Thank you for being with us today. My family’s life has changed forever this past week. Most of you knew my mom as Mary, her nieces and nephews called her Auntie Mary. Her middle name was Grace, which means “a gift from God freely given.” She did possess many gifts from God but navigational skills were not among them. Two words that sent terror into her or as she would say, “Make me shiver in my boots” were DETOUR AHEAD.

Last Wednesday mom went on her final journey – to a place she had never been to. I knew that she would not find a detour on her journey. That Wednesday afternoon, my cousin Judy told me something about my mom that surprised me a bit. Judy told me that my mom had a deep devotion to the Rosary. This made me think back to my childhood. Yes, our family did pray the family Rosary as many families did in the 1950’s and the early 60’s. I knew that she slept with a Rosary under her pillow. As the years went on, I did not see her pray the Rosary but after my dad’s death she would tell me that when she had trouble sleeping she would begin to say the Rosary. She added that she never finished all five decades because she would fall asleep before she finished. I don’t know if she realized that God was preparing her for her last journey.

Since her passing I have thought how her life mirrored that of Mary and Jesus and the mysteries of the Rosary. Mom rejoiced in the announcements of engagements, weddings, and babies to be born. She loved going to parties and parades, sharing food and being with people. She not only prayed the Joyful Mysteries with Jesus and Mary, she lived them.

My mom also prayed and understood the Sorrowful Mysteries. Twenty years ago, she walked with her young adult son Jeff, through the dark valley of cancer treatment and snatched him from the jaws of death. She experienced the pain of watching her beloved husband, Cal suffer and die a horrible and disfiguring death. She knew pain of loneliness as she outlived almost every member of her family of origin and most of her friends. She not only prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries with Jesus and Mary, she lived them.

In recent years the Mysteries of Light have been added to the Rosary. The reason I mention these new stories of the Rosary is because of what mom’s infusion nurse shared with me. Last Tuesday, the day before mom died, I stopped in at the Rawson Clinic where mom had undergone her chemotherapy. Ruth, mom’s nurse saw me come in the office. Immediately she came running over to me, giving me a hug. Ruth said, “We heard the news. We are going to miss our Marion. She brought so much joy here. We don’t have much humor here and Marion always made us smile and laugh. She was a bright light here and we are going to miss her.” My mom once again prayed and lived the Mysteries of Light with Jesus and Mary.

Mom also prayed the Glorious Mysteries many times during the 82 years of her life. Now she lives these Mysteries with Jesus and Mary in her heavenly home. On Wednesday, November 23rd she completed her journey to God. She did not have to worry about detour signs for she had spent her life planning this journey. When my brothers and I met with Fr. Art to plan this liturgy, Fr. Art asked what mom had taught us. We said she taught us:

TO HAVE FAITH

TO BE COURAGEOUS

TO BE YOURSELF

TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS

TO LIVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE

Mom lived what she preached and prayed. Her life was an open book; one modeled on the Blessed Mother and her Son, Jesus. I know that God welcomed her to her new and everlasting home with open arms. Thanks mom for being such a great role model and a great mom. Heaven is sure lucky to have you. Godspeed!