Transcripts of the Funeral
Sue Phillips Memorial – July 16, 2002
Pastor Doug Aldridge
Well we come together today to celebrate the life of Susan Lynn Phillips, known to family and friends as Sue or mom or Miss Sue and your presence here today really symbolizes the influence she had on people and so we’re so thankful that you’ve come today to celebrate her life with us. We are going to begin today by a rendition of Amazing Grace.
Well we come together today to celebrate the life of Susan Lynn Phillips, known to family and friends as Sue or mom or Miss Sue and your presence here today really symbolizes the influence she had on people and so we’re so thankful that you’ve come today to celebrate her life with us. We are going to begin today by a rendition of Amazing Grace.
Sara Stohler sings Amazing Grace.
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Shall be forever mine.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Shall be forever mine.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.
Pastor Doug Aldridge…
Thank you so much in honoring Sue in that way.Well Sue was born January 14, 1958, in Huntington Park Ca. and passed from this life July, 11, 2002 at the Kenneth Norris Cancer Center in Los Angeles. She is survived by her husband Howard; her daughters Malia and Heather, Mother Judy, father Gene, sister Ann, and brothers David and Travis. Sue grew up in Downey, she attended Spencer Williams Elementary School, West Middle School and Warren High School and she also earned an Associates Degree from Cerritos College. I’m told she met her husband Howard when they both worked at Jack-in-Box, he was her boss however that only lasted until they were married on August 25, 1979. She also worked for the City of Downey for 13 years overseeing the Tot Time program and during her tenure she influenced the lives of over 1000 kids. She also worked at the West Lakewood Baptist Day Care Center where she was the director. I want to continue the service by reading second Corinthians chapter one versus three though four. The apostle Paul Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. Those of you who knew Sue experienced the comfort of her love. A love that she shared for her family. For her daughters meant so much to her. She was involved in everything they were. She was a leader in Job’s Daughters, she was a P.T.A. president at Spencer Williams and West Middle School, she was a Girl Scout leader, the Warren High Band Booster President and a board member of the Downey Little League and many other community organizations.
And even in the middle of her battle with cancer her love did not sway. In fact she would always tell me about her goals she would set for herself, and they all revolved around key events in the lives of her daughters. “I want to make it to this, I need to see this” and that kept Sue going for so long.
In fact right now I would like to invite up her daughter’s, Malia and Heather and they have a few words to share.
Thank you so much in honoring Sue in that way.Well Sue was born January 14, 1958, in Huntington Park Ca. and passed from this life July, 11, 2002 at the Kenneth Norris Cancer Center in Los Angeles. She is survived by her husband Howard; her daughters Malia and Heather, Mother Judy, father Gene, sister Ann, and brothers David and Travis. Sue grew up in Downey, she attended Spencer Williams Elementary School, West Middle School and Warren High School and she also earned an Associates Degree from Cerritos College. I’m told she met her husband Howard when they both worked at Jack-in-Box, he was her boss however that only lasted until they were married on August 25, 1979. She also worked for the City of Downey for 13 years overseeing the Tot Time program and during her tenure she influenced the lives of over 1000 kids. She also worked at the West Lakewood Baptist Day Care Center where she was the director. I want to continue the service by reading second Corinthians chapter one versus three though four. The apostle Paul Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. Those of you who knew Sue experienced the comfort of her love. A love that she shared for her family. For her daughters meant so much to her. She was involved in everything they were. She was a leader in Job’s Daughters, she was a P.T.A. president at Spencer Williams and West Middle School, she was a Girl Scout leader, the Warren High Band Booster President and a board member of the Downey Little League and many other community organizations.
And even in the middle of her battle with cancer her love did not sway. In fact she would always tell me about her goals she would set for herself, and they all revolved around key events in the lives of her daughters. “I want to make it to this, I need to see this” and that kept Sue going for so long.
In fact right now I would like to invite up her daughter’s, Malia and Heather and they have a few words to share.
Malia and Heather Phillips
This was given to my Mom, it hangs in my living room and it really sums up my moms philosophy in life:
“100 years from now, it will not matter what kind of house I lived in, How much was in my bank account, nor what my clothes looked like. But the world may be a little better because I was important in the life of a child.”
This was given to my Mom, it hangs in my living room and it really sums up my moms philosophy in life:
“100 years from now, it will not matter what kind of house I lived in, How much was in my bank account, nor what my clothes looked like. But the world may be a little better because I was important in the life of a child.”
Pastor Doug Aldridge:
Thank you so much for sharing that, and that does sum up Sues philosophy of life. Again influencing thousands of kids. Sue also had a deep love for her husband, Howard, in fact she often told me how much she appreciated him and of how lucky she was to be married to a man like him that he was her best friend and true confidant. She had a love for her family and also a love for her friends. She was an easy person to love because she would do anything for anybody. I’m told she was the taxi driver for several of her daughter’s friends. Always having a car full of kids taking people where they needed to go and encouraging them when they needed to be encouraged.
And right now the family would like to open up a time to share memories. I know there are several family members and others that have things to share about Sue and that is why Sue is so special.
Thank you so much for sharing that, and that does sum up Sues philosophy of life. Again influencing thousands of kids. Sue also had a deep love for her husband, Howard, in fact she often told me how much she appreciated him and of how lucky she was to be married to a man like him that he was her best friend and true confidant. She had a love for her family and also a love for her friends. She was an easy person to love because she would do anything for anybody. I’m told she was the taxi driver for several of her daughter’s friends. Always having a car full of kids taking people where they needed to go and encouraging them when they needed to be encouraged.
And right now the family would like to open up a time to share memories. I know there are several family members and others that have things to share about Sue and that is why Sue is so special.
Brenda Warner:
Good morning, I think God has found another ministry for me I been tending to talk at family funerals more than I thought I ever would be. My first one was my father, it was a difficult time, but for those of you who don’t know me I’m Brenda Warner, a family friend of Sue, Howard, Malia and Heather. I wanted to celebrate a life of friendship with Sue, we had met 15 years ago at Spencer Williams Elementary School where our daughters went to school. Sue and I worked together on P.T.A. Our friendship went on when our daughters took dance lessons together at the Downey YMCA. Sue and my friendship grew as our families became friends with each other. Sue was a very hard worker at P.T.A. and at the Dance studio and everywhere else where she has been. She enjoyed children as she babysat for some families, she went on working as a pre-school teacher for many years. She became a second mom to so many teenagers as Malia and Heather can tell you. And thank you for sharing, Malia and Heather, your mom with my daughter Alicia. Between raising a family and working/helping with the girls school and having a job, she was able to go back to college and get her AA last year. We my family and I met Howard and Sue and the girls at Spires, which is now call Gourmet Café for dessert that evening when she received her AA degree in the mail that day. Howard was the one bragging about getting her AA as Sue was playing it down. We were all so proud of her and something to celebrate.
A few stories I wanted to share with you was the time Sue and I had learned how to tap dance. Those of you that were at the Y know how that went. Our daughters were in competition dancing which all the moms had to be in the mother daughter dance at the theatre show every summer. Sue and I were always in the back row, I don’t think it was because we were the tallest ones. We faked it a lot and we did more laughing than tapping at times.
Then there were time Malia and Heather stopped dancing and my daughter was dancing still. You could always count on a rooting section for another friend and Sue would be in the audience cheering us moms on as we were dancing. It got kind of embarrassing at sometimes because they were the loudest one in the theatre. But you could always hear them and know they were there to root you on. Sue was a loving person that she was still to a lot of adults and especially to kids. She always made sure Malia and Heather’s friends had a ride home from school. When you Sue in her truck, inside the camper shell there would be full of teenagers and kids. You always know that cause if you drove behind that the camper shell window would be open and you would see everyone in there. Those few memories I share with you might help some of the memories of Sue make you smile or laugh. Those memories will help you get through those tough times. I have a little poem to continue on that I had found that says “I’m free, don’t grieve for me cause now I am free, I’m following the path God laid for me. I took his hand when I heard him call, I turned my back and left it all. I can not stay another day to laugh, to love to work or play. Tasks left undone must stay that way, I found the place at the close of day. If my parting has left a void, then fill it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss, ah yes these things I too will miss. Be not burdened with times of sorrow I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow. My life’s been full, I savor much, good friends, good times, loved ones touch. Perhaps my time seems to brief, but don’t lengthen it now with undo grief. Lift up your hearts and share with me, God wants me now, he set me free”. My heart hurt when I found out when Sue was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. And the last six years I do the walk for hope for the City of Hope. Last year I wrote Sue and told her I honored her in the last walk and I will continue honoring her as I do this walk every year. It’s unreal to know that Breast Cancer is a major death to a lot of women, 60 percent of the City of Hope of cancer in the hospital.
