I was saddened two weeks ago to learn of the death of Martha Swartz, a faithful member of Southeast Christian Church. Martha and her late husband Ed had been super active in the church I served in Louisville, Kentucky for forty years. They were two of the most vibrant, Godly people you will ever meet. When their four children (several whom I had baptized and married) asked if I could perform Martha’s funeral, I was honored and of course, wanted to do it.
Martha Swartz 1935 – 2019
But there were complications. My wife and I have been spending January and February with my son Rusty who preaches in Port Charlotte, Florida, nearly a thousand miles away. I had several speaking dates and commitments in Florida that made traveling to Louisville and back tricky. The Swartz family was very gracious in saying, “If you can’t make it we understand but mom requested that you do her funeral and we hope you can.”
After some research with several airlines, I contacted the family and said, “There’s one way I can come. A Delta plane is scheduled to land in Louisville at 9:30 a.m. and the funeral is at 11:00. As you know, that’s calling it close so let’s have a backup plan in case there’s a delay.” They agreed. Don Waddell, my administrative assistant and Martha’s ABF teacher along with Murphy Belding, Minister to Seniors, would fill in if I didn’t make it. I emailed Don my notes a day in advance.
Early Thursday morning I caught a 6:00 a.m. flight out of Fort Myers, made the quick connection in Atlanta heading for Louisville. The Pilot informed us we should be arriving in Louisville five minutes early. I was sitting in an aisle seat near the front. I thought, “This is great! The Lord is paving the way for me!” It seemed the travel plan was coming together perfectly.
However, just as our plane began its descent into Louisville, the pilot announced, “We are having some problems with our de-icing equipment, and it’s too cold and dangerous to land in Louisville, so we’re turning around and heading back to Atlanta.” My heart sank! There was nothing I could do about it! If I parachuted out and landed in Elizabethtown, I’d still not have time to rent a car and get to Louisville! What a helpless feeling. I was so close! I really hated not doing the memorial service for Martha Swartz and reminding people what a wonderful person she was.
I texted Don Waddell from the plane (I admit a flight attendant taught me how) and Don and Murphy kicked in Plan B. I’ve been told both did really well. But I understand that in the middle of his talk, Murphy Belding paused for fifteen or twenty seconds, examining my notes. Then he said, “I’m looking over what else Bob Russell wrote here, but there’s nothing here much worth repeating!” The funeral audience burst out laughing. I wish Murphy still worked under my oversight, but since I’m retired there’s nothing I can do!
While I wasn’t able to eulogize Martha Swartz the way I planned, I would like to share something about her godly spirit during her final hours. Her faith in the Lord was evident all her life. Jesus said, “By their fruit, you shall know them.” The fruit of the Holy Spirit was apparent in her joyful spirit, dedicated service, godly children, daily conversation and especially in the way she handled adversity.
You could even see a spirit of joy in Martha’s countenance. She served as a greeter for years at the top of the escalator, and she was always beaming with a big smile. There’s a button that reads, “If you have the love of Jesus in your heart, notify your face!” The Bible says, “…those who look to him are radiant.” Martha was one of those people whose countenance radiated the love and grace of God.
Her faith was especially evident in the manner in which she died. The last several weeks Martha knew leukemia was overcoming her body and the end was near. She continued to be poised, joyful and positive. Though her abdomen became severely distended, she would say, “I am so grateful for the good life the Lord has given me.”
Her daughters asked how she was dealing with it all and she assured them, “I just feel the overwhelming presence of the Lord.” They each commented how their mother’s faith was reassuring to them. “What more could we ask for than that?” they stated.
The girls said, “We would lay hands on her every night and have prayer. We’d take turns praying, but mom’s prayers were all about her blessings. “Oh Lord you have blessed me all my life, and now they are piling up even more here at the end,” she declared.
Martha Swartz 1935 – 2019
The day Martha died she had lunch and a good visit with Murphy Belding. She graciously received a gift of flowers from a friend and commented, “I am so blessed!” A picture was taken of Martha with those flowers. Two hours later there was a rapid downturn of energy, and she left for eternity before midnight. Though they lived at various points across the country, all four of her children had come for a visit the previous week. The family felt the timing couldn’t have been better.
Thank-you Martha Swartz for showing us how to live…and how to die as people of God. “Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord; they shall find rest from their labor.”
P.S.
Sorry I didn’t make it to your funeral…. It really wasn’t my fault!
– Bob
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