We arrived in Texas on January 30th just before an Ice Storm hit. We stayed at the SOWER Office RV park. On February 1st I received a call from my brother Dan just letting me know that Ruthie, my sister in law, was taken to emergency, the next call about an hour later broke our hearts and changed my brother Marks life forever. Dan called and said She is gone.
My dad had “set up” Waldon and Lydia, Ruth’s parents. Our families did things together when we were kids. We went to the same church, and when we were young that meant going twice on Sunday and Wednesday nights. I think it was called Trailblazers on Wednesday nights. At Trailblazers they had a contest to see who could bring the most visitors and Ruth and her sister Gloria always won. Her mom would fill up their station wagon and bring lots of kids to hear about Jesus. My first job (besides working for my Grandpa) was working for the Johnsons at their packing house. The “Packing house” was a great big tree that provided shade with a wagon set up for 4 packers under it and a couple of vineyard wagons to stack the packed boxes on. After work I would help hand stack the boxes on my grandpa’s truck to go to the Los Angeles Fruit Market. They packed peaches, plums and prunes. Ruthie won a Snow Mobile at the Big Fresno Fair one year and I remember going to the snow after church to ride the snow mobile. My brother Mark fell in Love with Ruth and they were married. Mark was the first of my siblings to get married. It wasn’t long and we were all married and as our families grew we would all do things together. For many years Racing was a big part of life. With Mark driving, Dan as crew chief and Ruth would be recording the races with the big VHS camcorder. Our kids have grown up, married and we have the joy of grandkids. Ruth was one of those people we have always known. She always stood fast in her Christian Faith. Her posts on Facebook were bible verses with beautiful scenes of the sky. Now suddenly she is home with the LORD. We know that we will see her again and that her wish is to see you there someday too. The family chose the Twenty Third Psalm for the funeral pamphlet. There were many family and friends at her funeral it was a wonderful tribute to Ruth’s life.
Mark was the first of us siblings to get married and now the first to lose his better half. He is left with a giant void in his life. I would encourage you to pray for Mark and do what you can to help him through this time.
Link to Slide Show from Funeral Homes website.
The Twenty Third Psalm
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters:
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake…
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.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over…
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever….our