Funeral Service for Aunt Mary Ashley
Welcome
Express gratitude on behalf of the family (Acknowledge people coming, cards, flowers, gifts, etc. Offer personal sympathy)
Mary Frances Ashley, age 81, of Dayton, passed away Tuesday, May 14, 2019 in the Liberty Health Care Nursing Home. She was born August 10, 1937 in Crockett to parents, Samuel “Levi” Blackmon and Fannie Anner Bowdoin Blackmon. Mary was a homemaker and a member of Woodland Acres Baptist Church in Channelview.
Mary is survived by her children, Erline Garcia and husband, Lupe of New Caney, Samuel “Wade” Ashley of Liberty, Ricky Ashley of Dayton, Thomas Ashley of Liberty; grandchildren, Jimmy Garcia of California, Jonathan Ashley and wife, Roni of Alvin, Stephanie Merlos and husband, Josh of Dayton; great-grandchildren, Payton Ashley, Zachary Merlos, Brooklyn Merlos; sister, Pearl Tims of Crockett; numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives. She was preceded in death by, her husband, Wyndell Ervin Ashley; parents, Samuel and Fannie Blackmon; daughter-in-law, Pamela Ashley; brothers, Earl Blackmon, Johnny Blackmon, Sam Blackmon; sisters, Sybil Beard, Fairlee Cooper, Annie May Beard.
Sharing
The book of Nehemiah 5:19 (NASB) contains a prayer. Part of the prayer reads,
"Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people."
Memory is a gift from God. This past year I took a class where I had to do a family genogram and explore the stories of my family. I talked to various people on both sides of my family about their memories. The gift of memory can take us back to times and places that the years have obscured. Memories can awaken emotions that we have been long forgotten. Over the past few days, I am sure that there have been many here who have visited the book of memory contained in their hearts and thought about moments that they had not thought about in quite a while. As you have looked at pictures or retold stories you have remembered the good.
I think that we all want to be remembered for good. In the text of Scripture that we read, Nehemiah, one of the later prophets, prayed a prayer in which he asked God that He would remember him, his life, for good. He wanted to be remembered for the good things that he had done in life by God and perhaps the answer to his prayer is the fact that the book of Nehemiah is contained in the Scriptures so that we also might remember the good of this man's life.
I think that if Aunt Mary can see us this afternoon her desire is that we would remember her for good. That we would use the gift of memory that God has given us to remember the good things that she taught by the life that she lived. To remember the good things that she did that affected the lives that are here to honor her memory today. Oh, there are things in all of our lives we would like to forget--there are bad memories, hard times... But...
Remember me...for good.
Aunt Mary was the baby of a family of 9 siblings. The baby... she never knew her father really, but she took care of her mother, Grandma Blackmon, the matriarch of the Blackmon family. I think if we remember Aunt Mary for good that is a good place to start. I did not have the privilege of knowing Grandma Blackmon. I have only heard stories...
The Bible says to "honor your father and your mother which is the first commandment with promise." It was Mary who took care of her mother, the matriarch of the Blackmon family, until the day she died... Remember Mary for good... and we should emulate her example. There is a blessing for all those who will keep the commandment of the Lord. Not only did Aunt Mary honor her mother she also...
Loved her children. While growing up I spent much time at my Grandfather's house. He was Mary's brother. She would come and visit sometimes and she always had Tommy and Wade with her. Mary loved her children. The Bible admonishes parents to love and care for their children. Remember her for good... Life is not perfect, but we do the best we can... She loved Erline, she loved Ricky, she loved her grandchildren... Oh, if there is anything good that we can be remembered for, let it be said that we loved well... Mary loved well. The Bible says that the wise person will even love their animals, and Mary did. She loved her dogs... She didn't love my grandfather's dogs. They had a good relationship. Grandpa sometimes would whistle for his dog when Aunt Mary would come for a visit and she would run... And they would laugh... I can almost hear her voice saying, "Remember me for good..." and we should follow her example, by seeking to love well in this broken world, and to have fun...
I've seen Aunt Mary laugh. I have seen her smile. I have heard her sarcastic way of loving others with snide remarks... Some of you have other memories, good memories, of younger years when Aunt Mary was the "fun aunt." When she was younger she would play the guitar and sing and nieces and nephews would spend time in her home... She knew how to show hospitality. And the Bible says that is something we all should do. Some people have actually entertained angels when they opened their homes others... Oh, remember Aunt Mary, remember Momma, remember Grandma for good... Remember the good...
She had a great sense of humor... When you laugh, remember her for good...
Smile... Crying is okay too. This is the hardest part of the human experience... We do not like it. We will miss her. God has given us the gift of memory and even though the memories can bring smiles they can also bring tears... and the best we can do is remember all the good and seek to allow those that have gone on before to continue to live through us picking up where they left off... Remember me for good...
She loved the color red. Red is a beautiful color. She is wearing red this afternoon because that is what she loved... Thank you for honoring her today, and for remembering her for good... I thought last night about the color red. Jesus shed his precious red blood in order for the sins of the whole world to be forgiven... When someone repents of their sin they confess those sins and the LORD declared in the book of Isaiah that if someone would come to Him and reason with Him. though their sins were like crimson they would be washed white as snow. There is only one thing that can wash away the filth of our sins--the red blood of Jesus. When someone is baptized in His precious name that blood is applied and they are washed, white as snow. Oh, and they are prepared to receive the gift of Christ's Spirit which is the power of resurrection. I hope that intermingled in your memories of Aunt Mary will be the fact that she loved red, and that remembering red will cause you to remember Jesus. Mary loved Jesus...
This is not our final home...
Sermon
There will be a resurrection both of the just and the unjust.
We have this hope because Jesus rose first. When He rose from the dead He was real. He was no phantom but invited those who loved him to handle Him and see that it was really Himself.
Because He lives, we will live also.
For the righteous, there is the hope that in the resurrection there will be a new heaven and a new earth. This is not all that there is... And for those who have trusted in that red blood of Jesus... been baptized in His name and filled with His Spirit, there is hope...
What we need right now is comfort. The story of Job reveals to us that sometimes what we really need is not another sermon or kind word... We just need God. Job lost everything he had and in the end, what he experienced was God. He said, I had heard about you, but now I see you..." The same is true for David in the 23rd Psalm. David says, "The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want... (elaborate)" But in the middle of the Psalm He stops talking about God as though He were far away, and He says while I'm waling through the valley of the shadow of death, God you are with me..."
God is near you right now... I want to serve you as a minister right now, as a pastor, and pray for you. Would you bow your heads...
Closing
Benediction/Exhortation
Lord Jesus Christ, you are the God of all comfort. Lord, this afternoon we have done our best to remember this precious life for good. We thank you for the time that we were allowed to walk this path together with Mary, with our aunt, our mother, our grandmother. Lord this is the hardest part of the human experience and there is so much that we do not understand. God we know that there will be hard days ahead, even as we remember the good and seek to follow the example there will be tears. Jesus, you wept at the tomb of your friend Lazarus. You know what it is like. Would you please make yourself real to everyone here today. Let them feel your nearness like they never have before and know that you care for them. Comfort them with your Spirit. In Jesus Name we pray.
