One of our dear friends from our pastorate in Hayfork/Lewiston days has passed away in Redding.
Cheryl Lynn Danforth Robertson was born on August 29, 1944 in Spokane, Washington. She passed to her rest on November 18, 2007 in Redding, California after a brief illness.
She lived for the last 7 years in Weaverville, and prior to that for 33 years in Trinity Center. She took a year of college, but had a long and fulfilling career as a home maker, wife, mother and grandmother. She also was “mom” to many kids that adopted her as their own.
She loved to garden, paint, scrap-book, sew, embroider…and most of all cook.
She was married to Jim Robertson in the Chapel of the Roses in Pasadena, CA September 12, 1965. They have shared the past 42 years together, enjoying all that life has to offer.
Cheri is survived by her husband, Jim Robertson of Weaverville, CA; daughters Leanne Robertson of Clinton, OK and Amy Robertson of Weaverville, CA and by her only grandchild Samaiya Robertson (8 mos) of Weaverville, CA. She is also survived by her parents, Chet and Leona Danforth of Eagle Point, OR and by two brothers; Mike Danforth and his wife Kathy of Hoodsport, WA and John Danforth and his wife Araceli of Buena Park, CA.
She was a lifelong member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Services are under the arrangement of Allen and Dahl, Redding and will be conducted on Saturday, November 24 at the Weaverville-Trinity Lakes Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1771-A Main St. Dress informally and colorfully!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Elmer A. Widmer Obituary
This appeared in a publication of Loma Linda University
Thought I'd repost it here.
O. Kris Widmer
Elmer's Son
Former public health department chair dies after short illness
Former chair of the department of environmental and tropical health, and associate dean for the School of Public Health Elmer A. Widmer, PhD, died earlier this year.
Dr. Widmer was born near Dodge, North Dakota, on April 17, 1925, and died on February 20, 2007, in Lakeport, California.
Dr. Widmer earned his doctorate in zoology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 1965, and a master of public health in parasitology and laboratory practice from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 1974.
He was the fifth child born to his parents, who were German-Russian immigrants to the United States. His father’s family arrived in New York in 1901.
Dr. Widmer graduated from Union College, Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1951, and took a job teaching public school in nearby DeWitt.
He married his wife of 54 years, Eunice Mae Olson, in December 25, 1952.
Dr. Widmer is survived by his wife, Eunice; his children, daughter Andrea Barker of Turlock, California, and son, Kris Widmer, of Redding, California; five grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, and cousins, and many colleagues and friends.
Thought I'd repost it here.
O. Kris Widmer
Elmer's Son
Former public health department chair dies after short illness
Former chair of the department of environmental and tropical health, and associate dean for the School of Public Health Elmer A. Widmer, PhD, died earlier this year.
Dr. Widmer was born near Dodge, North Dakota, on April 17, 1925, and died on February 20, 2007, in Lakeport, California.
Dr. Widmer earned his doctorate in zoology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 1965, and a master of public health in parasitology and laboratory practice from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 1974.
He was the fifth child born to his parents, who were German-Russian immigrants to the United States. His father’s family arrived in New York in 1901.
Dr. Widmer graduated from Union College, Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1951, and took a job teaching public school in nearby DeWitt.
He married his wife of 54 years, Eunice Mae Olson, in December 25, 1952.
Dr. Widmer is survived by his wife, Eunice; his children, daughter Andrea Barker of Turlock, California, and son, Kris Widmer, of Redding, California; five grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, and cousins, and many colleagues and friends.
Gratitude List 2007
A tradition in our home is to list 100 things we are thankful for. Here is my own list so far. I'll do another list with my wife in the next day or so.
