Funeral for Myrtle Faye Parmely

Funeral Service of Myrtle Faye Rogers

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Opening Scripture:

2 Timothy 4:6–8 (NLT) As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of His return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to His appearing.

Opening Prayer:

Prayer for help and comfort for the family and friends grieving the loss of Mom.

Obituary:

I would like to thank all of you for coming to celebrate the life of our mother …

Myrtle Faye Pope Parmely Rogers was born on January 22, 1937, in Pensacola, Florida as the youngest of ten children. She died peacefully in the home she loved dearly on February 10, 2024, at age 87 years, 19 days. She is preceded in death by her parents William and Mary Pope, 8 siblings: Charlie, Johnny, Mary Lou, Arngie, Hermon, Buddy, Vina, and Harold Pope, and her first husband Gaston Parmely. She is survived by one sibling, Virgil Pope (98), her husband, Richard; four children; Don, Mary Ann, Diana, and Janet; nine grandchildren; Vanessa, Nathan, Johnathan, Benjamin, Ian, Andrew, Reba, Matthew, and Morgan; seven great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

The family also would like to thank today’s pall bearers: Rich, Matthew, Andrew, Robert, Nathan, Josh.

My sisters provided a few of their memories of our mother they wanted to share.

From Mary Ann: (Don will read)

I've been thinking about you, Mom,

I was thinking it would be nice if parents and children always agreed and were happy with each other. It's not realistic, but it would be nice. But whatever our status with each other over the years, there's one word that I have always associated with you and so many other women in our family tree — survivor.

No matter what difficulties came your way, and you had plenty of them, you never gave up. You always shouldered on, believing all would come right eventually. The last few years were especially trying. Many would have caved in long ago. But you kept holding on. I could see in the depths of you that same faith and grit as you faced the pain and restrictions of a disabled body, holding on to hope for the future.

I can't help but think it must have been at least a momentary shock to find yourself standing---yes! standing up straight and strong in glorious light. I wasn't there, so I can only imagine your joy. Then you saw your Savior, the Jesus you called to so many times, striding towards you, laughing, with arms thrown wide.

"There you are! I've been waiting for you!"

"I know You have been! Oh, thank You, thank You, thank You..." Over and over, you thanked Him as you clung to Him with joy. "I made it! I made it! You were here waiting for me, and here I am!" Laughing out loud, you looked up into the most Precious Face in the universe.

"I'm not the only one," the Lord said, swinging His arm towards a crowd that was running to greet you.

"Oh!" you cried, as you recognized loved ones gone before. Their loss had left holes in your heart that could not be filled until this moment. There were so many. "Momma, how I've missed you! Ruby, how beautiful you are. Gaston, I'm so glad to see you here in glory. Harold, you're so tall and strong..." On and on the celebration and reunion continued.

There's no hurry. No pressing task to be done, no setting sun to end the fellowship with one another or the worship of the King in your midst. You made it. With a great supply of Grace and heaven's gift of grit and determination, you're here at last. You made it, Mom. Standing tall and shining gloriously — you survived!

2 Corinthians 4:14, 16-18 (NLT) We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

From Diana: (Don will read)

She left quietly.

I was not, and probably never would be, ready for her to be gone — but she is in no more pain.

I will miss seeing her and her telling me she had missed me and had worried about me even if I went every day. I will miss her. I will miss her telling me stories about her growing up. I will miss her stories and memories about me growing up. I will miss and love her forever.

I thank God for her Godly example and telling me of Jesus.

Revelation 21:4 "He [God] will wipe every tear from their eyes and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All of these things are gone forever.”

From Janet: (Janet will read)

My mother was a beautiful woman. I was often told I favored her, so I guess this makes me beautiful too 😊. I am honored to favor her in any way that I can, and I hope I reflect her best traits to honor her memory.

She was very proud to have won the Pensacola beautiful baby contest and she told me she was often complimented for her looks. She took good care of herself and taught me to do the same.

I am blessed with good memories that I will focus on for my mother as we rejoice in her going home to be with a Lord she loved completely.