I knew in my heart that she could beat this cancer, because she was a fighter. She gave one heck of a fight to the very end. I will always cherish our friendship. We had a lot of great times together, from school, dance studio, late night Spire desserts and many more activities that we have done. I will miss Sue, her enthusiasm, her loving and giving heart that she had and most of all her friendship. God needed another special angel; she will be a special guardian angel. She is up in heaven not suffering anymore, but she will be here in our hearts forever. Sue I love you and I will miss you very much. Someday I meet you again and we can tap our way through those beautiful gates together. Howard, Malia and Heather I love you and take care.
Good morning, I think God has found another ministry for me I been tending to talk at family funerals more than I thought I ever would be. My first one was my father, it was a difficult time, but for those of you who don’t know me I’m Brenda Warner, a family friend of Sue, Howard, Malia and Heather. I wanted to celebrate a life of friendship with Sue, we had met 15 years ago at Spencer Williams Elementary School where our daughters went to school. Sue and I worked together on P.T.A. Our friendship went on when our daughters took dance lessons together at the Downey YMCA. Sue and my friendship grew as our families became friends with each other. Sue was a very hard worker at P.T.A. and at the Dance studio and everywhere else where she has been. She enjoyed children as she babysat for some families, she went on working as a pre-school teacher for many years. She became a second mom to so many teenagers as Malia and Heather can tell you. And thank you for sharing, Malia and Heather, your mom with my daughter Alicia. Between raising a family and working/helping with the girls school and having a job, she was able to go back to college and get her AA last year. We my family and I met Howard and Sue and the girls at Spires, which is now call Gourmet Café for dessert that evening when she received her AA degree in the mail that day. Howard was the one bragging about getting her AA as Sue was playing it down. We were all so proud of her and something to celebrate.
A few stories I wanted to share with you was the time Sue and I had learned how to tap dance. Those of you that were at the Y know how that went. Our daughters were in competition dancing which all the moms had to be in the mother daughter dance at the theatre show every summer. Sue and I were always in the back row, I don’t think it was because we were the tallest ones. We faked it a lot and we did more laughing than tapping at times.
Then there were time Malia and Heather stopped dancing and my daughter was dancing still. You could always count on a rooting section for another friend and Sue would be in the audience cheering us moms on as we were dancing. It got kind of embarrassing at sometimes because they were the loudest one in the theatre. But you could always hear them and know they were there to root you on. Sue was a loving person that she was still to a lot of adults and especially to kids. She always made sure Malia and Heather’s friends had a ride home from school. When you Sue in her truck, inside the camper shell there would be full of teenagers and kids. You always know that cause if you drove behind that the camper shell window would be open and you would see everyone in there. Those few memories I share with you might help some of the memories of Sue make you smile or laugh. Those memories will help you get through those tough times. I have a little poem to continue on that I had found that says “I’m free, don’t grieve for me cause now I am free, I’m following the path God laid for me. I took his hand when I heard him call, I turned my back and left it all. I can not stay another day to laugh, to love to work or play. Tasks left undone must stay that way, I found the place at the close of day. If my parting has left a void, then fill it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss, ah yes these things I too will miss. Be not burdened with times of sorrow I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow. My life’s been full, I savor much, good friends, good times, loved ones touch. Perhaps my time seems to brief, but don’t lengthen it now with undo grief. Lift up your hearts and share with me, God wants me now, he set me free”. My heart hurt when I found out when Sue was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. And the last six years I do the walk for hope for the City of Hope. Last year I wrote Sue and told her I honored her in the last walk and I will continue honoring her as I do this walk every year. It’s unreal to know that Breast Cancer is a major death to a lot of women, 60 percent of the City of Hope of cancer in the hospital.
I knew in my heart that she could beat this cancer, because she was a fighter. She gave one heck of a fight to the very end. I will always cherish our friendship. We had a lot of great times together, from school, dance studio, late night Spire desserts and many more activities that we have done. I will miss Sue, her enthusiasm, her loving and giving heart that she had and most of all her friendship. God needed another special angel; she will be a special guardian angel. She is up in heaven not suffering anymore, but she will be here in our hearts forever. Sue I love you and I will miss you very much. Someday I meet you again and we can tap our way through those beautiful gates together. Howard, Malia and Heather I love you and take care.
Lisa Phillips
Hi I am Lisa Phillips, Sue was special to us and I would like to read a poem to honor her because I know so many of us loved her and many friends and family.
The title of the poem is “Memories”
“The path that you have traveled has been ruff and rocky road. Life has tried many times but you have a heart of gold. You are very special friend and person and family member (especially to me). For you have always been there when I have been in need. You have shown me many things of life upon I can not hide. You taught me many rules upon which I should abide. I have many million memories that I will always treasure. For these have always been the many times that we will really truly miss you. For now as the time draws near for us to say goodbye, I can not promise no more tears. For I know I will cry, for goodbye won’t be forever, for there is no such thing. We will meet again one day on Heavens richest flats.
Hi I am Lisa Phillips, Sue was special to us and I would like to read a poem to honor her because I know so many of us loved her and many friends and family.
The title of the poem is “Memories”
“The path that you have traveled has been ruff and rocky road. Life has tried many times but you have a heart of gold. You are very special friend and person and family member (especially to me). For you have always been there when I have been in need. You have shown me many things of life upon I can not hide. You taught me many rules upon which I should abide. I have many million memories that I will always treasure. For these have always been the many times that we will really truly miss you. For now as the time draws near for us to say goodbye, I can not promise no more tears. For I know I will cry, for goodbye won’t be forever, for there is no such thing. We will meet again one day on Heavens richest flats.
Melissa Ellis
My name is Melissa Ellis and I had the pleasure of meeting Sue in June of 2001, at the annual Grand Bethel for Job’s Daughter’s of California. Her daughter Malia and I were both installed as state officers. I didn’t realize it then, but I had met a family and a woman who would make a major impact on my life. Sue also made a major impact on the organization that her daughter’s and I belong to. Sue became involved when her daughter Heather joined Job’s Daughters six years ago. Sue became Guardian Secretary for five and one half years. Malia joined too and the whole family became very active. With Howard serving as Parents Club President. Sue was always an active part of the Bethel. Always helping to cashier at events and doing anything that needed to be done at an installation. Sue had made a very important job of making sure everyone was smiling and happy. Sue was happy to help because she was happy to see her daughters grow into mature young women through Job’s Daughters. Sue has made an awesome impact on not only my life but many young women. I would always remember when I would pick up Malia or Heather and Sue would make sure I would promise to drive carefully and bring her daughters home in one piece even if it was driving through snow. Sue taught me the Grand Bethel Offices of last year, and many young Job’s Daughters in the area to be strong through adversity and how to fight a good fight. I don’t think Sue lost her battle, rather I think she one. She won her spot in Heaven. I have heard some people speak as to why God only takes the good people and usually too soon. The way I think of it is that if God took only the bad people then who would be the angels.
My name is Melissa Ellis and I had the pleasure of meeting Sue in June of 2001, at the annual Grand Bethel for Job’s Daughter’s of California. Her daughter Malia and I were both installed as state officers. I didn’t realize it then, but I had met a family and a woman who would make a major impact on my life. Sue also made a major impact on the organization that her daughter’s and I belong to. Sue became involved when her daughter Heather joined Job’s Daughters six years ago. Sue became Guardian Secretary for five and one half years. Malia joined too and the whole family became very active. With Howard serving as Parents Club President. Sue was always an active part of the Bethel. Always helping to cashier at events and doing anything that needed to be done at an installation. Sue had made a very important job of making sure everyone was smiling and happy. Sue was happy to help because she was happy to see her daughters grow into mature young women through Job’s Daughters. Sue has made an awesome impact on not only my life but many young women. I would always remember when I would pick up Malia or Heather and Sue would make sure I would promise to drive carefully and bring her daughters home in one piece even if it was driving through snow. Sue taught me the Grand Bethel Offices of last year, and many young Job’s Daughters in the area to be strong through adversity and how to fight a good fight. I don’t think Sue lost her battle, rather I think she one. She won her spot in Heaven. I have heard some people speak as to why God only takes the good people and usually too soon. The way I think of it is that if God took only the bad people then who would be the angels.
