Carol Vannatta

Pre - Meeting with Family to Plan

-Single mom

-3 of the girls we’re not rased by mom (they were sent to their dad -they are resentful - they don’t really know her)

Carol - could be as sweet as possible but also mean as dirt…

This has been hard becuase we saw her every day… for the last 2 years. She would not live anywhere else… she wanted her freedom.

We just moved her down stairs & just a few days later she fell and brok her hip

People

Adult son (Only in the state) (6 kids)

He took care of her when needed

Katie

Austin - Grandson (We just got ou rhouse back in order…

How are you?

Prayer

I’m turning it over to Trena - She will take you through the OOS and everything is plug and play to build the service that you guys are looking for.

OOS Planning (Trena)

Funeral Home?

Extra Persons: Ashlee (Best Friend)

 Service Order: Carol Vannatta

Welcome/Prayer (P. Shawn)

Song: He looked Beyond my Fault by Dottie Rambo

Obituary (P. Shawn)

Eulogy: (P. Shawn)

Song: How Great Thou Art by Carrie Underwood

Message: (P. Shawn)

Song: is Finished by William Gathers

Recessional: (Funeral Home)

Special Announcements: (Funeral Home)

Graveside 1pm

Dismissal & Final Pass-By: (Funeral Director)

Pre-Service: Slideshow (Person) ***Playlist(Your Choice)

Transition

Welcome/Prayer (Person)

Good morning and on behalf of the family.... thank you for being here as we Celebrate and grief the life of our dear friend …and family member Carol Vannatta

Today...  Carol is FULLY healed and no longer suffering... in the presence of Jesus.  

  Well... my name is Shawn...  and my wife and I are the Lead Pastors here at The Grace Place in Arlington, where a few of Carol’s family members have attended through the years.

I think on a difficult day like today opening with prayer is a great idea.

PRAY

***Sit after prayer…

Song: He looked Beyond my Fault by Dottie Rambo

Here is what the Obituary reads….

Obituary (Person)

Carol Shirley Vannatta passed away on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at the age of 88. She was born on June 15, 1937 in Rogers, TX, to James and Beulah Vannatta.

Carol was a God-fearing, loving, and hard working woman. She worked at General Motors in Arlington for over 26 years on the assembly line.

She is preceded in death by her mother, Beulah Grissett, father James Vannatta Sr., 2 brothers and 1 sister.

Left to cherish her… are her children…. Charles (and Kathleen) Harper, Sheila Harper, Cassandra (and Roger) Schultz, Sherrill Harper, Donald (and Kristi) Fitzgerald, Vince (and Shelly) Grassi. Her siblings, Bill Vannatta, Bettye Schwab, Noma Stinson, 7 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Eulogy (P.Shawn)

But before I share these reflections with you today, it’s important to remember that no one lives a perfect life.... The truth is, we all have moments in our story... we would proudly share and others... we might prefer to leave out. Carol has hers, and we have ours.  

We aren’t sharing these memories to present her as a perfect saint, but to simply honor good things in her life.

I did not have the pleasure of knowing Carol myself, so reached out to the family and asked them to share some stories with me about Carol and here is what they said…

I’m told… Carol was a

Feisty

I’m told that Carol was an honest woman in both directionsIf she had something nice to say she would say it and if not, you would know that too.

Donald and Kristi we’re telling me that Carol was a fanatic about Blue Bunny Ice cream and Milky-Way bars. She was obsessed with both. When ever she was almost out… the phone would ring and the order was put in. If you forgot the goods on the next visit… you were reminded about it until you delivers. Lets just say this was not a delivery you wanted to forget.

I’m told… Carol was

Hard working

it’s obvious with a 26 year career on an assembly line.

is so proud of her 2004 Gold Kia. She always kept her car clean. She wasn’t driving in the end and the car sat only to collect dust. So this last month… as a kind gesture, Donald took it to the car wash and let her know it was cleaned. She could not believe he took it to a car wash… becuase she never did that… she always washed it her self.

I’m told… Carol was

Spiritual

She loved God and Jimmy Swaggart… so much so that I’m told she had quite the collection of Jimmy Swaggart-approved Bibles stacked up at home. At some point, you had to wonder… who her favorite was Jimmy or you?”

I’m told… Carol was a

Loving

I’m told that she is known for saying this… “I love my Kids.” In fact, I asked about hobbies and I’m told she did not have any. Perhaps its becuase most of her attention as a single mom was put on work… so she could support her household. She was family oriented and was always very appreciative when you did things for her.

