Funeral Manuscript for Gordon Dooley - December 21, 2018

Below, please find, the manuscript for the funeral for Gordon Dooley that I performed last Friday afternoon.  Gordon was a wonderful soul and we will all miss him dearly.  Please pray for his son Gary and his daughter Deb, along with both of their families.  It is such a difficult thing to lose a loved one at any time but perhaps even more so right before Christmas.

God bless you, Gordon!

Be a blessing to someone today!

In Christ's love & grace,
Roy

Photo by Christian Begeman - Prairie Sanctuaries

Order of Service – Funeral for Gordon Dooley

Prelude:

Call to Worship:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ. (2nd Corinthians 1:3-5)

Greeting:
We have come together this afternoon to praise God for the life of Gordon Dooley: to mourn our loss with one another, to console each other in our moment of grief; to celebrate Gordon's life and all that he meant to all that loved him; to celebrate God's love for Gordon, and His love for each of us;
And to commend Gordon to God's everlasting love and care.

Opening Prayer:
Let us pray:
Father of all mercies and God of all consolation, You pursue us with untiring love and dispel the shadow of death with the bright dawn of life. Give courage to this family in this their time of loss and sorrow.

Secure in Your refuge and strength, O Lord, reassure them of Your continuing love and lift them from the depths of grief into the peace and light of Your presence.

Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by dying has destroyed our death, and by rising, restored our life. Your Holy Spirit, our comforter, You speak for us in groans too deep for words. Come alongside Your people, remind them of Your eternal presence and give them Your comfort and strength.  Amen.

Solo:  Diane Sommerfeld - w/Fran Lawson - “Just As I Am”

Reading from the Old Testament:
Let us hear now a reading from the Old Testament,
Psalm 145:8-19
The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The Lord is good to all,
and his compassion is over all that he has made.
All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your faithful shall bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
and tell of your power,
to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The Lord is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.
The Lord upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand,
satisfying the desire of every living thing.
The Lord is just in all his ways,
and kind in all his doings.
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desire of all who fear him;
he also hears their cry, and saves them.

Reading from the New Testament:
Let us hear now a reading from the New Testament;
Matthew 13:1-9
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.2 Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil.6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 Let anyone with ears listen!”

Message:  Pastor Roy Karlen – Woodlawn Christian Church
The day before yesterday, Gary and I had lunch together and during that lunch, I shared some stories with him about my grandfather Roy Fletcher.  That last bit of scripture, from Matthew's Gospel, was read at my grandfather's funeral for grandpa was a farmer, in fact, his father my great-grandfather purchased the first tractor in their county back in South Dakota.  Those words in the 13th Chapter of Matthew are an especially appropriate set of verses when talking about a farmer's passing... especially a good farmer's passing.

Gordon Dooley was a good farmer... he cared about his cornrows and about his farmstead... he was, just like the man in the parable in Matthew's Gospel... a sower.  But Gordon didn't just plant seeds into God's rich Iowa soil... no... Gordon also planted seeds for the Kingdom in the hearts of God's people.  Deb and Gary shared with me that their Father (under the influence of their mother) had the gift of 'Hospitality'.  Jean and Gordon made friends wherever they went from Iowa to Arizona.  Jean and Gordon together planted deep within the hearts of both of their children the love, belief, and faith in their God... the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob... the God whose birth into this world we are preparing to celebrate this coming Tuesday... on Christmas morning.  Gordon was a sower... and the seeds of Christ were the most important crop he ever planted.

Before I go any further with the message today, I will confess... as I have before in other funerals... that I never enjoy conducting funerals.  There's simply nothing about the experience that I enjoy... I do funerals because I am called to be a minister to God's people and a vital part of that ministry involves funerals and grieving.  And though I dislike conducting any funeral... I especially dislike doing funerals for old farmers.  It is especially difficult for me to bury these men and women that have been stewards to God's creation.  But, as difficult as it is... I count these occasions as a true honor and privilege to acknowledge these important souls.


Farmers like Gordon are literally a dying breed... each day there are fewer and fewer of these old-timers who truly knew what it was like to farm before the advent of today's modern equipment.  In no way am I discounting the difficulty of modern farming, but there was just something about the old ways... those so intimate to the soil ways... they molded and steeled these men and women into something truly, truly, truly special.  There is some intangible component that comes from hard... back-breaking labor, the scorching sun and freezing temperatures that builds steel into the heart of mankind and this union of labor along with God's rich earth gives birth to a farmer... 

