Funeral for Marilyn Wheeler - June 10th, 2016

Below please find the manuscript from the funeral for Marilyn Wheeler that I performed at Lampe's Funeral Home on June 10th.  I apologize for the delay but it's been very chaotic for the last week.

I pray this finds you all well and blessed, and remember to...

'Be a Blessing to Someone TODAY!'

In His constant care & grace,

Roy

Order of Service – Funeral for Marilyn Wheeler

Call to Worship:

You, O God, have been our dwelling place in all generations.  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.  (Psalm 90:1-2)

Greeting:

We have come together this morning to praise God for the life of Marilyn Marie Wheeler;

to mourn our loss with one another, to console each other in our moment of grief;

to celebrate Marilyn's life and all that she meant to all that loved her;

to celebrate God's love for Marilyn, and His love for each of us;

And to commend Marilyn to God's everlasting love and care.

Music: The Old Rugged Cross

Opening Prayer:

Let us pray,

Eternal Spirit, before whom the generations rise and pass away, even in the presence of death our first words to you are in praise for your unnumbered mercies.  For the memory of loved ones now departed, we praise you.  For their victories of character over trail, of courage over difficulty, of faith over sorrow, we give thanks, and for all those who have done justly, loved mercy, and walked humbly with their God, we sing joyfully to you.  Grant us now this same joyful thanksgiving as we remember your child Marilyn, and give to us that sure knowledge that you have won the victory over death in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Music: Holes In the Floor of Heaven

A reading from the Old Testament:

Psalm 23  King James Version (KJV)

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

A reading from the New Testament:

Romans 8:18-31 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified

31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

Music:  In The Garden   

Message:  Pastor Roy Karlen – Woodlawn Christian Church

This Monday I visited on the phone with Marilyn's daughter Angie and made plans to come out and visit with Marilyn at her home in Marathon Iowa this Tuesday.  However, Marilyn and our Good Lord had different plans and Marilyn passed from our troubled world into the grand and glorious Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ early Tuesday morning.  We mourn the passing of our loved ones, but we rejoice in their birth and acceptance into Heaven.  Praise God!

Marilyn was born on November 8, 1940 to Russell and Marcella Daisy.  On March 29, 1953 she was baptized at Woodlawn Christian Church here in Lake City.  On September 7, 1965 she married Carrol Wheeler at the Courthouse in Jackson, Minnesota.  They were happily married until Carrol's passing on December 29th, 2007.

In meeting with Marilyn's family members, I learned just a little bit about Marilyn and her life.  I will share with you today, the items which stuck out to me, but please after we conclude this service, the interment at the cemetery, and then move to our luncheon at Woodlawn Christian Church, please continue to share among yourselves more of these wonderful memories.

I learned that Marilyn had worked at a number of businesses around Lake City, among them Casey's, D&M Cafe and the Lake City Drive In.  That she liked to eat at the 'Wagon Wheel' with her two best friends, who are with her now in Heaven.  Marilyn was on a bowling league, and she loved to do needle-work, and crocheting afghans.  She collected salt & pepper shaker, bells and thimbles which her husband would bring back to her from his travels over the road as a truck driver.

They told how she liked to go and see the 'living nativity scene' that Woodlawn Christian Church used to do annually at the Blair's.  She also liked to take the kids around and look at Christmas lights around town.

Her children told me how she tried to be strict with them and ground them when they misbehaved.  The only problem was with a truck driver for a father and a mother that worked the kids knew when she wouldn't be home so grounding them wasn't really very successful.  Kids will be kids... but Marilyn had a way about her that made the kids confess their misbehavior.

The family told me about how every year she gave the kids summer haircuts, pixie cuts for the girls and shaved heads for the boys.  I was led to believe that all of them thoroughly loved these hair styles.  Well....  maybe not so much for all of them.

Marilyn's children as well as her brother Art relayed to me how much she enjoyed going to the casinos and how much her family enjoyed going with her on these outings.  Art mentioned going with his sister almost every weekend.  Apparently, Marilyn had her favorite slot machine and always checked to see if it was available first.  She made her last trip to the casino just two months before her passing.

Marilyn's sister Alice shared that Marilyn took her on her first 'big trip'.  This was a trip to Colorado where Marilyn was living at that time.  Alice remembered how much fun they had on this trip and about jumping on a trampoline with her sister.

Lonnie discussed how Marilyn would allow him to drive her car when he first got his learners permit and then his first permanent license.  They would drive over to Lake View to fish and sometimes stop at the A&W there.  Great memories of fishing and a sister helping her brother polish his driving skills.

And while we're mentioning fishing, the family told me how no matter what Marilyn had 'hooked' while fishing she always professed to 'have a whale by the tale'.  It would seem that every fish she hooked was a whooper.