Fiesty… Hard working… Spiritual… and loving…. This was who Carol Vannatta was

***Sit after Eulogy…

Song: How Great Thou Art by Carrie Underwood

Well today I’m going to share a short message with you on the topic of

Message: All is Forgiven (P. Shawn)

Carol knows this today more than ever before as she is in the very presence of God. Not because she was perfect, not because she did more good than bad, but because she is forgiven.

STORY: PACO

There was a young man named Paco…

No one really knew why he ran away from home. 

Many wondered if it was it shame, or embarrassment…

Paco found himself wandering the streets of Madrid, Spain, with hopes of entering into a profession that would most likely get him killed –  

His father knew Paco was going to be lost without him and desperately fighting for approval and acceptance that could only be given by him.  

There was little to no chance that he would be able to find Paco by wandering the streets of Madrid, so instead he put an advertisement in the local newspaper El Liberal.

The advertisement read, "Paco, meet me at the Hotel Montana at noon on Tuesday. All is forgiven! Love, Papa." 

Paco is such a common name in Spain that the next day at noon there were 800 young men named Paco waiting for their fathers …

Why?

Because something in the human heart is desperate to hear:

“All is forgiven.”

I think of 3 things as I think about the Story of Paco… First…

1. We Are All Paco

The truth is… We’ve all wandered.

Some ran far… some just drifted…

But all of us, at some point, have stepped outside of the relationship we were created for.

Scripture says it like this in…

Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Application:

This story isn’t just about one boy… it’s about all of us

We all carry moments we regret

How about you?

What kind of regret do you carry…

Can you imagine what it would feel like to be forgiven and free.

I think what troubles many of us is we wonder… “If I go back… will I hear all is forgiven”

I remember wondering that more than once.

The next thing I think about when I think about the story of Paco is this…

2. The Father Makes the First Move

Here is the most important Truth: Forgiveness starts with the Father… not us.

Just like Paco didn’t go looking for his dad…

His father came looking for him.

Scripture say’s this in…

Romans 5:8 – “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Application:

God didn’t wait for you to get your life together

He didn’t wait for an apology

He made the first move

Many just celebrated the the Life, death and resurrection on Easter Sunday.

The cross is God’s “newspaper ad” to humanity:

“Meet me here… all is forgiven.”

This leads me to the last… and most important thing as I think about our story of Paco…

3. Forgiveness Must Be Received

The Truth is: The invitation has been given… but it must be accepted.

We see this in…

1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Scripture describes here we must recognize our need for forgiveness and then accept it…

Application:

Forgiveness is available… but not automatic

You have to respond

You have to come to the meeting place - the cross

The tragedy isn’t that forgiveness isn’t offered…

It’s that some people never receive it.

They will read the news paper ad… and toss it out thinking they know better.

Prayer for salvation: I believe one of the greatest ways to honor Carol’s life is to take an honest look at her Savior… Jesus.

Take an honest look at their life and consider their sin and need for forgiveness and Salvation.

PRAYER OF SALVATION

It’s been an honor to share today with you. I want to say a special thank you to the family for all the hard work that goes into preparing for a day like today… and a special thank you to Donald and Kristi

We’re closing with a special request by Carol… the song entitled…

Song “It is Finished”

***By William Gather

The Funeral Director will dismiss you row by row for a final pass-by and greeting with the family.

Dismissal & Pass-By (Funeral Director)

***Instrumental Hymns can be played

Grave Side at 1pm

Recessional: (Funeral Director)

Graveside (P. Shawn)

Well... the burial of a body is part of our closure process – as we grieve the loss of a loved one.

We need to grieve loss... it’s how the heart process

There is no time-stamp that we can put on grief. It will come and go... from one season to the next.

You know…

Being here today- helps our soul process that Carol’s life here.. is done. 

They physcal body is just a temporary vessel…. for her eternal soul that lives forever

One of Carol’s favorite scriptures was Ps. 23

I think we can find comfort from this passage in the timeless words of Psalm 23 as it says…

‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.’

As much as we are all going to miss Carol… I think we can also say… we don’t want her back on this earth suffering in her aging body…

These words remind us that even in the valley of the shadow of death, we are not alone.

Becuase …. The Good Shepherd walks with us, guiding, comforting, and sustaining us.

Carol has now entered into the eternal care of this Shepherd, who promises to lead us to still waters and green pastures. May we take comfort in knowing that God’s presence is with us now, just as it was with Carol throughout their life.”

Closing Prayer: SIMPLE