Gordon Keith Dooley was born on February 19, 1925, in Lohrville, Iowa to Roland “Moses” and Neva (Hitchins) Dooley. After graduating from Lohrville High School he worked in 1944-45 in Wichita, KS at the Boeing Factory building B-29s for the War effort. Health issues had precluded Gordon from serving in the military but he was proud of his contribution of helping to build these amazing aircraft. Later Gordon moved back to Iowa and worked on a delivery route for Pfaff Bread Company out of Fort Dodge.  Later he worked at Rosedale Dairy in Fort Dodge before moving to the Lake City area and spending the next 38 years farming.

On June 17, 1947, in Atchinson, Kansas, Gordon married Laura Jean Benckendorf.  Jean was 19 and Gordon was 22, they had eloped and ran off together to Kansas to be married by a Minister there.  Gordon once told me that upon their return home a rumor was started that they had to get married, and sure enough five years later Gary was born. Jean and Gordon enjoyed 69 years of marriage together before Jean's passing in November of 2016, a true testament of their love and devotion to one another.  Praise be to God.

The young couple met while Jean was still in High School and both were living in Fort Dodge at the time of their marriage.  Gordon told a story about when he and Jean were first dating, about how Jean's parents would lock the front door and turn the yard light on if Gordon didn't have her home on time for her curfew which was midnight.  He told of how he'd have to take the screen off of one of the windows and shove her up to and then through the window.  He confessed that he got pretty good at taking that screen off, so apparently, her missing her curfew wasn't a once or twice affair.  His dedicated efforts must have been endearing though for they were married barely a year after Jean graduated from Lake City, High School.  And thus began their 69 years of life and love together.

Once Gordon started farming, the young couple moved around for a short time while Gordon was farming on various different farms, but eventually, they ended up on the family farm North East of Lake City where they stayed for 30 years.  The farm had been in Jean's family for many, many years and is a Century Farm.  It was the farm where Jean grew up and it was always a special place for Gordon and more especially for Jean.

When Gordon retired in August of 1990, Jean and he moved to Fort Dodge once again and enjoyed many years of retirement there.  They also spent many years wintering in Arizona where they also made many friends.  In December of 2015, due to Jean's declining health, Gordon and Jean moved into Shady Oaks Nursing Home here in Lake City.  There they were surrounded by old friends and made many new friends among the staff and volunteers.

When I asked Deb and Gary to provide me with words that described their father they said:
Integrity, Gordon believed that integrity was the true measure of a man.

They stated that he was always poised, and stubborn... he would listen to you and then do what he wanted to do, to begin with.  He was very cautious and didn't like taking risks. Even if all looked positive he would hesitate at whatever risk he thought might happen. Then that 'quiet stubbornness' could be seen. But he did forge ahead many times even when the risk seemed strong if he was convinced it would bring a benefit in the end.

A thinker, he ruminated upon his thoughts, he was contemplative, a planner, one who envisioned things... he was very wise. He could think calmly in most situations and have ideas or give wise counsel.  Gordon would often hesitate to give advice even when asked but usually provided valuable counsel.

He could also improvise and be spontaneous as well. As a farmer you have to be able to adapt, weather is unpredictable and what you plan for the day's work might have to change at the last minute due to the weather.  Gary remembered being frustrated when asking his dad what they were going to do tomorrow and Gordon would reply “we'll just have to wait and see”.

Deb told me that he enjoyed figuring and was good with numbers. It was common to see him at his desk or kitchen table 'penciling out' business decisions or something for fun like how much grain a bin would hold or how much water might flow over the dam during flood stage.; what the exact measurement a board would need to be to fit into a spot. It was kind of a hobby to him she believes. He kept excellent records and said he thought about taking up accounting at one time.

I was told that he had a generous heart and would help anyone who needed it if he could. He was good with an encouraging word or some comic relief when things got too sad or tense which would bring a smile or laugh even sometimes through tears.

He was witty, humorous, quick-witted, good with zingers, loved to banter but he could be a little bit shy or reserved.  Still, he made friends quickly, finding people wherever he went.  He had the gift of hospitality, this though I was told was taught to him by Jean.

