Tribute to Garth

At the conclusion of the funeral for Garth L Childs, in Huntington on Thursday, May 19, I was grateful for many the many comments made from the pulpit and from those who came to his viewing and funeral as they shared their thoughts as we gathered to celebrate his life.

I for one, was particularly grateful that I had grown up thinking of him as brother and that he allowed me to be "Big sister" though we were only first cousins. I was happy to have been a small part of his earthly life and to have the happy memories that I do. He was so beloved by me, my husband and my children. He was greatly loved by his family and his community. A large group of people who were family and friends gathered and others, who could not be in attendance, sent messages of love and condolence.

I am grateful for his example. He has been a loving husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, cousin and friend.

I am grateful for his service to his God, his country, and to his fellowmen. He is a man who knew how to love. He has always been willing to volunteer his time and efforts to help others. I am grateful for his example of what it means to be a dedicated servant and of what it means to live a Christ-like life.

As pain became his physical companion, his spirit became ever stronger. I appreciate his example of enduring faithful to the end. He was always a kind and gentle soul and he became more so.

We are grateful for the lessons he taught us. He lived life and his personal relationships and taught us to do the same. He never asked, "What can others do for me?" but, "What can I do for others?" He loved the beauty of the world and, through his eyes, we saw that beauty.

He taught us what it means to be happily married and what it means to cherish and be cherished by a companion.

He was a father to be grateful for and a grandfather to cuddle.

Thought we will miss him, we would not have him suffer more pain. He has been through the refiner's fire.

We ask only that we remember and cherish all the happy days we spent together. We ask, in particular, that our Father in Heaven will help us to live our lives in such a way that we may be with him when our lives end. We ask that we may be helped to follow his example and to be worthy to live with him in eternity.

How thankful I am for the plan of salvation that sent our Savior to this earth to die for each of us that we may be forgiven of our sins and once again to live with our Father, our Savior and our loved ones for all eternity.