Richard "Dick" Housewright - 7/12/20

Richard (Dick) Housewright We gather to lay to rest the remains of Richard Housewright. Though Richard in April, things were a little crazy then. It seemed appropriate to reunite him with the love of his life on their wedding anniversary at the time of their wedding. In the Bible we are reminded, 1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. 2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. 3 Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! (Psalm 46:1-3) We also remember this great promise from Jesus, "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. (John 14:1-3) Let's seek the Lord, Father, help us to be aware of your presence this afternoon as we remember Dick and commit his ashes to the ground. Help us to appreciate His life and your promises. Comfort us by your Spirit, we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Dick and Judy were kind of like peanut butter and jelly. They were very different, but they worked well together. Judy was an outgoing person who was energized by people. Dick was quiet and, I sense, was drained by people. Dick liked to hunt deer, ducks, and geese. He liked fishing on the boat (where he worked for a while as a commercial fisherman), playing cards and going on motorcycle trips. (All these things are more solitary.) He was not big on big gatherings if he could avoid it. He and Judy even took a trip to Colorado on the bike on summer. He loved being able to do things with Judy. This doesn't mean Dick wasn't good with people. He did well in the family fertilizer business, "Housewright Soil Service," where he worked all his life . . . but that was WORK! It was what he HAD to do. Dick was born on April 30, 1939 in Burnside the son of M.O. and Madge Dunn Housewright. He made the best decision of his life when he married Judy Quivey in La Harpe on July 12, 1959. They were blessed with one daughter, Kelly and all of us here have been blessed because of her. So, "thank you, Dick and Judy!" Dick loved Kelly and Jeremy. He loved it when Jeremy and Millie stayed with him a few years ago on the way to a wedding. He wasn't an "expressive dad," not because he didn't care, but because that wasn't his personality. Dick and Judy got a vacation home in St. James City and when they moved their permanently, they purchased a home at Cape Coral. He loved the time he and Judy spent in Florida. They were good together. He stuck by her side through the surgeries. As Judy died, he was holding one hand and Kelly was holding the other. I suspect we will never know how much he missed her. When he got his cancer diagnosis 2 years ago, he fought and never gave up. It was a 12+ hour surgery and 33 days of radiation. I suspect the fact that Kelly was there with him gave him the strength he needed to go on. Dick did not want to move back to the Midwest, but it became apparent it was the best option for him. The time he stayed with Kelly and Dennis turned into a time of great blessing as they were able to get close in ways they never could before. I suspect it also gave Dick a real peace in knowing his daughter was going to be well cared for by the man who took such good care of him. Dennis put a bird feeder outside of Dick's window which I am sure he first thought was a silly thing to do . . . and then he became addicted to the birds and they his companions and his entertainment. They hooked up a doorbell like system so he could let Kelly and/or Dennis know if he needed something. One time her rang the bell only to share his excitement that a bluejay was on "his" feeder. Dennis' mom and brother came over a couple of times a week to play pitch. Dick came out when he felt up to it to watch a few hands. He always got a few laughs out of watching Dennis' brother David "shoot the moon" (which he did frequently). Finally, Dick needed to go into the Hospice house. Because of Covid, only Kelly could go in to be with her dad. On the last day he was fairly alert, Dennis came to the window and Dick's eyes lit up as he waved. Dick died peacefully on April 5th, feeling loved and cared for. "Lead Me Home" It is always comforting at a graveside when you know where someone is. We like to think everyone goes to Heaven, but if you've read the Bible, you know that isn't true. The problem is, Dick wasn't the kind of guy to share his feelings. He was of that generation when faith and other deeply held beliefs were not shared; they were a private thing. Kelly tired hard to make sure her dad was ready to meet the Lord. But as we stand here today, we just don't know. I suspect Dick was listening and I'm guess it is not the first time he heard these things. I want to give you a few verses from the Gospel of John from chapter 2, verses 23-25 that I hope will bring comfort to us today. Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. 24 But Jesus didn't trust them, because he knew all about people. 25 No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person's heart. 1 The story is that lots of people were suddenly professing faith in Christ. However, Jesus understood human nature. He knew some people profess belief just as "fire insurance" or because they are hoping to get something for their profession of faith (like a ticket to Heaven, or a "get out of a tough spot free" card. Jesus did not look at what a person says in public or what they necessarily do. He knows their heart. He knows whether faith is genuine or whether it is "playing the game." But this also goes the other way. Jesus also knows what is in the heart of the people who say little to others about their faith. He knows what they really believe and feel, even if they never articulate it (for whatever reason). God does not require us to pass a theological exam or to get so many attendance awards from the church before we can be a part of His family. He only says we must embrace the One who came and died in our place. He wants us to get to the end of ourselves, and the notion that we can do enough good things to earn Heaven. He wants us to admit our lostness and to run to His grace. Of course, being part of a church community is how we grow and serve together, it is where we find and give to others, strength and encouragement. But . . . church membership is not a prerequisite for Heaven. When Abraham was pleading for the town of Sodom, He asked the Lord if he would destroy the city if 10 believers were still living there. God's answer was this: "Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?" That's a rhetorical question. We should know the Judge of all the earth will do what is right. So, even though we would like very much to have a stirring testimony from Dick about his relationship with Christ, we are comforted by these two truths: 1) God knows what is really going on inside. . . whether or not it is expressed with words. 2) He will always do the right thing. With this we release Dick to the place that God has prepared for Him. . . and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a birdfeeder right outside his window. Let's pray, Father, thank you for the life of Richard Housewright. You have strengthened him through Judy's issues and then through his own physical problems. We trust You to have taken the seeds planted in Dick in regards to faith and caused them to grow. We commit him now to you. In Jesus' name. Amen. 1 Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Jn 2:23-25. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------