IN HER OWN WORDS

FROM Grandma's funeral service.

A favorite part of the service for me was when my Uncle Ken read words written by my grandmother specifically for her funeral.

I enjoyed her words so much that I thought it would have been wonderful if she would have recorded herself singing as well, that way she could give her own remarks at the funeral and provide some music too!

Excerpts from the words she wrote on Sunday May 21, 2006:

"I wonder what it will be like on the day of my funeral?  I hope it is neither too hot nor too cold.  If it is too hot, the flowers on my grave will soon wilt and die.  If it is too cold they will freeze and die.  How about a cool September or October day?  I'd like everyone to be comfortable, because the Myton Cemetery is not the most pleasant place to stand around, even on a perfect day.

I wonder if all my children and grandchildren will be there to see me off.  Will they feel bad, or will the be glad the "OLD GIRL" is gone?  The should be very glad, because I have lived a long and productive life, with much hard work, so it is time to go.  I am not afraid to die, I just don't want to suffer before it happens.  I'd really like to be "twinkled" and not have to taste of death, but I don't get that choice.  I know for sure that my Redeemer, Jesus Christ lives, and the He will be my judge when I stand before Him.  I know that I will recognize Him as my Savior, and I know He loves me because He said so in St. John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Now to the speakers, I Don't want the funeral to last over an hour, and I do not want the speaker to lie and say that I was a good woman.  I know my faults-- Bad temper, uneasy around a group of people, no conversationalist, just say that I helped Aften raise a good family, with God's spirit there."

There is more that she wrote, mostly tributes to her sons and daughters and their spouses.

Isn't she such a wonderful woman?

I love my family!  How grateful I am to have a heritage such as this!

The funeral lasted right around an hour.  It was bitterly cold but that didn't matter because we were all together.  Most all of us were there and I would have to say that we smiled through our tears.  It was bittersweet for us.  No one lied at the funeral, and she was really and truly an amazing lady, and we all know it.

The funeral service:

Family prayer at the viewing offered by her son Reed

Invocation at the funeral offered by my father (her son-in-law)

Obituary given by my mother (her daughter)

Message from Celia (Grandma) given by her son Ken

Musical Selection sung by me and accompanied by my sister

Speaker, her son Newell

Closing remarks by her Bishop

Musical Selection by Rosalie Dalling (a friend)

Benediction given by her son-in-law Joe

Nathan was an honorary pallbearer.  It was sweet to learn that she had asked for him to be a pallbearer but since he is in Argentina, he was an honorary.  What an honor.

After the graveside service, and because it was so bitterly cold (probably around 0 degrees) the funeral director and groundskeeper wanted to place the casket in the ground as soon as possible.  We were still there as it was lowered into the ground. 

Uncle Ken had dug the grave with his backhoe in preparation for burial, he told me that she had asked him to get her as close to Grandpa as possible.  When I looked into the grave, I saw my grandfather's casket (the vault around it) within a foot of hers (probably more like 8 inches or so).  She would be very happy with that! 

The backhoe wouldn't start because of the cold, so he wasn't able to cover the grave right away.  My uncles, cousins, Jonathan and Ashton (Smash) all grabbed shovels and began to fill it in.  That was a sweet moment for me to see my guys attending to the very last act of service for my grandma.  Smash was shoveling and working as hard as he could in that bitter cold, without complaint.  They all were.  That meant a lot to me.

Comments

[Jill Shelley]

Karen and I were just talking about her funeral not 20 minutes ago. We were both wondering how it went and she told me you sang at it. I really enjoyed reading her own words. What a humble woman. I was sad when your post ended. I wanted to read more and more. I only met Great Grandma once, but both Den and I knew she was special.
Now I will go find Karen and tell her you posted!

[Joan Lloyd]

I'm sure it was just the way she wanted it. We send our condolences and love to you.

[Karen]

Beautifully written, Aunt Mar. Oh, I wish I could have been there, but I'm glad that the funeral service went well. I wish that I could have heard all that Great Grandma had said.

And how cool for Nathan to be an honorary pallbearer. Very very cool.

Love you and hope you are doing well.

[Lori Tolbert]

A beautiful tribute, Mar. I know you miss her, so I hope you're doing ok.

[Jonathan]

I will forever be grateful for this legacy

[Jonathan]

The funeral was enriching. The highlight for me was the beautiful song sung by Marilyn and accompanied by her sister, Margaret (no they aren't nuns ;).

I don't know how she made it through the song. It was her lot to sing right after Uncle Ken read the letter Grandma had written and requested to be read at her funeral.

The song was titled "If the Savior Stood Beside Me". Marilyn sang it beautifully. It was sweet and pure like Grandma. Right at the end she was overcome by emotion, due to her Uncle Ken sobbing behind her.

To me, it was the peak of the spirit of the meeting.

Following are the words:

If the Savior stood beside me,
would I do the things I do?
Would I think of His commandments
and try harder to be true?
Would I follow His example?
Would I live more righteously,
If I could see the Savior standing nigh,
watching over me?

If the Savior stood beside me,
would I say the things I say?
Would my words be true and kind
if He were never far away?
Would I try to share the gospel?
Would I speak more reverently
If I could see the Savior standing nigh,
watching over me?

He is always near me, though I do not see Him there
And because He loves me dearly, I am in His watchful care
So I'll be the kind of person that I know I'd like to be
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me.

I am blessed to have Marilyn in my life. She could sing this as her testimony because she lives the lyrics.