Funeral Service (basic)
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after in the garden
after in the garden
Open with Prayer and Obituary
Open with Prayer and Obituary
Helen Williams, age 89, of Lexington, widow of Loyd Donald “Don” Williams, passed away Tuesday, September 13, 2022, at The Willows at Hamburg. She was born October 26, 1932, in Lexington, a daughter of the late Melvin and Elizabeth Goodpasture Stivers.
Helen was a graduate of Athens High School, and a member of Northview Baptist Church.
read for 2 her legacy. reasons pray for them.
She is survived by: a son, Gary Williams of Lexington; three daughters, Melanie (Terry) Justice, Kara Atwell, and Jennifer Hobbs, all of Lexington; grandchildren, Brian Williams of Lexington, Amanda Barbieri of O’Fallon, IL, Alli Atwell of Lexington, and Wesley Hobbs of Lexington; two great-grandchildren, William and Elliott Barbieri; a brother, Doug (Carolyn) Stivers of Bradenton, FL; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by: a granddaughter, Shelby Justice; siblings, Boyd Stivers, Jimmy Stivers, Estelle Fetters, and Beverly Burton; and a son-in-law, Dave Atwell.
Song
Song
Sermon
Sermon
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.
My name is Brad Pearce. I am the pastor of Durbin Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington Kentucky. On behalf of the family, I would like to thank all of you for being here today.
It is never easy for us when someone we love passes on.
When a mother, a grandmother, a friend is suddenly no longer with us, it brings upon strong feelings and reactions. We feel both the pain and confusion of loss.
I want to tell you today, as a minister of the Lord, there truly is comfort in the Word of God. I want to encourage you all in this time to rely on the Word of God and the bonds of love That exist in this family. May all of us here today commit to supporting this grieving family with our love, support, and prayers.
I had the good pleasure of knowing Ms. Helen Williams for the last twenty years. I knew her as a church member and loving, COOKING grandmother.
Through my correspondence with the family this week, I’d like to share a brief collection of how much Miss Helen meant to us all throughout the years. First of all, I’m not sure when this happened, but Many of you may think that I’m being to formal in saying Miss Helen. You may know her better by Poopsie! Little did she know when she answered that phone call from someone with a wrong number looking for someone named Poopsie, that that name would from there on stick with her!
Miss Helen, Miss Poopsie, was loving, kind, funny and always happy. She always thought of others. Melanie likened her to a modern Florence Nightingale. Always surrounded by friends and loved ones. Everyone loved her. Her children never wanted for anything. She and Don made sure they got everything they could ask for.
Family was important and central to Miss Helen’s life. Not only was she a loving provider, but she took up for her kids. Kara recounted that one time a where Helen had gotten her a wonderful little outfit to wear to school at Deep Springs Elementary. The school had a policy that all girls must wear skirts and the principal thought this outfit didn’t meet the dress code. When Kara got home and told her mother about it, Helen got on the phone with a friend on the school board. Wouldn’t you know it but the very next day, the principal received notice and the entire school’s dress code was changed! Helen took up for her own. let it be known that she was not one to mess with! Even by her own children. She was known to grab whatever she could get her hands on when discipline was necessary. A belt, maybe a coat hanger!
Her hospitality had a gravitational effect. When her children were in school, Helen’s home was the place for everyone to be. She would welcome them all. Have after school snacks at the ready. One of the favorites being maccaroni with milk and butter. Now other the mom’s didn’t give out those kinds of treats so everyone would come to her home. Her Children’s friends would make it a point to be there in her presence. also this wasn’t only when the kids were in school. I remember my own sister often skipping our family’s Sunday afternoons so that she could be there to feast with Miss Helen. No one made chicken n dumplings like her. But she made you work for it! Shelby and Mandy would spend lots of time shuckin corn to get it ready to put up for the winter.
She was everyone’s favorite to be around. On multiple occasions, Helen even took in friends of the children to stay with the family when they had no other place to go. She provided such a warm home.
Miss Helen was with us 89 beautiful years, but in that time she stayed hip! Her granddaughter Allie remembers her for her joyous sassiness and her impeccable sense of style! Now I do want to note that Poopsie had oat a different name from all of her grandchildren. Some called her granny, others nana, others grandma Helen, but all said with the generational love and value.
The last few years of her life was mostly spent at the Willows. That is Always a challenging transition, but in all actuality, Helen was a blessing to that place. She is remembered so fondly by the residents, nurses, and employees. I had the opportunity to speak with her fellow resident Miss Linda. Miss Linda had only known Helen less than a year, but they bonded together. They laughed together. Cried together. And Linda said that Helen was the best friend she has ever had.
A phrase was shared with me this week. “Be a rainbow to someone’s cloud.” That was Helen.
Many of you probably have many more wonderful stories from your time with Helens. Stories from being the listening ear to all of your issues, stories of her kindness and sacrifice. Stories of her following you to every baseball game every weekend. We look back on these times with fondness, but now in this time we are grieved by the feelings of loss.
