Janice Bruce Funeral

Obituary

Good afternoon everyone, My name is Matt Coby. I am thankful for the honor and privilege to stand before you today to honor and remember the life of Janice Gay Bruce.

Janice was Born September 14, 1946 and returned home on January 30, 2022 She is survived by her sons; Phillip Brian Bruce (Brenda) and Gregory Scott Bruce, daughter; Terrie Lynn Bruce, grandchildren; Richard Brian Bruce (Trisha) and Jeffery Kyle Bruce (Gabrielle), five great-grandchildren and brother; Shelby Lee Horton.

She is preceded in death by her son; Jeffery Wayne Bruce and her parents; Fred and Laura Horton.

Memorial

Again, I am thankful for the opportunity to stand before you today. This opportunity stems from two places. The first is that despite being a broken and sinful man, the Lord saw fit to take this easily distracted boy from Boaz al. to preach the Gospel, the second place goes back much further than I do. It goes back to a lifelong friendships that my Father has shared with Phillip, and with the whole bruce family. Friendships that spilled over into their children’s lives.

Brian, Kyle, and I have a lifetimes worth of stories that would take up more time than we have today. But at the center of almost all of those stories. Janice can be found.

I’ll never forget:

Yard Rolling story about Andrew Charles running into tree

Playing video games (Diablo 2) for days at her house

Jumping the creek behind her house

Brian shooting me in the mouth with paintballs and spitting up yellow into her sink

She was a grandmother to all of us.

She wasn’t afraid to straighten us out like we were her own

And While I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on story after story, I really began to ask myself “Who was Janice?”

if i were to ask each of you this question, we would all have our own experiences that we would draw from, but i believe that we would all agree that:

Number 1:

She was Strong

Throughout her life, Janice endured a great deal of suffering. From the loss of loved ones, to the pain of broken relationships. All the while pushing forward with a supernatural strength that can be explained only through the presence of Christ.

Joshua 1:9 ESV

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Just before this verse, Joshua’s mentor and friend (Moses) had passed away, and Joshua is struggling. However, God had a purpose for Joshua’s life, so here he’s assuring him that with the power of God on your side, there is no trial that cannot be traversed.

Of course with kids, grandkids, and all of the rest of us she had no choice but to be strong! lol

Not only was she strong:

She was Nurturing

Now don’t get me wrong, she was tough, but her toughness was always by design. She knew what we needed when we rarely did. And she was more concerned with our well being then with our feelings.

We find a similar kind of love in the way that the Father reacted to his son in Luke 15:17-20.

You see, the son had run off and did his own thing for a long time, and had expected his dad to be so disappointed that He didn’t love him anymore.

Luke 15:17–20 ESV

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

No matter how far we had wandered, or what type of life we had lived. Janice’s main concern was how she could help us be the best possible version of ourselves! Even if that required difficult conversations.

And finally,

She was Consistent

This is a trait that is becoming less and less common in our world. It’s one of the biggest gaps that we see in child development. Did you know that We currently live in what is being called the “Postmodern society”. To spare you of all the boring details, the pillar of this worldview is that there is no “Absolute truth”. That everything is relative. Basically, everyone can decide for themselves, what is true, and what isn’t true. This is an extremely inconsistent way of thinking.

I can only speak from my own experience, but in my life Janice was consistent. and while that may seem boring to a child, as i look back on my life, It is consistency that i find most valuable. It’s not the fancy or expensive things that made a mark on my life. It was those people that were consistently present. Janice was that for me, and if i had to guess, she was that for you too.

Her home was always open. And While so many came and went, she was always there.

It’s these types of People that remind me of how God is Faithful in the lives of His people.

In Isaiah 40:6-8, we see that all the things of this world are temporary, and that there a life that is so much better waiting in Heaven for those who trust in God!

Isaiah 40:6–8 ESV

6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Strong, Nurturing, and Consistent

Janice

We are stronger because of you

We are wiser because of you

and We have seen a glimpse of the Love that Christ has for us in your life.

Let us not waste what God has taught us through your life.

And let us not miss the opportunity that we find in this moment of reflection. An opportunity to surrender our lives to the God from whom all Blessings flow.

Pray