Carol Clover - 02/01/2025

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As we gather today, we do so to mourn the passing of Carol Clover from this life. But we also gather to remember her life and the impact she made on those she loved. The grief we feel today is real, because the loss is real. But as we grieve, we also want to hold on to the hope of the gospel message. I’m told that one of Carol’s favorite verses was Philippians 4:13. I want to begin today with that verse,along with some context for it, because I believe we can find comfort in it today. Paul spoke of his hardships and how he learned to deal with them.
Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13, NLT)
As we mourn today, we should remember there is a supernatural strength available to us. Through Jesus, we can have joy even in the midst of suffering. And understanding the message of the gospel gives us hope, even as we grieve. Will you pray with me?
Our Heavenly Father, we thank you today for the life of Carol Clover. But we also feel her death acutely. As we say goodbye today, we pray that you would grant comfort in remembering the way she lived and loved. But even more than that, we pray that we might find comfort in you. Help us today as we remember and as we grieve. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
 
Carol Ann Clover was born November 30, 1940, in Fort Madison, Iowa, the daughter of George and Marie Brasfield. On March 17, 1971, she married Arlin Clover in Lomax, Illinois.
Carol was a 1958 graduate of Aquinas High School in Fort Madison. She worked for Iowa State Penitentiary, Sheaffer Memorial Golf Course and the Dallas City Bank. She spent most of her life owning and operating Clover Trucking and Clover Tire Shop with Arlin, her husband of 53 years. She was a member of the Union Church in LaHarpe and the Gold Wing Club Chapter E in Burlington, Iowa. She and Arlin rode their motorcycle over 400,000 miles all over the country with their favorite destination being Maggie Valley, N.C. in the Smoky Mountains. In addition, she enjoyed the J.O. (Joyous Occasion) Group for the past 20 years. She loved playing cards and other activities with this group. She also enjoyed family gatherings with her children and many grandchildren. 
She passed away January 25th, 2025, at the age of 84.
Besides her husband, Arlin, survivors include six children: Cindy Irish, Dave Clover, Steve (Debbie) Reed, Brian (Stacey) Reed, Kelly (Wes) Carpenter, all of LaHarpe and Cindy (Carroll) Schwerdt of Wentzville, Missouri as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren and one brother: Michael Brasfield of Wever, Iowa.  
She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers: Thomas Brasfield and Richard Brasfield both of Ft. Madison, Iowa and one son-in-law, Todd Irish of LaHarpe.
SONG: I’ll Fly Away
Michelle Letter
Carol Clover was full of life. She and Arlin were married for 53 years, and though life was not always easy, they loved each other and built a life together.
She and Arlin were often partners in business. She handled a lot of the bookwork, while Arlin was out on the road, or later was in the shop. The same was true at home as well. Carol was the one who handled the money. She always felt like they needed to be careful what they spent, so she was often very frugal. The grandkids knew that when they went out, they would have a good time, but they would only order one glass of pop, because with free refills, they could all have plenty to drink. If she took you to a movie, you knew better than to ask to buy snacks, because Grandma was already prepared with snacks. Meranda remembered that when they stayed at a hotel, if anything was complimentary, Carol was going to take it home with her. They often wondered what she did with all those tiny bottles of shampoo.
She loved to shop with her JO ladies, but she was notorious for buying things and then before they’d even left the store, deciding that she was probably going to return it. Nobody quite understood the logic, but Carol seemed to.
When the kids were growing up, everyone stayed busy. The kids can remember lots of time spent in the trucks over the years. The boys spent many hours helping Arlin on the farm, often helping load hogs. I got the impression that the boys kept their mom on their toes. Everyone recalled the day that Steve passed out at graduation because he had spent the day out at Lake Geode and was dehydrated and burnt to a crisp. I’m told Brian had more than his fair share of exploits that may have helped turn his mom’s hair gray as well.
