Song: "The Old Rugged Cross"

Prayer:Our Heavenly Father, we come before you today heavy hearted for our loss of one we love in death. We ask for Your presence among us and that You would uphold us with Your strong arms of love. I pray especially for those who have been closest and who are feeling the loss most sharply. Be with us, I pray. In Jesus’ Name.

We’ve gathered today to remember the life of __________________,or ___________ as most of us knew him. ____________ was born in 1919 in Fromberg, Montana, the son of _________and __________ ____________.

___________ grew up in Brooks, Oregon. He graduated from __________ High School in 1937. He was president of his senior class. He received a scholarship to Oregon State University because of his high academic achievement. He did not pursue this, however, opting instead to join the Navy in 1938.

___________ was serving aboard the USS St. Louis, a light cruiser, in Pearl Harbor when the naval base was hit by Japanese warplanes in December of 1941. He sustained a shrapnel wound to the head during the attack, but was treated by a medic and was able to continue in service to his country. He served in areas around the South Pacific and the Aleutians, but was ultimately returned to shore duty and stationed at Naval Headquarters in San Francisco, in the Paymasters Division. He received an honorable medical discharged from the Navy in 1945.

___________ went to work at the Bank of America in San Francisco after his release from the military. In time he moved to ___________, Nebraska where he worked for First National Bank. It was there that he met ____________, his loving wife of 53 years. After that he worked for the First National Bank of San Jose, California, in the auditing department for 25 years. He retired from this bank, now called Bank of the West, in 1978. ________, _________and their son, ___________, moved to Sweet Home 26 years ago.

__________ loved working in the woods and cutting wood on his own forest property. He was an avid rockhound. When he lived in San Jose he held an office all of the many years he was a member of the San Jose Rockhound Club. He also liked playing golf and pinochle. He was an avid fan of Country and Western music and also liked Big Band music. ________ loved to read – some of his favorite authors being Louis Lamour, Clive Cusler, and John Stone. It was very evident to me also that he was an avid fan of being with his family.

_________, _________, ________, and ________ shared with me some of their recollections of ___________, since I did not have opportunity to know him very closely. They described a man fondly near to both his nuclear family and what we call today his "extended" family. This man with a wonderful grin "always encouraged us" they told me. He was very patient in his encouragement. A favorite expression they mentioned was "You’re all right with me, kid." The family laughed and cried together through tales of 4^th of July barbecues and other holiday get-togethers. They told me of a very humorous special cough medicine concoction he had - the ingredients of which I will leave unspoken here.

They shared with me the account of __________ and _____________'s 50th wedding anniversary including what I imagined must have been a comical sharing of the anniversary cake. They told me he was a man given to spontaneity, known to sometimes suddenly let out a war whoop if he thought things were too quiet or dull.

_______ expressed his deep appreciation for his dad’s patience through some difficult personal times in his life. He also mentioned how grateful he was for the opportunity to give back to his father in his older age a few of the things his dad had given him in his younger years. Father-son good times in recent years included going places together and restoring a Lamborghini Crawler tractor.

"My grandpa and I were very close," _________ told me. She also commented on her grandfather’s good sense of humor and his supportiveness in attending her basketball games. Two of her favorite things, she said, were "songing for grandpa," and, in her earlier years, "twirling his hair straight up."

Apparently __________’s good sense of humor stuck with him even during difficult times in his own life. As you probably know, many people become grouchy during time when they are ill or otherwise laid up. ________ was elected "King for a Day" (you’ll note the crown from that occasion up here on the table at the front) during his care in the convalescent hospital. I’m told he was a favorite among the nurses who took care for him. He was known for greeting some of the more unpleasant things that must be done in such a setting with the very positive words, "Let ‘er rip!" It was his way of cooperating and lightening up an otherwise difficult situation.

__________ commented that __________  seldom called family members by their real names, preferring rather to call them by other "sweet names." She also said that during these last few weeks of his earthly life, he seemed, in her words, "very satisfied with life."

____________ also shared with me how, for many of their years together, she and __________ had an "I love you" sign placed next to the coffee pot. This would be placed out at night so whomever made the coffee would see it place there by the other. It was a tradition that went on through many years of their marriage.

Would any of you like to add a particular story or memory that you have of __________ during his lifetime that the rest of us might enjoy? If you do, you may speak right from where you are. If not, that’s OK. I’ll have a few more things to say.