100 Blessings: 2007
1. The hope of the resurrection of the dead.
2. The life of my father.
3. The 80+ letters my father wrote me over the last 8 years.
4. Reconnecting with long lost family.
5. Church volunteers who serve meals after a funeral.
6. Smiles
7. The Bible in my own language.
8. The Bible in my modern language.
9. The Reality of God
10. Cell Phones
11. USB Memory Chips
12. Power Point
13. Colored Markers
14. Music that touches my heart.
15. Online Shopping for anything: This time, funeral flowers.
16. Interstate Highway System
17. United States of America
18. The United States Flag
19. Firefighters
20. Digital Photography
21. Prayer
22. God’s Grace and Forgiveness
23. Starting Over
24. The Telephone
25. Email
26. Remote Controls
27. Computer Concordances
28. Backhoe Operators
29. Cement Contractors
30. People who can fix lawnmowers.
31. Sod Farms
32. PVC Pipe
33. The satisfaction of a job well done.
34. The body’s ability to heal.
35. Lawn fertilizer.
36. Smiles
37. Thank You Notes
38. Flowers
39. Tooth Paste
40. Dental Floss
41. People smarter than I am.
42. Exercise Equipment
43. Poetry
44. Electric Lights
45. Scissors
46. Glue
47. Sheet Protectors
48. Refrigerator Magnets
49. The Three Hole Punch
50. People who live and participate in church with a grace orientation.
51. Old Family Recipes
52. New Recipes
53. Mail Service
54. Pencil Sharpeners
55. Tissues
56. Flashlights
57. Bible Prophecy
58. The safe return of my daughter from Ecuador.
59. Moments of Inspiration
60. The Wedding Vow
61. Laughter
62. Family History Stories
63. Green Bean Casserole
64. Free, Wireless Internet
65. Church Family
66. Pain Pills
67. A Warm Bath
68. Sunshine
69. Rain
70. Old Records
71. Leaf Rakes
72. Square Point Shovels
73. Picking out something you need, and finding it is on sale at the checkout.
74. Chewing Gum
75. Doodles
76. Soap
77. The Sabbath
78. Word Processing
79. Philanthropists
80. The ability to be generous.
81. Seltzer Water
82. Calendars
83. Morticians
84. John 3:16, 17
85. Indoor Plumbing
86. Anesthesia
87. Home Cooking
88. Home Town Buffet
89. Being Alive
90. Central Heating
91. Pictures of Bible Stories
92. Salted Sunflower Seeds
93. Cool Shade
94. Cold Water
95. Warm Blankets
96. Hot Chocolate
97. Pathfinders
98. Having most of my “marbles.”
99. Printed Bible Studies
100. Love
100 Blessings: 2007
1. The hope of the resurrection of the dead.
2. The life of my father.
3. The 80+ letters my father wrote me over the last 8 years.
4. Reconnecting with long lost family.
5. Church volunteers who serve meals after a funeral.
6. Smiles
7. The Bible in my own language.
8. The Bible in my modern language.
9. The Reality of God
10. Cell Phones
11. USB Memory Chips
12. Power Point
13. Colored Markers
14. Music that touches my heart.
15. Online Shopping for anything: This time, funeral flowers.
16. Interstate Highway System
17. United States of America
18. The United States Flag
19. Firefighters
20. Digital Photography
21. Prayer
22. God’s Grace and Forgiveness
23. Starting Over
24. The Telephone
25. Email
26. Remote Controls
27. Computer Concordances
28. Backhoe Operators
29. Cement Contractors
30. People who can fix lawnmowers.
31. Sod Farms
32. PVC Pipe
33. The satisfaction of a job well done.
34. The body’s ability to heal.
35. Lawn fertilizer.
36. Smiles
37. Thank You Notes
38. Flowers
39. Tooth Paste
40. Dental Floss
41. People smarter than I am.
42. Exercise Equipment
43. Poetry
44. Electric Lights
45. Scissors
46. Glue
47. Sheet Protectors
48. Refrigerator Magnets
49. The Three Hole Punch
50. People who live and participate in church with a grace orientation.
51. Old Family Recipes
52. New Recipes
53. Mail Service
54. Pencil Sharpeners
55. Tissues
56. Flashlights
57. Bible Prophecy
58. The safe return of my daughter from Ecuador.
59. Moments of Inspiration
60. The Wedding Vow
61. Laughter
62. Family History Stories
63. Green Bean Casserole
64. Free, Wireless Internet
65. Church Family
66. Pain Pills
67. A Warm Bath
68. Sunshine
69. Rain
70. Old Records
71. Leaf Rakes
72. Square Point Shovels
73. Picking out something you need, and finding it is on sale at the checkout.
74. Chewing Gum
75. Doodles
76. Soap
77. The Sabbath
78. Word Processing
79. Philanthropists
80. The ability to be generous.
81. Seltzer Water
82. Calendars
83. Morticians
84. John 3:16, 17
85. Indoor Plumbing
86. Anesthesia
87. Home Cooking
88. Home Town Buffet
89. Being Alive
90. Central Heating
91. Pictures of Bible Stories
92. Salted Sunflower Seeds
93. Cool Shade
94. Cold Water
95. Warm Blankets
96. Hot Chocolate
97. Pathfinders
98. Having most of my “marbles.”
99. Printed Bible Studies
100. Love
In Memoriam
It's been kind of a brutal year emotionally, and I've lost many people dear to me.
