A Tribute To Great Aunt Claire Rodeffer

The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

A Tribute To Great Aunt Claire Rodeffer

by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher/Owner

March 2, 2011

Homemade Valentine Card

Brings Comfort At Funeral...

Last Friday, attending my husband Michael's, great Aunt Claire Rodeffer's funeral for a loving 103 year old grandmother, was a very moving event. It really was a lesson in just how important each person in our families are, and without pomp and circumstance, award-winning medals, or a resume that reaches around the world. It comes as easy as the simple words of a childhood Sunday School song which explains how much we each are loved by Jesus.

Great Aunt Claire's life story was told Friday morning by each of her ten grandchildren. It was precious and it included the thoughts and memories of the oldest and reached all the way down to the youngest, who perhaps hadn't known her as long, but still were influenced by her in her last years of her long life. Each came to the podium, not an easy thing to do, and shared a few memories in the best way they could considering these difficult circumstances.

In their few words, they drew a picture of how much their grandmother had meant to them and shared special times at her home.

They talked about her sweet tooth they had inherited, sayings they liked (eat dessert first) her spontaneous ability to join in fun, her warnings to not tear up the carpet, her laughter, playing games whether good at them or not, and on and on. The "special" granddaughters (and niece) shared how much work it took to be "special" - such as lots of tea parties, playing games, doing nails, learning to knit and crochet, and cook, and learning how to be a proper lady.

All the fun on the farm was a big part of the fun with grandmother as she took part in "what they were up to". Their hide-aways were usually found out when grandmother came and wanted to cross the log, across the creek to see their special place of play for the day. It was "push here" and "pull there" to help get Grandmother across, and then she would join in the fun.

The main thing, Jody said, who admitted she tried her "unconditional love," was that she did love each of them unconditionally, and that she had modeled the love of Christ to each of them.

Before each grandchild came to the podium in order of their age and told what their grandmother meant to them, eldest granddaughter Anna Rodeffer of La Harpe, ended her eulogy by using the old familiar Bible school song "Jesus Loves Me." She had tweaked it to fit her grandmother for a Valentine Card, but this day, it reflected the message that their grandmother had taught each of them so well, and which each grandchild expressed is so important about her life:

Jesus Loves me this I know

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to him belong,

We are weak but he is strong:

Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me.