Linda Holliman Funeral
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WELCOME:
WELCOME:
Good morning. My name is Pastor Brad Wicks, and I’m the Lead Pastor here at Marysville Christian Fellowship.
Today we are here to honor and celebrate the life of Linda Holliman. Probably one of the kindest and most thoughtful women I’ve ever known.
And so on behalf of the family, I want to thank you not only for your presence here today, but for the love, prayers, kind words, and compassion you have extended to Pierce, Linda’s siblings, and the rest of the family over the past week. I know they greatly appreciate it.
Obituary:
Linda L. Holliman, age 72, of Waterville, passed away on Saturday, September 25, 2021 at Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan.
Linda was born May 7, 1949, in Marysville, she is the daughter of Roy W. and Virginia M. (Christensen) Woborny. She grew up in the Waterville area and graduated with the first class of Valley Heights High School in 1967. She married Pierce A. Holliman on June 30, 1967, in Frankfort Kansas.
Linda was a member of Marysville Christian Fellowship. Her love for others was shown in many ways, spontaneous gifts of love, prayer and words of encouragement. She loved everyone, and treated them all the same. If you needed something and she could get it for you, she made it happen. Her friends and family knew that her sleepless nights were spent in prayer. Her faith in Christ was unwavering. She had an infectious joy that was easily spread to those around with just a smile. She blessed many children and classrooms with school supplies. She loved to feed the birds and the squirrels. She blessed her dogs with the best treats, the best food and the deepest love. She sent care packages to our service men overseas full of snacks, candy, jerky, words of encouragement and appreciation. Linda could be a bit ornery when she wanted, she loved to make people laugh. Her friends and family, especially Pierce, had to keep an eye out for her pranks. Two things were very important to Linda, her love for her Lord and her love for her family and friends.
Survivors include her husband Pierce, two sons: Jimmy Holliman of Waterville and Andrew (Leslie) Holliman of Lawrence, a grandson Santana Holliman of Waterville, four sisters: Cheryl (Bill) Yungeberg of Waterville, Kristin Woborny of Marysville, Mary (Brad) McKeever of Marysville, Marte (Rick) Becker of Galena, Missouri and a brother Chris (Elizabeth) Woborny of Fremont, California, and a sister-in-law Virginia Lee Woborny of Blue Rapids.
Preceding Linda in death were her parents, a brother Larry Woborny and a sister Clione Billau.
PRAYER:
It goes without saying that Linda lived her life in the Goodness of God. A life that reflected her relationship with Jesus and commitment to making Him Lord of her life.
As I thought about what I would share with you today concerning Linda and her life, there were several passages that came to mind. Passages that I often use in when it comes to a service like this.
One passage that came to mind is John 11 where we find the story of Lazarus, a story that I have often used when laying somebody to rest.
And it’s a great story when it comes to dealing with the grief that a family often experiences when a loved one passes away.
A story that shows the raw emotion of Lazarus’s two sisters, and even Jesus as we are told that in response to the sister’s grief, that Jesus wept.
Another passage is found in Matthew 14 where we read about the unfair and tragic death of John the Baptist.
And like the story of Lazarus it’s a great story to help family and friends navigate the sudden or tragic death of a loved one.
Because how do you move one when somebody you love is suddenly taken from you.
But as I thought about those passages, neither passage seemed right for Linda. Because while Linda’s death was sudden, it wasn’t tragic.
And while family and friends are grieving over her passing, there’s also an aspect of thankfulness due to the pain that Linda had dealt with for so many years.
And so as I thought about it, there was only one passage that I felt was fitting for somebody like Linda and for those of us that loved Linda so deeply.
The passage is found in 1 Thessalonians 4 where the Apostle Paul writes too encourage believers who are facing the grief that comes when a fellow believer dies.
And when I say fellow believer, I’m talking about a person who has put their faith in Jesus, made Jesus Lord of their life, and then by the help and power of the Holy Spirit has lived a life that represented that commitment.
Which means, as Paul talks about grieving for this kind of person, he’s talking about a person like Linda.
