Paul Roger Lockridge Funeral

A Reading from the Gospel of John

John 14:1-6 (ESV)

[Jesus said to his disciples,] “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. And you know the way to where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Prayer

Paul Roger Lockridge - Obituary

October 10, 1944 — May 11, 2024

New Castle, IN

Paul Roger Lockridge passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, May 11, 2024, after a valiant fight against cancer. Paul spent his last few days surrounded by his loving family and close friends. Paul was born on October 10, 1944, in New Castle, Indiana, and called New Castle home his entire life. Upon birth, Paul was the last addition to the family of Francis and Lenita Lockridge, completing a family consisting of 5 sisters (LeDonna, June, Shirley, Beverly, and Faye) and 2 brothers (Richard and Perry).

Paul graduated from New Castle Chrysler High School in 1962. In July 1964, he married the love of his life and life partner, Linda (Hall) Lockridge.

He retired from Dana Corporation in Hagerstown in 1994 after 30+ years of service. After retirement, he worked at New Castle Plumbing until recently. In addition, Paul was a recognized auto body repair expert, specializing in fiberglass repairs, honing his skills, repairing a variety of cars over the years. He had a love of cars and enjoyed taking his award-winning 1941 Chevrolet to local car shows around the area.

Paul was a wonderful husband and a proud father to three kids: Lisa Ritchotte (husband Andy) of New Castle, Jeff of Avon, and Mark (wife Melissa) of Downsville, LA. He enjoyed spending time and creating memories with his children. As a father, Paul passed along wisdom, knowledge, and a sense of family to his children and was a beloved father and hero to each of his kids.

Paul was a loving and proud grandfather to Madison and Braden Lockridge (both of Avon). In addition to enjoying time well spent with the grandkids, he spent countless hours attending and supporting his favorite players, Madi (softball and cheerleading) and Braden (basketball and baseball) to victory. He also had numerous nieces and nephews.

Paul is survived by his loving wife, 3 children, 2 grandchildren, and 2 sisters (LeDonna and Faye).

Memories ?????

A Reading from Psalms

Psalm 23 A PSALM OF DAVID.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

Song - Amazing Grace

Paul Roger Lockridge – b. Tuesday, October 10, 1944 – d. Saturday, May 11, 2024

Paul Roger Lockridge was born on a cooler-than-normal Tuesday, October 10, 1944, in New Castle, IN. 79 years later, Paul and I met for the first time. I wish I had known him sooner, and had had a chance to know him longer.

We had good honest conversations. He was pretty sure he didn’t need four vehicles. He was looking forward to his visit with his grandchildren – Madi and Braden. There was so much he wanted to do – tie up loose ends around the house – make sure the heat was turned off and the air conditioning was turned on. He wanted to make sure there weren’t a lot of things on Linda’s plate that he normally took care of. I assured him that there would be people, like each of you, who would surround Linda and the family with the kind of care and support they need right now … and in the days to come.

He and Linda had been together for more than 60 years. There will be times of deep grieving that come from losing someone you’ve been with for that long – a husband and partner in life. There will be times of grieving over losing someone you’ve known your whole life – a father or grandfather. And there will also be times of joy and laughter when memories pop up in conversations or dreams. Relish those memories. Re-tell and re-live those times of joy and laughter.

Paul and I talked about confessing faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord, and Paul made that confession of faith. We talked about whether God is a forgiving God, and I assured Paul that “if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” (1 John 1:9) We talked about the reality of a New Heaven and a New Earth. And all of that led us to a conversation about this thing called Grace.

A lot of people talk about Grace, but I’m not sure many people really understand it. Some think Grace is what you say before a meal. Christians sing about, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound …” or “Marvelous, Infinite, Matchless Grace, freely bestowed on all who believe.”

But I think, sometimes, church folks too forget that Grace IS Amazing. Grace IS Marvelous, Infinite, and Matchless. God’s Grace is Unimaginable, Incomprehensible, Unbelievable. Sometimes Christians struggle for years trying to wrap their minds around the idea that “a Holy God could forgive me of THAT sin;” that thing that we think is unforgivable.

God’s grace is hard to believe.

It’s easy to believe in a Loving God, though some people struggle with that. It’s not hard to believe in an All-Knowing God – that’s kind of part of the definition. If he is God, he must know everything. The same goes for an All-Powerful God; If God exists, he must be more powerful than anything else. But a Forgiving God, full of Grace – that’s foreign to what most people think about God.

The angry God, the vengeful God, the God who punishes – our imagination has no trouble thinking of THAT kind of God. But Grace and Forgiveness … that’s another story.

I recently saw a video on Facebook of a volcano in Guatemala that was erupting in the middle of a thunderstorm. Lightning, smoke, fire, loud rumblings, and peals of thunder. It was terrifying and mesmerizing all at once. That’s the kind of scene we see in the Old Testament book of Exodus. There (Exodus 33-34) we read the true story of the Prophet Moses wanting to meet God face-to-face, and I’m sure Moses was thinking, “What kind of God is this?” God tells him that he is so Holy, that no human can see God’s face and live. But God said, “I know a place where you can stand, and I will cover you there with my hand. I will pass in front of you, and tell you what kind of God I am.”

Moses tells us what happened next. He says that when God passed in front of Moses, God told Moses, “Truly, I am a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding with steadfast love and faithfulness.” That was the first time that God had ever described himself. Merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast (or unshakeable) love and faithfulness. (Exodus 34:6)

That kind of a loving God is hard to believe.

But, I believe that Paul experienced the peace that comes from embracing this God; a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, and overflowing with unshakeable love and faithfulness. That kind of Love is Amazing. That kind of Grace is Unimaginable. And, yet, that’s who God is to those who confess, and receive forgiveness for, their sin.

How could God possibly forgive me for the things I have done? Believers and unbelievers struggle with that idea. Shortly after Jesus died and was raised to new life, Paul the Apostle wrote a letter to the church in Rome. I’m sure there were people in Rome who struggled with the idea of a loving, forgiving God. In this letter, he writes, “[People] will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person, someone might dare to die—but God showed his love for us in an Amazing way – that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:7-8)

When I saw Paul last Friday evening, my wife and I were leaving town, and I wasn’t sure that I would see Paul when I got back on Saturday. As we left the house, I assured Paul that we would meet again … either in New Castle or in the New Heaven and New Earth.

I didn’t make it back in time for another conversation. But that New Heaven and New Earth are just as real as I’m standing here today. And one day we will have that conversation because of “a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding with steadfast love and faithfulness.” And the peace that Paul experienced is available to all of us who embrace this Amazing, Unbelievable, Incomprehensible, Grace of a loving God.

Song - My Redeemer Is Faithful and True

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The Committal at South Mound Cemetery, West Lawn

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, 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. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

we commend to almighty God our brother Paul,

and we commit his body to the ground;

earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

Numbers 6:24-26

The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make his face to shine upon you

and be gracious to you;

the LORD lift up his countenance upon you

and give you peace.