The Passing of Aunt Elizabeth

Sharon and I took a Chinatown Bus down to Richmond, VA this weekend to attend the funeral of my Great Aunt Elizabeth Shelton who died this past Wednesday, Oct. 25th from a sudden and unexpected heart attack, leaving everyone stunned.

Aunt Elizabeth was survived by her husband of 60 years, Jesse Shelton , two children, five grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Uncle Jesse and Aunt Elizabeth had lived in the same house for over 50 years in the Richmond area. Aunt Elizabeth was a strong follower of the Lord and a faithful member of Skipwith United Methodist Church. My interactions with her over the years had been unfortunately short but always meaningful.

Aunt Elizabeth and my grandmother, Kathryn, were sisters and confidants, talking on the phone nearly every day. They both come from the McDaniel family, having grown up in Shenandoah, VA. From the seven McDaniel siblings, my grandmother and her two brothers, Granvil and Ralph, are now the three surviving members (pictured above).

Attending Aunt Elizabeth's funeral reminded me about the frailty of life and the suddenness of death. At her memorial there was "A Time of Witness" where people could get up and share about her and what she had meant to them. It was a powerful and humbling time to see so many touched by her daily and steadfast example of God's love.

I think of Pirke Avot 3:1 from the Mishna that sums up a man's existence, from where he has come, to where he is going, and who will be his judge.

"Akavya ben Mahalalel said: Reflect upon three things and you will not live a life of sin. Know from where you have come, to where you are going, and before whom you will stand to give an account and reckoning. From where have you come?--from a putrid drop. To where are you going?--to the place of dust, worm, and maggot. Before whom are you destined to give an account and reckoning?--before the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be he." (My translation)

Even more than paying respects to the deceased individual, a funeral is a reunion of family and friends. It is a reminder of the invisible bond that knits this particular community together whether for good or ill. One of the most important obligations of the biblical world was to have children. By creating offspring, one was passing their genes on to future generations, causing their name and memory to remain long after their flesh had rotted away. Family is a living and perpetual memorial of the dead.

Death should remind us of life. And this life is not something we should scorn or squander. God has made an investment in each one of us to live up to His image. Long after the maggot has invaded our earthly vessels, faith expressed in deeds towards others will stand impervious to death's sting. May our families continue in these "genes" of faith and good works that have been passed down to them.