Heritage Presbyterian ChurchMemorial Service, Joyce Visscher, February 20, 2002
Scripture reading by Pastor Bill Teng:
Isaiah 40:28-31; Psalm 27:1, 4-5, 9-10, 13-14
Romans 14:7-9, 10b-12; John 14:1-6, 25-27
Heritage Presbyterian Church
Memorial Service, Joyce Visscher, February 20, 2002
Scripture reading by Pastor Bill Teng:
Isaiah 40:28-31; Psalm 27:1, 4-5, 9-10, 13-14
Romans 14:7-9, 10b-12; John 14:1-6, 25-27
For twelve years she fought cancer. I don't know how many times she lost all her hair, but would show up in church with a gorgeous wig—yet have it off as soon as there was enough hair attractively covering her head.
No one would have believed that her beloved Bob would proceed her to the grave. Yet it was just less than eight months ago that we gathered here in this sanctuary to honor and remember her beloved husband. It was she who drove him to Cleveland for serious surgery. Drove him there and home—more than once—and nursed and cared and worried and loved him until his dying day.
It was she who insisted on being wheeled onto an airplane in Hawaii; and over the strenuous objections of her children, she stubbornly and emphatically insisted upon flying home alone from the Islands. She would get home!
She did get home and was met at the airport by her dear friends, the Hernandez'. She indeed made it to West Boulevard Drive where she died in her home, surrounded by the love of family and friends, the prayers of her church family, the ministries of Bill Teng and Arnold Porter and the wonderfully compassionate care of Hospice.
Thanks be to God for the life of Joyce Elaine Visscher loving wife, always concerned mother and grandmother, devoted church woman, Christian woman of courage and faith.
Ah, a woman of courage and faith. The Greek verb for courage appears only in the imperative form in the New Testament. Here are some verbs requiring immediately action.
"Do it!"
"Come here!"
"Pray!"
"Ask!
"Seek!"
"Follow me!"
"Courage!"
Here are four short vignettes where the imperative "Courage!" is counseled.
Jesus is walking through the village and nearby an obviously ill man, is being borne to the master's side. Jesus turns and says to the man, "Courage son, your sins are forgiven." And later instructs the young man, "Stand up, take your bed and go to your home."
A woman trails the master as he walks among a crowd through the village. The woman had suffered hemorrhaging for 12 years; she thought if she could only touch the master's garment she would be healed. Jesus turns to her and says "Courage, your faith has made you well."
Blind Bartimaeus is crying out to the Master. The disciples hush him, but Jesus calls Bartimaeus to his side. The disciples say to Bartimaeus, "Courage, get up, he is calling you."
Jesus is walking toward his disciples in the storm on the lake, and they are afraid, and he says to his disciples, "Courage, it is I, do not be afraid."
Built around these four short stories is the gospel of courage and faith that describe the lives lived by Joyce and Bob, and becomes a guide for our own lives. "Courage, your sins are forgiven." "Courage, your faith has made you well." "Courage, get up, he is calling you." "Courage, it is I, do not be afraid." And, in some real sense, they encapsulate the Gospel for us: forgiveness, faith, being called, without fear.
Paul was a pastor to the early Christian church at Thessalonica. He wrote them two epistles—Pastoral Epistles—in which are gems of counsel and advice. And they are equally applicable this morning as we remember and honor the life of our Sister Joyce.
We don't know when! Arnie Porter, sage that he is, said to me once, "At our age, we never know when we have an appointment with the doctor what the news will be, but probably bad."
We not only have no notion when we will die, but the New Testament is equally clear that we have no notion of the return of the Lord. Paul re-enforces this with the Thessalonians. The Lord's return will be as a thief in the night.
But then he counsels his parishioners: "We are not of the night, we are of the day; and as daughters and sons of the day we are urged to don the breastplate of faith and love." Joyce and Bob certainly wore the clothes of faith and love. They were people of the day; assured that whether awake or asleep, whether alive or dead, they were indeed together with the Lord.
There is no difference between now and then! The relationship holds!
But then comes that profound pastoral advice: "Therefore call upon one another, build up each other, one on one, just as you now do."
Why in the world would Joyce and Bob want a viewing here, in this church? Because here, in this church building, with this church family, with this people of God, was where they found the courage to endure unbelievable suffering, and the faith to face whatever life would throw at them, and the love of God which was expressed with total commitment to each other, embraced each of their children in turn with love and understanding, encircled their grandchildren, and reached out through this community of faith to the world around them.
You see, the Christian faith offers no mystery in the face of the ultimate mystery. The Christian faith offers, instead, a community of the faithful in which forgiveness is found. Courage keeps us firm in our faith and love abounds.
We are not of the night. We are sons and daughters of the day!
Let us pray:
We give our thanks to you, Eternal and Loving God,
for the life and times of Joyce Elaine Visscher.
We are grateful that her suffering is over and done,
and that she has been received into your loving arms.
Look upon her children with pity;
comfort them in their sorrow and grieving;
fill them with a profound sense of your spirit and love.
Look upon her grandchildren with care.
As their lives unfold,
may they always be aware
of the marvelous grandparents from whom came their genes.
Thanks be to you, Almighty God,
for the fellowship of this communion,
for their love expressed in so many different ways,
but always, their presence in our greatest times of need.