Marilyn liked to cook.  Her children and her brother Lonnie both mentioned her homemade noodles and how much everyone battled over who would get the leftovers.  Lonnie told me how Marilyn had taken over this family tradition of making noodles after their mother passed away.

Marilyn loved her Church and had all of her children baptized at Woodlawn Christian.  Marilyn was active in the CWF which is the Christian women group at Woodlawn Christian Church.  She was involved in her Churches activities, especially those that had to do with cooking and food.  Marilyn was involved in the God's Portion Sales, the Funeral Lunches, and I'm told that she along with her good friend Marge Cunningham were the major force behind the first Soup Suppers at Woodlawn Christian.

I have read and heard Theologians who contend that in Heaven we are tasked to do those things that we loved to do and enjoyed the most here on Earth.  If that is the case then just maybe Marilyn is working once again with Marge Cunningham in preparing a whale of a Soup Supper for the good souls up in Heaven.

We mourn the passing of Marilyn but, in our time of sorrow, let us look to the words of the Apostle Paul for reassurance.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

6 So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

9 For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

Romans 8:38-39New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We rest assured that Heaven and being in the presence of our Lord is where we truly belong.  We rest assured that Salvation is ours through the love of Christ Jesus.  We rest assured that nothing in this world or beyond can sever the tie that we have to our all gracious and all loving God.  We rest assured that though we enjoy the life that we live and we cherish all those that we love and care for here in this earthly realm... we know that this world is not our ultimate destination.  We are each created to reside in the presence of our God.  Today we celebrate that Marilyn has gone on to her reward in Heaven... Praise be to God!

Eulogy and Reflection:  Ryan Daisy

Closing Prayer:

Following the committal ceremony at Lake City Cemetery, the family invites you all to gather with them in further celebration of  Marilyn's life and a time of shared remembrances and closure, by joining with them in a luncheon at Woodlawn Christian Church's fellowship hall. If you do not wish to accompany the family to the cemetery, please feel free to wait at Woodlawn Christian Church for their arrival.

Let us pray:

O God, our Strength and our Redeemer, Giver of life, and Conqueror of death, we open our hearts to you just as we are.  We celebrate your gift of life freely given, but are grieved by a sense of loss in the face of death.  The love which binds us to one another leaves us aching as ties are broken.  Accept our tears as emblems of devotion, and transform them into waters of life to nourish us in the days ahead.

We trust you.  We love you.  We know in Christ that your love is everlasting.  Nothing can separate any of us from your abiding care.  With you is eternal life.

With confidence we now entrust Marilyn to your unfailing love and overflowing goodness.  Through the power that raised Christ from the dead to live eternally with you, lift up this, your servant, to life fulfilled beyond our imagining.  We give you but your own, enfold her in your everlasting arms, hold her for she is your child.

Now strengthen us, through the gift of your Spirit, to face into the future with confidence that you stand with us.  Grant that the changes of life may leave us stronger as we journey through life.

Reassured of your abiding presence, help us to knit more firmly the ties that bind us one to another.  Renewed by your love, help us to love in ever larger circles so as to embrace your people everywhere till at last we are all united eternally through Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

Benediction:

Music:

Committal Service:

Gathering

We have gathered here to praise God and to witness to our faith as we celebrate the life of Marilyn Wheeler.  We come together in grief, acknowledging our human loss.  May God grant us grace, that in pain we may find comfort, in sorrow hope, in death resurrection.

O God, who gave us birth, you are ever more ready to hear than we are to pray.  You know our needs before we ask, and our desires in asking. Give to us now your grace, that as we shrink before the mystery of death, we may see the light of eternity.  Help us to live as those who are prepared to die.  And when our days here are accomplished, enable us to die as those who go forth to live, so that living or dying, our life may be in you.  AMEN

PSALM 121

We lift our eyes up to the hills.

From where does our help come?

Our help comes from the Unseen One,

The Maker of the heavens and the earth,

Who will not cause our feet to stumble,

Our protector who never sleeps.

The Abundant One preserves us,

The Watchful One is our shelter and

support.

The Vigilant One guards us from evil,

And keeps our Life-breath safe.

The Shepherd guards our going out

and our coming in from now unto eternity.

The Broken Chain – author unknown

We little knew that morning,

that God was going to call your name.

In life we loved you dearly,

in death we do the same.

It broke our hearts to lose you,

you did not go alone;

for part of us went with you,

the day God called you home.

You left us peaceful memories,

your love is still our guide;

and though we cannot see you,

you are always at our side.

Our family chain is broken,

and nothing seems the same;

but as God calls us one by one,

the chain will link again.

Now let us pray...

Into your hands, O merciful God, we commend your servant Marilyn.

Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold,

A lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming.  Receive Marilyn into the arms of your love and mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of those that have gone before.  Amen

Benediction:

May the all abiding love of our all gracious God... support you, guide you and uphold you in the days, and weeks and years ahead.  His peace be upon you all.  Amen.