Max Sullivan
This was sent to us by Howard’s aunt Bernice in New York and we felt it really should be read.
The first time I met Sue I was touched by her gentleness and her down to earth attitude. She embraced me as if she has known me for years. Through the years we contacted each other in frequently but each time we picked up where we left off. When I learned about Sue’s illness, I was devastated. But she got us through buy educating us more about this monster. I copied the e-mails and shared them with my friends and co-workers. Her courage, her perseverance, her determination put her in my book next to other pioneers like Amelia Earhart, Joan of Arc, Madame Curry and many others. Because her persistence to find a cure for her illness, opened many avenues for the women of the world. I’m sure her doctors and specialist have gained new insight and knowledge for future Sues. I am the type of person who often questions the purpose of everything on this beautiful world of ours. Like the bees and butterflies and flowers make us happy, Sue did the same by enhancing our life and showing us the beauty of it with her personality. On behalf of the women in the world I thank you. And you too, Howard, Malia and Heather. And I only hope that Sues to follow have friends and loved ones like you. Even if there are not too many years between us, I am proud to be your aunt. My love for you will remain for the rest of my life. I promise to carry on your crusade against this monster of decease. Now fly free beautiful angel. Aunt Bernice.
This was sent to us by Howard’s aunt Bernice in New York and we felt it really should be read.
The first time I met Sue I was touched by her gentleness and her down to earth attitude. She embraced me as if she has known me for years. Through the years we contacted each other in frequently but each time we picked up where we left off. When I learned about Sue’s illness, I was devastated. But she got us through buy educating us more about this monster. I copied the e-mails and shared them with my friends and co-workers. Her courage, her perseverance, her determination put her in my book next to other pioneers like Amelia Earhart, Joan of Arc, Madame Curry and many others. Because her persistence to find a cure for her illness, opened many avenues for the women of the world. I’m sure her doctors and specialist have gained new insight and knowledge for future Sues. I am the type of person who often questions the purpose of everything on this beautiful world of ours. Like the bees and butterflies and flowers make us happy, Sue did the same by enhancing our life and showing us the beauty of it with her personality. On behalf of the women in the world I thank you. And you too, Howard, Malia and Heather. And I only hope that Sues to follow have friends and loved ones like you. Even if there are not too many years between us, I am proud to be your aunt. My love for you will remain for the rest of my life. I promise to carry on your crusade against this monster of decease. Now fly free beautiful angel. Aunt Bernice.
Erin Morfin and Cassie Krautkramer
Hi my name is Erin, I have a little story behind this teddy bear. When I was sick at the beginning of the year. Sue made this at Build-a-Bear. My name is Erin and this is Cassie and for those of you who don’t know us we were Sue’s other daughters. We just wanted to say a few words to tell you guys what it was like to babysitter a surrogate mother and most importantly a friend. We could sit and talk for hours about the funny stories and reminiscing and knowing how much we like to talk. We had to control ourselves, so we made a list.
The top ten coolest things about Sue.
10 Sue smelled good. If you ever stayed the night at there house and you woke up in the morning the whole house would smell like perfume and it was really nice. She always smelled like that.
9 As you all heard, Sue ran a taxi service. If anyone ever needed a ride home, Sue would take them. No matter where, sometimes she would make two trips just to get us all there. There was even a game we played. It was how many middle schoolers could we fit in the back of a Honda. Luckily we only had to play that when the truck was not available.
8 Food. Sue was a great cook. She made these burritos that were to die for. I mean they were awesome. And when she packed a lunch to take to school, she made sure there was enough food to feed you and the rest of the people that wanted some of your lunch. Most importantly she let us eat sugary cereals in the morning. In my house we had cheerios and corn flakes. So when I got to go have lucky charms, fruit loops, tricks, apple jacks, captain crunch, coco pebbles all at the same table with my two best friends, Malia and Heather, you can understand how exited that was. Oh did I mention her party food. We had everything from chips to redhots mixed with peanuts. Try it, it is really good. And for breakfast after those long slumber parties, she never minded making all of us pancakes or eggos.
7 Sue could fix anything and everything. She was very crafty with everything. If you had a broken toy she could fix it with cue tip and dental floss. Ok not really, but it seemed that way. She was so created and had great ideas for everything. Whether it was a t-shirt painting party or a Hawaiian Luai’s in our back yard. She knew how to fix everything even a bad mood.
6 Sue was the boss. Need we say more.
5 Sue could tell us things with out hurting our feelings. If we ever had a question about anything we all knew she would tell us the correct answer in a way we could understand. If she needed to talk to us about anything, she knew how to say it to each one of us, even if meant talking to all of us at different times. Just so our feelings wouldn’t be hurt or we wouldn’t be scared, what ever the case would be. Even recently when she was telling me about her cancer, she knew how to tell me so I wasn’t scared or confused.
4 Sue was involved in everything us kids did. She supported us in everyway she could and was there when ever we needed her. Whether it was softball, band, Job’s Daughters, or just listening to us babble about the cool stuff we did the weekend before. She was always interested and always wanted to know as much as she could. Even if she really didn’t care, she pretended she did just to so she knew. And so we knew that she cared and wanted to be a part of our lives.
3 Sue was a teacher. But many people thinks she was only a pre-school teacher. Well she taught all of us many lessons no matter what grade we were in or how old we were. We learned about love, life, how to be strong, how to have undying faith and everything in between. The most important lesson she taught is that “Life isn’t always fair”.
2 Number two is a little known fact about Sue. She was a mind reader. If you don’t believe in psychics she was. She knew when we lying, telling the truth, when we were upset or happy regardless of what we said. When we had something on our minds and we needed one of her famous hugs that could fix anything, she was always there. Whenever something was wrong, Sue knew. Whenever something was right, Sue knew. No one knows how she did it. But she always knew had to read our minds.
1 The all time best thing about Sue was the love she had everyone and everything. Her passion for life and the love she showed us as kids and as young adults is something that no matter where on this earth we go and no matter who we come in contact with, we will strive to obtain. Sue was truly born to be a mother and she did it extraordinarily well. Ask any kid in the Warren High Band. Any one of the Job’s Daughters you see sitting around here and anyone of her other daughters.
Hi my name is Erin, I have a little story behind this teddy bear. When I was sick at the beginning of the year. Sue made this at Build-a-Bear. My name is Erin and this is Cassie and for those of you who don’t know us we were Sue’s other daughters. We just wanted to say a few words to tell you guys what it was like to babysitter a surrogate mother and most importantly a friend. We could sit and talk for hours about the funny stories and reminiscing and knowing how much we like to talk. We had to control ourselves, so we made a list.
The top ten coolest things about Sue.
10 Sue smelled good. If you ever stayed the night at there house and you woke up in the morning the whole house would smell like perfume and it was really nice. She always smelled like that.
9 As you all heard, Sue ran a taxi service. If anyone ever needed a ride home, Sue would take them. No matter where, sometimes she would make two trips just to get us all there. There was even a game we played. It was how many middle schoolers could we fit in the back of a Honda. Luckily we only had to play that when the truck was not available.
8 Food. Sue was a great cook. She made these burritos that were to die for. I mean they were awesome. And when she packed a lunch to take to school, she made sure there was enough food to feed you and the rest of the people that wanted some of your lunch. Most importantly she let us eat sugary cereals in the morning. In my house we had cheerios and corn flakes. So when I got to go have lucky charms, fruit loops, tricks, apple jacks, captain crunch, coco pebbles all at the same table with my two best friends, Malia and Heather, you can understand how exited that was. Oh did I mention her party food. We had everything from chips to redhots mixed with peanuts. Try it, it is really good. And for breakfast after those long slumber parties, she never minded making all of us pancakes or eggos.
