Jerry Lee Vickery
(A couple of ‘favorite memories’ captured in these photos.)
Jerry and Sue
with Tina and Brenda at the church Christmas Party in 2006.
Jerry and his sister, Helen Phillips, in the church entry (April of
2005).
Obituary
Jerry Lee Vickery, 69, of Prairie Grove
died Sunday, June 8, 2008. He was born Oct. 11, 1938, in Prairie Grove to Grant
Lee Fate and Julia Evelyn Phillips Vickery. He was a member of Christ’s
Survivors include his
wife, Billie Sue Vickery; a son, Johnny Lee Vickery of Prairie Grove; a
daughter, Karie Sue Vickery of Prairie Grove; three sisters, Geneva Sinor of
Farmington, Carma Lorenz of
*GRAVE SIDE SERVICES WILL NOT BE HELD AT THE CEMETERY. THE FAMILY
WILL REMAIN AT CHRIST’S CHURCH AFTER THE SERVICE TO VISIT WITH FRIENDS IN THE
FELLOWSHIP HALL.
FINAL RESTING PLACE
PALLBEARERS
Leon Phillips - Junior Phillips - Donnie Phillips
Gary Phillips - Dwight Phillips - Carroll Hudson
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Jerry Vickery
10 a.m. service
11 June 2008
Prelude Music
Call to Worship: Connie
Vick
"Wonderful Peace" #500 Congregational
Remarks by L. V. Vickery
"I Want Us To Be Together In
Heaven" Daniel & Gloria Phillips / Ima Dean Jones
Scripture: 643, "Christ's Return" - Jean
Huffman
"We Have This Moment" - Jim & Jean Huffman
Eulogy: James E. Huffman,
pastor
- - A letter from Sue:
This morning Sue asked me if I would read this little hand-written
note to you:
last nite
June 11 2008
I woke up in the middle of night thinking
& crying about the one I love best & the thing I think he would tell
every one here today is study the word of God the Bible he always said because
he couldn’t read as good as most people he had to read slow but he said people
read so fast they miss the meaning the Lord wants you to see When he was at himself he studied Gods word
not a few minuts but hours at a time if there was
something he didnt understand he would study on that
subject & search the scriptures
He didnt wont to leave his family But he was
ready to meet the Lord & his loved ones in Heaven.
His eyes were dim. He couldn’t study God’s
word so I think God said Come on Home Jerry your work on earth is done.
He keep saying Lord take
me home but I keep saying no. But the Lord Knew he was tired and ready to go
home & rest
(side note on page) Bro Jim please tell everyone I was not the one to have this song
sang my woman my woman my wife Jerry had this in his wishes to sing for
me also Can I take my own angel with
me but we couldn’t find it
Sue, Nancy and Larry Runksmeier sent an email that I want to share with you: Jim,...Jerry has touched many lives in his time here on earth. Just thinking about him in heaven, running and jumping - his body new and perfect!! …I really wish we could be there for the celebration of Jerry's life!! luv and miss you all so much nancy “Running and jumping…” I recently asked Jerry to tell Burton Elliott the story of the time, when on vacation with Mary Lena, Carma, Robert, and Sue - he staggered into the liquor store needing a ‘comfort stop.’ He knew from the looks on the faces that they thought he had already been sampling the sauce. Typical of Jerry he asked if they had any “Old Squirrel” to which they said, “No, we have ‘Old Crow’.” Jerry allowed as how he didn’t want to fly anywhere, just hop around a little. Well, he’s hopping around now.
Sunset and
evening star and one clear call for me
And may there be
no moaning of the bar when I put out to sea
But such a tide
as moving seems asleep too full for sound and foam
When that which
drew from out the boundless deep turns again home
Twilight and
evening bell and after that the dark
And may there be
no sadness of farewell when I embark
For though from
out our bourne of time and place the flood may bear me far
I hope to see my
Pilot face to face when I have crossed the bar
“Crossing
the Bar” Alfred, Lord Tennyson
“And may there
be no sadness of farewell when I embark…” Jerry was ready for this. He had been
ready for this for a long time. He well knew that there are things worse than
death.
“The changes
wrought by death are in themselves so sharp and final and so terrible and
melancholy in their consequences that the thing stands alone in man’s
experience and has no parallel on earth.” Robert Louis Stevenson
That’s true for
the observer – for those left here. That was not the anticipation that Jerry
had of dying. Jerry lived his life, and then he was ready to lay the body down
– wide awake.
