Funeral: Huston Wayne Black

Obituary

Huston Wayne Black, 78, died February 17, 2020, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Huston was born on July 29, 1941, in Ramona, Oklahoma to parents Huston Walter Black and Roxy Marguerite Bruner. He completed his GED in the 10th grade and joined the Navy from 1958-1962. Huston served in the U.S. Los Angeles, CA 135. He was a boatswain’s mate in Vietnam and went overseas three separate times. After the Navy, he worked in steel manufacturing as a project manager and inspector for Kentube Engineered products. WorldWide Exchangers, and ProQuip. Huston married Eunice Faye Andoe in April of 1964. Huston is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Les Minton and his half-sister, Densilla (Denny) Bruner. Huston is survived by his wife of the home, Eunice Black; son, Clayton Wayne Black and wife Casie; daughters, Molly Rachel McManus and husband Mark Wayne, and Kathaleen Rebekah Black. Grandchildren, Alexcia Black, Kyle Black, Kala Allbritton, Jacqueline Helt, Bryce Hawkins, Gunner Hawkins, Roxy Hawkins, and Ruby Ellen; great-grandchildren, Marshal Allbritton, Levi Martin, and Kase Gunner; sister, Retta and husband Myles Winbigler; half-brothers, Marcus Bruner, Phillip Bruner, Paul Bruner, and Delbert (Skip) Bruner; half-sisters, Sheriana McEvers and Christine Deahl; and adopted daughter, Sandy Fisher.

Songs

Lilly of the Valley

I have a Friend in Jesus

Lesson

Huston Wayne Black

Memories Are To Be Cherished

Someone once said, “a funeral is a microcosm of our life.”

It is, for the short time found all together, a reflection on the impact of the life led.

Huston to most, Wayne to others, is a man that had a great impact on the lives of each of us here.

He was a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, boss, coworker, brother in Christ and so much more in his 78 years young.

Each one here has a story a memory of Brother Black and the influence and impact he has had in our walk in this life.

I would like to share a few of impactful instances Wayne had in my life.

Wayne’s Impact In My Life

I first moved to Ramona in January of 2011 and like any preacher coming in I set out to preach a series of lessons I titled the “Fundamentals Of God’s Word.”

I’m not sure how far into that series it was but I preached four lessons on “How God Authorizes In The Bible” and after the fourth lesson brother Black came up to me said, he would like to study that more with me.

I was so excited and over the next two months we met about every week to study in what really became a “How To Study The Bible” type of study together.

During one of those studies we were examining concerning

I remember as we were studying how absolutely absorbing Wayne was.

One of the impacts brother Black had on me from that moment on was his intense curiosity for everything.

If he didn’t know something he wasn’t afraid to say “teach me” or “where can I go to learn.”

That desire and curiosity led to just a month ago Wayne asking if we could get together and me show him how I studied for a sermon.

Now, I’ve been preaching, full time, for almost 15 years and he is the first to ask me that but that’s the kind of amazing curiosity he had for everything in life.

Having been preaching on the “Beatitudes of the Bible” when I came over we started looking at , “Blessed are all those who wait for God.”

Wayne, Eunice, and I studied the the chapters before and the verses after and determined the context of this passage.

Here God is saying to the faithful in Israel, who was about to be under seige from the Assyrian army, wait on God.

I’ll never forget brother Black’s response as we discussed this idea of waiting on God when trials & tribulations happen in our lives, with tears in his eyes he said, “so no matter what happens to us we wait on God, because He will take care of us in this life or the next.”

Brother Black knew his health wasn’t great and as he had told me many times before it wouldn’t get much better either, he knew he just needed to “wait on God.”

Because death isn’t the end it is only the beginning.

Conclusion

Brother Black understood this very thing, that waiting on God, didn’t mean always getting better in this life but meant “being faithful unto death, to receive the crown of life” ().

Wayne held tightly to “the faith” only found in God’s Word. These last few years were difficult for brother Black but his faith and love for God didn’t waver. In fact I know he was encouraging others to learn more about God, and God’s love for them. Faith in God, which only comes through study of God’s Word () is what brother Black held precious and I know desired for everyone here to hold precious as well.

Isaiah 35:10 ESV

10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Maybe it’s been a few days, months, or years since you opened that which Wayne loved so much. Why not take time this week and look and study what Wayne knew was the most wonderful thing around God’s love written down for us.

To brother Blacks family, though I know right now it is extremely painful and difficult, I want to remind you through God’s Word that Brother Black’s death is that which God and Wayne are celebrating not mourning.

Revelation 14:13 ESV

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Though brother Black cannot come back to this life, we can go to where he is, which is why Paul said in , “we are not like those without hope” for we have hope, if we fight the good fight of faith like Wayne did, to see him again one day.

Songs

Come to the Garden Alone

I’ll Fly Away

Prayer

Father we come before you now with hearts aching over the loss of our dear family and friend. I pray that you would place your hand of comfort on the family today and help those of us that are here to be a strength and encouragement to them in the days to come. We thank you are our God who knows us completely and knows our every need, so Father I ask that you look after Eunice and the rest of the family. Help each of us to always rely on You by look to your Word for strength and guidance. We cherish your love and thank you for your Son’s sacrifice that allows us to see our dear brother again one day. It’s in your Son’s precious name we pray, amen.