January 7, 1916 - December 18, 2013
CLICK HERE FOR HER OBITUARY
Granny loved her family and friends, her dachshunds, and music. She loved camping, knitting, and teaching. She loved watching gymnastics and figure skating on television, and of course Kentucky basketball. Granny loved traveling, she loved children, and she loved her church.
This is Granny’s bible. It is the New Oxford Annotated Bible, New Revised Standard Version - which she purchased 20 years ago. It is VERY well used, and full of her many hand written notes throughout.
On the inside front cover Granny wrote these words: "God gave us minds and doesn't expect us to park them at the door of the church." Granny demonstrated this to everyone through her ministry and the way she served the church. For those of us in her family, she taught us to practice our faith in this way. Granny called it “good ole fashioned faith,” and she would say that "service was better than anything money could buy."
On the inside back cover of Granny’s bible is Dr. Mooty's phone number. Granny loved to learn, and she was a student of her faith. Not only did she graduate from the College of the Bible (now named Lexington Theological Seminary) in 1948 with a Masters in Religious Education. But at the age of 75, Granny decided to go back to school. For seven years (1991-1998) she took one class per semester at LTS – for fun. And she received A’s! Sharyn Dowd, her professor of New Testament introduced her to the younger students saying "she even preceded women's restrooms in her seminary days."
My favorite story from her days at College of the Bible came from her graduation, which took place right here in this room. When the ceremony was over her graduating class took a photo outside. One of her male classmates said something to her about him not wanting to be in the same picture with anyone who had a dress showing. And she said "Well I guess I could take off my dress if it would make you any happier." Granny said that gentleman was somehow not in that picture and she was front and center.
In the back pocket of the cloth carrying case Granny had eight documents from here at Central Christian Church. Five of these are communications sent to the congregation with updates about the purchase and construction of the property behind me, which created new space for our children and youth. Two of these are Chimes church newsletters that contain “Dear Friends” articles written by her dear friend, Jan Ehrumantraut, former Minister of Pastoral Care here at Central. Jan unfortunately is traveling for the holidays, and unable to be here with us today. The final document is a list of 50 plus people mentioned in a Litany used in worship on All Saints Day a few years ago.
Granny loved Central Christian, and she cherished the Disciples of Christ denomination she was a part of for her entire life. Over the past eight decades she was a part of Central in some form, no matter where life took her. In the 40’s she was a Student Associate while attending the College of the Bible, and worked with the youth groups. In the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s she raised her daughters in the church along with our Papa, Hartzell, who some of you knew as the "Minister of the Broom," and she taught children’s Sunday School classes. While I was growing up in the church during the 80’s and 90’s, Granny taught adult Sunday School classes, she was a deacon, she preached at a monthly worship service at Emerson Center, and she helped my mom get me here for my activities as a child and youth. In the new century she worshiped here with us, or tuned in to the live radio broadcast from the nursing home. It’s fair to say that her love for Central has carried over to me. Like her, I can’t stay away.
In the front pocket of the cloth carrying case Granny had 5 index cards. These cards were probably daily reminders for her, but part of her lesson plan for us here today.
- “Do to others as you would have them do to you. The Golden Rule.”
- “One day at a time.”
- “Adjust and be happy. Don’t feel sorry for yourself.”
- “Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Matthew 7:3.”
- “Be Thou My Vision”
Also in the front pocket of the cloth carrying case is a Mother's Day Card from I would guess around a decade ago that reads: “Happy Mother’s Day, to a woman who has helped mold who I am. Yes you do have to take some of the blame. Love, Christopher Hartzell.” Granny there is not a person in this room that you have not touched, in addition to so many others who could not be here with us today.
I think Granny’s father, LeRoy Shutes, said it best when he wrote about Granny’s birth; "Estherville, Iowa - Edith Mabel was born January 7, 1916. We had a boy ordered but like Sears they substituted and sent something a bit better." As a parent of two with a third coming in a few days, I can’t help but think of how proud he was of his daughter, Edith, when they reunited in heaven. To my children Lorelei, Ellis, Poppy... “You know you have good genes. And I’m not talking about blue jeans.”
Mark Schultz "Remember Me"
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