I am the baby of a baby, and we shared our own special bond. I was not a planned child, and truthfully, she wanted a boy if she was going to have a fourth child so that she could have started with a boy and ended with a boy. She told me she had selected the name of Gary for me and had to come up with my name quickly when I turned out to be a dark-haired, chubby little girl who reminded her and my dad of Geronimo.

I am blessed to say that I have no doubts in my mind how much she loved me, and I know she wanted to spare me pain. Even as an adult, my struggles with health or as a widow hurt her heart because she wished she could have found a way to take that from me somehow. These feelings were hard for her to communicate well. For me, I learned love is not always in words of affirmation, but it shows in the acts of service to others.

My mother taught me a love of cooking and she took great pride in setting a table and having a meal as a family each evening. She poured her heart into the nourishment for our bodies, and she was always so proud of the compliments she received for her cooking.

She cared for our home and taught me how to value what she provided me.

She demonstrated loyalty to family, even when faced with challenges.

She loved to hear her children and siblings play instruments and sing for the Lord. Some of my most fond memories are of her enjoying large family reunions when I was very young.

I had the fortune of her time since I was the youngest. We returned to Pensacola when I was five years old and since this was her home, she was able to visit with her siblings, and enjoy watching her nieces and nephews grow. She was so very loved by so many of them.

She was also so very loved by the many people she made friends with at church. We were there every chance she got, and she encouraged me to sing and learn all I could about a faith that will always endure.

My mother LOVED to talk. She had the gift of gab and would talk to anyone she met at length and tell them all about her life. Through her outgoing nature, she developed some lasting bonds with several people, and she was always willing to lend a hand to someone in need.

I witnessed her devotion to her mother and her youngest sister. She made sure her mother had beautiful dresses, flowers, hats to wear and she took her to church for special occasions. She looked after her youngest sister and showed her much needed compassion and care since she struggled with an intellectual disability and was very child-like. She loved her sister-in-law Ruby dearly and considered her a special sister that was a gift of God.

I believe my mom did her best and she loved the Lord so very much. When remembering her, I know it’s important to focus on her heart. For me, that will take me to Philippian 4:4, Rejoice in the Lord always; and again, I say Rejoice.

My mother always had a prayer on her lips. She often also recited Philippian 4:13, I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me. My mother taught me strength and love and they will endure through all the trials of this world when we keep our hearts focused on faith.

I am, as she was, an imperfect human, but one who strives to show others love and compassion and to always be a good citizen in this world of darkness and hate. I am blessed every day to be my mother’s child and to know she left this world at peace with a desire to walk the streets of gold and dance again with her Lord and Savior.

Vanessa Signs: Holy Captivated (Nicole C. Mullin)

Funeral Message:

Like all of us, Mom was born into a life of adversity.

As one of Job’s comforters said in: Job 5:7 (NLT) People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire.

From birth Mom faced a lot of challenges. No one would say she born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Her family was dirt poor, but they did their best with what they had. Many of her older brothers went into the military and sent money to help support her mother, her sister, and her. Her brother Arngie was a local electrician who also greatly helped the family financially.

At a young age she married a career Marine. She did so just before she would have graduated from Pensacola High School and, in those days, because of her marriage, the school would not allow her to finish and graduate. As a military wife, she was often alone as our dad went on unaccompanied military maneuvers to Japan, Yuma, AZ and other places for weeks or months at a time. Dad was also deployed for three 13-month tours of Vietnam.

Mom was 19 when I was born. A little over 2 years later Mary Ann was born, 4 years after that Diana was born and five years after that Janet was born. Mom did her best — raising us by herself while dad was away.

To a large degree mom tried to face adversity on her own. She had gone to church off and on throughout her life but in 1970 she committed her heart and life to God.

She finally personalized the familiar words of John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

She finally understood that … “God so loved ME, Myrtle Faye Parmely, that He gave Jesus to die in MY place for MY sins and if I will believe and trust in Him and stop doing the Frank Sinatra method, You know “I did it MY way!” then I can can have eternal life, the ABUNDANT life that You promised to give.

What she discovered is available to everyone here.

Some may say: “Oh, you don’t know how evil I’ve been. How broken I am!”

Mom would tell you, “If Jesus can forgive me and give me eternal life, He can do it for anyone.”

If you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, I would love to talk to you after the service.