“Tomorrow we
shall meet, death and I – and he shall thrust his
sword into one who is wide awake.” Dag Hammarskjöld
There are many
Christians who are so filled with the panic of trying to hang onto life that
they never really live. Jerry had been so near death that he took the simple
pleasures of laying there in bed, telling stories, laughing at memories being
shared, and treasured the flavors of life knowing quite practically that he
might not wake up tomorrow.
We laughed about
sleeping…I told him about the man who went to the doctor because he was having
trouble sleeping. Jerry said, “Welllll, I sleep
pretty good in the afternoon too.”
“Death is the
ultimate statistic – it affects one out of one.” George Bernard Shaw
Jerry and I
talked about this funeral. We talked about him dying. I asked him what he
wanted me to say. He said, “Just tell it like it is.”
·
I’ve never known a man more truly humble than Jerry Vickery.
·
I’ve never known a man more tender hearted than Jerry Vickery.
·
I’ve never known a man more loyal to his friends than Jerry
Vickery.
·
I’ve never known a man more reasonable in his appraisal and
expectations of life than Jerry Vickery.
·
I’ve never known a man who loved His God any more than Jerry
Vickery.
·
I’ve never known a man who faced death more calmly than Jerry
Vickery.
·
I’ve never known a man who experienced more miracles than Jerry
Vickery – nor one who felt any more unworthy than did
he.
God give us more
men like Jerry Vickery, who, in knowing
that they are going to die know how to live.
“Life is so
precious and life is so fragile that we must treat the living as if they were
dying and the dead…as if they were alive.” Nicholas Berdyaev
- - This Old House of Clay (author unknown)
When I’m through
with this old clay house of mine
and no more guide-lights through the windows shine
Just box it up
tight and lay it away
With the other clay houses of
yesterday
And with it my
friends do try if you can
To bury the wrongs since first I began
To live in this
house bury deep and forget
I want to be
square and out of debt
When I meet the
great architect supreme
Face to face I
want to be clean
I know it is too
late to mend
A bad-built
house when we come to the end
But to you who
are building just look over mine
And make your
alterations while there is yet time
Just study this
house no tears should be shed
It’s like any
clay house when the tenant has fled
I’ve lived in
this house many years, all along
Just waiting and
oft I’ve longed to go home
Don’t
misunderstand me this world is divine
With love birds
and flowers and glorious sunshine
It’s a wonderful
place and a wonderful plan
A wonderful,
wonderful gift to man
Yet I feel when
the cycle is complete
There are dear ones
across that we’re anxious to meet
So we close up
the books we check up the past
No more forged
balances this is the last
Each item is
checked each page must be clean
That is the
passport we carry to our builder supreme
So when I’m
through with this old house of clay
Just box it up
tight and lay it away
For the builder
has promised when this one is spent
To have one all
finished with timber I’ve sent
While I’ve lived
here in this one - of course it will be
Exactly as I
have built here you see
It’s the kind of
material we each send across
If we build
poorly then of course it is our loss
You ask what
material is the best to select
It was told you
long ago by the great architect
A new commandment give I unto you
That you love
one another as I have loved you
So the finest
material to send above
Is clear
straight grained timber of brotherly love
Now when I’m
through with this old house of clay
Just box it up
tight and lay it away.
Author
unknown
“And I heard a great
voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and
he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall
be with them, and be their God; and he shall wipe away every tear from their
eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying,
nor pain, any more; the first things are passed away. And he that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
These words are faithful and true. They are come to pass. I am the Alpha and
the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him who is athirst of
the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh
shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. –
Revelation 21:3-7
“We brought nothing
into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave, and
the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
“Behold,
I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For
this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this
mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be
brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O
death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is
sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be
to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore,
my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work
of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
– I Corinthians 15:51-58
And now we pay
the last rites of the living to the departed: earth to earth, ashes to ashes,
dust to dust. In committing this body to the grave, the dust returns to the
earth as it was. The soul has gone to God who gave it.
“Blessed are the
dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit,
that they may rest from their labors; for their works do follow with
them.” For them that sleep in Jesus
shall God bring with him, and over such the second death hath no power.
- - Pastoral Prayer
Family Memories Video
"My Woman, My Woman, My Wife" Marty
Robins
"I Can Only Imagine" Mercy Me
Postlude Music