Gerald R Wheat

2.9.1930 - 10.14.2024

Homily delivered by Chaplain Bill Myers, M.Div., Chaplain Caris Hospice
at the Memorial Service

May 10, 2025

Reading: Revelation 21:1-5

Let us pray: Good and gracious God, Today we turn our faces toward you, because your compassion is endless, your touch is healing, and your word gives us hope. May your Spirit be upon us now as we celebrate and lovingly remember the life of Jerry Wheat. Help us to remember with joy and thanksgiving. Help us to comfort and to share. Help us to let go, and accept the healing that Jesus Christ taught us to trust and expect. For it is in His name that we pray. Amen.

Several years ago, a question was asked to a number of well known Bible scholars. What is the meaning of life? Several of them responded with very intellectual answers that, in my opinion just made the issue more confusing. But Martin Marty, a writer and church historian, said "I believe the meaning of life is Love—to know you are loved by God and to love one another the way Jesus taught us." What a simple straight forward answer! And we see that answer reflected over and over again in the Bible and especially in the teachings of Jesus.

Today we come to celebrate, to remember, and to say farewell to Jerry Wheat, a devoted husband, father, grand and great-grandfather and a faithful follower of Jesus Christ.

Jerry was a very loving and caring man. This sense of caring lead him to pursue God's calling into the ministry. I got to meet Jerry and visit with him for quite some time. While he was under our hospice care, Jerry became more than a patient I saw, he became a friend. I learned that Jerry was originally from New York state, went to Seminary in Pittsburgh and served churches in Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia. He loved his family immensely, and would always tell me how much he enjoyed your visits, phone calls and cards. Jerry taught everyone around him to love and respect each other. I can still see him, resting in his bed, eating his mini Reece's peanut butter cups while covered up in his Pittsburgh Steelers blanket. He even called me friend and continued to let me visit, and said "I forgive you. for rooting for the wrong team"... when he I told him I was a Philadelphia Eagles fan! I found out Jerry shared a love of the outdoors, and especially visiting the National Parks. I was even able to share pictures of my daughter's wedding with him out at Yellowstone National Park back in 2023.

Jerry was never one to mince words, he could be very direct with how he felt. Especially his opinion on the mushy vegetables they served at the retirement home. During my visits I came to realize, he was grieving the loss of independence and wished he could travel with his family, and still do the things he used to do. Sometimes he would get frustrated with God for his limitations and would say to me "this is no way to live". Then he would feel like perhaps God didn't want him to feel that way. But I told him, our God is a Big God he can wants to hear from us- even if we're frustrated or mad at him, he's a Big God and he can take it! And this seemed to bring him comfort.

Toward the end, as Jerry was getting physically and mentally weaker in this life, he was leaning more and more on God's strength, with the knowledge that he would soon be reunited with his dear wife, Mildred, and other loved ones who have gone on before him. Jerry had that hope that he would be restored to wholeness and health. The man who enjoyed family meals and get-togethers, is now seated around the banquet table that God has prepared for all believers when we get to heaven.

I just wanted to give you permission to grieve and miss Jerry. But as it says in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, "we do not grieve as those who have no hope." As believers in Christ, we know we are only separated from our loved ones for a time.

Today, we give thanks that the Lord created Jerry and gave him to us for the time that he was here. We can also be grateful that God was with him as he walked through the valley of the shadow of death, that God was with him in the end. Jerry lived a good long life, 95 years on this earth. But the book of Proverbs tells us that "Life is but a vapor". What is 1 year or 100 years but more than a blip when measured against the time line all of eternity? And nobody here is guaranteed a tomorrow. So the question Jerry leaves us with today is do you know where you're going when your time in this world comes to an end?

The presence of the living Christ and the promise of eternal life are at the heart of our faith. Such beliefs have enabled Christians through the centuries to have hope in the face of the darkest, most miserable times. Christians confidently believe that death and darkness never have the last word. Only God does. Only God. That is our Christian belief.

So we gather today to celebrate Jerry's life; to give thanks for the joy he gave us; to forgive him for his shortcomings, to say goodbye and to remember. But at the same time, we celebrate the goodness of our Lord God, and we thank Him for His love, seen so clearly in Jesus Christ. We thank Him for the Holy Spirit, which gives us strength and hope, and for His gift of forgiveness and the assurance of everlasting life to all who put their trust in Jesus Christ.

Let us pray: To all those who are in darkness, you bring light. To all who mourn give you give comfort, who all who doubt, you give assurance, and to all who suffer, you bring healing. Now may the Lord Bless you and keep you, may his face shine upon you and give you peace. In Jesus name, Amen.

Chaplain Bill