Funeral for Judy Eimen

Song - Amazing Grace

The Eimen family would like to thank each of you for honoring them with your presence here this morning. By being here, you remind them of not only the many fond memories of Judy, but also the impact that she had on so many people. Thank You!

Scripture Reading:

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” ~ 1 Peter 5:6,7,10,11

2 Corinthians 1:3–5 NIV

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand … For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” ~ Isaiah 41:10, 13

Prayer

Song - How Great Thou Art

Judith Ann (Cox) Eimen was born April 12, 1942, in Hampton, Illinois, the daughter of Everett “Bud” and Helen (Shalla) Cox. She attended rural schools and was a member of the last graduating class of Kalona High School in 1960. She attended Moline Public Hospital School of Nursing. On August 31, 1963, she was united in marriage to Marvin Eimen, also graduating with an RN degree that same month. She held her nursing license for 50 years. During that time she served as a nurse at the University of Iowa Hospitals, Oaknoll in Iowa City, Dr. Beckman in Kalona, REM in Kalona and a short time with J.C. Visiting Nurses. Judy was an avid Hawkeye (football) and Vikings fan. She and Marv had Hawkeye season tickets for football and basketball games for 57 consecutive years, also attending numerous bowl games. Judy enjoyed reading and daily crossword puzzles and watching “General Hospital” and “NCIS”. The couple took many road trips, visiting all but one state, Delaware, while traveling 75,000 miles by car. Judy was fond of all animals and regularly fed and made friends with several cats in the neighborhood. She also enjoyed watching and feeding the squirrels and birds near her porch. Survivors include husband of 58 years, Marv of Frytown, three children: Larry Eimen of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Laura Becker of Marion, Iowa, Michelle (Rodrigo) Mon of Laurel, Maryland, son-in-law Doug Becker of Marion, Iowa, four grandchildren: Caitlin Becker, Sara Becker, Isabel Mon, Joaquin Mon, and her brother Ralph (Diana) Cox of Iowa City. Preceding Judy in death were her parents.

Song - To Where You Are

Funeral Message:

I first met Marv and Judy about 12 or 13 years ago when they started attending Iowa City Church of Christ. I always did my best to stop by and say, “Hi”…even though I learned I had to be quick to catch them after the service. I’ve come to learn that Judy was probably hustling home to catch the kick off of the NFL games…especially if it was the Vikings. I had no idea that she was such an avid football fan. Marv, I guess I should have talked with Judy more about who to start in my Fantasy Football lineup! Besides watching or attending Hawkeye football games, Judy always had a book and a cat, she was dedicated to her animals. She was dedicated to her family. She loved and took care of them. She was dedicated to her profession of nursing. You don’t have your nursing license for 50 years if you aren’t dedicated. Her brother Ralph told me that he knew she was going to be a nurse from a young age. He recalled an incident when they were kids and he fell on the ice and cut his head open. Judy knew what to do. She was a dedicated wife. Even though Marv she told you to stay out of the kitchen…and evidently wanted to choose her own cars…she was dedicated to you for 58 years. You all are here this morning because in one way or another you were impacted by Judy’s dedication.

One of the reasons we do funerals and have memorial services is because it helps give us closure. It helps us say “good bye” to someone who has had an impact on our lives. Saying “good bye” brings up all kinds of emotions, memories and feelings. What I want you to know is that as you say “Good bye” know that God is near, in fact, God walks with you through these moments in life. In fact, God cares what is happening with you right now. When Jesus came to see his friends Mary and Martha after their brother had died, it says “He wept.” Jesus understands loss, hurt and pain.

As we deal with the emotions and feelings of saying good bye, lean into God…he walks with you. I want to read a beautiful poem that was written by the great shepherd, warrior king David, a man after God’s own hear. A man who understood what a relationship with God looked like. He also understood what it was like to lose someone close to him to death. Listen to these beautiful words that describe how God not only wants a relationship with us, but to walk with us through this difficult and challenging life.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. (God promises to guide you through life and to be your provision) 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. (In this relationship God promises to take care of your soul. There are a lot of people who know how to take care of their body. How do you take care of your soul? When you are in a relationship with God, he promises to take care of your soul). He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (When you are in relationship with God, he leads you down the right paths.) 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Here is the verse that we all need right now. God promises to be with us, and walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death. In this moment, when you are in relationship with God, you don’t walk alone.) 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Here is the part we all need to remember, this relationship with God, it’s a forever relationship. As we trust God and walk with him through this broken world, he promises to walk with us on the other side…into eternity.) ~ Psalm 23:1-6

Listen, there is no way to erase the hurt and loss that we feel today. Good byes like this are hard. What God wants you to know is that if you trust him, he will walk with you, through this valley of the shadow of death…and get you to the other side. He simply invites you to trust him.

Remembering Judy - by Attendees

Prayer

Closing Song: Iowa Fight Song

Graveside

So Marv told me the story of the monarch butterfly tree. Evidently the Monarchs were migrating and had found a rest stop in one of your trees. Marv said he called Judy over to take a look, and there were hundreds and hundreds of Monarchs.

The butterfly is a fascinating creature. To start as a caterpillar, to enter into a cocoon only to emerge as this beautiful and amazing butterfly which can soar and travel thousands of miles. Truly amazing! One of the poems you chose for today fits this description:

The butterfly emerges from its silken shell

Reborn, it arises, no longer bound to earth.

Free at last, the butterfly glides to heights unknown before.

So do our loved ones find a beautiful release as, earthbound no more, they leave our sight and joyfully rise to a garden of matchless beauty, a place of light and peace. ~ Evelyn Phillips

That poem is written to give people hope. Hope is a powerful thing. When things look bleak…hope gets us through. In moments like this, when it feels like the end, we need to be reminded that there is hope. Faith in Jesus gives us hope. When Jesus’ friends Mary and Martha were mourning the death of their brother Lazarus, Jesus said to them:

John 11:25–26 NIV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Faith in Jesus gives us hope that there is more to come.

As you look around this place, it’s evident that spring is near. In just a few weeks this place is going to be exploding with green, and colors and life. We will be planting seeds in the ground, having faith that they are going to sprout and grow into flowers. That’s hope. Today, we are laying Judy to rest, planting her here if you will…because we have hope…that through Jesus, there is more to come.

Pray