The girls, on the other hand, got in far less trouble. Cindy and Kelly were both good students, and Cindy was promised a new car if she graduated at the top of her class. She did and received a used copper-colored Pinto. It may not have been new, but she was thrilled at her parents’ gift. Kelly told the story of how she had a curfew and was always careful to make it home on time. One night she got home, quietly came in, locked the doors, and turned out the lights. A short time later, she was awakened by rocks hitting her window. Her parents were locked out—she’d gotten home by curfew, but they hadn’t! She had beaten them home and inadvertently locked them out!
Carol was also a source of entertainment for the family. Back in the 70’s, Carol would often tease her hair up high (as was the fashion at the time.) Sometimes, instead of teasing her hair, she would wear a wig on top of her own hair to give her the extra volume she craved. One time while they were on vacation in Branson, Carol was riding a roller coaster. As they went into a hairpin turn, Carol went one way and the wig went the other! They can remember watching the wig slowly float its way down to the ground. I’m told that when they went to retrieve her wig one time, they had to chase it, because the wind kept taking it further away. It seemed that everything was an adventure when Carol was around.
As Michelle mentioned, Carol loved making memories with her grandchildren. She had an energetic spirit and enjoyed bringing that to life in the people around her. The grandkids knew they were always welcome at the house or at the shop, and she spent many hours through the years watching the grandkids. Many of them fondly remember playing with toys on the back steps, decorating the yard or the tire shop for various holidays, or having snacks with Grandma.
Carol was also fond of rearranging the furniture…frequently. It was not uncommon for her to move things around every month or so, sometimes even more often than that! I’m told that sometimes it was an adventure when Arlin came home to know where he should sit, because things weren’t the same as when he’d left that morning. Inevitably, though, after a day of moving furniture, she’d tell the ladies in her group about how her back hurt. She didn’t seem to connect the dots of what might have been causing that.
She and Arlin had many adventures through the years. They drove around 450,000 miles together on the bike. They saw a good chunk of the country together. Riding was a way for them to enjoy being together, have an adventure, meet new people, and just feel the freedom that only riding could give them.
Sometimes they would camp, other times they would stay at a motel. They liked to stay in the motels because they could park the bike near the door and keep an eye on it. I’m told one night Carol heard someone outside and thought they might be messing with the bike. When Arlin looked out, he saw a massive man (6’ 8” and 300 pounds in Arlin’s estimation) near the bike. When he returned and told Carol about it, she asked if he was going to confront the man and tell him to get away from their bike. He said no, I think if he wants the bike, he can have it!
Though Carol was notorious for her frugality, every now and then she would decide it was worth splurging on something. On one of their bike trips, she and Arlin went to Cabela’s and she decided they needed a stainless steel cooler that they could attach to their bike trailer. Arlin looked at the price and questioned her sanity, but she insisted. As much as he hated to admit it, Arlin would tell you it was one of the best purchases they made for their travels.
Carol also had a special group of friends, known as the JO group. I’m told it began when some of the neighbors decided they should get together regularly. They decided to call it JO because Joy Palmer said that whenever they got together it was sure to be a Joyous Occasion. So, since 2005, Carol, Judy Burt, Joy Palmer, Barb Stewart, and Barb Walker would get together a couple times a month. They did all sorts of things together. Sometimes it was as simple as playing cards or dominoes, other times they would have themes for their day, sometimes it was a road trip or a birthday party.
Carol was a fan of sock-monkey dolls, and the group was happy to indulge her seeming obsession with them. They joked about how Carol often would give a running commentary as she played cards, usually beginning her explanation of her move with, “Methinks I will…” As the years got on, Carol was fond of blaming any poor play on her medication. They knew when she made a blunder they would inevitably hear, “It’s the pills!”
I’m told that Carol was often the one who came up with the crazy ideas for their themed parties. She would ensure that everyone would participate, whether that was wearing a silly hat, matching pajamas, or even clown wigs together! The ladies said that one time they even went with one of the group as she was getting a mammogram, and they took the Quill along so they could document their trip! The group honestly sounded like a hoot. These ladies became dear friends, sharing with one another, encouraging one another, and seeking to build up each other’s faith. Carol was tremendously grateful for that group of friends.
