Mom's Welcome

Here is what I shared at my mother's funeral.

On behalf of the entire Fentress and Wilson families, I would like to thank you for coming today. Our family has been overwhelmed with cards, meals, and visits during the entire summer. The prayers have come without ceasing from literally all over the world. We have been surrounded by so much love and support, and we are so grateful.

My mother loved people. Your coming here today is a testimony of that love. She loved her students. How appropriate that this is the first day of a new school year in Anderson County. She loved teaching. She loved her church. She taught Sunday school for twenty five years. She loved her friends. Church friends, school friends, Gideon & Auxillary friends. She loved her family. She would have done anything for someone that she loved. My mom loved well.

We truly want to celebrate her legacy today. This side of heaven, we will never know the extent of the seeds that she planted during the time that God allowed her to live on this earth. We believe that her time here was too short, but she definitely made a powerful investment throughout her lifetime. Mom invested in you in some way or you wouldn’t be here today. Maybe she helped you improve your handwriting by making you write, “I will not talk in Mrs. Fentress’ class” 100 times. I did have written here that even Julie and I had to write sentences……but I found out this morning that Julie did NOT have to write sentences. It won’t surprise many of you that I am the daughter that had to write sentences in my mother’s class. Maybe she enriched your life by educating you about the true blessing of Sonic happy hour – Diet Coke with a little bit of Dr. Pepper was her special request. Maybe she taught you history, VBS, Sunday school. My mom loved to help people.

She was grateful for the life that God gave her. Even in her sickness, she brought Glory to God. A few weeks ago, I overheard mom talking to someone on the phone. She was telling them that she had lived a blessed life. She was thankful to God for the life that He had given her. We will grieve. We will long for heaven like never before. However, we will not grieve as those who have no Hope. Mom’s favorite song was Great is thy Faithfulness, and it was HER wish that we all sing that together today. Let’s cling to these words as we remember a life that lived these words out in the flesh.

Thank you for coming today to help us celebrate a life well lived….the life of Ruthie Fentress.