Shirley Jean Kilgore

Memorial Service

January 14, 2022

12 p.m. Graveside Service (Corvallis Cemetery)

1 p.m. Service at CCC

Slide Show (Lilly Ross playing during—start at 1pm)

Special Music

Mike Poulin (Song # 1)

Scripture Reading

Psalm 143 NASB95

A Psalm of David. Hear my prayer, O Lord, Give ear to my supplications! Answer me in Your faithfulness, in Your righteousness! And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no man living is righteous. For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead. Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; My heart is appalled within me. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the work of Your hands. I stretch out my hands to You; My soul longs for You, as a parched land. Selah. Answer me quickly, O Lord, my spirit fails; Do not hide Your face from me, Or I will become like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul. Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; I take refuge in You. Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For the sake of Your name, O Lord, revive me. In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble. And in Your lovingkindness, cut off my enemies And destroy all those who afflict my soul, For I am Your servant.

Congregational Singing

How Great Thou Art

Obituary Reading

Shirley Jean Kilgore, age 92, passed away peacefully at home on December 18, 2021.

Shirley (Percival) was born in Beverly, Kansas in 1929.  Her early youth was spent in Salinas, Kansas, and briefly in Denver, Colorado.  In 1940, she and her family moved to Glendale, California.  In 1946, she met “the boy next door” who was an army air corpsman, returning home from the war in the Pacific/Asian Theater.  In 1947, she married the love of her life, James “Bud” Kilgore.  During the child-raising years, they lived in Whittier, California, and Shirley held several different positions in the LA school District. She and Bud loved to travel and explore the deserts and national parks of western US.  Yosemite was a favorite. Following Bud’s death, Shirley moved on her own to the rural town of Etna, CA, where she lived 13 years as an active member of the community and of Scott valley Berean church.  In 2018 she moved with family to Montana. Shirley’s father had homesteaded as a child with his family in the Winifred/Roy area, and the lure of Montana was always an item for family discussion. In the short time she lived in Corvallis, Montana, she quickly grew to love the people and the beauty of the Bitterroot valley.

Shirley was preceded in death by her husband Bud Kilgore. She is survived by her four children, Jim, Peggy (Ower), Nancy (Smith), and Michael and multiple grandchildren, great grandchildren and her sisters Elaine Workman and Jan Fields.

Meditation

Psalm 116:15 NASB95

Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His godly ones.

Psalm 116:1–5 NASB95

I love the Lord, because He hears My voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live. The cords of death encompassed me And the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I beseech You, save my life!” Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.

There is a great recurring truth that is found in the Word of God—God is the help of the helpless. He is a gracious God. He is compassionate. That is realized especially in the midst of undesirable circumstances. An old saint, long departed (JC Ryle) once said “Grace is stronger than circumstances.” And we find that to be the case when we gather in memory of a loved one who has passed thru eternity’s doorway.

It is helpful to remember some key truths about God in times like this:

God has declared the end from the beginning

Isaiah 46:10 NASB95

Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;

God works everything (does everything) after the counsel of His will

Ephesians 1:11 NASB95

also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,

God works all things together for the good of those:

Romans 8:28 NASB95

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

The “good” Paul has in mind is being conformed to the image of LJC—there is no greater good than that.

God is purposeful in how He acts. He always acts in the manner that brings Him glory, and He always acts to accomplish the good of the redeemed—this becomes the basis for joy—even in times of sorrow.

Allow me to briefly reflect on the verse I read a few moments ago:

Psalm 116:15 NASB95

Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His godly ones.

Why is the death of His godly ones precious to God? For several reasons:

1. Death of a saint brings glory to God

Remember the account of Peter and John (John 21)?

After the resurrection, after an appearance with the disciples on Sea of Galilee (3rd time Jesus was manifested to His disciples). Jesus has an exchange with Peter (do you love Me—Tend, feed, shepherd My sheep).

John 21:18–21 NASB95

“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!” Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?”

What kind of death would he glorify God? This is true of every believer. Since God is sovereign in all He does—our deaths will bring God glory…Shirley’s death brought glory to God—b/c He was in control of circumstances that brought her home to Himself.

2. Death delivers the saint from the burden of the flesh.

The Bible affirms that the flesh is weak, unable to please God. It is beset with weakness, sickness, frailty, suffering—all because of sin. Even though Shirley was redeemed by the blood of Christ, she still had to deal with the flesh which was awaiting redemption until she was with the Lord. Since that happened, there is no more sickness, infirmity, weakness, frailty or suffering.

This is truly one of the triumphs of God’s grace (His gracious dealings with His people—O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing). The redemption available to everyone—given to those who put their faith in JC—to us the power and value of Christ’s cross is revealed.

3. Death places the saint in the presence of LJC.

Philippians 1:21 NASB95

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:23 NASB95

But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;

We believe that to be true. To die is gain—not loss. To die is the see the Lord face-to-face. It is to bring the realization of the Xn’s hope. What God has promised is fully realized for all who die “in the Lord” b/c they are immediately brought to glory.

Jesus expressed His desire to be with His saints:

John 17:24 NASB95

“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

4. Death of the saint reveals the church to be what it is called to be.

Among believers, the church is where there is communion of the saints—a fellowship so rich and so deep—that when one member suffers the entire body suffers (that’s a metaphor of the church).

To the Kilgore family, the church has shown her sympathy, compassion, she has prayed for, has given her love, support and encouragement—that though there is sadness in Shirley’s passing, what is left on earth is the finest treasure among the saints—there is the church, the body of LJC, the fellowship of the saints—and it is beautiful and refreshing, and comforting.

Psalm 116:15 NASB95

Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His godly ones.

Special Music

Mike Poulin (Song # 2)

Closing Prayer

Invite to fellowship in CE Bldg

Father, we give our thanks for your presence here today. Though we grieve the occasion that brings us together, I ask you to comfort Shirley’s family and these precious souls. Help them to learn how to live without Shirley in the days you have remaining for each one. Fill their hearts with joy that can only come from your Spirit knowing that she is worshiping in your presence—in that place of eternal joy where all those who have trusted in Christ will join together one day to sing praises to Him and will forever adore you. Thank you for revealing your heart today—that those who belong to you—it is precious for you to bring them to yourself.

We ask your blessing over our fellowship. Honor yourself thru our time together…we ask these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.