Deb told me how he had a great memory and loved telling stories of memories from boyhood to recent times. You would generally hear a few stories each time you went to see him and it always made for an interesting and fun visit. He could also use a good story to help you contemplate some event you were dealing with in life.

Deb also mentioned how Gordon always strove to be honest and fair in all his dealings. He could always work out fair a solution to difficult situations. Even if someone didn't get their way they usually couldn't argue the logic that he used. Once a landlord thought his side of the crib had less corn in it than Gordon's. He wisely offered to switch sides with the landlord who immediately backed down and never mentioned it again.

He was always neat and clean (as much as a farmer could be). His shirt was always tucked in with a belt, his hair combed, face shaved, teeth brushed and fingernails clean. He often missed the days when people used to dress up for weddings, funerals, graduations, even for going out to eat or to a show. He was known for his farmer tan which was easy to cover on his white upper arms, but the white forehead was a little more difficult to conceal... as it is for all farmers.

Gary really stressed that Gordon was proud to be a good farmer.  Gordon studied farming, he read, he learned, and he adopted new methods and technology once they'd been proven as productive and reliable, it was always very important to him to be a 'good farmer'.  And Gary emphasized that Gordon was a great farmer.

Deb and Gary said there weren't many vacations as children, their Dad milked cows and as all those who've been around dairy cows know, they have to be milked come rain or come shine. Gordon and Jean made up for the lack of these vacations once they retired and started going south for the winter months.  Still, Gary and Deb remembered going to the park, “University 40” near Lohrville with their parents and the 'gang'.  Friends were always important and Gordon and Jean were especially close to the Carish family, the Stoffregen family, and the Hanks.  These families along with the Dooley's constituted the 'gang'.  They spent a lot of time together in both work and play.  They helped each other with their farming and then relaxed by playing cards, going fishing, or just going out to eat dinner and maybe a little dancing. Though Gordon was the last of the adults from the 'gang', the children remain and are still good friends to this day.

Gordon loved to farm, he loved the land, and he loved his Lord.  The Lord blessed him for his devotion and hear now these words found in Deuteronomy:

Deuteronomy 11:13-15
13 If you will only heed his every commandment that I am commanding you today—loving the Lord your God, and serving him with all your heart and with all your soul— 14 then he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, and you will gather in your grain, your wine, and your oil; 15 and he will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you will eat your fill. 

And now I will share with you a poem by an anonymous author:

They Buried A Farmer Today:
They buried a farmer today, 
Gave him back to the dirt from which he came. 
Earlier his family and neighbors walk by, 
Looking at memories of a simple man’s life. 
A table of photos, toy tractors, and cards, 
Telling the story of life on the farm. 
There are the overalls he wore every day, 
Except on Sunday, when he bowed his head to pray. 
All things that kept him close to his roots. 
Not born in a barn, but not far away, 
From the fields where a boy learned how to play. 
There are photos of his children and grandchildren, too, 
And he and his wife, there are more than a few. 
The smiles betray the hard times that he faced, 
The worries and fears, the profits erased, 
By weather and markets out of his hands. 
In the end, all he really had was his land. 
The soil, the crops, and even the weeds, 
To his way of thinking, that’s all he would need, 
To take care of his family, and help them stay safe, 
From a faster-paced world, not too far away. 
A good life, a simple life, that’s what he led, 
He’d struggled like most, but came out ahead. 
And eventually, retirement, if ever a farmer could, 
Stop worrying or working, but he did it, for good. 
He enjoyed his last years, and made sure that he thanked, 
The good Lord above for his life, and his land. 
His time ended quickly, his loved ones in tears, 
Hoping he knew what he meant to them all through the years. 
Today they gather, to remember and pray, 
About a simple man they loved, who was there every day. 
Through joy and sorrow, laughter and pain, 
He was there when they needed him, right up to the end. 
Out to the cemetery, they carry him home, 
To a small plot of land, just under a stone. 
For they know he’s at peace, and praying for them, 
As they stand on a slope, not far from his land. 
The service now over, they leave him alone, 
Knowing someday, he’ll greet them once more. 
A dust cloud forms as the trucks drive away. 
They buried a farmer today.

