Funeral Service Eleanor "Marge" Suhr

1. Prelude / Gathering Music (2–3 minutes)

(Instrumental hymn or sacred piece as family and friends are seated)

Suggested instrumentals:

It Is Well with My Soul

Amazing Grace

Be Still, My Soul

2. Words of Welcome & Scripture

Pastoral Opening:

We gather today for a celebration of life service for Eleanor Marge Suhr, better known to us as Marge. I loved referring to her as Maage from Wisconsin.”

We gather today with such mixed emotions. We sorrow because we love Marge and we feel a great since of loss. And...we have immense gratitude because because we knew her, we were able to do life with her, and we live in the hope hope because of Christ and His sacrifice for us that we may know life abundantly and eternally.

Today is not only a time to remember a beloved wife, a mother, friend, and a faithful church member, but also a time to be reminded of the faithfulness of God.”

Scripture Reading:

Psalm 46:1 “1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”

Prayer

Lord, You know our hearts. You know our sorrow. Lord, be a presence in Bill’s life. Lift him, uphold him, undergird him and strengthen him as only you can. Lord for each one here today that is family and friends, be our refuge today. Speak peace where there is pain and hope where there is heaviness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

3. Hymn of Comfort (3–4 minutes)

(Congregational or solo / instrumental) You can plug in any of these:

“It Is Well with My Soul”

“Great Is Thy Faithfulness”

“How Firm a Foundation”

4. Life Remembrance & Reflection (5–6 minutes)

This is not a eulogy overloaded with facts but a pastoral remembrance.

Key Themes to Highlight:

Faithfulness over flashiness

Quiet commitment

A journey of faith (Catholic roots → Baptist conviction)

Stability and devotion in marriage

Consistent Sunday morning worship

A woman of presence rather than performance

Sample Language:

Marge was not loud in her faith, but she was loyal. She wasn’t expressive, but steady. She worshiped the Lord with her presence week after week. And sometimes the truest testimony is simply showing up—year after year—trusting God with your life.

I always enjoyed teasing her about being from Wisconsin—drawing out the ‘Maage’ and ‘Wisconsin’ with my best northern accent. She’d just smile. That was her way. Quiet. Kind. Endearing.

5. Hymn of Hope (3–4 minutes)

Suggested options:

“Blessed Assurance”

“In the Garden”

“Amazing Grace”

Sermon: “A Quiet Faith That Held Fast”

(10–12 Minutes)

Text: 2 Timothy 1:5

“When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you…”

Introduction

“Not all faith announces itself. Some faith simply endures.”

Explain briefly that Scripture honors genuine faith, not noisy faith.

I. A Faith That Was Genuine, Not Performative

Paul speaks of genuine faith—not borrowed, not inherited, not for show.

Apply gently:

She did not seek attention

She worshiped faithfully

She trusted quietly

“God is not impressed by volume. He is honored by sincerity.”

II. A Faith That Was Formed Over Time

Acknowledge her spiritual journey:

Raised Catholic

Later embraced Baptist faith

Grew into conviction, not pressure

“Faith is sometimes a journey, not a moment. And God is patient with the journey.”

This affirms her path without theological debate.

III. A Faith That Held Steady Until the End

Reference her recent decline:

Sudden health changes

Five difficult months

Grace under suffering

Use:

2 Corinthians 4:16 “16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.”

IV. A Faith That Now Rests Securely in Christ

John 14:1–3 “1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

“Our hope today is not that she was perfect, but that Christ is faithful. Not that she never struggled, but that Jesus never fails.”

Moments like this cause us to reflect on our own faith. Not how loud it is—but whether it is real. Not whether others see it—but whether Christ knows it.

If you are here today and need the assurance of hope, comfort, or salvation, know this: the same Savior she trusted quietly stands ready to receive you today.

Closing Prayer (2 minutes)

Lord, we thank You for Eleanor Marge Suhr; a life lived faithfully, quietly, and consistently. We entrust her to Your eternal care and we entrust ourselves to Your present comfort. Until that day when faith becomes sight, keep us in Your peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Optional Closing Music (as family exits)

Instrumental:

Amazing Grace

Be Still My Soul