Introduction:
Thank you very much for joining the Celebration of Life for Mary Kuhn Rowntree Rogers.
I would like to tell you about how we arrived here.
As a young bride and mother Mary Kuhn scrubbed her three children every Saturday night and delivered them to church every Sunday. She enjoyed singing in the choir and teaching Sunday school class.
That activity went on until the children graduated from high school. Then their teeth were straightened and they were sent off to Southern Methodist University. She allowed them the freedom to seek the truth about life and listen to learned educators attempt to explain concepts about life after death.
When the subject of funerals came up she definitely intended to have a traditional funeral. As time went by she made a decision to have a closed casket funeral.
When it became clear that her illness had advanced and time left was short, word was sent to relatives that it was time for a last visit. Relatives and friends gathered around her sick bed to hold hands pray and sing songs. Her mind remained clear and she was well aware of the sad eyes and tears of her loved ones.
Late that night after all had departed she held my hand and made a request that surprised me. She whispered that her death was causing her loved ones much sorrow and she wanted to change her funeral plans. Instead of a traditional funeral she wanted to have a celebration of life gathering.
Mary Kuhn wanted everyone to know that she was privileged to have an extremely happy life and she desired that friends and loved ones join in that knowledge. She did not want them to be sad.
So, funeral plans were altered to comply with her wishes and we gather here to celebrate her happy life and we struggle not to be sad about her passing.
I really need your help to accomplish that goal.
We will begin by singing the hymn printed in the program handout. The song is “Church in The Wildwood”. We will sing verses #1 and #2. I request Nadine the pianist to play a little bit louder to obscure those singers with bad voices who sing off key. Those with fine voices singing on key are requested to display their talent for singing and increase their volume.
There will be a slight delay to help the ancient ones with weak eyes locate the song in the program.
Mark is a bad singer but he is athletic so he will wave his arms and attempt to get us all started singing at the same time.