7 Sue could fix anything and everything. She was very crafty with everything. If you had a broken toy she could fix it with cue tip and dental floss. Ok not really, but it seemed that way. She was so created and had great ideas for everything. Whether it was a t-shirt painting party or a Hawaiian Luai’s in our back yard. She knew how to fix everything even a bad mood.
6 Sue was the boss. Need we say more.
5 Sue could tell us things with out hurting our feelings. If we ever had a question about anything we all knew she would tell us the correct answer in a way we could understand. If she needed to talk to us about anything, she knew how to say it to each one of us, even if meant talking to all of us at different times. Just so our feelings wouldn’t be hurt or we wouldn’t be scared, what ever the case would be. Even recently when she was telling me about her cancer, she knew how to tell me so I wasn’t scared or confused.
4 Sue was involved in everything us kids did. She supported us in everyway she could and was there when ever we needed her. Whether it was softball, band, Job’s Daughters, or just listening to us babble about the cool stuff we did the weekend before. She was always interested and always wanted to know as much as she could. Even if she really didn’t care, she pretended she did just to so she knew. And so we knew that she cared and wanted to be a part of our lives.
3 Sue was a teacher. But many people thinks she was only a pre-school teacher. Well she taught all of us many lessons no matter what grade we were in or how old we were. We learned about love, life, how to be strong, how to have undying faith and everything in between. The most important lesson she taught is that “Life isn’t always fair”.
2 Number two is a little known fact about Sue. She was a mind reader. If you don’t believe in psychics she was. She knew when we lying, telling the truth, when we were upset or happy regardless of what we said. When we had something on our minds and we needed one of her famous hugs that could fix anything, she was always there. Whenever something was wrong, Sue knew. Whenever something was right, Sue knew. No one knows how she did it. But she always knew had to read our minds.
1 The all time best thing about Sue was the love she had everyone and everything. Her passion for life and the love she showed us as kids and as young adults is something that no matter where on this earth we go and no matter who we come in contact with, we will strive to obtain. Sue was truly born to be a mother and she did it extraordinarily well. Ask any kid in the Warren High Band. Any one of the Job’s Daughters you see sitting around here and anyone of her other daughters.
Larry Henderson
Good morning friends and family, I am reading this for my mother, Louis Henderson. Her relationship to Susan was her great aunt. And Susan was my cousin. As we gather here today it is very evident that in forty-four years on earth, Sue touched so many lives. All of us loved her for her very special ways. She was a lovely caring individual particularly with children. She loved them all as she worked with them. She was a loving wife, mother and daughter and sister. All of her extended family and friends can recall happy get togethers where Sue could always be found. Lots of beautiful memories for our future days. Someone once said that being born and dying are comparative. The baby comes out crying and others are smiling. When we die we are smiling and everyone else is crying. Sue’s family who were with her the last few days are extremely grateful that she was so peaceful and free from this earthly suffering. She will be missed by many. Sue did not shape her life by what she carried with her, but by what she leaves behind. Because we are human and not divine, we were not ready to give Sue up, but when we feel sad and need to cry we can say Jesus wept and know he understands our emotions. As we say goodbye we will try to let her go. God bless us all. Signed Aunt Louis. For myself, I saw Sue when she born and she was a sweet girl all of her life and all that I knew and obviously she has a lot of good friends and she will be missed. Thank you very much.
Good morning friends and family, I am reading this for my mother, Louis Henderson. Her relationship to Susan was her great aunt. And Susan was my cousin. As we gather here today it is very evident that in forty-four years on earth, Sue touched so many lives. All of us loved her for her very special ways. She was a lovely caring individual particularly with children. She loved them all as she worked with them. She was a loving wife, mother and daughter and sister. All of her extended family and friends can recall happy get togethers where Sue could always be found. Lots of beautiful memories for our future days. Someone once said that being born and dying are comparative. The baby comes out crying and others are smiling. When we die we are smiling and everyone else is crying. Sue’s family who were with her the last few days are extremely grateful that she was so peaceful and free from this earthly suffering. She will be missed by many. Sue did not shape her life by what she carried with her, but by what she leaves behind. Because we are human and not divine, we were not ready to give Sue up, but when we feel sad and need to cry we can say Jesus wept and know he understands our emotions. As we say goodbye we will try to let her go. God bless us all. Signed Aunt Louis. For myself, I saw Sue when she born and she was a sweet girl all of her life and all that I knew and obviously she has a lot of good friends and she will be missed. Thank you very much.
Russell Baker
Hello my name is Russell Baker. My family my wife Christina, my daughters Jennifer, Brittney, Rachel and Jaclyn have known the Phillips for a number of years going back to the YMCA dance program and then through Job’s Daughters. I wanted to go ahead and relate a story that happened several weeks ago. When we were at a council meeting for Job’s Daughters. I did not attend the council meeting very often because I didn’t think I had much to say and we were going through issues at one of these meetings. I felt like I had something to say, but I didn’t know if I really wanted to say it. I could sense that I wanted to say something so much that I think it could have been coming out of my ears. But I am sure a sound was never made. All of a sudden Sue made eye contact with me and said go ahead say it! So I went ahead and spoke my peace and after the meeting we gathered to say a few words and Sue came up to me and said. If you have something to say Russell, don’t ever feel like you can’t say it. And that’s the memory that I’ll have my entire life. When we think of “do unto others” and Christian women, Sue Phillips was the ultimate Christian Woman. She could see through you and she could know what you want and she could give it to you. And I truly feel blessed that I have met her, and that we had a relationship with her family. We love you Howard, Malia, Heather. And I want to say to all of you, when ever you have a thought, whenever you have a doubt as to whether or not it is important, think of what Sue Phillips would say, and say it.
Hello my name is Russell Baker. My family my wife Christina, my daughters Jennifer, Brittney, Rachel and Jaclyn have known the Phillips for a number of years going back to the YMCA dance program and then through Job’s Daughters. I wanted to go ahead and relate a story that happened several weeks ago. When we were at a council meeting for Job’s Daughters. I did not attend the council meeting very often because I didn’t think I had much to say and we were going through issues at one of these meetings. I felt like I had something to say, but I didn’t know if I really wanted to say it. I could sense that I wanted to say something so much that I think it could have been coming out of my ears. But I am sure a sound was never made. All of a sudden Sue made eye contact with me and said go ahead say it! So I went ahead and spoke my peace and after the meeting we gathered to say a few words and Sue came up to me and said. If you have something to say Russell, don’t ever feel like you can’t say it. And that’s the memory that I’ll have my entire life. When we think of “do unto others” and Christian women, Sue Phillips was the ultimate Christian Woman. She could see through you and she could know what you want and she could give it to you. And I truly feel blessed that I have met her, and that we had a relationship with her family. We love you Howard, Malia, Heather. And I want to say to all of you, when ever you have a thought, whenever you have a doubt as to whether or not it is important, think of what Sue Phillips would say, and say it.
Nancy Rivas Calderon
Good morning my name is Nancy Rivas Calderon, I am Howard, Malia and Heather and Sue’s neighbor. My parents moved in when I was in Junior High, I am now married and have a child of my own. Sue was literally the mom next door. When ever my mom made something to eat that I didn’t like, she said go to Sues and see what she made for dinner. And sure enough Sue always had my favorite burritos in the world. I remember coming home from college and she would make those burritos for me and I make them now for my own husband. She went back to school to become a school teacher. I remember admiring her and being so proud of her for going back and trying to get her education and trying to make her dreams come true. Little does she know, that the biggest lesson she has already taught never took place in a classroom. The lesson she taught us was to live life to its fullest. That’s what Sue did. She did not let this cancer bring her down. I remember when she found out and I then found out and talked to her. She said I’m going to fight this, I need to watch you get married and I need to see Heather graduate. And sure enough she had just undergone some therapy and was very weak and she endured a six hour journey to see me get married. When my baby was born she endured another journey to go see my one day old son. She lived life to its fullest. And even though she is not present with us, she will be in the wind that blows through our hair and the sounds of the leaves rustling, she’ll be the fabric softener in our freshly clothes laundry. She will be everywhere. There is a little saying that goes, some people come into our hearts and quickly go. Others stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts and we are never the same. None of us are the same. Sue has touched our lives. She is the most big hearted person you will ever meet. And I thank her for not leaving our hearts the same, her footprints will always be there.
