Funeral for Popop

Introduction

Good morning everyone and thank you for being here today.My name is Dustin Alley and I’m blessed to be the pastor of Liberty Baptist Church where Carolyn and her family attend.

join me in prayer

We are here this morning to celebrate the life of Popop or Donald as others may have known him.

In this moment today may not feel like a good day. Today will feel like a sad day. A day of mourning, a day remembering, and day of sharing hugs and tears with loved ones. That’s ok. Today is the day that I pray, in the days and years to come, you can look back on and see it as the day you gain closure as you process the loss of Popop in your life.

To the friends of the family that have gathered here, thank you for coming. As a person who has interacted with others who have lost family members, I can tell you sometimes, you may not know what to say. Your presence here shows your love and support for this family.

I was able to meet with the family this last week and talk about Donald for a bit.

As a young man he joined the Army where he would drive trucks for 4 years. He would spend time in Germany while in service to his country.

I was great to hear them speak about he and Mrs. Betty’s relationship. They were married for about 41 years before her passing in the late 1990’s.

The family spoke of his kind and gentle soul. He loved the Lord and he loved the people the lord had around him in life.

Robin shared that her parents made time for each other on a weekly basis. Going out on Friday nights doing various things. She said that they loved to dance and would enjoy that time together.

It sounded like he was a man that was intentional in making time for others all throughout his life. He serves as an example to many of us I’m sure to slow down and enjoy the people around us.

He would take his family on vacation every year the first couple weeks of July out to Cape Cod where they would enjoy each others company in a cottage.

His love for family never dissipated throughout life. He would host what I was told was called family meetings. Mrs. Carolyn remembered being the hostess for these where she would sit the peanuts out and make sure things were ready.

He loved his grandkids and great grandkids. Destiny shared that he passed on his love of art and drawing to her.

He was man that loved to work with his hands. He worked in a plastic factory as younger man and later went on to work at a school for disabled children.

It is apparent that he had a big heart with lots of love for everyone.

After retirement he volunteered a food pantry and nursing homes.

When I asked what his hobbies were I was expecting something with wood working or maybe a sport. They did tell me he loved football but didn’t have a team. He liked cheering for the underdog. However when it came to baseball, there were no questions…he was a yankees fan.

the answer they gave for his hobby was almost in unison…church

He would attend multiple times a day. He started his day off with breakfast and prayer every day. He loved the Lord and sought a relationship with Him.

There is an old hymn called “What a friend we have in Jesus” and based on the testimony of others in his life, Donald “popop” Ring loved his friend Jesus.

At this time I’d like to ask Carolyn to come up and share some words with you. Once she is finished, the floor will remain open if anyone else would like to say some words or share a fond memory of Donald.

Comments from Friends and families

Graveside

The passing of a loved one, a close friend, a family member is never an easy event.

Tears that fall are expressions of love.

Heavy hearts speak of how he will be missed.

Days like these are difficult.

And yet, days like these can be tools in the hand of a Sovereign God for good.

The Scriptures tell us in Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work togetehr for good to those who love God

God can take even days like today to make something good out of it.

We cannot do anything more for Donald, he has left this earth and has gone into eternity.

But Donald’s memorial service can be used for good. God can work it into something good.

You see, a memorial service like this can remind us of what is really important in life.

So often we get caught up in many, many things that are not really that important.

But the passing of a loved one can remind us of the shortness of life, it can remind us of the importance of loving and expressing our love to others while there is still time, it can remind us that this life is not the only life there is, there IS life in eternity.

When a memorial service like this one reminds us of these things God can make days like today into something good.

You see, I have never met anyone who was in their last chapter of life say, “I wish I had worked more overtime on the job.” I’ve never heard that.

I’ve never heard anyone who was close to eternity say, “I wish I had argued more on social media about politics.”

Never have I heard someone who was near to death say, “I sure wish I had watch more TV and movies.” I’ve never heard that.

But let me tell you what I have heard.

I have heard folks say, “I wish I had made things right with that family member who has been estranged from me for so long.”

I have heard folks say, “I wish I had said, ‘I love you’ more to those I love.

And I have heard folks who were near death say, “I wish I had been more faithful to the Lord.”

These are the kinds of things that people say and express when they are nearing eternity.

May I ask you today to let God make this memorial service into something good.

Would you consider examining your life and your priorities in light of eternity and would you consider making some adjustments so that when your time comes to leave this earth you have no regrets.

All of us will one day face this day.

In time, there will be a memorial service for each of us.

As you grieve over the passing of Popop or Donald, as you remember him and your relationship to him, as we celebrate his life and remember him now in death, would you allow God to make this day into something good in your life.

The most valuable thing on planet earth is not gold and silver, it is not riches and wealth, it is not fame and power.

No, the most valuable thing in the entire world are people.

People.

People are more important than anything else that there is.

The Bible says, that God SO loved the people of the world, that He gave His one and only Son and that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

Jesus Christ died on the cross, was buried and was raised from the dead for people, for you and me.

God loves us that much!

The Bible says that God demonstrated His love for us in that even though we are sinners, Christ died for us.

That is the good news of the Gospel!

Jesus died as a substitute to pay for our sins so that we would not have to pay for them ourselves in torment for all eternity.

This day, this memorial service, this time of tears and heartache can be turned into something wonderful if this became the day that you put your trust for eternity and for the forgiveness of your sins in Jesus Christ.

Again, John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Won’t you decide today to believe in Jesus?

I’m praying that God would make this memorial service, this day of heaviness and tears into something wonderful in your lives.

I’m praying that if you need to be saved that you would choose Christ as your Savior.

Would you bow your head for prayer please?

Lord, thank you for this time of reflection.

Thank you for the life of Donald.

Thank you for these who have come out today to express their love for him and for one another.

Lord I pray that you will draw those to you who need your salvation and may this day, this memorial service be the tool you use.

Bless us Lord as we depart.

Help this family to draw closer together and close to you.

We ask this by Christ. Amen.