Laura Mae Schrock

Posted on December 8, 2009 by rbirkey

Laura Mae Schrock

Tomorrow I bury my last grandparent, Laura Mae Schrock who passed away on Wednesday morning, November 11, 2009 at the age of 97 at Belmont Village in Carol Stream, IL, with her daughter Donna present.

Laura was born May 2, 1912 in Champion City, Missouri, daughter of Grover E. and Effie Blackwell Park.

On December 24, 1931, Mae married Orval L. Schrock. He died in 2002. The couple lived their entire life in Fisher, Illinois and celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary around Christmas, 2001. In 1977 Mae retired from her work at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul. She was an avid gardener, plant lover and creator of many craft items. In 2007 Mae moved to Wheaton, IL to live near her daughter.

Mae is survived by her daughter Donna Birkey, of Wheaton, IL, and daughter Gloria Nafziger (Paul), of Tehachapi, CA; 5 grandchildren Randal (Debbie) Birkey, Cynthia Hernandez, Barry (Jenny) Birkey, Brett (Michelle) Nafziger, Lisa (Don) Roberts; 21 great grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. Her parents, two sisters and two brothers preceded her in death.

Mae was a founding member of Gibson City Bible Church, where services will be held on Sunday, November 15, at 2:30 pm, preceded by visitation at 1:30 pm. Burial will be at East Bend Memorial Gardens, Fisher, IL, followed by a light meal at the Bible Church in Gibson City.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Home Care Physicians, 1800 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL, or Gibson City Bible Church, 309 N Route 47, Gibson City, IL 60936. Please memo the gift in memory of Laura Mae Schrock.

A Time for Everything

Posted on May 18, 2009 by rbirkey

Today is a time to celebrate and a time to mourn.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

These words have taken on new meaning this past week. No sooner had I witnessed my father pass away in a hospital room, and spent a day with my Mom and brother making all the funeral arrangements, than I drove with friends and family to Pennsylvania for the weekend for my son’s graduation at Grove City College. I was drawn to this passage as I prepared for a short time of family worship Sunday morning before we headed back to Chicago. It has been quite a juxtaposition to say the least.

I’m very proud of Marshall and his accomplishments, as I am of each of my children. Marshall has excelled academically, graduating with two degrees from Grove City College: a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics… both with highest honors, summa cum laude. He was nominated to be “senior man of the year” (and made it to the top 10) by his classmates, and received several scholarships and special recognitions. He served in the worship and music ministry of a small church near campus, and was a leader in his fraternity… Beta Sigma. He has made some deep friendships with some really great guys and gals we have come to know and love as well.

Marshall is home now for a few weeks, then heads off to Washington D.C., to work for a year at the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. Then he heads somewhere (yet to be determined) overseas to get his Masters in Economic Development, the result of a scholarship from Rotary International.

We celebrate all of this and at the same time mourn the loss of Dad, who would have loved to watch Marshall’s graduation, and would be very proud of his grandson. While we celebrate life, we also face the visitation, funeral and burial services for Dad today and tomorrow.

There really is a time for everything.

Del Birkey

Posted on May 13, 2009 by rbirkey

Obituary – Delmar G. Birkey

Del Birkey: 1933-2009

Delmar Gene (Del) Birkey was born Feb 16, 1933 at Foosland, IL, son of Alvin and Amelia Birkey. He died May 13, 2009, at Central DuPage Hospital at the age of 76. Del attended a one-room country school, then Fisher High School, graduating with the class of 1951.

In June 1952, Del married his high school sweetheart, Donna Schrock, and the couple moved to Columbia, S.C., where they attended Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University). Del graduated in 1957, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Education. While in Columbia, he served as pastor in several churches. He was ordained in 1955.

During the years 1962-1967, Del was part of the ministry of Youth Gospel Crusade, Westboro, WI. His particular specialty was youth meetings in churches using chalk drawings and magic object lessons. In addition, Del served as program director at Camp Forest Springs for several years.

Del earned a Master of Arts in Biblical Education (cum laude) from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL in 1969. This was followed some years later with a Doctor of Ministry in 1986 from Bethany Theological Seminary, Lombard, IL.

Del served as minister at several churches in the western Chicago suburbs, but his most significant ministry was His Community Church—a house church that met for 15 years and was the culmination of his passion for renewal. Following that experience, he wrote a book published in 1988 titled, The House Church—A Model for Renewing the Church.

Another of his concerns was equality for women, especially within the church. In 2005, his book The Fall of Patriarchy—Its Broken Legacy Judged by Jesus & the Apostolic House Church Communities was published.

Del is survived by his wife, Donna; three children, Randal (Debbie), Cynthia, and Barry (Jenny). He also leaves thirteen wonderful grandchildren: Taylor (Laura), Noel, Marshall, and Kathryn Birkey; Ashley, Bethany, Ian, and Zachary Hernandez; Christy, Jenny, Katie, Jonathan, and Julie Birkey. Also surviving are four siblings: Carroll (Minerva) Birkey, Margaret Oyer, Floyd (Jean) Birkey, and Viola Stacey. He is also survived by Donna’s 97-year-old mother, Laura Mae Schrock.

The visitation and funeral will take place on Monday, May 18, 2009 at Hultgren Funeral Home in Wheaton, Illinois. Visitation begins at 3 PM. A memorial service will begin at 7 PM.

A burial service is planned for Tuesday, May 19, 2009, at East-Bend Mennonite Church Memorial Gardens, near Fisher, Illinois, beginning at 10:30 AM. – VIEW MAP

More Information

Read Del Birkey’s Obituary – Hultgren Funeral Home
Sign Del Birkey’s Guestbook – Hultgren Funeral Home
Visit Del’s House Church Book website
Read Champaign-Urbana News Gazette Obituary
Read Bloomington Pantagraph Obituary
The Schrock-Birkey Connection (Family History Info)

Memorial Gifts

Del was an avid supporter of both of these fine organizations. Memorial gifts may be directed to either:

Global Action
7660 Goddard Street
Suite 200
Colorado Springs CO 80920
www.global-act.org

or to

Christians for Biblical Equality
122 West Franklin Ave
Suite 218
Minneapolis MN 55404
www.cbeinternational.org

Please memo the gift in memory of Del Birkey.

We Laid Steve to Rest

Posted on October 6, 2005 by rbirkey

**Cemetery** Today, at 10 AM, we met as a small band of family and friends, to lay the ashes of Steve Meyer to rest. It was a beautiful, cool, end-of-summer day. His remains are buried between two Maple trees in a quiet corner of Concordia Cemetery in River Forest, Illinois. I think Steve would like this spot.

Dr. Ray Pritchard shared some thoughts and memories of Steve. He ended by reading this incredible passage from 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18.

“Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.”

Robin read a letter to Steve. It was an awesome, from the heart, love letter. There was not a dry eye after that was read. Deb sang “Jesus I am Resting, Resting,” and I accompanied her on guitar. Ray ended with a prayer.

As the crowd broke up, I took a moment to kneel and touch the box containing Steve’s ashes. I prayed and thanked the Lord for making Steve and for his friendship to me. I placed Steve completely in the Lord’s care and said “good-bye,” until we see each other again in Heaven.

I love you, Steve. You will always be with me in my heart and memory. You were a good man and a good friend. I hope that I can be as good of a friend to someone else, as you have been to me.

Wait for me. I will meet you in heaven and I’ll bring my guitar. Can’t wait to see and hear what you’ve been composing!

No more tears.