Friday, October 3, 2014
In so many places over 16 years fellowship with Dorothy was enjoyed.
We of course began the good times at First Presbyterian Church in Elmwood Park. She was faithful with her husband George attending all the events in the life of the congregation. And well she could for she had been a member for many years prior to my installation as pastor in the church. Having come late to the party, I could hear her tell the tales of days gone by when there were many children and a full calendar of activates. Photographs from the church archives could reveal the many different activities she participated in over the years. She truly loved the Lord through her church and loved the church family. Her presence always added to the festivities. She was a stalwart of the church and its mission.
And then there was that basement on 15 Ryder Road. Always the welcome from George and Dorothy to come down and join in the projects that filled the days of retirement. Her ping pong table held the secrets of the many crafts thought of, planned for and then completed with other ladies from the church. Once completedthey would be given away or taken to the fall fair over in Wyckoff to be sold and the proceeds donated in the name of the church to children's ministry of the Reformed Church. The ping pong table also was the place where Dorothy and I painted a not a few plastic bag holders. We'd sit there and plan how to finish the wooden forms and hers were always the best. She had a wonderful touch for the details, even though she never thought so.
Later when it became necessary for her to live in a safe home, she reluctantly left Ryder Road and went to the assisted living home where she let others help her…. Eventually. Visiting Dot was always a conversation about her loves: Timothy, George, Brenda, Chelsea and Woody. She loved showing the photos and cards from them. Hearing her tell the stories, you knew there was a deep love for all of them. She shared with me the book the brother Art Glasser wrote about his ministry as a chaplain during WWII. We later had the adventure of finding a book binder, taking it to be rebound (where I nearly fainted when the binder told her the price of the job), but no matter it had to be done to preserve it for the family. We later had lunch where Dorothy ate a wonderfully filling meal at a favorite Fair Lawn restaurant Panera's. I was such an outing with Dorothy talking through every turn heading out of Passaic to Fair Lawn. She thought we were lost a few times, but we found our way back to Fair Lawn.
As the days passed at the assisted living, I would more frequently find Dot in her room with her books, mementos from missionaries she and George had fellowshipped with and stories about the family. She had wonderful stories about John and Arthur, trips down to Princeton to carry cookies, and others who had long since gone to be with the Lord. She would talk of George easily, wondering all the time why the Lord had taken him who was so competent and left her to figure out how to do all that was required, when over the years George had done it all so well. No answer to her puzzlement was sufficient except to say the Lord's grace was sufficient for everything and God had provided her with loving children who looked after the details of life.
Then sensing that the visit needed to end , I would say to Dot " lets pray before I have to leave". We would go to the Lord together and she would always say how thankful she was for the Lord Jesus, his death on the cross and the forgiveness he brought to her, for her family and for pastor and Thelma. I would agree with her and then end with thanks for the fellowship Dorothy and I had in the love of God, the cross of Christ and the sustaining power of the Holy Spirit.
It is wonderful gift for a pastor to have such memories and it is with heartfelt thanks that I remember Dorothy in this time of her home going to the Lord whom she loved and served.
Reverend Hal Thornton
September 30, 2014