Because if you knew Linda, then you knew a few important facts:
First, she loved her family.
Second, no matter who you were or what you background was, she loved you right where you were at.
Third, she loved Jesus with all her heart, and the evidence of that was seen in every aspect of her life.
So, as Paul encourages the believers in Thessalonica concerning the loss of a fellow Christian, he’s most definitely talking about a person like Linda.
And so what I’d like to do is read through this passage this Paul gives us, and then I’d like to take a few minutes to explain what Paul is saying, and then give us an opportunity to respond to Paul’s words.
Because I believe what Paul has to say here will not only help us in our grief, but will give us the ability to move forward from today in thankfulness, joy, and hope.
So, what does Paul have to say? Let’s find out:
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
As I said a moment ago, Paul wrote this letter to believers who were grieving over the loss of fellow Christians, who for the most part were being martyred for their faith.
And what I love about this passage is the way he starts it. And he starts it by saying, “I don’t want you to be uninformed”.
The word uninformed here implies that Paul doesn’t want them to lack awareness or be without the facts.
So, what does he not want them to be uninformed about? Well he tells us, because he goes on to say, “about those who are asleep...”
Now, at first glance, that statement might seem odd, because why would Paul need to present facts concerning somebody that is asleep. I mean I’m pretty sure we all know how sleeping works, right? You go to bed, you go to sleep, and then you wake up.
But physical sleep isn’t what Paul is talking about here. Because when Paul says “asleep” what he’s referring to is somebody that has died.
Which means what Paul is saying is, “I want you to have all the facts concerning the death of a believer.”
Which are some important facts for us to have. Why? Again, Paul tells us, because he goes on to write:
1 Thessalonians 4:13 (ESV)
...that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
Paul says, “I want you to have all the facts concerning the death of a believer, because the way we grieve for that believer should be different than the way we grieve for a non believer.”
In other words, because that person was a Christian, we should view their death in an entirely different light.
So, how should we view it? Paul says we should view it with hope. Hope in what? He tells. Because moving on to verse 14 he writes:
14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
Paul says our hope is found in our faith. The belief we have that Jesus died and rose again. The belief we have that when a person puts their faith in Jesus they will have eternal life. The belief that when a Christian dies they will go to be with Jesus.
Because that’s what Paul says. He says those who have fallen asleep are with God.
And we know that’s what Paul believes and teaches because this isn’t the only place Paul talks about what happens when a believer dies.
For example, talking of himself in Philippians 1, Paul shares the inner conflict he has concerning his time on earth. He puts it like this:
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.
In this passage Paul talks about the importance of his fruitful labor for Christ in this life, but then he confesses that his real desire is to go be with Jesus. In fact, he says it’s a real struggle as he goes on to say:
23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
Paul says, “It’s a real challenge for me because while I know God has work for me to do hear on earth, my real desire is to go be with Jesus, because to depart, or to die, is to be with Christ”.
In other words, what Paul is saying is, when a Christian dies, they automatically go to be with Jesus. And according to Paul, that is far better than life here on planet earth. Why?
Because according to Revelation 21, to be with the Lord means to be in a place that is free of pain and the stain of sin. John the Revelator describes it like this:
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
John says when we are with the Lord, the former things have passed away. What former things? Well, the former life. A life that was full of trials and pain. A life full of cancer. A life full of dialysis. A life full of conflict. A life full of tragedy. A life that has been tainted by sin. A life that a believer who dies no longer has to deal with.
All that to say, this is why we should grieve differently for a fellow Christian that has died. Because according to Paul, they’re now with the Lord. And not only are they with the Lord, but in His presence they are in place where there is no more pain.
And this is especially important as we think of Linda today. Because if you knew Linda well, then you know for many years she lived a life of pain.
Pain that came from the many ailments she has faced over the years. Ailments that included rheumatoid arthritis, stomach issues, and over the past year weekly dialysis. The fact is, while you would have never known it, and she never complained about it, Linda lived life in pain.