Good morning my name is Nancy Rivas Calderon, I am Howard, Malia and Heather and Sue’s neighbor. My parents moved in when I was in Junior High, I am now married and have a child of my own. Sue was literally the mom next door. When ever my mom made something to eat that I didn’t like, she said go to Sues and see what she made for dinner. And sure enough Sue always had my favorite burritos in the world. I remember coming home from college and she would make those burritos for me and I make them now for my own husband. She went back to school to become a school teacher. I remember admiring her and being so proud of her for going back and trying to get her education and trying to make her dreams come true. Little does she know, that the biggest lesson she has already taught never took place in a classroom. The lesson she taught us was to live life to its fullest. That’s what Sue did. She did not let this cancer bring her down. I remember when she found out and I then found out and talked to her. She said I’m going to fight this, I need to watch you get married and I need to see Heather graduate. And sure enough she had just undergone some therapy and was very weak and she endured a six hour journey to see me get married. When my baby was born she endured another journey to go see my one day old son. She lived life to its fullest. And even though she is not present with us, she will be in the wind that blows through our hair and the sounds of the leaves rustling, she’ll be the fabric softener in our freshly clothes laundry. She will be everywhere. There is a little saying that goes, some people come into our hearts and quickly go. Others stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts and we are never the same. None of us are the same. Sue has touched our lives. She is the most big hearted person you will ever meet. And I thank her for not leaving our hearts the same, her footprints will always be there.
Denise LaFromboise
I met Sue a long time ago, her sister Ann brought the kids to Vacation Bible School here at church. That was my first meeting with Sue. We kind of weaved in and out of each others lives. I met her during softball and she and my daughter Nicole became very good friends. And during those softball years I worked more with Howard than I did with Sue. I was the team mom and we went to meetings and he had me doing things that I didn’t even know about. Some times you have too when you don’t know very much about the sport. But he taught me and we learned and worked through it together. At one of those softball games, Heather and Malia and Howard, Howard was the coach. They had just been at a funeral for a girl named Alyssa, and she had impacted Heathers life immensely and they knew Nicole belonged to Job’s Daughters and they asked me about Job’s Daughters that day. I told them about it and they thought they might want to join. And that’s how they came to be in Job’s Daughters. Well when Heather joined, I looked at the other people on the council and I said, we need to get this woman, she’s a joiner, she will do anything. I’ve seen her at work. We elected her on to the council and she worked very hard on council, she did anything. Her job was Guardian Secretary, but she would do anything you would ask her to do. She took the notes, she sent off for all of our supplies, up unto probably three weeks ago. She was continuing to do what she could to fulfill her obligations in that office. The last time I saw Sue I was at there house, I walked in and she looked at me and said I am not going to be at the meeting tomorrow. And I said OK we can cover for you. And she said and we are going to do secret pals and I said yes we will make the copies, and when you are better you can take care of that. She was happy with that. I just want you to know I appreciate how much help Sue was to me. I am going to miss that help tremendously. I love her family and I will do what ever I can to help them in any way. I just want everyone to know that she was such a wonderful person as far as giving. She gave what ever she had for any reason at all.
I met Sue a long time ago, her sister Ann brought the kids to Vacation Bible School here at church. That was my first meeting with Sue. We kind of weaved in and out of each others lives. I met her during softball and she and my daughter Nicole became very good friends. And during those softball years I worked more with Howard than I did with Sue. I was the team mom and we went to meetings and he had me doing things that I didn’t even know about. Some times you have too when you don’t know very much about the sport. But he taught me and we learned and worked through it together. At one of those softball games, Heather and Malia and Howard, Howard was the coach. They had just been at a funeral for a girl named Alyssa, and she had impacted Heathers life immensely and they knew Nicole belonged to Job’s Daughters and they asked me about Job’s Daughters that day. I told them about it and they thought they might want to join. And that’s how they came to be in Job’s Daughters. Well when Heather joined, I looked at the other people on the council and I said, we need to get this woman, she’s a joiner, she will do anything. I’ve seen her at work. We elected her on to the council and she worked very hard on council, she did anything. Her job was Guardian Secretary, but she would do anything you would ask her to do. She took the notes, she sent off for all of our supplies, up unto probably three weeks ago. She was continuing to do what she could to fulfill her obligations in that office. The last time I saw Sue I was at there house, I walked in and she looked at me and said I am not going to be at the meeting tomorrow. And I said OK we can cover for you. And she said and we are going to do secret pals and I said yes we will make the copies, and when you are better you can take care of that. She was happy with that. I just want you to know I appreciate how much help Sue was to me. I am going to miss that help tremendously. I love her family and I will do what ever I can to help them in any way. I just want everyone to know that she was such a wonderful person as far as giving. She gave what ever she had for any reason at all.
Brittney Nunez
Hi my name is Brittney Nunez and I am in Job’s Daughters with Malia and Heather and we also used to dance together at the YMCA when we were this big. I never thought there was anyone in the world as determined as my aunt. And then I met Sue. Even though sometimes they would argue, they were both two peas in a pod. I mean and sometimes Sue was just over the top. I wanted to tell you guys something that happened right after she passed away. We were waiting for someone to come around from the car and me a Kristy were waiting there. And one of the patients from the hospital was downstairs. And she comes down and she says I am very sorry for your loss. And I said thank you very much, you know we are just a family friend. And she says, you know I have been in and out of this hospital for five years and I have never seen so many people come to visit one single patient in my whole entire life. I don’t think there was one time when there wasn’t at least twenty people at that hospital. We took up both waiting rooms! We had tons of people camping out on the floor and we made signs and on the door it said animal house do not enter. But that’s the way Sue would have wanted it. To have people come and see her to be able to support her daughters and she was always involved in Job’s Daughters. She was always there if we needed her. When I was elected to be Grand Bethel Girl for this year, she came up to me, even though her daughter didn’t make it. She comes up to me and says I am so happy that you are able to do this. She said you are going to have so much fun, I know how much fun Malia had and I am so happy for you. And it really touched me because when your daughter runs for something and they don’t get it you kind of don’t talk to the other person. And she was so supportive of everything that anybody did. She was always at least, almost always the first person to come and say congratulations, I’m so proud of you. Your gonna do great, your gonna do awesome at this. I’ll always remember that, I’ll always remember how she could always come up to someone and even if she didn’t really know them. She would come up to them and say congratulations you did awesome or that was great or anything like that. She always had a nice word to say. I think that is the big thing everyone is going to miss about her.
Hi my name is Brittney Nunez and I am in Job’s Daughters with Malia and Heather and we also used to dance together at the YMCA when we were this big. I never thought there was anyone in the world as determined as my aunt. And then I met Sue. Even though sometimes they would argue, they were both two peas in a pod. I mean and sometimes Sue was just over the top. I wanted to tell you guys something that happened right after she passed away. We were waiting for someone to come around from the car and me a Kristy were waiting there. And one of the patients from the hospital was downstairs. And she comes down and she says I am very sorry for your loss. And I said thank you very much, you know we are just a family friend. And she says, you know I have been in and out of this hospital for five years and I have never seen so many people come to visit one single patient in my whole entire life. I don’t think there was one time when there wasn’t at least twenty people at that hospital. We took up both waiting rooms! We had tons of people camping out on the floor and we made signs and on the door it said animal house do not enter. But that’s the way Sue would have wanted it. To have people come and see her to be able to support her daughters and she was always involved in Job’s Daughters. She was always there if we needed her. When I was elected to be Grand Bethel Girl for this year, she came up to me, even though her daughter didn’t make it. She comes up to me and says I am so happy that you are able to do this. She said you are going to have so much fun, I know how much fun Malia had and I am so happy for you. And it really touched me because when your daughter runs for something and they don’t get it you kind of don’t talk to the other person. And she was so supportive of everything that anybody did. She was always at least, almost always the first person to come and say congratulations, I’m so proud of you. Your gonna do great, your gonna do awesome at this. I’ll always remember that, I’ll always remember how she could always come up to someone and even if she didn’t really know them. She would come up to them and say congratulations you did awesome or that was great or anything like that. She always had a nice word to say. I think that is the big thing everyone is going to miss about her.