Even as they call upon you, may they call upon one another,
and continue to build up each other
in the faith and love received from you.
Amen.
Scripture Reading from I Thessalonians 5:1-11
Concerning the times and suitable seasons, brothers (and sisters)
you have no need to be reminded (to be written to), for you rightly
know that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. When
they say, "Peace and security." there will suddenly come upon them
instant destruction, as the labor pains of a woman, and there is no
way out. But you brothers (and sisters) are not in the darkness, so
that day (when the Lord comes) you would not be surprised as
a thief in the night. For all of you are sons (and daughters) of the
light and of the day. We are not of the night and darkness.
Therefore we shall not fall asleep as the others do, but we shall
be awake and sober, for those who fall asleep do so at night,
and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. Since we are of the day,
let us put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of
hope of salvation. God did not set us up for the wrath, but for
the laying up of preservation (salvation) through our Lord Jesus
Christ who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep
we may be together with him. Therefore, call upon one another,
build up each other, one upon one, just as you now do.
[Translation by Bob Curry]
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Joyce Visscher was a fighter. Having the appearance of a typical housewife and mother, she had the strength of steel inside her that few could ever comprehend. An incredible mother, a loving wife, an adoring grandmother, an exceptional hostess, a gracious guest, a true friend, she always served others and expected little in return. Always looking like "high society" at its best, she presented herself with style and grace while impacting other's lives in so many positive ways. Joyce was born in Alma, Michigan, the eldest of two sisters to modest parents within a typical Midwest town. Growing up after the depression and through the war years, she learned to honor hard work and the value of a dollar. After completion of high school, she moved to Lansing where she attended and graduated from Michigan State University (MSU) with a major in Home Economics. While at MSU, she met a young man named Bob who was pursuing his own future via an Army ROTC scholarship. They courted, fell in love, and were married on July 24th, 1954 in a double wedding with Joyce's only sister, Gala, who married her high school sweetheart, Gail. Joyce and Bob were happily married almost 47 years when Bob passed away last July. During that 47 years of marriage Joyce and Bob lived in numerous locations around the world, courtesy of 26 years in the U.S. Army. They lived in FT Huachuca AZ, Monterey CA, Hanou Germany, Kaiserslautern Germany, FT Monmouth NJ, Lansing MI, Alexandria VA, Hoescht Germany, Heidelberg Germany, and then finally settled down in Alexandria VA. In each of these settings, Joyce made a loving and beautiful home whether in the desert, mountains, or city, United States or overseas. During these world travels, Joyce and Bob raised three children; Scott (1957), Kevin (1960), and Kala (1969). Another child, Lisa Elaine, was buried following birth in 1959 at Arlington National Cemetery. Joyce excelled as a loving mother, going above and beyond the call of motherhood for the benefit of her children. She cared for them when they needed care, scolded them when they needed scolding, pushed them when they needed to be pushed, and always loved them unconditionally. And her support of them was legendary, volunteering to be a Den Mother for Cub Scouts, a Girl Scout leader, Homeroom mother, driver for sports teams, and supporter of any and all other venues of childhood activity. Yet Joyce was a professional too. She taught in local high schools (Ft Hunt, Groveton, Hayfield) as a Home Economics teacher for many years in a full time or part time capacity. Many local girls, now in their mid-thirties or older, thank Joyce for what she passed on to them regarding culinary and seamstress skills. Also outside of the home, Joyce loved her involvement in several local garden clubs. Her primary interest was in dried flower arrangements, displaying her exceptional talent in numerous venues throughout the years in the local community. This was an important part of her life, making the home pretty and providing enjoyment for all who experienced her work. Long standing members of Heritage Presbyterian Church, Joyce and Bob joined Heritage after moving to Virginia in 1965. During her 37 years of membership, Joyce was the president of the Presbyterian Women of the Church four different years earning an Honorary Life Membership and was also a member of and leader for the Rebecca Circle. Additionally, she was a long time member of the Fellowship Committee and the Koinonia Committee, a tragedy support group. She also enjoyed involvement with the "Meals on Wheels" program, the church's annual Progressive Dinner, and entertaining at her home for any good church cause like YoungLife, Heritage Youth Group parties, etc. Though besieged by breast cancer in early 1987, she fought back with a determination that is seldom seen and always admired. When dealing with metastasized bone cancer in 1992, she continued fighting while maintaining her life's "status quo" and rarely letting others see her pain. Her mental outlook was continually positive and upbeat, and her physical condition exceeded all expectations by the medical community. But alas, following the death of her life's soulmate, she finally succumbed to congestive heart failure ... a by-product of chemotherapy that she received for her cancer. Whenever you knew Joyce, no matter how you knew Joyce, the bottom line was that she was an extremely loving and giving person who always made the most of life. A wonderful mother and a loving wife, she made this world a better place ... and she will be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be provided to Heritage Presbyterian Church (Joyce Visscher Memorial Fund), 8503 Ft Hunt Rd, Alex. VA, 22308 or to the American Cancer Society. |
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Participating in the service:
Rev. William Teng, Pastor |
Remembering Joyce Visscher:
Mr. Scott M. Visscher |
Burial at Arlington National Cemetery on February 21, 2002.
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