Today, I want to briefly share with you a message of hope amidst loss. This is a message for all those made in the Image of God, the Imago Dei. This is a message of hope in all situations for anyone and everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
When the Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the church at Phillipi, the circumstances of his life weren’t exactly ideal. He was in prison - under house arrest in Rome – chained to a Roman soldier as his guard. Paul was a prisoner and yet this entire letter shouts with triumph. It is filled with a sense of “joy” and “rejoicing”.
I know that it can be difficult in a moment such as now to think about joy and rejoicing. This group of family and friends have lost a woman who meant so much to them. But I share these words of Paul with you so that you too can know joy in the darkest of trials. That is only truly possible you understand where the hope Paul writes with in Philippians is coming from. You see...
For those who do not believe in God – Life on earth is the best there is. For the non Christian, it is only natural to strive for the world’s values. Money – Popularity – Power – Prestige. You gather as much of those as you can and then one day it’s all over.
But for the Christian it is different. For those like Helen who knew Jesus as their Savior – “To die is gain” as we read.
What does the Christian gain?
1. We Gain a better body – a glorified, immortalized, resurrected body.
In this present body we are all subject to all the pain and hardship this world has to offer. Age, sickness, and finally death are the inevitable end of this house made of the dust of the earth. But in death and the eventual resurrection we gain a better body, one that can never grow old, know disease, suffer pain, and can never die. We gain a better body.
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
2. We Gain a better home.
All those who possess saving faith in the Lord Jesus receive an even better home in glory, Look at the promise of out Lord in John 14:1-3.
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
This is a wonderful place beyond our current understanding. The longing of the Apostle Paul for this home in heaven is expressed in Phil 1:23.
I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
You see he’s talking about how much better our home in Glory is compared to the things in this world.
3. We Gain a better inheritance.
Our final reward is not here, we don’t get to take the things of this earth with us when we go– no, our final reward is in Heaven.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
4. We Gain a better fellowship.
As we live in this world our family and loved ones inevitably dissolve around us. Mother’s, Father’s, Grandparent’s, Close friends, They all pass away. But this cycle is broken in Heaven forever and ever. There is no death there, no sorrow or crying or pain. No more loss.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
5. Jesus is there.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
All of these wonderful things, a better and best body, home, inheritance, and fellowship, come with a relationship with christ because as it says in Philippians 1:21:
For me to live is Christ – to die is gain.
Let us use this moment as a time for reflection. A time to evaluate where we stand before the Lord.
This isn’t easy for us to do. We know from Scripture, that even Jesus Wept, (John 11:35). This is in response to passing of his friend Lazurus and it shows us that as we look at the sting of death, it is right and natural for us to mourn.
Dealing with times of loss is never easy.
When we are in trials in our lives, it can be hard to see what God’s plan is and yet we read:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
In all times and especially these tough times like today we are told to lean not on our own, imperfect human understanding of things. But to give it all up to God and trust his perfect, infallible plan.
I don’t know much. There is so much that has happened in the last two years with everything that I cannot comprehend. I know many of us are asking questions. But here’s what I know, There is good and great God in heaven who is above all things and working through all things. And He has assured ultimate victory to those who believe in Jesus:
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
rant on gospel, don't word for word the rest
Those who know the Lord have overcome the drudgery of this world. But allow me to ask, what about you? Do you have the faith that is the victory that overcomes the world?
Do you know that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God? Do you know that Jesus stepped out of heaven to live the perfect righteous life, to then die on the cross? Do you know that in His death He paid the price of your sin? Do you know that Jesus rose on the third day and in His resurrection all those who believe in Him are assured of their own resurrection? Do you live your life recognizing that Jesus is Lord and live in submission to His command? Do you love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength?
If not and you are coming to understand that you are a sinner in need of salvation, reach out today. Find a moment and talk with a pastor or a friend who you know loves the Lord. When you understand Jesus as your savior you will see that meaning of this life is to glorify the Lord and in death you gain the glory of heaven. Do not linger, days like today remind us that we do not know how much time we have on this earth. When you know, believe, and live the gospel you will understand the hope with which Apostle Paul wrote:
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Helen lived 89 wonderful years on this earth and made an impact on many people. She is so loved and served her family So well. Right now, we grieve as we long to make more memories with her. At the same time we are thankful for the memories and interactions that were had. Today as we pay our respects, and we contemplate the hope there in Jesus, may we be resolute in love for God and love for one another.
Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Pray
Pray
CEMETARY
CEMETARY
ANOUNCE TO CROWD
I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
My friends: Whereas death has once more invaded our ranks and removed from the walks of life our beloved Sister Helen, her soul Having departed to dwell in “The undiscovered country from whose Bourne no traveler returns,” it has become our sad duty to commit her body to the grace: Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, and to commit her soul to our Maker, Father and Redeemer, in the hope of the coming again of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the body from the grave, and the joyus life reserved for the children of light in the realms of glory.
You may then ask the people to bow for prayer and say: “This prayer will conclude the services.”
Following the prayer, shake hands with family members and move out from under the canopy.
By custom the minister stands near the head of the casket. Funeral directors almost always tell you which end is the head.