Bethany Broder
Hi my name is Bethany Broder and I am 13 years old. I knew Sue through Job’s Daughters and I’m 13 now and I had only known her for like two years. I can still remember the day I was initiated into Job’s Daughters. After the service she came up to me and hugged me and said we are very proud to have in and she kind of stayed there and talked to me about it a little bit. I remember when her daughters where Honored Queens. They always had the most fun sleepovers, because we would do karaoke and there would be snacks. Everyone would have a lot a fun. I remember every morning that I slept over at there house and waking up and Sue would be just so happy and happy to have us there. That’s one of the main memories that I have about Sue is that she was always happy. She never showed how much she was hurting. She was probably one of the most determined people that I have ever met. I’d always been really carefree, I was so happy to be living, but I never really thought about it until I found out that Sue passed away. I thought you know everyone of else should all live each day like it is the last. In the memory of Sue, I think that’s what I’m gonna be doing from now on is living my life happy, living it like it’s the last day. And I just wanted to say, I love you Malia, Heather, Howard and I hope that you will get through this hard time. Everyone in this room is here for you and we love you.
Hi my name is Bethany Broder and I am 13 years old. I knew Sue through Job’s Daughters and I’m 13 now and I had only known her for like two years. I can still remember the day I was initiated into Job’s Daughters. After the service she came up to me and hugged me and said we are very proud to have in and she kind of stayed there and talked to me about it a little bit. I remember when her daughters where Honored Queens. They always had the most fun sleepovers, because we would do karaoke and there would be snacks. Everyone would have a lot a fun. I remember every morning that I slept over at there house and waking up and Sue would be just so happy and happy to have us there. That’s one of the main memories that I have about Sue is that she was always happy. She never showed how much she was hurting. She was probably one of the most determined people that I have ever met. I’d always been really carefree, I was so happy to be living, but I never really thought about it until I found out that Sue passed away. I thought you know everyone of else should all live each day like it is the last. In the memory of Sue, I think that’s what I’m gonna be doing from now on is living my life happy, living it like it’s the last day. And I just wanted to say, I love you Malia, Heather, Howard and I hope that you will get through this hard time. Everyone in this room is here for you and we love you.
Rachel Baker
Hi, I’m Rachel Baker and I met Sue a long time ago with um (as you can tell I am really nervous) my dad just came up and talked. We known Sue for a while and I just had something to say and I knew I should come say it. I just love this woman down here and I hope she’s in Heaven having a fun time.
Hi, I’m Rachel Baker and I met Sue a long time ago with um (as you can tell I am really nervous) my dad just came up and talked. We known Sue for a while and I just had something to say and I knew I should come say it. I just love this woman down here and I hope she’s in Heaven having a fun time.
Missy Krueger
I met Mrs. Phillips about a year and a half ago when Malia and I became Grand Bethel Girls together. But it’s kind of strange how life seems to run in circles. The name mentioned early that Heather joined Job’s Daughters because she lost a dear friend of hers named Alyssa. Well I happened to know Alyssa and I sat at that funeral and it turned out the Phillips were there too. And somehow God keeps taken our Job’s Daughters angels. And it seems to me that like Heathers pictures and Malia’s butterflies that she’ll always stay in our hearts and our memories. When I first came home with Malia one night, Mrs. Phillips was there and said “oh come on in not a problem” and no matter what was going on she kept up with you life. And it just seemed like home when you went in there house. You weren’t a guess, you were a family member. I just wanted to thank her for her love and everything like that. So thanks.
I met Mrs. Phillips about a year and a half ago when Malia and I became Grand Bethel Girls together. But it’s kind of strange how life seems to run in circles. The name mentioned early that Heather joined Job’s Daughters because she lost a dear friend of hers named Alyssa. Well I happened to know Alyssa and I sat at that funeral and it turned out the Phillips were there too. And somehow God keeps taken our Job’s Daughters angels. And it seems to me that like Heathers pictures and Malia’s butterflies that she’ll always stay in our hearts and our memories. When I first came home with Malia one night, Mrs. Phillips was there and said “oh come on in not a problem” and no matter what was going on she kept up with you life. And it just seemed like home when you went in there house. You weren’t a guess, you were a family member. I just wanted to thank her for her love and everything like that. So thanks.
Pastor Doug Aldridge
Well thank you. Well it’s obvious through all the testimony and memories that we have just heard that Sue did in deed touch the lives so many people that you all experienced the comfort of her love. But she also had the comfort of your love. Every time I talked to Sue, she mentioned how kind and thoughtful people had been to her. She mentioned how caring and faithful Howard was and how she gained support from his strength that he provided for her. She often mentioned her daughters; she said Malia and Heather were always there for her and that she was so proud of them. She mentioned her sister Ann and how appreciative she was of her constant presence and never ending love. She mentioned her mother Judy and the care that she provided her. She would mention friends like Brenda Warner and her doctor Christy Russell who she adored. All of you and many more showed you love to Sue by supported her through one of the most trying, the most trying time of her life. And she often told me of this strength that it gave her. Right now we are going to continue this with a song called Angels Among Us.
Well thank you. Well it’s obvious through all the testimony and memories that we have just heard that Sue did in deed touch the lives so many people that you all experienced the comfort of her love. But she also had the comfort of your love. Every time I talked to Sue, she mentioned how kind and thoughtful people had been to her. She mentioned how caring and faithful Howard was and how she gained support from his strength that he provided for her. She often mentioned her daughters; she said Malia and Heather were always there for her and that she was so proud of them. She mentioned her sister Ann and how appreciative she was of her constant presence and never ending love. She mentioned her mother Judy and the care that she provided her. She would mention friends like Brenda Warner and her doctor Christy Russell who she adored. All of you and many more showed you love to Sue by supported her through one of the most trying, the most trying time of her life. And she often told me of this strength that it gave her. Right now we are going to continue this with a song called Angels Among Us.
Marissa Guianaja sings Angels Among Us
I was walking home from school
on a cold winter day
took a short cut through the woods
and I lost my way
it was gettin’ late
and I was scared and alone
then a kind old man
took my hand and led me home
Momma Couldn’t See him,
but he was standin’ there
I Knew in my Heart
he was the answer to my prayers
(chorus : )
(oh,) I Believe there are angels among us
sent down to us from some where up above
they come to you and me in our darkest hours
to show us how to live,
to teach us how to give
to guide us with a light of love
When life held troubled times
and had me down on my knees
There’s always been someone
to come along and comfort me
A kind word from a stranger
to lend a helping hand
a phone call from a friend
just to say I understand
Ain’t it kind a funny
at the dark end of the road
someone lights the way with
a single ray of hope
They wear so many faces,
show up in the strangest places,
grace us with their mercies
in our time of need
I was walking home from school
on a cold winter day
took a short cut through the woods
and I lost my way
it was gettin’ late
and I was scared and alone
then a kind old man
took my hand and led me home
Momma Couldn’t See him,
but he was standin’ there
I Knew in my Heart
he was the answer to my prayers
(chorus : )
(oh,) I Believe there are angels among us
sent down to us from some where up above
they come to you and me in our darkest hours
to show us how to live,
to teach us how to give
to guide us with a light of love
When life held troubled times
and had me down on my knees
There’s always been someone
to come along and comfort me
A kind word from a stranger
to lend a helping hand
a phone call from a friend
just to say I understand
Ain’t it kind a funny
at the dark end of the road
someone lights the way with
a single ray of hope
They wear so many faces,
show up in the strangest places,
grace us with their mercies
in our time of need
Pastor Doug Aldridge
Thank you so much for that, Sue is in deed an angel among us. Well in life we had the comfort of Sue’s love and she experienced the comfort of your love. But she also knew the love of God in this life, for I was constantly amazed by her faith. We had some great conversations about God. At times she admitted that she didn’t understand why this was happening to her. She went through feelings of anger, frustration, times she felt distant. But in the end she always knew that God was the only place that she would find true peace. And because of that she was in church as often and she had enough strength to get here. In fact I was amazed at the times Sue would show up. I would think to myself, Sue you shouldn’t be here you should be at home resting. But she wanted to be at church. And if she couldn’t be here she would always apologize. I mean I remember visiting her in the hospital and there would be I.V. tubes and medicine going in here and she would say Doug, I don’t know if I am going to be at church tomorrow and I am like Sue that’s ok, that’s an excused absence. I was impressed by her faith. A faith that kept her through illness and loss and made her stronger every step of the way.
