Rita Lowe Funeral

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Rita Lowe was born October 22, 1932 in Romania. Her parents were Gothilf and Emma Bopple. During her family’s fleeing the armies of World War II she was temporarily separated from her family for a year. She was reunited with them through the help of the Red Cross. Her family immigrated to the US when she was about 20 years old. She met her Arnold Lowe in 1953 at the Errand Avenue Baptist Church. They were married in 1957 with Pastor Edwin Miller officiating.
Rita loved to serve especially her family. She served in the youth ministry at her home church. She loved being a home maker, sacrificing for her children. She saw that all four of her children made it through the North Royalton High School by helping with fund raising and other needs the band might have. She made sure her family would come home to clean house that was spotless. She would even re-clean what she had already cleaned. She continued this practice even when the kids moved out by trying to clean their homes. She even was using a toothbrush to clean Erich’s eaves. She thought of her children even when they were gone. She would send Kurt letters with newspaper clippings included to help him along.
She loved to garden as well. She had flower gardens in her yard to which she would take care of throughout the seasons
Rita Lowe (nee Bopple), age 87, of North Royalton. Beloved wife of 62 years of Arnold. Dear mother of Roland (Linda), Kurt, Heidi Eisaman, and Erich (Paula). Loving grandmother of Nathan, Kevin, Kyle, Racheal, Jonah and Cooper. Sister of Theophil Bopple, Leni Holobinko, Edelgard Vargo. Went home to be with the Lord on November 20, 2019.
Dad met Mom at Errand Avenue Church.

Auf Wiedersehen - Goodbye or See you later

Hebrews 9:27 NKJV
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
Hebrews
Carl Fladda was at Errand Avenue.
Jesus final words to His followers
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,   That saved a wretch; like me! I once was lost, but now am found,   Was blind, but now I see.
Dad was baptized by Pastor Edwin Miller.

Funeral for Alice Kuntz

A home He promised to prepare for those who trust in Him -2This promise brings comfort to our hearts This promise is given to those who trust in Jesus Christ Believing in God alone will not get us into this home; we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as well.

Death is an absolute

Funeral for Alice Kuntz
- Gothilf Bopple
Hebrews 9:27 NKJV
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
NKJVMost assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.
Steve Rutledge / General
Death was never meant for humankind
- Emma Bopple
NKJVThen Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Mom’s siblings:
NKJV“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.
- Theophil Bopple
This promise is genuine and about a real place - :2Jesus Christ purchased this home through His blood and deathSin and death had to be paid
The confusion that death brings
God breathed into man the breath of life and planted the tree of life
- Leni Holobinko
1. The why is there death
NKJVFor the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Genesis 2:7 NKJV
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Genesis 2:9 NKJV
And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
a. Death was never meant for humankind
- Edelgard Vargo
God gave one negative command
Genesis 2:17 NKJV
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Satan’s work had to be destroyed
Death came as result of mankind’s disobedience
God planted the tree of life in the garden
i. God breathed into man the breath of life
NKJVInasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
NKJV
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
God
Romans 6:23 NKJV
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
NKJV
- Born in Romania to the parents of Gothilf and Emma Boppleand lived her youth in Europe.
NKJVBut God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Rom. 3:
And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
- Lost from her family during the war for 1 year.
ii. Sin changed everything and brought death
God’s acceptance of Jesus Christ’s payment is proven by His resurrection plus everything else did and said
No was exempt
NKJV
- Reconnected with her family at some time via communications through the Red Cross.
Romans 3:23 NKJV
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
NKJVGod, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
- Her family emigrated at 20 years old.
NKJVSeeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
Met Dad in 1953 and married in 1957.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
NKJVThis hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
2. The who will die
- Carl Fladda, Gary Banzhof, were grooms men.
NKJVBut Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
a. All who have sinned
A home that He will personally bring us safely to
NKJV
- Helping the band when we were high school, with fund raising, uniforms, and administrative actions to manage the band.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
NKJVBut he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
NKJV
- Managing the house. Focusing her energy on making sure we were cared for.
A home that can only be entered into through Him
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
- Loved to clean, typically cleaning areas that were already clean.

