Beverly Keen

All Things New Video

Gathering

Dying, Christ destroyed our death.

Rising, Christ restored our life.

Christ will come again in glory.

As in baptism Beverly put on Christ,

so in Christ may Beverly be clothed with glory.

Here and now, dear friends, we are God's children.

What we shall be has not yet been revealed;

but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him,

for we shall see him as he is.

Those who have this hope purify themselves

as Christ is pure.

Word of Grace

Jesus said, I am the resurrection and I am life.

Those who believe in me, even though they die, yet shall they live,

and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

I died, and behold I am alive for evermore,

and I hold the keys of hell and death.

Because I live, you shall live also.

Greeting

Friends, we have gathered here to praise God

and to witness to our faith as we celebrate the life of Beverly Keen.

We come together in grief, acknowledging our human loss.

May God grant us grace, that in pain we may find comfort,

in sorrow hope, in death resurrection.

Blessed Assurance #369

Prayer

Eternal God,

we praise you for the great company of all those

who have finished their course in faith

and now rest from their labor.

We praise you for those dear to us

whom we name in our hearts before you.

Especially we praise you for Beverly,

whom you have graciously received into your presence.

To all of these, grant your peace.

Let perpetual light shine upon them;

and help us so to believe where we have not seen,

that your presence may lead us through our years,

and bring us at last with them

into the joy of your home

not made with hands but eternal in the heavens;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

OT Reading

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 NRSV

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

Hymn of Promise #707

Psalm 23 KJV 1900

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

NT Reading

Revelation 21:1–7 NRSV

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

Gospel Reading

John 14:1–4 NRSV

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. 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, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.”

John 14:18–19 NRSV

“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live.

John 14:25–27 NRSV

“I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

Homily

2 Timothy 4:6–8 NRSV

As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:17–18 NRSV

But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

There is something sacred about being in this sanctuary today.

This is the place where Beverly was married, where she raised her family, where she sang the hymns, folded the bulletins, and knelt to pray. This church wasn’t just where she attended. It was where she belonged. It’s where the roots of her faith deepened, where the story of her family unfolded, and where her final act of worship on this side of heaven now takes place.

We’re here today to honor a remarkable woman: Beverly Louise Ganz Keen. A mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, friend, and faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.

We are here to grieve. But also, we are here to give thanks. Because Beverly’s life was a gift—steady, faithful, strong—and her legacy is one that ripples through this church, this family, and this community.

In 2 Timothy 4, the Apostle Paul writes to his protégé near the end of his life. His words feel especially fitting for today:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

That’s Beverly.

She kept the faith—not only in big, bold moments, but in daily acts of devotion: raising her kids in the church, showing up for Sunday School, volunteering in the office, and living with the kind of quiet faithfulness that doesn’t need a spotlight to shine.

She lived a life poured out for others. And like Paul, I believe she could say with confidence, “There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord…will give me on that day.”

Beverly’s journey began in Ohio, where she was born on January 25, 1930, the daughter of A.E. and Helen Ganz. She was baptized as a baby in Fitchville Methodist Church and raised in a family that believed in God, in each other, and in doing things right.

When she moved to Fort Pierce in 1952, she brought that steady spirit with her—and she found a new home at First Methodist. She joined this church. She built her life here. And she never let go of it.

In 1959, she married Snookie right here in this sanctuary. Together, they raised Brad and Lisa, shaping their faith and values with the same care and devotion that Beverly gave to every part of her life.

Brad and Lisa were baptized here. Confirmed here. They sang in the choirs, served as acolytes, went to youth group. Beverly made sure of it—not because it was a duty, but because it was her joy to pass on the faith that had shaped her.

And it didn’t stop with her children. Beverly’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren have been baptized here, married here, and grown up here. That’s four generations whose faith was touched by one woman’s unwavering presence.

There’s something holy about that kind of spiritual legacy.

Beverly was a woman of deep commitment—not just to her family and church, but to her work and community. She served faithfully in the legal field for many years, eventually working for U.S. District Judge Kendall Sharp. And in the midst of all of that, she returned to school to earn her Associate of Arts degree—while working full-time and raising a family.

That’s grit. That’s grace. That’s Beverly.

She loved to read, to travel, to cheer on the Braves and the Buckeyes. She sent cards and emails and recipes. She paid attention to what mattered. She didn’t need to say a lot—her life spoke volumes.

And in these last years, even as her body slowed, her spirit remained gentle, kind, and rooted in hope. The care she received from Sunshine Family Assisted Living, from Treasure Coast Hospice, and from each of you—her beloved family—was the fruit of seeds she planted long ago.

Paul’s words continue:

“The Lord stood by me and gave me strength… and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom.”

That’s our hope today. The same hope Beverly held on to for 95 years. A God who stood by her every step of the way. A Savior who received her with open arms.

Death, as the Scriptures tell us, has lost its sting. Because Christ is risen, Beverly now rests in his eternal light. She is with her beloved Snookie. She is at peace.

To Brad and Lisa, to Pam and Norm, to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren—thank you for sharing her with us. Her legacy will live on through you: in your love, your faith, your service.

So let us remember her well. Let us honor her life not only in words, but in how we live—by keeping the faith, finishing our own race with grace, and leaning always on the God who stands beside us.

Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

Witness - Lisa Keen

Video - Supermarket Flowers

Amazing Grace #378

Commendation

O God, all that you have given us is yours.

As first you gave Beverly to us,

now we give Beverly back to you.

Into your hands, O merciful Savior,

we commend your servant Beverly,

In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen

Dismissal

The peace of God which passes all understanding

keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God,

and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

And the blessing of God Almighty,

the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.