And right now I want to invite of Sam Wilder a pastor at West Lakewood Baptist Church where Sue was the Director of the Day Care Center. They had a great friendship and she always appreciated his support. So his is going to come up and speak a few words.
Thank you so much for that, Sue is in deed an angel among us. Well in life we had the comfort of Sue’s love and she experienced the comfort of your love. But she also knew the love of God in this life, for I was constantly amazed by her faith. We had some great conversations about God. At times she admitted that she didn’t understand why this was happening to her. She went through feelings of anger, frustration, times she felt distant. But in the end she always knew that God was the only place that she would find true peace. And because of that she was in church as often and she had enough strength to get here. In fact I was amazed at the times Sue would show up. I would think to myself, Sue you shouldn’t be here you should be at home resting. But she wanted to be at church. And if she couldn’t be here she would always apologize. I mean I remember visiting her in the hospital and there would be I.V. tubes and medicine going in here and she would say Doug, I don’t know if I am going to be at church tomorrow and I am like Sue that’s ok, that’s an excused absence. I was impressed by her faith. A faith that kept her through illness and loss and made her stronger every step of the way.
And right now I want to invite of Sam Wilder a pastor at West Lakewood Baptist Church where Sue was the Director of the Day Care Center. They had a great friendship and she always appreciated his support. So his is going to come up and speak a few words.
Pastor Sam Widler
I was fine until that last song. She was an angel.
2 Corinthians 1, I am going a little further than Pastor Doug Aldridge.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
I will never forget when Sue came into the church office and told us, Sharon the secretary and myself and anybody else who was around that she had been baptized that weekend at this church (Downey First Christian). It was for her one of the most important events of her life. And Sue felt she had put a seal on her already solid commitment to Jesus Christ. How God must have smiled to see her enthusiasm over being brought into a community of believers through that baptism. That enthusiasm and that excitement about her relationship with God should give us comfort because it lets us know that her comfort came from God. Whenever she felt lonely in her battle against the cancer, of frightened by the treatments or by the diagnosis, the uncertain future, God was there to comfort her. But not only did God give her comfort but he also strengthened her will to give all the fighting power that she needed in fighting this terrible disease and God must have spent a lot of time whispering to Sue and whispering to her heart and telling her I believe in you Sue. Keep on going. Keep on trying. Someone has said that courage is fear that has said its prayers. Sue had a lot of that kind of courage. Sue was an inspiration to me and to our Day Care staff, even before she became sick. She had a “can-do” kind of attitude as she came on to be the director of our day care. And at that time our day care was going through some problems and through some staff changes. It was a difficult time. And she made it a better place despite the problems that she had to work through. The day care staff may have been unhappy from time to time with me or with the day care board or with the church itself, but I never I never heard them say a bad thing a bad word about Sue. I do remember her soft spoken words of encouragement to the staff and her tears when things went wrong. She got nothing but support from her coworkers when she let them know of her cancer. She kept on working despite the treatments or her weakness. Sometimes she would need to lay down for awhile and rest. That was all ok, she was covered. When we closed the day care center over a year ago, She was really grief stricken and agreed to stay on to tie up any loose ends. For so many of us, myself included, Sue lived out this phrase from Dwayne Holsey who said “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give”. Sue was always busy making a life. Everywhere and anywhere she was. She was one of the most hopeful people I ever met in my life. And I don’t mean a blind optimism, but a real hope that was grounded in her relationship with God, the father of compassion, the God of all comfort. Gods finally act of comfort to Sue came last Friday, when he gave her the gift of entrance into Heaven. And she is now in the company of angels fully realizing the awesome love of God which we only get a glimpse of through people like Sue. And finally let me say that we must understand somehow, although it’s beyond our comprehension really, that somehow Sues sufferings and death are for our benefit. As strange as that might sound. Listen again to the words from 2 CorinthiansFor just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. We can now go to people who are going through the same things as you have gone through; we have gone through with Sue. And we can honest tell them I understand. Sues comfort overflows to us who are left here encouraging us to stay close to God and to each other telling us to believe deeply and love strongly. Letting us know there is now and always will be hope.
Romans Chapter eight versus 38 – 39 you need to catch these words.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Finally let me read to you something I sent by e-mail, and it is kind of dated now because it was dated April 30th may Sue was going through one of her many ruff times in her life after a treatment. And this is what I sent to her. “God of love God of mercy please be with my friend today, let her know that you are with her. Let her see your perfect way. She feels battered, bruised and beaten by the cancer and its cruelness. She needs to know that she can trust you to bring her back into your wholeness. Lord of love, lord of goodness may she know our prayers surround her. Jesus savoir King of angels place your loving arms around her. Give her peace, give her comfort in body sprit heart and mind. Bless her lord, I know implore you, and let grace be what she might find.
Would you pray with me.
My heavenly loving father, compassionate and caring God who does not let us go, no matter what we go through, no matter what we feel. We pray today that you will give us good memories and a fondness of heart for this one that we lost, for the one that meant so much to us who gave us so much live and so much love. I pray father that you will embrace her and hold her close. I pray God that you will do the same for Howard and Malia and Heather and hold them in your arms God and let them know that you are there. Jesus our savoir, healer, would you touch there hearts and let them know of your presence and holy sprit, council them, comfort them, guide them and direct them. And we thank you for this opportunity to show our love, to be in your place and to express our grief and to give us comfort. We pray in Jesus name, amen.
I was fine until that last song. She was an angel.
2 Corinthians 1, I am going a little further than Pastor Doug Aldridge.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
I will never forget when Sue came into the church office and told us, Sharon the secretary and myself and anybody else who was around that she had been baptized that weekend at this church (Downey First Christian). It was for her one of the most important events of her life. And Sue felt she had put a seal on her already solid commitment to Jesus Christ. How God must have smiled to see her enthusiasm over being brought into a community of believers through that baptism. That enthusiasm and that excitement about her relationship with God should give us comfort because it lets us know that her comfort came from God. Whenever she felt lonely in her battle against the cancer, of frightened by the treatments or by the diagnosis, the uncertain future, God was there to comfort her. But not only did God give her comfort but he also strengthened her will to give all the fighting power that she needed in fighting this terrible disease and God must have spent a lot of time whispering to Sue and whispering to her heart and telling her I believe in you Sue. Keep on going. Keep on trying. Someone has said that courage is fear that has said its prayers. Sue had a lot of that kind of courage. Sue was an inspiration to me and to our Day Care staff, even before she became sick. She had a “can-do” kind of attitude as she came on to be the director of our day care. And at that time our day care was going through some problems and through some staff changes. It was a difficult time. And she made it a better place despite the problems that she had to work through. The day care staff may have been unhappy from time to time with me or with the day care board or with the church itself, but I never I never heard them say a bad thing a bad word about Sue. I do remember her soft spoken words of encouragement to the staff and her tears when things went wrong. She got nothing but support from her coworkers when she let them know of her cancer. She kept on working despite the treatments or her weakness. Sometimes she would need to lay down for awhile and rest. That was all ok, she was covered. When we closed the day care center over a year ago, She was really grief stricken and agreed to stay on to tie up any loose ends. For so many of us, myself included, Sue lived out this phrase from Dwayne Holsey who said “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give”. Sue was always busy making a life. Everywhere and anywhere she was. She was one of the most hopeful people I ever met in my life. And I don’t mean a blind optimism, but a real hope that was grounded in her relationship with God, the father of compassion, the God of all comfort. Gods finally act of comfort to Sue came last Friday, when he gave her the gift of entrance into Heaven. And she is now in the company of angels fully realizing the awesome love of God which we only get a glimpse of through people like Sue. And finally let me say that we must understand somehow, although it’s beyond our comprehension really, that somehow Sues sufferings and death are for our benefit. As strange as that might sound. Listen again to the words from 2 CorinthiansFor just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. We can now go to people who are going through the same things as you have gone through; we have gone through with Sue. And we can honest tell them I understand. Sues comfort overflows to us who are left here encouraging us to stay close to God and to each other telling us to believe deeply and love strongly. Letting us know there is now and always will be hope.
