Esker White Funeral

Obituary

Obituary

Renee Alice Esker-White of Warren passed away of natural causes in Mercy Health St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital on Monday, April 13, 2020 at 4:21 a.m. She was 47 years old.

Renee was born on July 31, 1972 in Youngstown, the daughter of the late Robert and Patricia Koller Esker.

She attended the former Woodrow Wilson High School in Youngstown. Ms. Esker owned and operated Nae’s Bargain Basement an online store specializing in custom printing.

She was of Christian Faith. Renee loved being a business owner and worked hard at her business’s successes. She enjoyed listening to all types of music to get her through her day, spending a sunny day outside, and had a devout belief in God. Renee was loving and would give you the shirt off of her back if you were in need. Most importantly she loved being a grandma and cherished her friendships.

Renee is survived by her life companion, George A. Morgan of Berlin Center; a daughter, Patricia Renee Morgan-Simmons of Girard; 2 sons, Michael Allen Morgan-Kline of Parma, OH and Roy Joe White of Girard; a brother, Bob Esker; a grandson Marlon Allen Hall, Jr.;

Ms. Esker was preceded in death by her parents.

Homily

We gather today to remember the life of Renee

Words are interesting things. They have meaning, and while this may seem like an elementary concept, the truth of the matter is that meaning is not just summed up in what Meriam Webster, or the Oxford or Cambridge dictionaries decide. Meaning is wrapped up in the person that is speaking or writing, the circumstances surrounding the issue that is being discussed or lived through. If the word is spoken, inflection and emphasis can change the meaning of a word rather quickly.

In times like this people struggle with what to say, and how to say it. We want to make sense of things, we want to comfort those that are mourning, while we mourn with them. Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all. Sometimes just being in the room with the person, sitting with them, crying with them, holding their hand, praying silently for comfort, these things speak louder and help more than any words that we could say.

Even knowing all these things we still struggle to know the words to speak. As ministers we are tasked with speaking in these difficult times, putting into words comfort, and sympathy, care, and healing.

In those times the best place for us to look is into God's word. In his word we find strength, and healing, and grace, and peace.

In Ecclesiastes 3 we find that what happened last Wednesday was not a surprise to God.

Ecclesiastes 3:1–15 HCSB

There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven: a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing; a time to search and a time to count as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away; a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace. What does the worker gain from his struggles? I have seen the task that God has given people to keep them occupied. He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life. It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts. I know that all God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. God works so that people will be in awe of Him. Whatever is, has already been, and whatever will be, already is. God repeats what has passed.

The first 8 verses are very familiar, they tell us that all that there is a time for everything. When we stop there we miss the comfort found in verses 9 - 15 the idea that God has placed eternity into our hearts, that we are made for more than the time we walk this earth, that God gives us the gift of life here, and the promise of the life to come.

John 14:1–3 HCSB

“Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.

We grieve today at the loss of a loved one. She seems to be beyond our reach, but we have this promise from our Lord. There is a place that has been set up for us, prepared in advance by the one who loves us more than we could ever imagine. So much that he came to this earth, lived, and died, so that we could have promises like this, and the hope that comes with those promises.

It is hard to understand or know why things happen, but we do know this and we have this promise.

1 Corinthians 13:12 HCSB

For now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known.

We are living in an unprecedented time. Things are so different today from what we are used to, even shared grief has been forced to change and yet this promise is true. We will one day be able to see and speak and love, when we are not longer bound to this earth.

Committal

for as much as it hath pleased Almighty God, in his wise providence, to take out of this world unto himself the soul of our deceased sister Renee, we therefore commit her body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. Rev 14:13

Benediction: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.