In closing, Gary and Deb mentioned that holidays were always important to their family growing up... especially Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It's always difficult to lose a loved one so close to Christmas, but we can rejoice in the knowledge that this year Gordon is reunited with Jean in Heaven and they after having spent so many Christmas' together here on this earth get to spend an eternity of Christmas' together in our Lord's presence... Praise be to God.  

My First Christmas In Heaven: by Wanda Bencke
I see the countless Christmas trees
Around the world below,
With tiny lights, like heaven’s stars,
Reflecting on the snow.
The sight is so spectacular,
Please wipe away that tear.
For I’m spending Christmas
With Jesus Christ this year.
I hear the many Christmas songs,
That people hold so dear,
But the sounds of music can’t compare,
With the Christmas choir up here.
For I have no words to tell you,
The joy their voices bring.
For it is beyond description,
To hear an angel sing.
I can’t tell you of the splendor,
Or the peace here in this place.
Can you just imagine Christmas,
With our Savior, face to face?
I’ll ask Him to light your spirit,
As I tell Him of your love;
So then pray for one another,
As you lift your eyes above.
Please let your heart be joyful,
And let your spirit sing.
For I’m spending Christmas in Heaven,
And I’m walking with the King!
I know how much you miss me;
I see the pain inside your heart.
But I’m not so far away,
We really aren’t apart.
So be happy for me, dear ones,
You know I hold you dear,
And be glad I’m spending Christmas
With Jesus Christ this year.
I send you each a special gift
From my heavenly home above.
I send you each a memory
Of my undying love.
After all “love” is the gift,
More precious than pure gold.
It was always most important
In the stories Jesus told.
Please love and keep each other
As my Father said to do,
For I can’t count the blessings
Or the love He has for you.
So have a Merry Christmas and
Wipe away that tear.
Remember I’m spending Christmas
With Jesus Christ this year!

Eulogies:
The family has asked me to at this time open the floor for anyone that would like to share a memory or perhaps share a poem or scripture reading with the family and friends.  You may either come forward or if you would rather please rise and speak from where you are seated, please do though speak loud enough for others to hear you.

Closing Prayer:
Following the service today, please feel free to remain here at the funeral home as long as you wish in order to visit with the family and share condolences for... and memories of Gordon. 

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 Gordon 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 a life fulfilled beyond our imagining.  We give you but your own, enfold him in your everlasting arms, hold him for he 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:

Postlude:  


Committal Service – Gordon Dooley

Selfishly, we as mortals wish to hold on to Gordon. It brings great pain to let him go. Living in the resurrection and hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the trust of a loving God and in the promise of eternal life, we now commit his body to its place of rest. We will continue to mourn Gordon, but now his smile will warm the kingdom of God. We will continue to love Gordon, but God will now take care of him. We will continue to carry Gordon in our thoughts, but he will be kept safe in God's hands. Receive him in the arms of your mercy, O God, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of all your saints.

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.

Though we are now parted for a little while from Gordon, he has not left us entirely... for as long as his memory affects our lives, our interactions, our relationships, our decisions here in this world... a little bit of Gordon yet remains... cherished and hidden away in our hearts.


We Remember Him
When we are weary and in need of strength,
When we are lost and sick at heart,
We remember him.

When we have a joy we crave to share
When we have decisions that are difficult to make
When we have achievements that are based on his
We remember him.

At the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter
At the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring,
We remember him.

At the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of summer
At the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of autumn,
We remember him.

At the rising of the sun and at its setting,
We remember him.

As long as we live, he too will live
For he is now a part of us,
As we remember him.

Believing in the Resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we now entrust Gordon to the care of Almighty God and we ask Our Father to open the doors to his mansion and to lead Gordon to the room made ready just for him. As we now commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, we commend his spirit to its new home. Rest eternal grant him, and let light perpetual shine upon him.

God has blessed and enriched our lives in giving us Gordon to know and love here on this earth. Though our time together was not nearly enough, in committing his body to the earth, we give over to God the care of his spirit, and we acknowledge that we will one day reunite with him in God's Kingdom. The Lord bless him and keep him; the Lord make his face shine upon him and be gracious to him; the Lord look upon him with favor and give him peace.

Let us now pray together the prayer that our Lord and Savior taught us to pray...
Our Father...

May the Lord bless you and keep you, may His strong arms encircle you and uphold you in your hour of grief.  God's peace and strength to you all.
Amen

This concludes our graveside service.  Thank you all for coming.