Family By Divine Design:: Fun Friday: Service for a Funeral

04 October 2013

Fun Friday: Service for a Funeral

Probably you may be wondering how 'funeral' and 'fun Friday' can go together. For one thing, it is my privilege to serve for a funeral today by providing a potato casserole for the family after the services, and I was asked to sing for the services. Also, in this case the death came to an elderly person, so in some respects it wasn't completely unwelcome. But this sweet sister (Ormae) holds a special place in my heart.

Ormae was one of the first sisters I was assigned to visit teach when I moved to this area over four years ago with my small family. Her hearing was sketchy at best, even with a hearing aid, and her sight was just about as bad. But she was so fun to visit. Occasionally she could hear our responses to her, but she could carry on conversation quite well, if mostly by herself. She shared great stories of her growing up years, her years as a mother and a hairstylist. She was sweet and sassy, and her nails were always taken care of and painted, usually pink. Once she shared with us that she never painted her nails red. Why? Because that's what she had seen the 'ladies of the night' paint their nails when she was young! hahaha

She had a strong testimony of the church, and it was such a pleasure to get to know her a little bit. I am so grateful that I was asked to sing for her funeral because I know (she told me many times) how much she loved to hear me perform, either vocally or on my violin. I just loved her and I'm so glad I get to serve her one last time. 'Til we meet again, Ormae I'll remember you and be grateful that you were a part of my life. I look forward to getting to know you better in the next life!

1 comment:

Caranna04 October, 2013 13:21
I'm not sure that I would label funerals "fun" but I can see where you are coming from. I enjoy funerals and think there is nothing more uplifting than a funeral service for a Latter-Day-Saint who has lived a long fulfilling life.
Ormae sounds a bit like my Grandma. Her name is Oleta and she died at the age of 98 but had been pretty well deaf and blind for years. For the last few years of her life she was confined to a wheel chair, but she was still full of spunk and was fun to visit with. For her, death was a release.
She was able to leave behind her failing body and be reunited with her parents, siblings and her dear husband. At the time of her death we gathered together as a family to celebrate her life more than to mourn her passing.
I am so thankful that I know that this is not the end, our spirits continue on forever! I am so glad that we will all be able to see each other once our time here is done, and, like you said, 'get to know each other better.'
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David's Bio

I grew up in southeastern Idaho moving at age one from the center of our town to the outskirts. This home had approximately ten acres and much of my youth was spent outdoors both playing and working with my grandparents on their farms. I enjoyed sports throughout my life and was active in wrestling and football throughout junior high and high school. My junior and senior years at high school a sweet young girl even convinced me to join the ballroom dance team. I graduated from high school and attended BYU where I earned my Bachelors degree in Biology in April 2007. Having been raised in the gospel it has always been an influence in my life.

Rachael's Bio

I lived in south central Idaho on a two-acre property in a three-story home until the fourth grade. We moved to Idaho's capitol where we lived until I was in eighth grade when we moved to south eastern Idaho. This move affected my life greatly. It helped me to gain and solidify my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ as well as helped me decide how accurately I was going to live the gospel. This is also where I met David who was to become my best friend and husband. After graduating from high school in 2001 I attended BYU for four and a half years and graduated with a B.A. in Modern Dance, shortly before giving birth to our first child. Through all of my experiences my faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ and my dedication to living His gospel with integrity has increased. My greatest desire is that I will be able to help my children live and love the gospel.

Our Love Story

Rachael and David met first in their ward after Rachael moved in at the age of fourteen. Rachael's family had just moved across town to a home more suited to their needs than the original duplex. Both of their families were active in the church and Rachael and David both served in leadership positions of their respective YM/YW groups. With that constant exposure to each other was added the fact that they went to the same high school and were in the same graduating class. They found each other to be attractive and dated each other quite a bit near the end of their senior year and the summer afterward. After his freshman year at BYU David went on a mission to Russia - Rachael wrote him about every month and a half, just as an "interested" friend. Rachael was at home working for the summer when David returned from his mission and immediately felt that she wanted to date him again, so she asked him to go see the Phantom of the Opera in Salt lake City; thereafter followed about six months of courtship before they were married in Logan, Utah. Now they're both "the luckiest."