Betty White Funeral

Welcome

Welcome Friends and Family of Betty White

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, we remember before you this day our Sister Betty. We thank you for giving her to us, her family and friends, to know and to love as a companion on our earthly pilgramage. In your abounding compassion, console those who mourn. Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, so that in quiet confidence we may continue our course on earth, until by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN

Song

Congregational Hymn - Amazing Grace -pg 89 in Black Hymns, pg 280 in the Blue hymnals, Verses 1,2, and 5

Scripture

Scripture Tells us:

I am the Resurrection and I am life, says the Lord. Whoever has faith in me shall have life, even though He die. ANd everyone who has life, and has committed himself to me in faith, Shall not die for ever.

As For me, I know that my Redeemer Lives and that at the last he will stand upon the earth. After my awaking, he will raise me up; and in my body I shall see God. I myself shall see, and my eyes behold Him who is my friend and not a stranger.

Obituary

Betty White was born Betty Jean Holt on January 20, 1932, to Horace and Sallie (Bridges) Holt and died December 5, 2020 in Georgetown, TX.

Betty attended Hobbs, NM schools graduating high school in 1950. She married Basil Welch, in Hobbs in 1950, and they moved to Carlsbad, NM in 1952 and had two sons, Gary Wayne and David Bruce. She was employed by Carlsbad Municipal Schools for 15 years at the high school.

Basil passed in 1974. After which she married Paul “Pablo” White in 1978 and moved to Artesia.

Betty was continually active in the community, she was a member of the PEO Sisterhood, Chapter AQ, she was a board member of Meals on Wheels, as well as a member of American Needlepoint Guild and active in the local guild. And of course she was a member of First Evangelical Presbyterian Church in which she served in countless facets.

She was preceded in death by her father Horace Holt in 1998, son Gary Welch in 2006, husband Paul White in 2007, and mother, Sallie White in 2009.

She is survived by son David Welch, sister, Jeanette Darrough, nieces Shirlee Brown, Jana Recknagel, Deeon Gallegos, stepchildren Jeretta Fischer, Stephen White, Jeff White, Jennifer McAtee, Grandchildren Jason White, Jeannine White, Kandice Duncan, Rebecca Fischer, Chris Fischer, Katie Lewis, Cole White, Lance White, Tara McAtee, Kenneth Stuard, Jessica Mills and 11 great grandchildren.

Song

Recorded Song - Next Time We meet by the Gaithers

Open Floor

At this time we would like to open the floor for anyone who would like to share their memories about Betty. I have a microphone up here if you would like to come up, and if not I will walk it down to you.

Sermon

I never had the pleasure of meeting Betty, but I have heard so many wonderful testimonies to her amazing spirit. Some of our church members provided some written testimonies about just how much Betty impacted their lives here at the church. They wrote of how when they came to the church Betty and Pablo were the first to welcome them, and how she endeared herself to them by embracing them as part of the church family, treating them as part of her family. She checked in on them and their children even after their children went away to college.

I have been told of how Betty loved so much to serve within the community, how she continually and selflessly gave of herself in so many organizations around the town, always seeking to improve the lives of others. It would seem that she had a boundless amount of energy and love to give.

and One of the things I have continually heard is about how if the doors to this church were open she was here and serving in some capacity. She never failed to make sure that events went smoothly, and that they were well enjoyed by all. That not only shows her love for the people of the church, but also her love of God. She obviously had a firm firm grasp of how God called her to live out her gifts within the body of Christ.

Betty prepared some notes for this event, and the verse that she shared was:

1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

I can only imagine what it was that so struck Betty about this verse that she felt compelled to include it in her preparation materials for this moment.

What I can say is that when we look at this verse we can see great hope, the same hope that Betty saw in her faith and her wilingness to live out that faith.

Paul here in the second chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians is reminding them that when he was with him he decided to know nothing among them except for Christ crucified. His greatest concern for the Corinthians while he dwelt for them was that they know and believe the Gospel. The gospel that God had come in the flesh in the form of the Son, had lived a perfect sinless life, fulfilling the requirements than man could not before God, and then offering Himself as a sacrifice, endured the death that He did not deserve, so that we might inherit the life that we do not deserve.

Paul reminds them that He was humbled by the Spriit when he was with them, begging and pleading with them that they might know the Gospel. Showing them that through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we might know that faith lie not in men, but in the power of God.

He then tells them that they did impart a wisdom to them, a secret and hidden wisdom of God. A secret that the rulers of the age did not understand, for if they had they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. He then recites the words we find in Betty’s chosen passage. 1 Cor 2:9

1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

And this passage was a quote. A quote from Isaiah 64:4

Isaiah 64:4 ESV

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.

Paul was pointing to that passage of Scripture in Isaiah 64, a vision for Isaiah, a vision of Gods wrath against sinful man, that would be followed up in the next chapter with a great vision of salvation from our own sinful nature.

Paul highlights for us that the secret of God’s salvation is not found in the wisdom of men. For men are blinded by their sinful wants and desires. Rather the secret of salvation that we seek, is found in God’s wisdom, and that is imparted unto us by the Spirit.

Paul wanted the people of Corinth to know the power of the Gospel. He wanted them to know salvation from God. I did not know Betty, but the story of her life attests to me that she too wants each and everyone of us to know the secret of the Gospel, the salvation found in Christ sacrifice. And I think in choosing this passage, she wanted us to each know the hope that is found in the plan God has for each of our lives as well as the larger plan He has in the salvation of this world. A world redeemed and a world filled with hope and joy as we all walk with our God in eternal harmony.

Closing Prayer

Almighty God, we give to you the highest of our praise and the fullness of our thanks for your wonderful grace and virtue that you show us in all of your Saints, and especially in our sister Betty. She served as a reflection to us of your favor. She was a light unto this dark world. We ask of you today to give us the grace to follow her example of steadfastness in the faith, her obedience to your calling and command. We ask that on that glorious day of resurrection, when we are all gathered around Jesus our mighty King, that we might hear Him say “Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” We ask this of you , for Jesus Christ’s sake. AMEN

I ask at this time that you join us in the Fellowship Hall for a meal and a time of remembrance of Betty. As the music plays, which is a song chosen by Betty, reflect upon the words, and please wait for the family to depart first.