IN LOVING MEMORY OF: "MY MOTHER" I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY A VERY HUMBLE MAN. BUT A MAN, THAT IS SO VERY PROUD AND HONORED TO HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO CALL ONE OF GOD'S GREATEST CHRISTIAN WARRIORS, "MOM". I ALSO SPEAK FOR MY BROTHERS, DAVID AND CHUCK, THEIR WIVES, AND ALL THE GRANDCHILDREN AS WELL. I WILL TRY TO KEEP THIS AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE BUT HOW DO YOU SUM UP A MOTHERS LIFE IN A VERY FEW WORDS. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME, WELL, YOU KNOW I LOVE TO TALK. BUT TODAY, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU JUST A LITTLE OF MOM'S JOURNEY IN LIFE AND THE IMPACT SHE HAD ON THE PEOPLE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF CROSSING HER PATH IN LIFE. AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE GREATNESS AND HONOR SHE SYMBOLIZED IN LIFE AND EVEN AFTER, I JUST WANT TO ITERATE TO YOU THAT THIS IS THE MOST HONORABLE MOMENT I WILL EVER EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE. AND YES, I AM NOT WORTHY OF THIS HONOR AS I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY. I, ALONG WITH MY BROTHERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WILL ONLY TRY AND MAKE MOM PROUD. AND WITH THAT SAID, LET ME JUST START BY SAYING: IN LOVING MEMORY OF: LOIS MARIE DONNALLY BRITT AUGUST 27, 1929 - UNTIL FOREVER IN ALL OUR HEARTS TODAY, WE GATHER HERE TO HONOR MY MOTHER WHO LOVED AND SERVED THE LORD WITH ALL HER HEART AND SOUL. A WOMAN WHO ALSO EXEMPLIFIED THAT LOVE, COMFORT, PEACE AND CARING TO EVERYONE SHE MET IN LIFE. SHE REMINDS ME SO VERY MUCH OF THE STORY OF RUTH AND NAOMI IN THE BIBLE THAT IS SO OFTEN TOLD. SHE TRULY EXEMPLIFIED THE CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY OF A TRUE CHRISTIAN, AND ALL THAT KNEW HER AND MET HER, SAW THE CHRISTIAN LOVE SHE EMBODIED. AND LIKE THAT OF RUTH, THE LOVE, GIVING OF ONES SELF AND THE CARING WAY OF LIFE SHE LIVED WAS SO CONTAGIOUS. SHE WAS VERY DEVOTED TO HER LORD AND SAVIOR AND HER FAMILY, AND TRIED TO LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST. SHE WAS MANY THINGS TO MANY PEOPLE. AND IF I WERE TO ASK EACH ONE OF YOU DESCRIBE IN ONE WORD WHAT MOM MEANT TO EACH ONE YOU, I'M SURE THE LIST WOULD BE TOO LONG TO COVER HERE TODAY. BUT THERE'S JUST A FEW VERY DEAR TERMS THAT IMMEDIATELY COME TO MY MIND; SUCH AS LOVING MOTHER, THE GREATEST GRANNY, WONDERFUL SISTER, SUPER SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER, BUT MOST OF ALL GODS LOVING CHRISTIAN ANGEL... (YES, I KNOW THESE WERE 2 WORD TERMS BUT LIKE I SAID ONE WORD IS VERY ELUSIVE WHEN TRYING TO DESCRIBE A PERSON LIKE MOM AND WHAT SHE MEANT TO EACH ONE OF US AND HOW SHE TOUCHED EACH OF OUR LIVES). I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD TO THAT LIST JUST FEW MORE TERMS. THERE IS ALSO, BEST FRIEND, GENEROUS TO A FAULT, KIND, UNDERSTANDING, BUT MOST OF ALL THE ONE WORD THAT REALLY STANDS OUT THE MOST IS: "GRANNY". YES, SHE'S JUST "GRANNY" AND WITH THAT SAID, YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT THE LORD WAS FIRST AND FOREMOST IN HER LIFE, THEN THE NEXT MOST PRECIOUS THING IN HER LIFE WERE HER GRANDCHILDREN. THEY MEANT EVERYTHING TO HER. YOU'VE HEARD THE TERM, "MY CUP RUNNETH OVER"! WELL HER CUP WAS ALWAYS MORE THAN FULL AND RUNNING OVER WITH LOVE AND DEVOTION FOR HER GRAND'S. THE LOVE THEY SHARED WAS INFINITE AND WITHOUT CONDITION. AND IF YOU EVER HEARD HER SPEAK OF THEM, IT WAS SO