For Mom. Memorial Service March 18th, 2023. Saint Augustine, FL

African American poet James Weldon Johnson depicted Death as God’s servant in his poem Go Down Death: A Funeral Sermon. In the poem, a woman was dying, and God summoned Death to liberate her soul and bring her to heaven to be in His presence. The pastoral voice in the poem admonishes the living: “Weep not, weep not, she is not dead; She's resting in the bosom of Jesus. Heart-broken husband--weep no more; Grief-stricken son--weep no more; Left-lonesome daughter --weep no more; She only just gone home. Weep not—weep not, / She is not dead; / She’s resting in the bosom of Jesus.”

As we gather here this morning to celebrate Mom’s good, long, rich life, I wanted to share a few memories that were posted on the Ever-Loved website. Annabel Voight always remembered her feisty and sassy personality. Deaconess Sally Morris recalled that even though in pain, Mom still tried to smile and be pleasant, always thankful for Chef Cheryl’s tomato soup. Dee recalled Mom’s encouragement to keep practicing her flute, her wonderful creative homemaking skills and of course a great cook to the last of her days. Cane in one hand, skillet in the other. Bob remembered how Mom kept her wit and good spirits even when she was in hospice and the end was near. When Bob and Liz told Mom they were going to collect her clothes and personal items from the rehab center, she said "don't forget my cane." They said, "what would you need that for now?" And Mom answered, "so I can make my way through the clouds."

Mom has made her way through the clouds, and perhaps the best memory comes with a promise from God, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones” (Psalm 116:15.) Christ sees and treasures the passing of His faithful followers from this life into the next.

I have an early and a late memory that share a common theme. Sitting in the back of our 1960 Oldsmobile on a wintery Sunday morning in Columbus Ohio. Headed toward Brookwood Presbyterian Church, the air filled with the smell of tobacco, perfume, and Wrigley’s spearmint gum. Mom and Dad’s early efforts at introducing us to Jesus. Then decades later sitting at the Bailey Hospice Center, reading the words of Christ that encouraged Mom in her last days. When I asked if there was a particular passage she would like to have read today, she said “can I have more than one”? Yes Mom, you can have more than one…

Mom loved the Gospel of John and had marked this passage in her Bible: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” In the margins, she had written the word “friends”. (John 15:12-14)

Then again from John’s Gospel: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:14-16.)

Finally, a passage that seemed to comfort her most in the last hours: “You will say in that day: “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.” (Isaiah 12:1-4)

Friend, Shepherd, Savior. Memorial services are not just for those who have passed, but also for the living. A time to consider eternity and if Christ is all those things to each one of us. Anne Louise Heffner’s earthly walk ended peacefully November 22nd 2022, surrounded by loving family, confident in Jesus as friend, shepherd and savoir. Over the years, Mom and Dad kept quotes from funeral programs that struck them as good and true. One that we read at Dad’s memorial, came from Angelo Patri, an Italian American schoolteacher. He wrote: “In one sense there is no death. The life of a soul on earth lasts beyond departure. You will always feel that life touching yours, that voice speaking to you. They live on in your life and in the lives of all others that knew them.”

In a little while we will eat together, and I know it will be a time for all of us to share treasured memories of how Mom touched our lives.

MY SISTER ANNE HEFFNER IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE

Something I have learned over the years is that GOD PUTS THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACES AT THE RIGHT TIME.  My older sister Anne Heffner was one of those people.

It was August, Anne and her husband and family made their annual trip to visit our parents at the voigt home in East Troy, Wisconsin.  There were six children in our family.  The older siblings always looked after the younger.  I had just graduated from high school.  I felt like a "zero". I lost a scholarship and failed an entrance exam.  Anne said "didn't you visit a Junior College with your church youth group?" I said "yes" and she said "sit down right now and write a letter to them asking to be admitted".  I remember Anne standing over me as I sat at the dining room table.  I mailed the letter and recieved an acceptane letter.  That began one of the best experiences in my life.  I owe it all to God using my dear sister to prod me out of despair and on to a college education.  There I met college professors and students who cared about helping young people get a good education. I've told Anne several times how grateful I am for her persistence, love encouragement and influence on my life.  I pray that I will follow her example of never giving up on people and always encourage and care about others.  Priscilla Jean (Voigt) Bodkin

I'm Anne's niece. I always remember her feisty and sassy personality. She reminded me so much of Gramma Ida Voigt in her looks and actions although she was much taller than Ida. I remember she and uncle Art and my cousins visiting us in Troy WI regularly when I was young. It was always a treat to have them visit us. We didn't live close to her , but I will miss talking to her on the phone. She always had love to share.

She sure had a wonderful attitude about life. I'll miss her.  Annabel (Voigt) Carpenter

I was so very fortunate to get to know Anne and visit her occasionally as a Deacon at the church.  I would often take her the tomato soup that she loved from Chef Cheryl.  She became my very favorite person to visit.  She always had a smile on her face and never complained.  My last visit was in the hospital where she was recovering from her hip surgery.  Even though she was obviously in pain, she still tried to smile and be pleasant.  Well done, thy good and faithful servant.

My mom, Anne, was amazing in her life. She inspired me and supported me in my musical path, choosing the flute as my instrument, at age 10 or fifth grade, in Columbus,Ohio.  Mom made sure I put aside a half hour daily for practicing the flute.  Private lessons were available to me.  Music was a helpful focus and ready-made group in schools, as I changed schools or moved to Cincinnati from Columbus, as a 15 year old daughter.

Mom kept her wit and good spirits even when she was in hospice and the end was near. When we told her that we were going to collect her clothes and things from the rehab center she had been in previously, she said "don't forget my cane."  We said "what would you need that now for?" And she answered "so I can make my way through the clouds."       Earlier, when she was in the hospital with a broken hip and was told they would use a screw to repair it, one of us joked "make sure they use a rubber washer with that screw," and she answered "so I won't squeak?"