Tribute

My granddaddy, Dean Clutter, passed away very peacefully on Monday, October 29th at around 7:00 pm. My grandmother, my parents, my aunt and uncle, and one of my cousins were with him till the end. My dad and mom were reading Psalms to him till the last. My sweet husband spent 4 hours on the phone trying to figure out a way that I could go home for the funeral (which is on Tuesday, Nov. 6th), but it was financially impossible (not to mention difficult timing, as we just got back yesterday from hosting a family retreat at a camp an hour from Cochabamba for all the churches in Bolivia and all hands were needed on deck!).

They are going to post tributes to my grandfather on a bulletin board at the funeral, and so though I can't be there in person, I will of course be there in spirit and thanks to the wonders of technology, I'll be able to have my tribute posted along with the rest of my family.

"My granddaddy. It's hard to put into words what this wonderful man has meant in my life. For starters, he has given my family an amazing heritage of faith. I can't begin to describe the blessings that stem from a family rooted in God and His word. My granddaddy provided that for my mom, who then passed it on to us, and now I have the incredible task of passing it on to my children - his great-grandchildren. Scripture truly speaks when it says "showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands." Ex. 20:6

He was not only an amazing example of faith in his personal walk with the Lord, but also in his service to Him. I am so proud to have a grandfather who spent over 60 years in full time ministry right up until the Sunday before his surgery- through ups and downs and different churches. I remember he would always leave the house at least an hour before service to study and pray before each sermon. He kept a record of all of his sermons in files in his office - I would love to look through them some day. His personal library was a tribute to the hours he spent in the studious reading of the Bible. One of the most touching gifts he ever gave was a set of Biblical commentaries to Josh. I know he had used them well before he passed them on, and Josh was very grateful.

His marriage to Grandmother was just another powerful example of his faith lived out. They were always loving and considerate of one another. They always worked in the garden together. When Grandmother lost her eyesight and ability to read, Granddaddy read the Bible to her every night.

I remember lots of little things as well - fishing trips and pool games, a bowl of ice cream every night, giving Michaela her first bite of ice cream at 8 months, an amazing memory that never forgot a name or face, joking with my brother and teasing my sister, special nicknames for us grandkids, smiling blue eyes, lots of laughter (I tell people that my Granddaddy reminds me of the laughing Uncle Albert in Mary Poppins), special woodworking gifts he made for us, tears that came too easily when he was touched by something, warm summer evenings in their homey house on furlough, lots of Christmases and Thanksgivings together during and after college - playing euchre and drinking apple cider, a special Christmas day hunting trip together, playing the bugle for us kids.

All I know is he touched countless lives through his life, including mine. He was faithful to his family, his wife, his country, but most of all to His Lord. As hard as it is to say goodbye from afar, I take comfort in these words. "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." I know Granddaddy is in the eternal rest found in Christ, this special servant and soldier of the Lord held close to His side, commended for his walk of faithfulness. We will love and miss him greatly, but we will rejoice again together on the other side."