INSPIRING AND DEEPLY TOUCHING THE WAY SHE WOULD CHARACTERIZE EACH ONE. BUT IF YOU KNEW MOM, THAT WAS HER TRADEMARK, ... ALWAYS A KIND WORD OR A VERSE OF SCRIPTURE THAT WOULD INSPIRE AND INSTILL CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF, OR SHE HAD A WAY ABOUT HER THAT WOULD JUST SHOWCASE THAT BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN LOVE SHE WAS SO WELL KNOWN FOR. BUT SPEAKING OF TRADEMARKS, MOM WAS A TREASURE CHEST FULL OF THEM. THERE WAS HER COOKING ... AND, OH SHE COULD PUT THE WEIGHT ON YOU IN A "CHARLESTON, SC MINUTE"... (UT OH ... WAIT A MINUTE ... WE'RE DOWN SOUTH HERE... THAT'S QUITE A WHILE AIN'T IT) ... THEN THERE WAS HER SINGING... THAT MEANT SO MUCH TO HER. BUT THEN SHE LOST PART OF HER VOCAL CORDS BUT THAT DIDN�T STOP HER FROM SINGING HER HYMNS AND PRAISES TO THE LORD AND ALSO TO HER GRANDS ... YES, AND THEY ARE QUITE GROWN UP NOW AS YOU CAN SEE, AND TO THIS DAY THEY STILL LOVE TO HEAR HER SING HER PRAISES TO HER LORD. THEN THERE WAS CAMPING OR SHOULD I SAY MOTOR HOMING ... YES, THAT'S WHAT HER AND DAD CALLED IT ... CAMPING -- WHAT I KNOW OF CAMPING IS THAT YOU GO OUT IN THE WOODS SOMEWHERE AND THROW UP A TENT AND SLEEP IN IT, NOT A PLUSH MOTOR HOME ... THERE WAS ALSO TEACHING SUNDAY SCHOOL, AND I CAN NEVER RECALL A CLASS THAT SHE TAUGHT, THAT ALL THE KIDS WEREN'T SPELLBOUND BY THE WAY SHE TOLD THE STORY OF JESUS CHRIST. OH, HOW COULD I FORGET, WHILE I'M AT IT, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT HER OTHER STORY TELLING ABILITIES: SHE WOULD ALWAYS TELL STORIES ABOUT HER SONS TO EVERYONE SHE MET. YOU KNOW THOSE THAT WOULD JUST EMBARRASS US TO THE CORE ... THAT TURNING REAL RED THINGY YOU DO ... WELL, MOM CALLED IT BEING PROUD ... WEll, MY BROTHERS AND I CALLED IT, MOM, PLEASE BE QUIET! SHHHHHHSSSSHHHH!!!! , QUIT TALKING!! PLEASE BE QUIET NOW!!! NOW, IF YOU WILL, ON ANOTHER NOTE, I WANT TO ADDRESS SOMEONE THAT WAS VERY SPECIAL TO MOM ... IN THE VERY LAST DAYS OF HER LIFE HERE WITH US, MY BEAUTIFUL AND LOVING WIFE. SHE DEVOTED HERSELF TO GETTING MOMS MEDS, BUYING HER GROCERIES, CHANGING HER BED LINENS, WASHING HER CLOTHES AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. SHE AND MOM BECAME SO CLOSE AND THE BOND OF LOVE BETWEEN THEM RADIATED LIKE THE BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE HEAVENS. BUT ALSO ALONG MOMS JOURNEY IN LIFE THERE WERE ALSO OTHER DAUGHTER-IN-LAWS LIKE WANDA, WHO CLEANED HER HOUSE, FIXED SUPPERS, MADE MOMS POTATO SALAD JUST LIKE MOM DID, AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS PRIOR TO MOM MOVING UP TO MARYLAND WITH MY WIFE AND I. THEN THERE WAS SHARI, JOANN AND SUE WHO WE KNOW LOVE HER VERY MUCH AND WOULD CALL AND CHECK ON HER ... AND ASK WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?, AMONG OTHER THINGS. YES, EACH ONE OF THEM HOLD A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN MOM�S HEART AND WE KNOW THEY LOVE HER VERY DEARLY AS WELL AND I KNOW THEY WILL MISS HER SO VERY MUCH. THEN THERE'S MOM'S EXTENDED FAMILY , MY WIFE'S, MY FATHER-IN-LAW WHOM I CALL DAD, MY MOTHER-IN-LAW WHOM I ALSO CALL MOM, BUBBA (WHO BLESS HIS HEART COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY. HE'S PREPARING TO GO TO IRAQ), DEBBIE AND DOUG, AND ROY AND BECKY. AND I LOVE AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT US IN OUR TIME OF GRIEF. IT MEANS SO MUCH TO US. I LOVE YOU! YES, THEY HAD THE WONDERFUL PLEASURE OF MEETING MOM AND AS USUAL LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, THEY TOTALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH HER AND SHE WITH THEM. AND WHEN MY OTHER MOM (MY WIFE CHERYL'S MOM), JANETTE, LOST HER HUSBAND, SHE AND MOM SHARED THE LOSS OF THEIR HUSBANDS TOGETHER AND FOUND THEMSELVES CONSOLING EACH OTHER WITH SCRIPTURE FROM THE BIBLE. THERE WAS ALSO HER CHURCH FAMILY WHICH SHE SPOKE ALL THE TIME OF AND HOW SHE MISSED THEM SO MUCH. SHE REALLY LOVED SHARING THE STORY OF OUR LORD WITH THEM ... AND NOW SHE RESIDES IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN WITH HER LORD AND SAVIOR AND SHE STANDS SO STRAIGHT AND TALL ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD ... THERE'S NO MORE OSTEOPOROSIS, NO MORE PAIN, NO MORE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, NO MORE BENT OVER DOUBLE ... SHE IS NOW STANDING EVER UPRIGHT AND WHOLE SINGING THE PRAISES OF HER LORD AND SAVIOR ... THE KING OF ALL KINGS. LAST BUT NOT LEAST WERE HER SISTERS, AUNT PEGGY, AUNT DEANIE AND AUNT RUBY ... YES, YOU MAY KNOW AUNT RUBY AS A SISTER-IN-LAW BUT IN THIS FAMILY SHE WAS NEVER CONSIDERED IN-LAW ... SHE WAS ALWAYS CONSIDERED A SISTER. AND I CAN REMEMBER SO WELL MOM WOULD SHARE WITH ME AND MY WIFE HOW MUCH SHE WANTED TO BE WITH HER SISTERS AND WOULD SIT AND JUST CRY BECAUSE SHE LOVED AND MISSED THEM SO MUCH. SHE WANTED SO DEARLY TO BE HERE LIVING CLOSE TO THEM SO SHE COULD SEE THEM WHEN SHE WANTED. THEY MEANT THE WORLD TO HER ... SHE LOVED YOU SO VERY MUCH ... I WOULD LIKE TO INJECT A LITTLE SOMETHING HERE IF YOU WOULD LET ME ... RIGHT NOW IT IS VERY HARD FOR ME TO STAND HERE AND TRY TO SUM UP HER LIFE IN JUST A FEW WORDS AND EVERYTHING SHE WAS AND MEANT TO EVERY ONE, BUT MORE ESPECIALLY TO ME. AND YES, I WANT TO BE SO SELFISH AND SPEAK OF WHAT SHE MEANT TO ME AND MY LIFE AND ALL THE POSITIVE AND WONDERFUL INFLUENCES SHE BROUGHT TO MY LIFE ... BUT I PROMISED , I WOULD BEHAVE TODAY. ... I REALLY DON'T WANT TO BUT I'LL BE A GOOD BOY JUST FOR NOW ... AGAIN, I SPEAK FOR MY BROTHERS, THEIRS WIVES, AND THE GRANDCHILDREN WHEN I SAY WE ONLY HOPE AND PRAY THAT WE HAVE MADE HER PROUD IN THIS LIFE AND THAT SHE CAN STAND TALL AND SAY YES, THESE CHILDREN AND GRAND'S ARE MINE, AND MAYBE, IF WE CAN LIVE THE LIFE THAT SHE DID, WE WILL SOMEDAY HEAR THOSE SAME WORDS SHE HAS JUST EXPERIENCED JUST DAYS AGO ... "WELL DONE THY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT", ENTER IN AND SUPP WITH ME AND REJOICE IN THE LORD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEARING WITH ME TODAY AND ALLOWING ME TO SHARE JUST A FEW OF THE WONDERFUL AND LOVING FACETS OF OUR MOM. I HAVE BARELY TOUCHED THE SURFACE IN ATTEMPTING TO DESCRIBE THE WOMAN WE ALL KNOW AS LOIS, GRANNY AND MOM; YES, I SAID, THE PERSON WE KNOW AND LOVE, THIS LOVELY CHRISTIAN SOUL WHO TOUCHED THE LIVES OF EVERYONE SHE MET IN A VERY SPECIAL WAY. AND DID YOU NOTICE THAT I SPOKE IN THE PRESENT TENSE ... KNOW AND LOVE ... THAT'S BECAUSE SHE IS STILL EVER PRESENT IN OUR HEARTS, MINDS AND SOULS AND WILL REMAIN THERE FOR TODAY AND FOREVER MORE. SO, IF YOU WILL, LET US TAKE JUST A MOMENT TO REFLECT AND REMEMBER ALL THE WONDERFUL AND LOVING TIMES WE SHARED WITH HER. AND ALSO, LET US REMEMBER THAT SHE WAS JUST ON LOAN TO US AND THAT GOD HAS A GREATER PLAN FOR HER. AND WITH THAT SAID, I JUST WANT TO SAY FROM EACH ONE OF US HERE TODAY MOM, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS FOREVER MORE. THIS IS NOT GOODBYE BUT WAIT FOR ME, I'M COMING, AND I'll SEE YOU SOON. YOUR LOVING SON, RANDALL A. BRITT