We lost this wonderful woman and mother eight years ago today. I was privileged to be able to give her a little of the recognition she deserved at her service. Rene, we will always miss you. Good Afternoon and I want to thank you for coming to Bethel. I wanted to start with some of the names that our Mom was proud of: Daughter, sister, Mom, Grandma Snoopy, Great Grandma, Aunt, teacher, confidant, but most importantly to everyone who knew and loved her, she was simply their FRIEND. Gale and I have been blessed, in many ways, but especially in her senior years, when it came time for us to take care of some of her needs. She made most of those decisions on her own, Including her own funeral arrangements. She was a friend to many, took care of all, but she had a special place in her heart for her “old folks”. She took care of several of her friends well into her 70’s, by going to their homes, making sure their bills were paid, the milk in the refrigerator wasn’t spoiled, there was food to eat, and just simply to spend some time with them. Even in her last months I’m told she was trying to assist people to their proper seats in the dining room at The Bluff’s in Columbia. Her true love was Bethel. Some of my earliest memories, are making trips from Chesterfield to Bethel, when Clarkson Road was truly going down the road less traveled. Clarkson was but a two lane road with maybe 5 or 6 intersecting roads between Chesterfield and Ellisville. From Ellisville to Bethel even less traffic was involved. It was not uncommon for both Gale and I to go with her to every meeting, every group, every choir practice. If the doors were open at Bethel, she were probably there. She never missed a church dinner, whether it be a Chicken supper, Pancake and Sausage Supper, Spaghetti Dinner, Smorgasbord, Ice Cream and Strawberry Social or whether it be one of Bethels world famous Pot Luck Suppers. Whether it was the Choir, Trustees, Bethel Methodist Men, Methodist Women’s club, Methodist Youth Fellowship, Rene was there. In talking with Gale and Carolyn earlier this week, we are unsure when we started calling her Rene, but she loved every minute of it. But in true Rene fashion she not only accepted the nickname, she embraced it, but that was her way. Very seldom did we hear her complain about something that happened to her, but we did hear about injustices that had been done to others. She had a mind of her own, and was not afraid to speak her piece. Rene’s life was not easy, but she gave more to everyone else (her kids and grandkids especially) than she ever reserved or saved for herself. She was loving, caring, and thoughtful, and always cognizant of what someone else would think of her or of her family! Her last activities at Bethel was crafting. If it involved crocheting, beads, wax, wood, ribbon, paint, Spanish Moss, Rafia, or anything to do with a glue gun and pine cones, she was there or more accurately everyone else was there, at her house, which was the center for the Bethel Crafters. She spent countless hours with Ruth Anne Krueger, Aunt “R”, and many other women from Bethel creating and selling their wares to support the Bethel that she loved. She lived a life of service, not only to her family, her church, her friends, but to anyone who needed assistance. If she had it, she would at the very least share, but mostly she would give everything she had to those who needed it. I would like to close with a common prayer, but few people know the last lines of the prayer. God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. Taking as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will. That I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen Deb Debra Pinson. Diane Gaehle, Heather Hairston, Eddie Hairston, Randall Patrick, Rachel Hairston, Patricia Nowak Hairston
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 14:44:55 +0000