Saturday, January 3, 2009

The Passing of a Friend

Some of us lost a friend this week and I share this excerpt of a message from David Coolidge:
"A few minutes ago we received a phone call from Susan (Brallier) Kaspar telling us of the passing at 8:30 this morning from this earthly life to eternal Life in heaven of her father, Rev. Calvin Brallier (WPC: BA '50, SOT: MDiv '81), husband of Martha (Cox, WPC: BA '50, AU: BS '62) Brallier.

Cal and Marty are the parents of Rev. Michael (AC: BA '74, SOT: MDiv '77)(wife, Patti Pierce, AC: BA '73) Brallier, Stephen (wife, Erma) Brallier, Susan (Brallier, AC: BA '77)(husband, Russell) Kaspar, Carol Ann (Brallier, AC: BA '82; RN) Griffin, and the late Janet Lee Brallier; the grandparents of Ryan (wife, Lauren) Brallier, Jessica Brallier, Caroline Brallier, S. Carter Brallier, Michael (wife, Lindsey) Kaspar, David Kaspar, Benjamin Kaspar, Katie Griffin, and Laura Griffin.
Cal and Marty are a brother-in-law/sister of Rev. Dr. G. David (AC: BA '55, SOT: MDiv '58, AC--DD '78)(wife, Jeanette Pylate, AC: '59) Cox, Ruth (Cox)(deceased husband, Rev. Glenn) Henrichs, and Betty (Cox)(husband, Wes) Benefiel, and the late Mary Ellen (Cox)(husband, Carroll) Reinhart."
David comments, "For those who may not be acquainted with the ministry of Calvin and Marty, they pastored a number of Church of God congregations over the years and served as Church of God missionaries to Kenya, East Africa from 1950 to 1962. It has been my privilege to have known Cal as a close personal friend and esteemed colleague for many years.
I first met him in early 1950 at the time I came to live in the home of Marty's parents, the late Rev. William & Lola Cox, while I was finishing high school ('50-'53) at the time my parents, the late Revs. Ralph & Ruth Coolidge, were in missionary service in Trinidad, B.W.I. Marty is like one of my sisters to me.

Let us give thanks to God for the gift of Cal to his family and many friends and for his long life of faithful witness for his Lord and service to God, the church, and to humankind. Only eternity will reveal the far-reaching influence of the pastoral ministry and missionary service he shared with his wife had on the lives of the many children, youth and adults in places in which they served."
Cal is the lastest in a list of several friends who passed on during the Christmas holidays ... friends we shall miss ... but we celebrate the lives of positive uplift they modeled.
My wife and I met Cal and Marty in Portland, OR in our student days. My wife still jpoyfully remembers when the Bralliers got their call from the Mission Board to prepare for duty in Kenya--5 years. My wife joined Marty's sister (Ruth Cox Henrich) and they sewed like crazy, preparing for a 5-year tour of duty in Kenya. They made the deadline, completed the necessary preparation and packing, and departed via ship for Kenya.
They served 12 years, during which tme Cal & Marty buried their first born on a African hill--an infant that could have survived stateside. They served God and the global community with valor. Wherever they were, they served with a global vision in view, they gave God their best, and we were their beneficiaries. My prayer is one of thanks to God for them, and for others like them that have given their best in humble service.
When the fullness of my time comes, may I be able to say I lived up to the best that I was capable of, and may others have benefited because I walked along the same path of global humanity.
Thanks Cal ...
Wayne

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ryan Brallier does not have a "Wife, Lauren". Lauren, me, I am his sister. Thank you for your kind words, but careful on the family history.

Anonymous said...

That would therefore also make me a grand child. Thanks for checking on that...

Wayne said...

Thanks Lauren for reading me, however I cannot take credit for the research. That came to me via David Coolidge on his prayerline. Having known them as we did, I could not let it pass without comment. My wife and I met all the children at one time or another, and our kids were acquainted in college et al. You are part of a great church family...blessings!

Wayne said...

Lauren, may I ask how old you are? I got to thinking, you are perhaps fairly young - Cal and Marty's grandchild. I managed to have a couple of grandsons, 17 & 15. Great guys; Minnesota Golden Gophers, I call them. Anyway, what especially impressed you about your grandpa Cal?

Lauren said...

I am a bit older than your sons. I did not know my grandfather as well as others, but I would say he was a determined man. What I remember most about him was his wide smile and gleaming eyes. I think I have his smile, though I barely knew him.

Wayne said...

Lauren,
your grandfather was a good man, more quiet than noisey, and strong of body and spirit. He had warm and friendly eyes and a winsome smile. You are blessed to have had him for a model and fortunate to have some of his characteristics. I salute you; do with the life that God has given you, as Cal did with the life God gave him. your friend Wayne

Unknown said...

I am one of the grandkids, Katie. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated you for creating this website. It means the world to me.I felt that it was so important to preserve his memory even now that he has passed, and I think that this is a very good way to do so.
I knew my grandpa very well. As a little kid I spent almost every weekend with my Grandparents. My Grandpa was a very wise man. He was the peacemaker of the family. You were right when you said that he was a very quiet man, but he was a man who didn't have much need for words. His actions said it all. He was a loving, god fearing man. He was meek and humble, and always put more concern on the people around him than himself. His passing was a great loss to our family, and I miss him dearly. He genuinely loved people, and when I die, many years from now, I would be honored to have even a fraction of the the attributes that he possesed. He has marked a special place in my heart, and in all of the people who knew him. He will never be forgotten.
I was thankful to get to say goodbye a few days before his death, and spend some last hours with him. One of the things that he asked me to do was to read him the beatitudes (Mathew ch.5.) To this day I try to base my life off of those verses, and I know he is smiling down upon me. He lead a full life, loving and treasuring each and every day of it. It is my honor to call him my Grandpa. I couldn't have asked for I better one if I had picked him myself. If you need any more information on him please don't hesitate to email me. My email is katie.marie.griff.griffin@gmail.com

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