Shirley Copeland Funeral
Welcome and Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, we are here this morning to celebrate the life of and grieve the loss of Shirley. We need your help. Your promise is that You are the Comforter. You have promised that you suffer along with us. You know what it is like to be human, to grieve, to lose, and even to die. Please come alongside us by Your Spirit and help us through this day. In Jesus Name.
Eulogy
Shirley Rose Copeland, age 66, passed away peacefully on July 28, 2020, at Memorial Hermann in Humble. She was born November 19, 1953, in Houston to Glennis Ray and Roselee Blackburn. She graduated from Aldine High School in 1972 and married Charles Wesley Copeland the same year on June 16, in Houston. Shirley loved to work. From being a beautician, working in the bank, to working in annuities, she could do anything. Shirley also enjoyed doing things around her home such as cooking, potting flowers, and sitting on the patio in the evening. She was a sightseer. She and Charles would regularly take trips to the country to visit family. Shirley is survived by her husband of 48 years, Charles Copeland, Shane, and Trisha Copeland, Maritha and John Phillips, Ciara Blackburn, Johnathan Blackburn, numerous nieces and nephews, and an abundance of friends.
Note From Bishop Roger Blackburn to His Family
"For me, Shirley was fun loving and a joy to be around. In the summertime when young, it was unbelievable how much time we spent together. When grandma was alive, she often was at their house, especially at Christmas.
As years past, they moved to the Aldine area. I was so blessed to walk the halls of Aldine HS with her. We were always spending time together and, when we were together it was special. Everyone loved Shirley. The past few days I had school mates that heard and wrote saddened at her loss.
One of the many highlights of our relation was being in their wedding. I will miss her: kind words, compassion spirit and loving heart. I feel loss so strong today as we bury my mother and my sweet Shirley. Tell my family I truly am sorry for not being able to speak for her and minister at her funeral. I would have and yet was unable because today I will be at my mom's. Please tell them I love them and how much they all mean to me!"
Love Roger
Words of Comfort
There are so many things that could be said about Shirley.
Trisha had this to say:
"The one thing I can say about my mother in law is that she loved her son with all her heart and would do anything for him or myself. Shane and her would talk everyday."
We are gathered here today to grieve the loss of Shirley. All those who knew her will miss her. She was so many things to so many of you. She was a wife, a mother, a mother-in-law, an aunt, a sister, a friend, a confidant, someone whose advice was treasured. I have heard that she made the best jalapeno jelly around. I am guessing that she could cook some other things that someone might say were their favorites as well. You probably have some beautiful memories around the table.
She had a gigantic smile and kind eyes and the warmest of embraces. She was one of a kind.
We do not see what heaven sees and her impact on this world will not be told until the final days of the world. Our influence goes on. Who knows how her kindness and goodness affected all the people she interacted with during each phase of her life where she worked in so many areas. A smile can change the world.
God smiled on this world when He gave it Shirley. God smiled on you when He gave you her for a wife, for a mother, for a sister, for an aunt. And His smile is evident in hers. His embrace is evident in hers. I’m sure if you ever experienced her smile or her hug or her phone call on a daily basis that you will never forget it. God allows the sun to come up every day. He is smiling at us.
We don’t understand the storms of life. We don’t understand the places where the sunshine seems to be obscured with the darkest of clouds. And the darkest cloud in life is the cloud like the one that is hiding Shirley from us this morning—the cloud of death.
Psalm 23
1 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.
Psalm 23 has been called the Beloved Psalm. We turn to it for comfort in times of difficulty. Some of you may have it hanging on your wall in your home on a plaque. Psalm 23 teaches us many things.
It teaches us about a God who smiles on us. It teaches us about a God that sometimes we look at as distant and we are just glad he made this beautiful world and that He seems to be taking care of us from way out there somewhere.
David speaks of God's care for us. If you do a YouTube search of children quoting Psalm 23 you can find children from various backgrounds and languages quoting this psalm. This speaks of God's care for all of humanity. As a shepherd knows more than vulnerable sheep, so God knows so much more than we do and He looks down on us. You experienced God's goodness through Shirley in so many ways.
Notice that the writer of the Beloved Psalm at first speaks of God in the third person. He speaks of God as a far-off shepherd whose care is very good, but who he does not really know. In the middle of the psalm, this all changes. He switches to the second person when speaking of God. He is no longer speaking about the Shepherd. He turns to talk to God. The hardest part of the human experience is the valley of the shadow of death.
And this is where we stand. It is not okay. It is not fun. It hurts. It seems like the sun is obscured by the darkest cloud. Where do we turn? Maybe we should take a cue from David and turn to God. I want to encourage you to look up to the Shepherd. He is here. His Spirit is here. He is not far away. He is here right now.
Prayer of Comfort.
The Gift of Memory
In the weeks and months ahead you will grieve. Something I am sure you have already been doing is talking about Shirley, don't stop. God has given you the gift of memory. Talk to one another. Memories awaken emotions in us that have long been forgotten. As you look at pictures. As you reminisce. As you weep together, allow your minds to wander to the good things. Remember Shirley for good.
Remember her smile. Her embrace. And use those memories to be what she was to you. One of the greatest ways to honor her is to allow who she was to continue to live in you as you do those good things that she has done for you to others. And as you remember, talk to God. Let us talk to Him right now. There is a prayer that I think we probably all know. Let us pray the Lord's Prayer together and then I would like to pray a pastoral prayer over you.
Congregational Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer
Father, as we close this service we ask you to once again make yourself known to us in the Comforting Power of the Holy Spirit. As we cry, as we weep, as we travel to the graveside we ask that you would be with us. Not as a distant Shepherd, but as the closest Friend. In Jesus Name.
Graveside Service
Scripture Reading:
1 Corinthians 15:12-26
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Committal of the Body:
Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of His great mercy, to take to Himself the soul of the dearly beloved Shirley: we therefore commit her body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the resurrection...through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change the body of our low estate, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself. (From Occasional Services, 1982, Lutheran)
Benediction
Lord Jesus, you are the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father. Please continue to be near our hearts. Let Shirley's memory remain vivid in the minds and hearts of all that loved her here. Continue your Comfort in the days and months and years ahead. We trust that you will. In Your Precious Name we pray. Amen.
