lunch packed ready to go to work. He had his outfit laid out, and so I wanted to make sure he made it to work,” Kristen said.

I have tears in my eyes from watching that video. What a special way to honor David.

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