Because of those obituaries and funeral cards

 During the 2020 pandemic, it has actually been a blessing to have some time on my hands to get some much needed backlog work done. One of those items has been nagging me in the back of my mind for several years.

A box filled with obituaries and funeral cards given to me by my Aunt Betty Jones Stevens. Aunt Betty was married to my mom's youngest brother Richard.

Aunt Betty Jones Stevens b1936 d2017

Aunt Betty knew that all of us girls were interested in that "genealogy stuff", and that the majority of our family members from the mid-1800s until now lived in parts of eastern Kentucky. 

Richard Stevens b1931 d2015

Her husband, my Uncle Dick knew everybody in the county, and if he didn't know them, he knew their brother. His knowledge reached to the surrounding counties, too. In his later years, he went to every funeral he could to console the grieving and pick up a funeral card for us. He also took a fork with him and kept it in his pocket, just in case there was an invitation for the funeral meal. There usually was.

The box of obituaries and funeral cards that Aunt Betty collected for us during the years.

These funeral cards have sat on a shelf in my office for several years - probably pre-2016. The few I saw on top I knew I already had in my possession, for I had likely attended the funeral or had inherited them from my parents.

But, she collected them all, recalling some of the surnames she had heard us mention through the years.

About a month ago I began to photograph and/or scan these items into a folder of "Misc. Families" on my computer. It was then that I thought that I could and should do something more with them.

So, enter FamilySearch.org.

One by one I began to look them up. First, I checked my own database. Second, I began to look on FamilySearch. Under the Memories section, I uploaded the scans to Documents.

That's all that I did. I didn't enter information. I didn't tag anyone. 

I simply uploaded the scans for their family to find someday.

Here is an example of one of them. I am not related to this man - but, someone is.

I absolutely love the information that has been included on this tiny funeral card, and have rethought what may be included on the ones Kerry and I will design for our own funerals. Just look at all of that information on the centerfold!

I also uploaded obituaries and funeral cards I had collected from family, personal friends, church friends, and friends through Boy Scouts. Again, I add no information other than the scan.

So, as of this morning I have added nearly 300 obituaries, and still have half a box that I need to work on. I am keeping the ones who are family members and throwing the rest away.

Out of all of those people, there have only been two I haven't been able to find on FamilySearch. 

So, rather than sit around and wring my hands over a virus I can't do anything about, I have put my time to good use. And perhaps there will be someone, someday who will be glad that I uploaded those scans.

The Influence of Just One Man

Friend Clarence Baughman passed away while we were traveling through the west.  I found out on Facebook, and my mind began thinking about the 25+ years that I had been friends with Clarence.

I met Clarence first through the work Kerry and I did through the Boy Scouts of America.  He was a merit badge counselor, and had served in a number of positions throughout the years, just as we had.

I had an awkward encounter with him at the YMCA when our children were little.  We were all swimming, and I was standing in water up to my shoulders with my legs far apart.  I suddenly felt something "whoosh" through my legs.

It was Clarence!  He swam through my legs and popped up in front of me, exclaiming a loud, "Hi, Peggy!".  I nearly died!

 Clarence was a poor man.  He owned a bicycle, and thought nothing of traveling for miles and miles and miles on that bike.  It was only means of getting around.  At one point, there had been a complaint about it being unsightly in downtown Mansfield, so the police confiscated it.

At his memorial service, it stood proudly with bouquets of flowers decorating it.

A gentleman sitting at the piano warmed my musical heart with beautiful renditions of well-beloved hymns and songs on the piano at the Episcopal Church.  

 As a musician at my own church, I always save funeral programs.

 And, because I have amassed so many of these programs and bulletins, I have gone back through them all and made a note of how we knew the person, and our relationship to them.

Some day, when we are dead and gone, my family will probably be going through all of those programs, perhaps wondering how we're related to them; when actually there was no relationship at all...other than friendship.

Clarence's funeral was held in the beautiful Episcopalian Church in downtown Mansfield.  I had never been in there before, and was astounded at its beauty.

But, there was something that astounded me even more.

This small man, about the same height as me at 5'3", only riding a bicycle the majority of his life, sometimes homeless, had affected the lives of hundreds of people.

Leaders from several different churches and agencies downtown wondered how they were going to find enough people to replace all that Clarence did.

1. He was always there to unload food trucks that delivered food to those in need.  He would often stand out in the rain and cold to flag down the truck, who might be looking for the right place.
2. He helped to keep order as people lined the hallways waiting for the food.
3. He always made sure he was the last one to eat.
4. If someone came in late, and Clarence was standing there with the last plate, he would give it to that person.
5. He gathered up the trash after every public event.  It was something few people volunteered to do, and Clarence was there first, and stayed late.
6. He collected hundreds of pounds of cans to turn in for cash, which would then be donated to the Ronald McDonald house in Columbus.

Clarence made an impact in so many people's lives.  Yet, he "appeared" to be one small, scruffy man who always took a back seat.  

Because of his service to so many, I have no doubt he was welcomed into heaven and embraced with open arms into the One who loved him more than anyone.

God bless Clarence.  There aren't many like him...