In this home we’ll be given a resurrected body

NKJV
- When mom visited me (Erich), she would constantly clean my house. My friends noticed my mom on a ladder cleaning the outside eaves of my house. With a toothbrush.
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
The Bible pictures the believer’s body as sleeping waiting to be awakened at the coming of Christ A truth that brings confident hope in our sorrow
3. The when and where and how we’ll die
- Kurt received some letters and news paper clippings periodically from mom that reminded him she was thinking of him.
NKJVBut I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
a. Death is always an unexpected guest and knocks on door way too soon
- Participated in the youth ministry at church.
NKJV
A truth secured by our faith in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Mom’s hobbies.
NKJVFor if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
NKJV
- Gardening, loved being out in the yard to care for the flower beds and constantly planted new beds throughout the year at the right time for it to flourish based on the seasons.
A truth assured by the word of the Lord
“Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.
- Cleaning.
NKJV
NKJVFor this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
From Dad, “Mom was frugal”. Always saving for the future to be sure things were taken care of.
The Bible describes the body of a believer like a seed sown into the ground awaiting to burst forth into life Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground to be transformed into ones that will feel at home in heaven Transformed from a body that decays to one that will never die
NKJV
NKJVSo also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.
His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish.
b. Death never texts or phones us so we can be prepared it just shows up
Transformed from a body that is unworthy and weak to one that is glorious and powerful

Death has been defeated by Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 15:54–57 NKJV
So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Cor. 15:
Jesus paid death its wages
Romans 6:23 NKJV
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus rose from death’s grip
Acts 2:24 NKJV
whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
Romans 6:9 NKJV
knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
1 Corinthians 15:21 NKJV
For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
1 Cor.

Death is the gateway to heaven for the believer

Believer’s view death through the lens of God’s word
NKJVIt is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.
1. In their sorrow the word of God tells them they should have hope
Transformed from a body that is natural to one that is spiritual
a. The hope of eternal life
2 Corinthians 5:1–8 NKJV
For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, 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 confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
NKJV
NKJVIt is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Transformed from a body like Adam’s to one like Christ’s
Jesus’ resurrection guarantees our resurrection
b. The hope of a new home
John 14:19 NKJV
“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.
John 11:20–26 NKJV
Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
John
NKJV
NKJVHowever, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.
John 5:24–25 NKJV
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.
John 5:
The believer’s home is a forever home
Revelation
John 14:1–3 NKJV
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. 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.
Revelation 21:2–4 NKJV
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:2
Revelation 22:1–5 NKJV
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Revelation 22:

Closing:

Auf Wiedersehen - Goodbye or See you later
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Our earthly bodies need changed to become residences fit for heaven Bodies free from decay and death
NKJV
NKJVNow this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
NKJV
Bodies secured by the our Lord Jesus Christ
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. 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.
NKJVSo when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
c. The hope of a new body
The Bible describes the the body of a believer as a temporary tent that has been destroyed and will be replaced by an eternal dwellingThe Bible calls our body inherited at conception a tent that will be destroyed but our resurrected body is eternal
Auf Wiedersehen - Goodbye or See you later
Auf Wiedersehen - Goodbye or See you later
For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, 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 confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
NKJVFor we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
The Bible says our soul groans for a body that has life
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
NKJVFor in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.
2. The word of God tells believers their hope is founded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ
a. Jesus taught His resurrection guaranteed the believer’s resurrection
The Bible says God Himself will give us a this body at the resurrection
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,   That saved a wretch; like me! I once was lost, but now am found,   Was blind, but now I see. “During her family’s fleeing the armies of World War II she was temporarily separated from her family for a year. She was reunited with them through the help of the Red Cross.”
NKJVNow He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
The Bible says at death the soul and spirit of the believer goes into the presence of God
“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.
NKJVSo we are always confident, 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 confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

In this home we’ll live forever

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.
b. Paul who witnessed the resurrected Christ affirmed it’s reality
NKJVFor the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
NKJV
NKJVAnd he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

FINAL THOUGHTS

3. The word of God speaks of a glad reunion
a. A reunion that takes place at Jesus Christ’s coming
Death is certain for all of us
b. A reunion that Jesus Christ Himself will orchestrate
NKJVAnd as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
4. The word of God when received by faith brings comfort in our sorrow
Life after death is determined by the path we chose in this present life
NKJV
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
NKJV“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
NKJV
The Lord Jesus Christ is the only who has provided for us and offers us eternal life in the presence of a holy God
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
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