Gary DeWaard Burial

Gary Gene DeWaard

Burial

September 26th, 2026

Welcome

We are gathered here to say a final goodbye to Gary Gene DeWaard. Please be so kind as to make sure your cell phones are on silent mode out of respect for one another.

We come to mourn the loss of one who for a time lived among us as family, loved one, and a friend. We will miss his presence here on earth as he has departed from this life and moved on to the life to come. Although we won’t forget him, we lay to rest any unfinished business as we prepare to lay to rest his mortal body.

Prayer

Scripture Reading 1

John 14:1–6 NASB95

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. “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. “And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

As we lay to rest Gary’s mortal body, we are not just grieving the absence of his earthly life with us, but we are also celebrating his heavenly life, his entrance into glory in the presence of the Father. So, although we grieve in this moment, let us continue to rejoice.

In moments like this, we can take comfort knowing that God is here with us now, and is watching over Gary even in death. The comfort we receive comes from God and we are to share that comfort with one another as we continue on in this life.

Gary, we will miss you, but you will never be forgotten. Since Jesus has overcome the world, may you Rest In Peace.

Scripture Reading 2:

2 Corinthians 4:16–5:8 NASB95

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven...so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight— we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Committal Statement:

O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come; into Your tender care we commit the soul of our beloved Gary, thanking You for his life and time among us.

Gary is not here.  He stands in the presence of the Lord who said to one dying on the cross, “Today you shall be with me in paradise.”  What lies before us is but the earthly tabernacle, that house in which he lived among us for a time. Tenderly and reverently we commit that house to the grave.  The body returns to the earth from which it came; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.  The spirit returns to God who gave it, waiting the day when both spirit and body shall again be united at the coming of the Lord; “for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise.”  “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”  “Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

But until that day, remember Gary. Remember who he was and what he stood for.  Remember his love, his kindness and his helping hand.  It is partly through the memories that God brings us strength for today and it is our faith in Him and His unchanging Word that gives us hope for tomorrow. And finally, remember, that in Christ, this goodbye is not forever.

Prayer

Benediction:

Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

Now, receive His comfort and go with God.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.