I will type a list of the people that I have known that have died this year.
Ryan Simpson
Garrette Jones
Elsie Coleman
Elmer Widmer - my father
Ben Straub
Randy Penland
Dyann Buonocore
Mark Blue
Mariposa West
Shirley Latal
Beverly Saylor - mother of a dear friend
Neville Gordon
Tabitha Petrescu
Sheila Delaney - mother of a dear friend
Wave Griffiths
Jeannie Naylor
Tom Adams
Earl McLaughlin
Harry Young - My Uncle
Fred Waltman's Brother
Tiffany Taylor's Uncle
Lynn Mallery
Harley Clendenon
Cheri Robertson
No wonder I weep at times!
I will type a list of the people that I have known that have died this year.
Ryan Simpson
Garrette Jones
Elsie Coleman
Elmer Widmer - my father
Ben Straub
Randy Penland
Dyann Buonocore
Mark Blue
Mariposa West
Shirley Latal
Beverly Saylor - mother of a dear friend
Neville Gordon
Tabitha Petrescu
Sheila Delaney - mother of a dear friend
Wave Griffiths
Jeannie Naylor
Tom Adams
Earl McLaughlin
Harry Young - My Uncle
Fred Waltman's Brother
Tiffany Taylor's Uncle
Lynn Mallery
Harley Clendenon
Cheri Robertson
No wonder I weep at times!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
All Things New
Here is a poem I wrote some time ago. I read it for a memorial service for Mr. Harley Clendenon on Sabbath, November 17 at the Palo Cedro Seventh-day Adventist Church. Several persons asked for a copy after the service, so I thought I'd post the text on my blog. I hope it will bless you. Feel free to share it with others.
All Things New
Elder O. Kris Widmer
First Printing 5/22/2005, Updated and Printed 11/17/2007
Reflecting on the present suffering of Mrs. Doris Tonn.
Two operations for ocular tumors have taken her eyeballs, and therefore her vision.
In love and care for Mrs. Tonn, and the many others who are waiting for…all things new.
Mrs. Tonn died in 2006
Read publicly at the funeral of Mrs. Phyllis Sample in 2005
and Mr. Harley Clendenon in November 2007
When Jesus comes in glory
There’s something grand He’ll do.
He’ll fix all of our problems,
As He’s making all things new.
New mountain and new river
New creature and new tree.
But I’m really looking forward
To some brand-new parts for me.
And brand-new parts for you!
You’re prob’ly missing some.
And even if you’ve got them all,
They’re prob’ly out of plumb!
“Old age is not for sissies.”
There’s times it is no fun.
We’re usually greatly altered
When a surgeon’s scalpel’s done.
Our final office visit
Is planned for outer space.
The Good and Great Physician
Has agreed to take your case!
He is a wonder worker
In every specialty,
With a friendly “grave-side” manner,
And His services are…free.
Some people need a hand or foot,
Perhaps a leg or arm.
It could be from Thalidomide,
Or injuries on the farm.
Perhaps it was an illness
Or perhaps it was the war.
So many people cope with less
That what they had before.
Perhaps you need new fingers
So your reach is full extension.
Perhaps you need new features
That I should not here now mention.
Perhaps you need new eye-balls
So again you’ll have your sight.
God plans to give you new ones
That will sparkle with delight.
Perhaps you need new kidneys
The two you had, went bad.
(I speak of several friends I’ve known,
And also my dear Dad!)
God will fix the big things.
And the smaller things as well.
Perhaps you need new ear-drums
Or your parts that taste and smell.
Up there, they won’t be broken
Your nose will work just fine.
And your nerves will send new signals
Down your perfect, brand-new spine.
Perhaps you need a Pancreas,
Or perhaps a healthy Lung.
God will give you what you need,
They’ll stay…forever young.
Perhaps your problem’s mental.
You’ve Alzheimer’s in your brain.
Well, at the second coming
You’ll be perfect, right-as-rain!
Here’s a message to the youth,
“You too will get your scars.”
Perhaps you’ll slip a disk or two,
Need a rod in your lumbars.
We all are getting older,
However long we live.
And it really is desirable
To the “death” alternative.
But that don’t make it easy.
Some days it is the pits.
When Sciatic nerves are burning,
And your fake knee gives you fits.
Remember that this body
Will not take you to God’s bliss.
And any part of you gone bad,
Is nothing that you’ll miss.