As we share stories and memories like this, it reminds us of the ball of energy that Carol was. She kept herself busy and liked to have fun in whatever she was doing. That kind of energy is contagious. It’s also an energy that will be missed deeply now that she is gone. But even as we mourn the fact that we will no longer be with her, we can be grateful for the time we had with her.
SONG: Jesus Is the Answer
In the Bible, Solomon tells us that it is better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. At first glance, this seems like a strange statement. After all, who would want to spend their time at funerals? Funerals are sad occasions, while parties are joyous. Why is it better to spend your time at funerals?
The answer is that funerals remind us of our own mortality. They force us to face the fact that every one of us will die one day. They bring into sharp focus what things are really important.
Ultimately, we see that things like money, trophies, and accolades are of little importance when you reach the end of your life. But family, friends, memories you make together, and the way you make people feel; these are the things that truly last.
Above all, though, I think we are reminded that the questions of faith are of ultimate importance. Sometimes we push the “religious stuff” to the backburner, imagining that it doesn’t really matter, or that we’ll think about those things someday. But as we face the death of someone we love, we realize the importance of questions like: Is there life beyond the grave? Is there a heaven? And how does a person get there? Suddenly these are not mere theoretical exercises; they are immensely practical.
Carol grew up going to Catholic school. She’d heard the Bible stories and was taught about Jesus. But I think she would tell you that experience didn’t do much for her. It wasn’t until she started going to church with Arlin and hanging out with her JO ladies that she felt she truly began to understand what the gospel of Jesus was all about.
Many people seem to think that “good people” go to heaven when they die. The problem is that no one can seem to agree on what makes someone a “good person.” Most people seem to agree that Hitler doesn’t qualify, but beyond that, nobody seems to have a good definition.
But God gives us one. Listen to what He says in the book of Romans,
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. (Romans 3:23, NLT)
In other words, God’s standard for what makes someone good is someone who is perfect. That ship has sailed for every single one of us long ago. None of us is good enough to earn our way to heaven.
But the good news of the Christian faith is that Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice that would pay the penalty for our sins. He promised that everyone who believes in Him and follows Him with their lives will live even though they die. Jesus said it this way,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. (John 14:6, NLT)
The only way for a person to go to heaven when they die is to trust in Jesus to forgive them and commit to follow Him with their lives. It is my hope that Carol Clover had this kind of faith. If she did, then today she is experiencing life the way it is meant to be lived. If she did, then she has lost nothing, and gained everything. In that case, we do not grieve for her, because she has lost nothing. Our grief is for our loss, not hers.
But do not miss the importance and value of spending your time at funerals. We must each decide what we will do with Jesus as well. Will we continue to hold Him at arm’s length, or will we trust in Him and follow Him? Today we are reminded that this is not merely a theoretical question—it is immensely practical.
 SONG: I Believe I’ll Live for Him
I believe there are several lessons we can learn from the life of Carol Clover.
1.   Hard work isn’t something to be afraid of. Most of the time success only comes after lots of hard work.
2.   You don’t have to do fancy things to make memories. Simply taking time to make others feel special and seen is all it takes.
3.   It’s silly to overpay for things when you don’t have to. You can save a lot of money just by planning ahead.
4.   Good friends will keep you young, no matter what your age is.
5.   If you’re going to wear a wig, you should make sure it is firmly attached to your head—or at least avoid roller coasters.
6.   A change of scenery every now and then is good—and it will keep you (and those you love) on your toes.
7.   As long as there is breath in your lungs, it’s never too late to get serious about your faith—and the questions of faith are of ultimate importance.
8.   If the gospel is true, then a funeral is not really goodbye, but more like see you later.
Will you pray with me?
Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for the life of Carol Clover. We thank you for her energy and vitality. Thank you for the way she left an indelible mark on so many around her. Lord, today we ask for your help and comfort as we grieve. Grant your strength to these gathered here today, that they might find what they need to walk through their grief in the coming days, months, and years. Grant them your peace and your hope, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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