It was a celebration of life service that tugged at my heart strings. With the encouragement of their mother, the man's three adult children agreed to patriciate in the service. All three shared a snapshot of their dad's life and the impact his love, nurture and support had contributed to their lives. They were also joined by several grandchildren who read Scripture or shared a brief thought or poem. The service took place at 11:00 a.m. yesterday morning.
Del Rogers's obituary said of him: "Del was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, friend and world class storyteller." Del was one of those people who could walk into a room and immediately add something of value to others present. Del and his wife, Judy, moved to Dripping Springs a couple of years ago to be near one of their sons and his wife. They found their way to Henly Baptist Church by Divine appointment and when they walked through the door, they knew they were home.
There are a lot of churches that no longer sing hymns. Del and Judy love hymns and value the stories they represent. The obituary made this clear: "Del felt blessed to have met the love of his life, Judy, at the tender age of 17 when she walked in the front door of the West Liberty Baptist Church where he was leading singing. He proposed to Judy after only one date! That early blessing became an example of inspirational and enduring love that lasted for over 65 years (August would have made 66).
"Shortly after graduating from high school in Liberty, TX, Del and Judy headed to Baylor University where Del earned his Business Administration degree in 1962. While earning his degree he preached regularly at small Baptist Churches in and around Waco."
When Del and Judy relocated from "Big D," finding a church that incorporated hymns into worship was important to them. The contrast from their previous family of faith was significant. They were very active members of the First Baptist Church in Dallas. Perhaps to some degree, Henly Baptist Church was like the icing on a cake. It was a sweet experience.
During the celebration of life service, the oldest son shared stories about his dad that included lessons learned from his adolescence that equipped him for life. The daughter referenced her dad's skill as an exceptional storyteller. The youngest son focused on getting to know his dad as an adult.
I've been to several celebration of life services that included several people that spoke of the things they valued about the legacy of the person being honored. It may sound weird, but without fail, the kaleidoscope of memories shared always left me with the sense that I would have missed something impactful and significant had I not been present for the service.
Thankfully a video of the service was made yesterday morning that make it possible for those not in attendance to benefit from the memories shared. It was a blessing to be in attendance.
All My Best!
Don
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