For in the resurrection,
On that glad and happy day,
The God of Restoration
Will come, and have His way.
He’ll smooth out all your wrinkles
And He’ll give you back what’s gone.
And then they’ll light the candles
And He’ll shout “The Party’s ON!”
“Come here, my precious children,
Leave your problems in the dust.
I know this will be different
But you’ll like it, you’ll adjust.”
We’ll gather round God’s throne,
The broken ones transformed.
The blind shall start sight-seeing.
The cold folk, finally warmed.
The deaf shall hear the overture
To “Moses and the Lamb.”
As amputees clap rhythm,
Stompin’ feet.! Wow! What a jam!
The dumb shall start to speechify.
The lame will take a stroll.
Then, all the “partial people,”
Will at last, be finally…whole.
When Jesus comes in glory
There’s something grand He’ll do.
He’ll fix all of our problems,
As He’s making all things new.
All Things New
Elder O. Kris Widmer
First Printing 5/22/2005, Updated and Printed 11/17/2007
Reflecting on the present suffering of Mrs. Doris Tonn.
Two operations for ocular tumors have taken her eyeballs, and therefore her vision.
In love and care for Mrs. Tonn, and the many others who are waiting for…all things new.
Mrs. Tonn died in 2006
Read publicly at the funeral of Mrs. Phyllis Sample in 2005
and Mr. Harley Clendenon in November 2007
When Jesus comes in glory
There’s something grand He’ll do.
He’ll fix all of our problems,
As He’s making all things new.
New mountain and new river
New creature and new tree.
But I’m really looking forward
To some brand-new parts for me.
And brand-new parts for you!
You’re prob’ly missing some.
And even if you’ve got them all,
They’re prob’ly out of plumb!
“Old age is not for sissies.”
There’s times it is no fun.
We’re usually greatly altered
When a surgeon’s scalpel’s done.
Our final office visit
Is planned for outer space.
The Good and Great Physician
Has agreed to take your case!
He is a wonder worker
In every specialty,
With a friendly “grave-side” manner,
And His services are…free.
Some people need a hand or foot,
Perhaps a leg or arm.
It could be from Thalidomide,
Or injuries on the farm.
Perhaps it was an illness
Or perhaps it was the war.
So many people cope with less
That what they had before.
Perhaps you need new fingers
So your reach is full extension.
Perhaps you need new features
That I should not here now mention.
Perhaps you need new eye-balls
So again you’ll have your sight.
God plans to give you new ones
That will sparkle with delight.
Perhaps you need new kidneys
The two you had, went bad.
(I speak of several friends I’ve known,
And also my dear Dad!)
God will fix the big things.
And the smaller things as well.
Perhaps you need new ear-drums
Or your parts that taste and smell.
Up there, they won’t be broken
Your nose will work just fine.
And your nerves will send new signals
Down your perfect, brand-new spine.
Perhaps you need a Pancreas,
Or perhaps a healthy Lung.
God will give you what you need,
They’ll stay…forever young.
Perhaps your problem’s mental.
You’ve Alzheimer’s in your brain.
Well, at the second coming
You’ll be perfect, right-as-rain!
Here’s a message to the youth,
“You too will get your scars.”
Perhaps you’ll slip a disk or two,
Need a rod in your lumbars.
We all are getting older,
However long we live.
And it really is desirable
To the “death” alternative.
But that don’t make it easy.
Some days it is the pits.
When Sciatic nerves are burning,
And your fake knee gives you fits.
Remember that this body
Will not take you to God’s bliss.
And any part of you gone bad,
Is nothing that you’ll miss.
For in the resurrection,
On that glad and happy day,
The God of Restoration
Will come, and have His way.
He’ll smooth out all your wrinkles
And He’ll give you back what’s gone.
And then they’ll light the candles
And He’ll shout “The Party’s ON!”
“Come here, my precious children,
Leave your problems in the dust.
I know this will be different
But you’ll like it, you’ll adjust.”
We’ll gather round God’s throne,
The broken ones transformed.
The blind shall start sight-seeing.
The cold folk, finally warmed.
The deaf shall hear the overture
To “Moses and the Lamb.”
As amputees clap rhythm,
Stompin’ feet.! Wow! What a jam!
The dumb shall start to speechify.
The lame will take a stroll.
Then, all the “partial people,”
Will at last, be finally…whole.
When Jesus comes in glory
There’s something grand He’ll do.
He’ll fix all of our problems,
As He’s making all things new.
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