A
Service in Celebration
of
the life of
Donald
Francis “Donnie” Hodder
February 4th 1948
to
April 15th 2012
St
John’s United Church, Flesherton Ont.
Clergy:
Rev. Shawn Ankenmann
Pianist:
Susan Kell
Friday
April 20th 2012
Prelude/Gathering:
Words of
Welcome:
Hymn: How
Great Thou Art - Voices 238
Opening Prayer:
Readings: Psalm 23
Micah
6:6-8
John
14 (various)
Phillipians
2:1-5, 4:4-9
Hymn: Joyful,
Joyful - Voices
232
Reflection: Rev Shawn Ankenmann
There is a story that
has been a favourite of mine since I first encountered it some years ago. It
concerns a Baker by the name of Jacob, who is renowned for his wisdom and his
ability to offer short comments about life that inspire us.
In this particular
story Jacob is busy in the kitchen kneading dough and getting it ready. A proud
almost arrogant man comes into the kitchen and looks down his nose at Jacob and
says – “Jacob, I want my life to leave an impression on others …”
Jacob continues
kneading the dough and speaks without looking up – “All lives leave an
impression on others …”
Unsatisfied the man
says, “But I want my life to really leave an impression on others.”
Beginning to pan the
bread Jacob sighs and says simply, “We are God’s finger prints …”
We are God’s finger
prints. It is an expression and a concept that can mean so much, yet in this
moment as we gather to remember Donnie, and to celebrate his life, and to say
our heartfelt farewells, we are left to consider what impression Donnie left as
God’s finger prints in our community, in our Church (his church) and in our
lives.
One of the readings I
shared earlier had the Apostle Paul calling on the community of faith in
Phillipi to share their faith by offering in life that which is honourable,
that which is just, pure, pleasing, commendable … what is pleasing and worthy
of praise – Keep doing it, says Paul and you will experience the peace of God.
The very words
offered by Paul to the Church at Phillipi 2 millenia ago are words that have
come up in recent days as folks have shared their memories and stories about
Donnie.
Donald Francis Hodder
– Donnie to the community he called home, was a good person – one of those rare
souls who held a good heart and shared so much with those around him … Donnie
shared his time, his warmth, his humour, and his cooking ability.
There are literally
dozens of slips of paper from groups and agencies throughout our community
expressing their appreciation to Donnie for the volunteer service and work he
put in for others.
Twenty Five years at
Talisman as cook – learning and teaching and working hard along the way … over
25 years overseeing and being a good neighbour in the building he called home,
helping the residents, making sure things were just so, and running errands for
them … other corners of the community miss him and his involvement – the hockey
rink, the legion, this Church … every restaurant, café, store and business in
town … like a stone tossed into a still pond, the ripples that mark Donnie’s
life have moved out into almost every corner of our community.
He truly was one of
God’s finger prints, and he has left a remarkable legacy of stories, memories
and moments that help bring a smile to our face even as tears well up in the
corner of our eyes …
Donnie was a good
friend to many, and a committed and active member of our community in a myriad
of ways, and in all that he did he showed the very principles of faith that we
hear spoken of over and over … Donnie was one of those people who was just busy
doing … He embodied the concepts offered by the prophet Micah so many centuries
ago as he considered what a life worth living is … Donnie embodied the very
ideals of justice, kindness, and humility.
Donnie was born and
raised in Flesherton. He lived his whole life within three blocks of the house
where his life began. He called this village home and even though he travelled
to many wondrous and amazing places, this was his home.
Donnie was the
youngest of five children, and is survived by his sisters Joyce, Joan, and Pat
as well as a brother John, as well as many nieces and nephews and grand nieces
and grand nephews.
In the last year, as
cancer gripped his body, Donnie came to value time spent with his friends and
with his family.
One of the
observations I’ve heard made about Donnie, and that I’ve witnessed first hand
too – is that Donnie really liked his food. Many of the conversations I’ve had
with Donnie since my arrival here, and since his diagnosis with cancer, has
begun with him sharing where he’d been to eat lately and with how.
He enjoyed going out
for lunch or dinner with friends or family members, and it has been observed
that even running into one of the local restaurants to grab a quick bite to eat
and run out could be derailed (in a very good way) if Donnie was there. You
would end up in a chat with him and the minutes would slip away.
But, to say it again:
that was Donnie. A warm greeting. A heartfelt “how are you?” and a conversation
about happenings in and around Flesherton.
And Donnie knew
almost everybody in town and what was going on. But far from being a gossip,
Donnie was more concerned about the well being of folks and what has been
happening in their lives and in their families. He was often the first to let
you know who has been ill or in hospital, and who needed a little
encouragement.
Donnie, even during
his own struggles, was ALWAYS concerned about others.
And Donnie was never
sure what to do when people offered their care and support back to him. When
news of his diagnosis began to spread through town he received dozens and
dozens of cards. I have fond memories of him coming into the office and saying,
“I just went to the post office and I got 12 more … or 15 more … or 10 more
cards!!”
He was honestly
shocked that people in town would care.
He was overwhelmed by
the simple gesture of a card to say “Thinking of you Donnie”, and that
continued right up to the end as he received cards and notes from folks after
his move to Mount Forest.
German writer Johan
Wolfgang Von Goethe observed that a contented life required the following:
According to Goethe,
there are nine requirements for a happy, contented life:
Health enough to make work a pleasure
Wealth enough to support your needs
Strength enough to battle with difficulties and foresake them
Grace enough to admit your sins and overcome them
Patience enough to toil until some good is accomplished
Charity enough to see some good in your neighbor
Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others
Faith enough to make real the things of God
Hope enough to remove all anxious fears concerning the future
- Johan Wolfgang Von Goethe
Over the last week as
we’ve struggled to make sense of Donnie’s passing, one of the comments made
about him has been – “he had a good heart”. And he did. I have said to him, and
of him that he was a pure soul – one of those incredibly rare people that no
one can really speak ill of – he wasn’t perfect, he was pretty stubborn, and
even though he had an easy going demeanour most of the time, he (like many of
us) had strong ideas about how things should go, and he stuck to them … but
overarching all of that, was a deep and abiding care for his friends, his
neighbours, his community and most of all his family. Donnie embodied the very
idea of love.
Donnie Hodder by his
own admission, lived a contented life and enjoyed every minute of it.
And our community,
our church and our lives are better places because of Donnie – in his childlike
innocence, Donnie has left an amazing legacy of memories. His life touched
ours, even if only briefly …
And so we stand in a
place saying farewell to a brother, an uncle, a neighbour and most of all a
friend, who has gone too soon and too quickly for our liking or comfort. And we
are left with those ethereal memories and moments that are part of the legacy
of life left when death comes.
As I reflect on what
we do in this moment, and how we will move forward I am reminded of a poem
offered by a clergy man who had stood in a place like this many times, and from
that drew these words:
Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away to the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
That, we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect.
Without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same that it ever was.
There is absolute unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you.
For an interval.
Somewhere. Very near.
Just around the corner.
All is well.
- Rev. Henry Scott Holland
Today our task is to
remember Donnie – to recall the moments where is life intersected and touched
ours … we are to share these memories with one and other and celebrate the
impression this finger print of God has left on our hearts, our souls and our
community …
May it be so … thanks
be to God … Let us pray …
Prayers of the
People
and the Lord’s Prayer:
Commendation
& Committal:
Hymn: Amazing
Grace - Voices 266
Benediction:
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