(Open for any sharing)

At this time, Commander ____________________ from our local VFW Post will come and present the flag.

(Presentation of the American Flag to the family)

____________ had a favorite song that his family believes helps to sum up his attitude toward life and his family. The song is called, THAT’S MY JOB.

(Play Recorded song)

Frequently during a time such as this we are very prone to focus on what we have lost. That is as it should be, since losing a loved one in death leaves a very large hole. It will take time to adjust to this loss. As we grieve however, let us not lose sight of the things we can be grateful for. "What things?" you might ask.

There are few relationships in this life that bind us more closely together than family. A time of loss makes us realized this, perhaps more clearly than any other time.

Our earliest moments are spent in the presence of family members. Our parents, our siblings, and maybe, if we are especially blessed, our grandparents are right there with us. In fact, even the months before our birth are usually passed with anticipation and great joy by family. Our finest achievements and our most embarrassing moments are usually known best within the context of family and the nice thing about that is that family usually understands and loves us anyway.

Our family is there when we need them. They are faithful and we can depend upon them like no others in the human realm. Husband-wife, parent-child, grandparent-grandchild relationships, along with our "extended" relatives are usually the closest people we have on this earth.

Love grows thick, deep, and strong in the garden of family. Loyalty, dedication, willingness to sacrifice, and many other character traits are learned and practiced best in the family.

God is the author of the family. It was His idea. He set up the first marriage, blessed that union with the birth of the first child, and from then on family was the blessed norm for humanity. A person may not be rich in this world’s goods, but if he has a close and loving family, he is rich indeed. ____________ was rich with family.

We can be grateful for family.

One of the promises that God made to Abraham in the Bible was that he would be "buried at a good old age," indicating that a long life was a blessing from God - a special thing.

It is said in the Bible of King David that he "died in a ripe old age, full of days…." Again, the idea is that of a positive thing - the blessing of long life.

"The days of our life… contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years," wrote the Psalmist.

By that reckoning, one who lives to be 85 as ___________ did has received from God a good, long life.

I know that all of us feel that it is always too short. We cling to life, just as we should. But let us not forget to thank our Creator for granting _______ a long life.

We can be grateful for family. We can be grateful for a long life.

By today’s standards, a marriage of 53 years like that of _________ and _________, is a long one. And when those years are happy years, what we have in marriage is a very special gift from God.

I had a friend a few weeks ago tell me that his boss was sending him out of town on a special assignment for a week. When my friend expressed his displeasure about being away from his wife that long, the boss was surprised. "Don’t you look forward to going out of town and getting away from your wife?" he asked. My friend responded, "I didn’t get married to be apart from my wife. I love her!" When he got back home last week, I asked him how it went and he said, "I hated it. I couldn’t wait to come home to my wife."

What a joy it is to be happily married - to hate to be apart - and when necessity demands a separation, to look forward with great anticipation to coming together again. _________ and ____________ enjoyed a long and happy marriage. They were seldom apart.

They had a special song that they shared with each other. May I read the words to you? It’s called, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE. It was sung by the late recording artist, Jim Reeves.

We can be grateful for family. We can be grateful for a long life.

We can be grateful for a long and happy marriage.

By that I mean a future beyond this life.

I possess no authority to pronounce a person’s destination once he or she leaves this earth. That can only be done by God. What I can tell you is that those who place their faith in Jesus Christ to save them and are faithful to their commitment to Him have a great hope for the future.

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die."

What a great promise! What meaningful words of hope!

I encourage all of you here to consider whom you are living for while there is yet time to do so. All of us will ultimately come to this place. The words said at the memorial will be for us. It behooves us to be prepared.

Shall we pray.

Song: "Just As I Am"

This will conclude our service here. The ladies of the church have provided some food and refreshments in the adjacent building, which is just outside the back entrance to this building. You’re all invited. I hope you will stay.

And now, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction…." Amen.

Dave Redick is Minister of the Hwy 20 Church of Christ in Sweet Home, Oregon and Editor of The Preacher's Study. He may be reached at pstudysupport@comcast.net.

Copyright © 1996-2008 by The Preacher's Study. Permission is granted to subscribers to use this document in total or in sermon preparation in the context of the local congregation only. Publishing it in a book, on the Internet, or anyplace beyond the local congregation is prohibited.

All Scripture quotations and references are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise stated.

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