Della Rohrer, 102, of
Sheridan Illinois passed away Monday December the 24, 2018 at her home with her
family by her side. She was born August 19, 1916 in Mission township the
daughter of Daniel and Livie (voga) Twait. She was baptized and confirmed at
the Fox River Lutheran Church in Norway, Il. She married Burton A. Rohrer on January
4, 1936 at the church parsonage in Newark, Il. Della was not just a housewife,
she was also a farmer. When Burton’s family farm was passed on to them, Della
put in plenty of time in the fields to help out. Even in the last few years,
Della would be looking out the window, thinking about planting times, harvest
times, crops, machinery, and what work was going on in the fields around her. In
later years, when her help was not so desperately needed, she found herself
work at the Sandwich Hospital, working as the Supervisor for the Housekeeping
department for 18 years.
Della was a spiritually
strong woman. She faced life’s challenges and met them head on. She did not
whine or complain about her lot in life, but took the cards she was dealt in
life and played them well. Like Lady Wisdom, Della laid a solid foundation for
her house, her children, and family. And not only did she lay that foundation
at home, but she also went into the community and served as well, with the FHA
chapter, the Boy Scouts, the Community Chest, Sons of Norway and other
organizations. And when I say served, I meant she was not one of those who
needed to be a leader, but who helped wherever she could.
Della also served in her
church. She became a member of her husband’s home church, Union Congregational
in the 1950’s. As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ - she was a servant,
volunteering to help with many an activity, be it baking, helping to clean the
church, being a member of the Sunshine Band, or finding some other way to
serve. And she was faithful and devoted in her attendance and participation in
the life of the church.
Della’s faith was strong.
She was in her teens when the depression hit. It was a time when people did not
have the abundance of things and activities that distract and lead people
astray. In those days, people found order, discipline, and meaning through the
church. Indeed the church was the center of community and social activities for
many in that time. Old Time Religion for Della meant the basics, attending
worship, serving those in need, faith in times of trouble, and seeking God’s
presence in prayer. The last time I visited her and took her communion, she
mentioned how God’s presence had sustained her and was still sustaining her in
the midst of her illness.
As the years passed, again
like Lady Wisdom, Della rejoiced in the fruit that her life and faith bore. She
loved her interactions with children, and grandchildren and great
grandchildren. She loved gathering with family and relatives of all sorts, and
many a time, she would adopt friends and others as unofficial members of her
family, and of course she loved being with her church family. Again, a
beautiful statement of her Christian faith. While we are sad at her passing,
it’s tough to be sad about how great a blessing Della was to those in her
family, her community, and her church. And it’s tough to be sad about such a
long and wonderful life.
Finally, let’s talk about
the resurrection! Paul’s proof of the resurrection, to the Corinthian church
lies in what he calls the first fruits of the resurrection. The remembrance of
those wonderful Christ like qualities of those who have passed being raised in
us for the living our lives. As we gather to worship the risen Christ, as we
gather to hear the gospel each week, we are engaging in that act of
remembrance, and we are reminded again of those wonder people like Della, who
laid a foundation for our lives, and have shown us the way to life eternal. For
as they are alive in us, we can be assured that they have been raised unto
heaven above. And that’s the Good News of Jesus Christ!
No comments:
Post a Comment