But the good news today is that Linda is no longer living in pain. Why? Because she’s with the Lord. She’s in that place Paul longed for. The place John the Revelator described. A place where there are no more pain.
Which means, as fellow believers who loved Linda, today is a day to celebrate her pain free life. A life without arthritis. A life without dialysis. A life without pain.
Now, does that mean we won’t feel pain in her loss? Of course not. Grief is a natural response to death. But as Paul said, based on where Linda is now, we should grieve differently.
So, a great quesiton would be, “How do we grieve differently?”
What I’d like to suggest is that we grieve differently by taking some time to talk about and celebrate Linda’s life. To talk about who she was, what she accomplished, and the lives she touched.
And great way to do that would be by sharing some thoughts and stories.
And so for the next few minutes I’d like to do that by giving those here an opportunity to come up and maybe share a thought or story about how Linda impacted your life.
And to get us started I’d like to begin by sharing some stories that her family told me concerning her orneriness. Because apparently Linda was quite the practical joker, especially when it came to Pierce and her sisters.
For example, when it came to Pierce’s lunches, Linda would pack his lunch every day before he went to work. Which meant, you never knew what you were going to get.
Pierce tells the story of how one day on his way out Linda said, “You’re going to think of me when you eat lunch today.” And he most definitely did as he took a bite into his sandwich and discovered the plastic wrap was still on the cheese.
On another occasion, Pierce opened his lunch box to find it filled to the brim only with popcorn. I’m going to assume Linda thought he needed to lose a little weight.
But maybe the one that made me laugh the most was the sponge cake that Linda made out of an actual sponge and then covered it with frosting.
Like I said, with Linda, you never knew what you were going to get.
When it came to Linda’s sisters, they shared many stories of Linda’s antics, two specifically I found entertaining.
Marti shared how when she was around 10 years old she would sometimes be scared to sleep alone at night, and so naturally she would want to go and sleep with her big sister.
But Linda had some stipulations, one of them being that Marti would have lay there and fan Linda until Linda fell asleep.
But maybe my favorite story the sisters told was how Linda liked to tell scary stories, and one story in particular that involved Linda taking Marti and Mary out to the outhouse one night to tell a scary story. A story that she said would require them to close their eyes.
So, with their eyes closed Linda told the story of a young babysitter who was watching two young girls, but then tragically a stranger showed up and kidnapped the babysitter. Linda then quietly snuck away as the girls sat there with their eyes closed waiting to hear more, only to discover Linda had disappeared when they finally opened their eyes in the silence.
Lind was a jokster.
But beyond the jokes, Linda was a person who loved helping people.
I know I saw that as her pastor over the last several years as she would continually put the needs of others first.
Pierce tells a story that I think demonstrates that love and kindness. It took place at Walmart one day while Pierce and Linda checked out behind a young woman with a basket full of school supplies. And while they didn’t know it, this woman was going through a difficult time in her life.
Pierce says as the cashier rang up the woman’s bill, she went to pay but her card was declined, and the woman started to cry.
Pierce said Linda didn’t skip a beat and quickly said to the cashier, “We’ll get that”. She then went on to pay for nearly $170 in school supplies for this young mother.
Pierce said over the course of the next couple years Linda stayed in touch with this woman and was able to minister to her and encourage her.
But that’s just who Linda was. A person who always put the needs of others first.
That being said, if anybody would like to come share a thought or story about Linda, I know the family would greatly appreciate it.
Time of Sharing:
As we close out this time of sharing, I’d like to share a letter with you that was written to Linda’s family from Pastor Rick Glowaki.
Pastor Rick was the first pastor of MCF and was Linda’s pastor for almost 20 years. And I think it’s an important letter because in many respects it not only highlights Linda’s kindness, but also her love for the church and her desire to see the Kingdom of God advance. Here’s how Rick describes Linda’s impact on his life and ministry:
RICK’S LETTER:
Pierce, Jimmy, Andrew, and the rest of the family, Sheri and I want to express how sorry we are for your loss. But we also rejoice with you in the knowledge that Linda’s years of pain are over. The moment she left her body, she left the pain she had experienced for decades, behind. And she will never feel those pains again.
