Good morning…
Receiving this sympathy email from the church, our community’s loss is formally announced.
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Since childhood Cole has been a good friend of our 24-year-old son, Kyler. The guys wrestled together in middle and high school, Cole vacationed with us more than once, and both Kyler and Cole loved gathering with good friends to stuff themselves with my homemade Stromboli.
I have also loved sharing time with Cole’s mom, Peggy. In their younger years, I picked Kyler up at her home after multiple playdates, we sat together in the bleachers for day long wrestling tournaments, we shared close friendships with the moms from our sons’ class at school, and we loved seeing our boys join the church together on Confirmation Sunday. So talking and texting with Peggy several times this week has been both excruciatingly hard and deeply touching. Peggy has decided to honor her son in a private family service with my husband officiating.
For years I have also loved Cole’s stepmom, Elizabeth. We too sat in the wrestling stands together, we have learned about God together in various studies, we have regularly met up for lunch or walked and talked with our dogs, and, as families, we have weathered the sad, sudden death of Cole’s dad a few years back. So talking and texting with Elizabeth this week has been both painstaking and life-giving. Cole’s friends, co-workers, and their family members will honor Cole’s memory in a service at 2:00 pm this afternoon. Deeply honored, my husband will speak to our community of devastated grievers.
Cole’s life has faced hardship. Divorce. Estrangement. Drug and alcohol treatment. His dad’s shocking death. A private battle with demons too personal to name. Cole’s life has also embraced love and laughter, good friends and great memories. All of Cole’s life journey will be celebrated in a large service today and in a small, private ceremony next week with close family.
“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you,” (Jeremiah 32:17, NIV). We now ask You, dear LORD, to be with all those who are grieving. Please heal our deep hurts, in Your time, in Your way.
…Sue…