Romans Chapter eight versus 38 – 39 you need to catch these words.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Finally let me read to you something I sent by e-mail, and it is kind of dated now because it was dated April 30th may Sue was going through one of her many ruff times in her life after a treatment. And this is what I sent to her. “God of love God of mercy please be with my friend today, let her know that you are with her. Let her see your perfect way. She feels battered, bruised and beaten by the cancer and its cruelness. She needs to know that she can trust you to bring her back into your wholeness. Lord of love, lord of goodness may she know our prayers surround her. Jesus savoir King of angels place your loving arms around her. Give her peace, give her comfort in body sprit heart and mind. Bless her lord, I know implore you, and let grace be what she might find.
Would you pray with me.
My heavenly loving father, compassionate and caring God who does not let us go, no matter what we go through, no matter what we feel. We pray today that you will give us good memories and a fondness of heart for this one that we lost, for the one that meant so much to us who gave us so much live and so much love. I pray father that you will embrace her and hold her close. I pray God that you will do the same for Howard and Malia and Heather and hold them in your arms God and let them know that you are there. Jesus our savoir, healer, would you touch there hearts and let them know of your presence and holy sprit, council them, comfort them, guide them and direct them. And we thank you for this opportunity to show our love, to be in your place and to express our grief and to give us comfort. We pray in Jesus name, amen.
Pastor Doug Aldridge
Thank you for those words Pastor Sam
Sue had a strong faith and because of that she experienced Gods love in this life. But she also experienced Gods love in her passing. In Revelation chapter 21 verses 3 – 4 there is a description of Heaven. It says “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
We’re going to continue our celebration of her life with by a song called “With Hope” and this song is dedicated to Sue by her sister, Ann.
Thank you for those words Pastor Sam
Sue had a strong faith and because of that she experienced Gods love in this life. But she also experienced Gods love in her passing. In Revelation chapter 21 verses 3 – 4 there is a description of Heaven. It says “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
We’re going to continue our celebration of her life with by a song called “With Hope” and this song is dedicated to Sue by her sister, Ann.
John McClain sings With Hope
Pastor Doug Aldridge
Well our lord Jesus Christ spoke about the hope that John just sang about in John chapter 14 1 – 3 Jesus said “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am”.
Note the promise of Jesus, I will come back and take you to be with me. He pledges to take us home. He does not delegate the task. It has been said that Jesus may send missionaries to teach you, angels to protect you, teachers to guide you, singers to inspire you, and physicians to heal you. But he sends no one to take you. It reserves this job for himself, “I will come back and take you home” he says. Jesus is our personal Shepard and he is personally responsible to lead of home. Sue is now free of cancer and pain and is safely home with her heavenly father.
I want to conclude by reading a poem called “Safely Home”.
I am home in heaven dear ones, oh so happy and so bright! There is a perfect joy and beauty in this ever lasting light. All the pain and grief is over, every restless tossing passed, I am now at peace forever Safely home in heaven at last. Did you wonder I so calmly, trod the valley of the shade? Oh, Jesus love illuminated every dark and fearful glade. And he came himself to meet me. In that way so hard to thread; and with Jesus arm to lean on, could I have on doubt or dread. Then you must not grieve so sorely for I love you dearly still; try to look beyond earth’s shadow’s, pray to trust our father’s will. There is still work waiting for you, so you must not idly stand; do it now, while life remained you shall rest in Jesus land. When the work is all completed, he will gently call you home; Oh, the rapture of that meeting, Oh, the joy to see you come!
Will you pray with me.
Dear heavenly father I thank you so much for Sue. For the life that she lead father, she was so faithful, she influenced so many people, she changed them forever. Thank you for sending an angel to live among us. To lead, to show us, to be an example, to encourage us father. So many lives were blessed by her. And father now I know that she is with you, that she is free of pain. That she’ll be missed here father and I pray that you comfort her family, Howard, Malia and Heather. All her family father, comfort them, bless them in a way only you can. Give them the peace that only you can provide father, wrap you arms around and never let them go. Thank you so much for Sue and the life that she led. The example the she was to all of us. In Christ name I pray amen.
And now we will conclude by the Job’s Daughters coming up and singing “Nearer My God to Thee”
Pastor Doug Aldridge
Well our lord Jesus Christ spoke about the hope that John just sang about in John chapter 14 1 – 3 Jesus said “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am”.
Note the promise of Jesus, I will come back and take you to be with me. He pledges to take us home. He does not delegate the task. It has been said that Jesus may send missionaries to teach you, angels to protect you, teachers to guide you, singers to inspire you, and physicians to heal you. But he sends no one to take you. It reserves this job for himself, “I will come back and take you home” he says. Jesus is our personal Shepard and he is personally responsible to lead of home. Sue is now free of cancer and pain and is safely home with her heavenly father.
I want to conclude by reading a poem called “Safely Home”.
I am home in heaven dear ones, oh so happy and so bright! There is a perfect joy and beauty in this ever lasting light. All the pain and grief is over, every restless tossing passed, I am now at peace forever Safely home in heaven at last. Did you wonder I so calmly, trod the valley of the shade? Oh, Jesus love illuminated every dark and fearful glade. And he came himself to meet me. In that way so hard to thread; and with Jesus arm to lean on, could I have on doubt or dread. Then you must not grieve so sorely for I love you dearly still; try to look beyond earth’s shadow’s, pray to trust our father’s will. There is still work waiting for you, so you must not idly stand; do it now, while life remained you shall rest in Jesus land. When the work is all completed, he will gently call you home; Oh, the rapture of that meeting, Oh, the joy to see you come!
Will you pray with me.
Dear heavenly father I thank you so much for Sue. For the life that she lead father, she was so faithful, she influenced so many people, she changed them forever. Thank you for sending an angel to live among us. To lead, to show us, to be an example, to encourage us father. So many lives were blessed by her. And father now I know that she is with you, that she is free of pain. That she’ll be missed here father and I pray that you comfort her family, Howard, Malia and Heather. All her family father, comfort them, bless them in a way only you can. Give them the peace that only you can provide father, wrap you arms around and never let them go. Thank you so much for Sue and the life that she led. The example the she was to all of us. In Christ name I pray amen.
And now we will conclude by the Job’s Daughters coming up and singing “Nearer My God to Thee”
Marissa Guianaja and Job’s Daughters sings “Nearer My God to Thee”
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone.
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
There let the way appear, steps unto heav’n;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly,
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest,
There in my Savior’s love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be,
Nearer my God to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone.
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
There let the way appear, steps unto heav’n;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly,
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest,
There in my Savior’s love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be,
Nearer my God to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
We will be continuing on with our prayers at Rose Hills Memorial Park immediately following these services.
This is not at all how we thought it was supposed to be
We had so many plans for you, we had so many dreams
And now you’ve gone away and left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say and nothing we can do can take away the pain, the pain of losing you but…We can cry with hope, we can say goodbye with hope
Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope, cause we believe with hope
There’s a place ( By God’s grace) where we’ll see your face again, we’ll see your face again…
We had so many plans for you, we had so many dreams
And now you’ve gone away and left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say and nothing we can do can take away the pain, the pain of losing you but…We can cry with hope, we can say goodbye with hope
Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope, cause we believe with hope
There’s a place ( By God’s grace) where we’ll see your face again, we’ll see your face again…
And never have I known anything so hard to understand
And never have I questioned more the wisdom of God’s plan
But through the cloud of tears I see the Father’s smile and say well done
And I imagine you where you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true, cause now you’re home and now you’re free, and…
And never have I questioned more the wisdom of God’s plan
But through the cloud of tears I see the Father’s smile and say well done
And I imagine you where you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true, cause now you’re home and now you’re free, and…
We can cry with hope, we can say goodbye with hope
Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope, cause we believe with hope
There’s a place (By God’s grace) where we’ll see your face again, we’ll see your face again…
Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope, cause we believe with hope
There’s a place (By God’s grace) where we’ll see your face again, we’ll see your face again…
We have this hope as an anchor, cause we believe that everything God promised us is true, so…
We wait with hope, and we ache with hope
We hold on with hope, we let go with hope
We wait with hope, and we ache with hope
We hold on with hope, we let go with hope
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