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FUNERAL
ChaplainDoy
- 15-8-2007 at 09:57 AM
Funeral for Ada Putnam Cloninger
Farmers branch, Texas August 14, 2007
Scripture reading
“Come unto me”, He whisperers to us. “ and I will give you rest” If we respond
to His loving invitation, allowing His divine wisdom to pierce the heavy sadness
that curtains our souls, we will receive the sweet rest and refreshment He has
promised. He will teach us personally the very core of His message to mankind.
Now, when our bereavement has emptied our hearts of all else He will teach us
the true meaning of life and the true meaning of suffering and the true meaning
of death.
Song- Precious Memories , Randy Gore
Prayer- Lord thank you for sharing this life of our dear one she touched so many
lifes comfort us now as only you can in Jesus name
Ada Mae Putnam Cloninger born April 28, 1920 in Farmers Branch, Texas went to be
with The Lord on August 10, 2007. She is survived by her son Doy Cloninger Jr
and wife Debi Cloninger of Burleson. Grandson Gary Cloninger and wife Danene
Cloninger of Weatherford. Caitlin and Shannon Cloninger of Burleson and Great
grandchildren Laci and Levi Cloninger of Weatherford
Proceeded in death by Brother G.B. Putnam 1920, Father
Thomas Graham Putnam
1941, Mother Ruby Putnam Tracy 1963, son Thomas Charles Cloninger 1996 and
husband of 65 years Doy Cloninger Sr 2003.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great goodness.
As a father is tender towards his children, so is the Lord tender to those that
fear him. For he knows of what we are made; he remembers that we are but dust.
Our days are like the grass; we flourish like a flower of the field; when the
wind goes over it, it is gone and its place will know it no more. But the
merciful goodness of the Lord endures forever and ever toward those that fear
him and his righteousness upon their children's children.
Mom was raised on a Dairy farm not far from here where Webb’s Chapel and Royal
lane meet today. That was Farmers Branch at that time. She told me many stories
of growing up on a farm in the 20’s. She said her family came from MS to Texas
before she was born around 1910. They settled first in East Texas near Edgewood.
Her brother G.B. was born there and died before he was 2 years old. The family
Moved to Farmers Branch around 1920. My mom lived also with her grandparents on
the farm. Jeremiah and Sarah Putnam. She loved her grandparents dearly. She said
that they raised her mostly as her mom and dad worked the farm. They raised
animals along with a cotton and corn crop. They also produced dairy products to
deliver to the neighbors and in the Highland Park area of Dallas.
Around 1932 they moved to Dallas to work at the Texas Textile Mill at Love
Field. This was a time when many families moved from farm life to the city to
work in factories. She met my dad there and they married September 10, 1938 in
Carrollton and were married for 65 years until my dad died in November of 2003.
Mom worked for a short time at the mill. My brother Thomas was born September
16, 1941 and a short time later dad was called to serve his country in 1943. My
brother was only two at the time. This was a very difficult for mom as she had
to raise a son while my dad was away. I know how hard it was because of the
letters they wrote while dad was overseas. I have those letters today and
cherish them. They read like a diary of this difficult time in their lives. Of
course dad did come home in 1945 and in 1948 the family moved to Dallas to the
community of Field City. Mom worked for a company called Beckets for about a
year. She did not work on a job after the mid 50’s. She devoted herself to our
family and what a fine job she did making our home a place where others wanted
to be. I can remember my friends all wanted to come to our house because mom
made it a fun place to be. She did some fine cooking as well.
Even after I left home I would come back on Sundays with my family for some of
that fine home cooking and the holidays were even better her dressing and potato
salad were famous. In 1998 I finally talked mom and dad into moving to Burleson.
This turned out to be a good decision for all they were close to me and my
family and their neighbors have been great. You could not ask for a better group
of folks than those on Wanda Way in Burleson.
Song- Supper time, Al Korcheski
Mom’s spiritual life was an interesting one. She told me stories of growing up
in a church not knowing if she was good enough to be saved. There were so many
rules to keep you felt like a failure if you could not keep them so she went
into adulthood not really being secure about her salvation. When mom and dad
moved to Burleson she and dad started attending Old Town Country Church and
there they surrendered their lives to Christ and she told me she was finally
secure in knowing she would spend eternity with Jesus. The church is not there
anymore it has been gone for a while now. I am assured that mom and dad are in
heaven today and I believe that old church had a lot to do with that. Billy
Graham was a favorite of mom’s and she would watch his services on TV and at the
invitation she would hear Just as I am and she said it made her feel safe as if
she were in Jesus arms. Mom can experience that she is now safe in Jesus arms as
the bible tells us to be absent from the body is to be in the presence of The
Lord.
Song- Just as I am, Tim Dennis
Mom would want others to know that you don’t have to worry about keeping rules
to get to heaven. The bible says in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God. We don’t have to be perfect to come to God. He makes
the changes in us that we can’t make ourselves. You can’t get there by anything
except by the grace of God.
Ephesians 2:8and 9 says by grace are you saved by faith and not of yourselves it
is the gift of God. Not of works should any man boast.
So what does this verse mean you may ask? Grace is a free gift only God could do
this. To cleanse us of all sin just because He wants to and because He loved us
that much. The faith is our part we have to trust Him to do the work in us He
has promised. Not of ourselves means we can’t do anything to be saved. We can’t
keep enough rules. We can’t do enough good things to get to heaven on our own.
The gift of God is a free gift meaning we don’t have to deserve it or give
anything to receive it. What could we possibly give anyway that would be
adequate.
I urge you today to take advantage of the free gift God offers. You need not
worry about being good enough as we have just read from the bible. Come as you
are and Jesus will save you. He will do the work. If you have not done so this
is your opportunity to be with all of our loved one’s who have accepted Christ
and gone on before us.
God our creator and redeemer, by your power Christ conquered death and entered
into glory. Confident of His victory and claiming His promises, we entrust our
loved one to your mercy in the name of Jesus our Lord, who died and is alive and
reigns with you, now and forever.
Song- Ashokan Farwell- Doy Cloninger
Closing Prayer
Lord comfort us now as only you can. Bless these that are here and my prayer is
that all here will come to know your saving grace. In Jesus name amen
Notes:
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