Mom’s decision to get into church and stay in church had a profound impact on us kids and her ceaseless prayers led my dad to faith in Jesus prior to his death.

Mom’s faith in God helped her with the challenge of becoming a widow at the young age of 52. After our dad’s death, mom went to classes with my wife, Sandra, and the two of them earned their GEDs. Mom trained for office work and learned data entry skills at George Stone Technical College. As an older student, this was challenging for her, but she demonstrated perseverance and got a job with the Escambia County School Board. She officially retired with fourteen years of full-time service and continued to work with them for two more years as a part-time/temporary hire. She was loved by her co-workers, and they showed her much care and support when she would face health battles with her back.

Mom’s faith helped her stand strong through the back problems she developed in her early 30’s. She endured multiple surgeries for her back, neck, and hip and struggled with pain most of her adult life. Sadly, in her final years of life, she was unable to continue attending church and she was confined to her home. But, she never felt deserted by God through her struggles. To the end she felt she was on this earth and cared for thanks to His mercy and grace.

Over 20 years ago, mom met Richard Rogers at church. They developed a friendship that grew into a romance. They were married over 19 years before she passed away. They enjoyed many road trips and worked to care for their home together. They also planted flowers, watched hummingbirds, many movies and sports-related shows together. Richard was a constant companion who took care of mom’s needs and ensured she could remain in her home rather than be in an assisted care facility.

While mom made her way through the many challenges in her life, after she put her faith in Jesus, she came to understand the truths of:

Psalms 46:1 (AMP) God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], A very present and well-proved help in trouble.

Psalm 145:18–20 (NLT) The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth. 19 He grants the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cries for help and rescues them. 20 The Lord protects all those who love him, …

She was comforted by the words of Jesus when He said in:

John 14:27 (LSB) “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

John 16:33 (ISV) I have told you this so that through me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble, but be courageous—I have overcome the world!”

‌At the end of it all I believe Mom would agree that even in the hardships, the trials, the difficulties, the pain — that God is a good God.

She believed the words of Romans 8:28 (ISV) And we know that for those who love God, that is, for those who are called according to His purpose, all things are working together for good.

Romans 8:28 (TPT) … we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are His lovers who have been called to fulfill His designed purpose.

That’s huge — if we can believe such a thing.

I believe Mom chose to believe that. I hope you will, too.

Last July and November I brought my guitar to Pensacola and sang some worship songs.

Mom and Richard worshipped along with me.

I want us to try to sing one of those songs that seemed to resonate with mom. I know it does with me.

Join with Mary Ann and I as we sing:

Lead: The Goodness of God

Closing Prayer

Help us learn from Mom’s example of looking to You in hard times.

Graveside Interment Service

(This may have to be changed and/or included in the service since Janet told me we will not be allowed to do an actual graveside service.

Prayer:

As we see the final resting place of the earthly body of Faye Rogers, Lord, help us to do so in hope.

Hope of eternal life.

Not an unsure doubtful hope, but a confident expectation that you WILL fulfill your promises.

Not only for our wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend who has gone before us — but for all of us who long to be with You.

Help us in these next few minutes as we remember those promises at this place that seems so dark and final.

Help us we pray in the name of our Resurrected Lord Jesus.

Amen

Scriptures:

Let us consider:

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NASB 2020 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of thearchangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:50–58 NASB 2020 Now I say this, brothers and sisters,that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 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 will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. 55Where, O death, is your victory? where, O death, is your sting?” 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not invain in the Lord.

Committal

As we offer the body of our deceased we are reminded that there is life immortal that shall indeed survive the grave. We now commit this one to the arms of a God who gives life that never ends.

“Because God has chosen to call our sister from this life to Himself, we commit her body to its resting place, for we are dust and unto dust we shall return.

But the Lord Jesus Christ will change our mortal bodies to be like His in glory,

for He is risen, the firstborn from the dead. So let us commend our sister to the Lord, that the Lord may embrace her in peace and raise up her body on the last day.”

Prayer

Lord, as this family and these friends leave this place, be with us in the coming days.

Help us to remember that YOU are our living hope.

Grant each one to be comforting by Your great love.

2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 NASB 2020 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, 17comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray.

Amen