Our first memories of the Hollimans go back almost 30 years to the very early days of MCF. Within the first year of planting this church, The Hollimans were a part. But the Holliman family and Linda were more than just faithful members and sacrificial servants during our 19½ years as pastors of MCF. Linda held a very special place in our family.
Being separated by hundreds and hundreds of miles from grandparents and other family, Linda and Pierce gave our kids the love and support that immediate family could not provide. They watched our kids when we attended out-of-town pastoral events. Linda and Pierce were frequent guests at our children’s birthday parties, and Linda often showed up at school functions, just like a favorite aunt, and would watch our kids play, sing or perform. And she always had plenty of words of praise and encouragement after it was over. Linda was family, a real part of our family.
Pierce and Linda opened their home and their land for camping, playing in creeks and exploring, and none of us went hungry when we were at Linda’s house. Little hands held many kittens. And each time, there were requests, “Can we have one?” Linda would have loved to have gotten rid of several, but since Sheri is allergic to cats, the answer was always no. But we told the kids, they could always visit them or another litter the next time we stopped by. Our children’s lives are richer because of the love shown by Linda.
I remember fondly the messages on the answering machine at the office. Linda often did not sleep well due to her arthritis. She would be up in the wee hours of the morning. Numerous times when I arrived at the church in the morning, the light would be blinking on the answering machine. When I played the messages, there would be Linda’s voice. The timestamp was often between 2:00 and 4:00 AM, and she would say, “Pastor, just wanted to let you know that I am praying for you. Since I can’t sleep, I can pray, and I prayed for you.” What a message to start the day with. I was saddened that she was in pain all night and couldn’t sleep, but to think that she chose to spend some of that time praying for me was such a blessing.
The last photographs I have of Linda were from our moving day ten years ago. It may not have been a great day physically for her, but she was there to help in any way that she could, in packing and loading. And she brought her smile and laughter. I have one photograph, which Linda might find unflattering, but it always brings a smile to my face. It is of her laughing loudly with her head tilted back and mouth wide open. It captured the joyful spirit she had and is one of my favorite pictures.
Linda was there from the earliest days of our ministry in Marysville, and she was there on our final day. Now she is in heaven and is waiting for us to join her. Linda, you fought the good fight, you kept the faith, you finished your race. We miss you, but we rejoice that we will see you again. Sheri, the kids, and I will never forget you.
Pastor Rick Glowacki
It goes without saying that Linda loved her church, and she loved her pastors. I firmly believe MCF wouldn’t be the church it is today had Linda Holliman’s fingerprints of love, encouragement, and prayer not been on this church. Linda understood the importance of advancing the Kingdom of God.
But now her struggle is over. She’s accomplished the mission that God had given her. Because you see like the Apostle Paul:
Linda, you fought the good fight, you have finished the race, you have kept the faith. And now there is a crown of righteous, which the Lord, the righteous judge has awarded to you.
Song - Scars of Heaven
As we close out the service today, and we celebrate Linda’s earthly life on earth and her arrival in heaven, I’d also like to suggest that we celebrate and look forward to the day we will see her again.
In fact, this is what Paul encourages us to do as part of our grieving process. Because unlike an unbeliever, we have a future hope to look forward to when a fellow believer like Linda dies. Paul explains it like this:
15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
I think it’s important to note that what Paul has just shared with us comes directly from the Lord Jesus. And it’s a promise that one day we will see that fellow believer again. And it will happen in one of two ways:
It will either happen out our own passing, as like Linda, we to go to be with the Lord.
Or, it will take place at the coming of Jesus, which is what Paul is referring to in this passage. A moment where a trumpet is blown and the dead are reunited with the living as together we meet the Lord in the air.
And what an encouraging word and hope that is, which is why Paul ends this passage by writing:
18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
And so to Pierce and the family I say this, be encouraged today. Because not only is Linda free of pain, but one day you will see her again, and together you will be with the Lord.
Let’s Pray
Song - Amazing Grace