Dear Pastor Byron,

Thank you for standing with my family during the illness and death of our mother, Ann Johnson.  Ramsey and I are honored to be apart of a church family that prays for its members, visits the sick, and comforts when death occurs.

When we brought Mother from Charlotte to Greenwood this past May, the final days of her life began as she was in and out of Self Regional on numerous occasions.  Each time she was in the emergency room, you were there praying and comforting Mother, Ramsey, Maxie, Brenda and me.  You and Debra, Clyde and Corrine visited her often when she was in the hospital.  When you were out of town, Howard met Ramsey and me at McCormick Health Care after I received the call that Mother had died.  While we were there two staff members joined us as Howard prayed and comforted us.

I wanted to share with you some of the precious times that occurred with Mother during the past few months.  Although she was in the final stage of Alzheimer’s disease, she still prayed.  When meals were served, Mother would be asked to pray and she would pray as clear as anyone.  While she was in the hospital and the nursing home, she would constantly say, “Help me, Lord” very loudly. Many of the staff members would tell us how these words would bless them and often we would join in and agree, “Yes, Lord, help us all.”

On one occasion when you and Debra visited her in the hospital, Debra wiped tears from her eyes and said, “I just want to take her home with me.”  Mother touched people this way because of her loving and gentle nature.  While in the hospital and nursing home people were drawn to her and loved her. The love of Christ within her was ministering to others even when her mental capacity was diminished. Oh, she could get angry especially if anyone said anything about one of her children.  Mama loved and protected her children.

Once when Clyde and Corrine visited, Clyde wanted to read her some of his poems.  He read the first one and Mother said, “Excellent.”  He read the second one and Mother nodded in agreement.  He read the third one and Mother didn’t respond.  Clyde asked, “Ms. Ann, didn’t you like that poem?”  She said, “Didn’t you see me do this?” as she blinked her eyes.  We all got a big laugh.  She had moments when her wonderful sense of humor would shine and that was one of them.

Pastor Byron, each time that you joined us in the emergency room, you would pray and minister to all of us.  Your prayers would be heard by doctors, nurses, staff members, other patients and their family members.  You were sowing the Word of God into the hearts of others.  God was using our little mother to bring blessings to others.  Maybe there was someone in that emergency room who had no one to pray for them so God sent you on that mission.

I knew that one day she would pass away, and I asked you if you would preach her funeral and was so appreciative when you immediately agreed.  I shared with you my beliefs about a funeral.  In my opinion, a funeral is a time to show love and respect for the one who has departed from this life, but more importantly a funeral is a time to lovingly minister to those left behind whose own mortality is facing them.  I said I wanted a complete service including some of Mother’s favorite songs and a sermon. I recall saying that there might be someone present who would ordinarily not be in church and who needed to hear about the love of Jesus and how to receive Jesus as their personal Savior.

In preparing for Mother’s funeral you called and asked again, “Gail, do you want me to give an altar call?  I won’t call anyone to the front but will give the invitation.  I answered, “ Yes, Pastor Byron, I believe this is proper.”

Before Mother’s death Brenda and Maxie were here to visit Mother.  I wanted each friend and family member to leave the funeral with good memories of her.  Knowing that as a teacher Brenda had a background in journalism, I asked her to put together some pictures, poems and a Bible verse that I had selected. She put together a beautiful treasure that can be shared with others for many years. 

After her death on Tuesday, I went to Charlotte on Wednesday to buy her clothes and to Crowe’s Funeral Home to make final selections, I prayed that whatever I selected would be beautiful and elegant to show others the family’s love and respect for our mother.  Everywhere I went people were so kind and helpful to me.  I believe that God had truly prepared the way for me.

Since none of the family lived near Bethany Baptist Church, I wanted visitation to be at the church before the funeral.  Some family members had traveled long distances – California and Texas – and I wanted this to be easy on them as well.

On the day of the funeral again you and Howard served my family   The plans were to have visitation from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM after which the funeral would start.  The staff at Crowe’s Funeral Home was so helpful.  Mark Crowe had said that about 15 minutes before the service began the family would go out to freshen up.  Then the family would walk in together.  With a lot of prayer and with the help of his angels Ramsey finally found the church and began playing that beautiful grand piano around 2:15 PM.  Right before the service Mark suggested that we just remain sitting since everyone seemed to be enjoying the music.  After talking with Crowe’s later, they were so blessed by the music that they wanted a CD of Ramsey’s playing to be used at the funeral home for other families.

As the funeral began, Cindy sang “In the Garden” and “I’d Rather Have Jesus Than Silver or Gold”.  Then you began your beautiful message.  You began by talking about Mother as a person and the love that she had for her children. Twice you told Ramsey, Brenda, Maxie and me that you loved us. I can attest to the healing power of love. Then you talked about the fear of death and how to overcome that fear. As you instructed us to close our eyes, you extended the invitation by asking if anyone wanted to accept Jesus as their Savior to raise their hands.  Five people raised their hands as we all prayed the prayer of salvation.  What an awesome experience knowing that God was still using Mother to reach others with His love and salvation.

As Ramsey played Mother’s favorite song, “How Great Thou Art,” you escorted me to the gravesite.  As we were leaving the church, I confessed to you that I could finally release Mother.  The night before as I prayed I told the Lord that I had thought that I could give Mother to Him, but really I could not.  Of course, I knew that the moment she died her spirit was absent from the body to be present with the Lord.  I knew that, but I still wanted to hold her hand, to feel her touch, to tell her how much I loved her, to kiss and hold her, and I knew that I could no longer do that. 

The nurses had told me that hearing was the last sense to go.  Sometimes with Alzheimer’s disease, patients seem to be afraid.  When I would tell Mother that I was leaving the nursing home, she would grab my arm.  I would say a prayer and tell her that she didn’t have to be afraid because she had angels surrounding her who would escort her into heaven.  So the night before I was struggling and I was hurting. As you spoke the Word over her and as you said, “This is not good-bye. It’s just we’ll see you later,” finally I could release her. 

Grieving is difficult but is a process that will make us all stronger in the Lord.  Since I was only six when my father died, I believe that in a way Mother was the physical link to my father and in a sense, I am grieving for both of them. I still have days when I just cry but I also have joy in my heart for having had a family in which prayer was important.  Mother was the one who would show me how to kneel beside my bed and taught me, “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” and “The Lord’s Prayer”. As a child, our lives centered around Drayton Methodist Church in Spartanburg. My father died on a Sunday after we had come home from church.  My Aunt Jill helped me understand his death by lovingly explaining that he was in heaven with Jesus.  Children are very spiritual and when death is explained to them in loving terms on a level that is understandable there is no fear. I remember as a child, seeing my grandfather, Papa Sherrill, sitting in his rocker in his bedroom reading his Bible.  This simple act has been etched in my mind, and I thank God for this heritage.  I also thank Him that someone took the time to get down on their knees to pray for me. 

We continue to hear comments about how positive and full of hope your sermon was.  People are amazed to hear that five people were saved at a funeral. There is much rejoicing in heaven for these new souls.  I believe that others will be saved because the Word was sown that day. We give God all the glory and all the praise for the opportunity to be obedient to Him.

It is difficult to find the words to adequately tell you and the members of Refiner’s Fire Christian Assembly how much we love and appreciate each of you.  Thank you, Pastor Byron, for turning a sad time into a glorious time because the lives touched and saved are not just for now but also for eternity.

Again, please accept the love and gratitude of the family of Ann Sherrill Smith Johnson.

In Christ’s love,

Gail Horton