A week ago to the day our friend, Del left us. Sept 17th, 1948 - Dec. 11 2009.
We shouldn't suffer Del's life to be reduced to a "dash" between dates. His passing was quite sudden and that certainly never makes it any easier. He turned 61 just a few months back and once said that he planned to live to a hundred. Well, he will; for after the stars have grown cold, he will still be singing in the choir just as he did here. Only with a better choir director (sorry Ted). Shocking as it is, we know it will come one day to everyone, but it this time it comes along and knocks the wind out of you and you don't know which is worse, the fact that he died alone or that he lived alone. Either way, he isn't alone now.
Greg Rose, Steve Ray and a few others said a few words last night at the memorial.
Greg noted that once, while he and Dave A. were chatting about some of life's harder points one day, Del came up and set Dave straight about life, the Lord and love. Greg said he thought that Del was an angel in disguise and Dave jokingly shot back in his thick Aussie accent, "Yah, but it's a really good disguise." So, last night at the service Greg spoke about what lay under that disguise. Probably the best eulogy I've ever heard. Steve, Alice, Alan and Miki also gave incredible tributes to the man we all knew and whose passing filled the (rather large) sanctuary at Tokyo Baptist to overflowing.
Never so much as in death do we reflect on life. It shouldn't be that way, certainly.
Del lived well, was insanely happy, had unswerving faith and loves Jesus. I cannot imagine a better way to live.