+ Darlene Husebye McNary +

November 2, 1934 — August 31, 2025

Isaiah 61:1–3 NASB 2020

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord anointed me To bring good news to the humble; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim release to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The cloak of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:10 NASB 2020

I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, My soul will be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a groom puts on a turban, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

John 3:16–18 NKJV

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Funeral Sermon for Darlene McNary

Texts: John 3:16–18; Isaiah 61:1–3, 10

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

There are verses of Scripture that shine like bright beacons in the darkest night. John 3:16 is one of those verses: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” We know these words. Many of us learned them as children. But they are not simply words to memorize; they are words to live by, and words to die with.

Today they give us comfort, hope, and assurance as we gather to remember and commend to God the life of Darlene McNary.

Isaiah speaks with the same clarity and tenderness: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me…to comfort all who mourn…to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit.” That is God’s Word for us as we gather in sorrow, and it was God’s promise to Darlene throughout her life.

A Life of Love and Labor

Darlene was, above all, a woman who loved the Lord. That love showed itself in her life of service, her faithfulness, and her devotion. She was also a hard worker—never afraid to roll up her sleeves, never one to complain about what needed to be done. It like she never grew tired. She raised seven boys, held down job with dedication, while still managing to make sure their food on the table and the house was clean. And after everyone was in bed and the TV was off, she still had the time and energy to spend time with her Lord Jesus.

And what a task the Lord gave her: raising seven boys. That is no small calling! She loved each of you fiercely, prayed for you daily, and taught you not only by her words but by her example. Through hard work, through sacrifice, through laughter and sometimes tears, and through her worship life she showed the love of a mother, which in its own way reflects the greater love of God.

Darlene’s life reminds us of the picture Isaiah paints: out of ashes comes beauty, out of mourning comes joy, out of faintness comes strength. Her strength came not from herself, but from the Lord who clothed her in salvation and sustained her in faith.

The Reality of Our Grief

Still, today we feel the loss. Death leaves behind an empty chair, a missing voice, a silence at family gatherings. No matter how long or well-lived a life may be, saying goodbye is never easy.

Isaiah names it honestly: ashes, mourning, faintness. John calls it perishing. Death is real. It is the great enemy. And it reminds us of our own frailty—that the wages of sin is death, and none of us escapes it.

The Greater Reality of God’s Grace

But into this grief, God speaks His greater Word. “For God so loved the world…” For God so loved Darlene. For God so loves you. That love is not vague or sentimental. It is concrete and real, shown in the gift of His Son.

Jesus came not to condemn but to save. He went to the cross, bearing the sin of the world—including Darlene’s, including yours, including mine. And He rose from the grave, breaking the power of death once and for all. Because He lives, death cannot have the last word over those who believe in Him.

This is the comfort we cling to today. Darlene trusted this promise. She believed in the One who gave His life for her. And now, in Christ, she has eternal life.

A Crown for Ashes

Isaiah gives us such a beautiful image: a crown instead of ashes, gladness instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. That is what God gives to His people in Christ.

Think of it: Jesus wore a crown of thorns so that Darlene could now wear a crown of life. He took upon Himself the ashes of our sin so that she could be robed in the white garments of His righteousness. The faint spirit is lifted, the weary soul is refreshed, and the mourning is turned into joy.

This is not just poetic imagery. It is the reality of resurrection. It is the promise that in Christ, the dead will be raised, and those who belong to Him will live forever in His presence.

Our Invitation Today

John 3 reminds us that this promise is not just for some, but for whoever believes. That includes Darlene. That includes you. Eternal life is not earned by hard work, not achieved by raising a good family, not won by our effort. It is given freely through faith in Christ.

Darlene knew that. And she would want each of you—her sons, her grandchildren, her friends—to know it, too. She would want you to take hold of Christ’s promise today, to trust Him, and to find in Him the same comfort and hope that carried her through life and now into eternity.

Comfort for the Mourning, Hope for the Living

So we grieve today, but not as those who have no hope. We grieve as those who know that Christ has conquered death. We grieve as those who believe in the promise of resurrection.

For Darlene, the struggle is over, the work is complete, the race is run. She has received the crown of life promised by her Savior. And for us, the promise remains: “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Conclusion

So let us remember Darlene with thanksgiving: for her love, her faith, her example, her laughter, and her labor. But most of all, let us remember her Savior—the One who gave His life for her and for us, who turns ashes into beauty and mourning into joy.

We entrust Darlene into His loving care, confident in the promise of life everlasting.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.