Anna Ruth Causey

Eulogy given at funeral Tuesday, February 6, 2007

My name is Lisa Leeds, and I would like to share some of my favorite memories of my grandmother, Anna Ruth Causey.

The first thing that comes to mind when I think about my Grandmother, is all the many letters, and cards I have received from her throughout my life… something I know all of you can relate to, because she always took the time to write, and to send a card for every birthday, anniversary, graduation, you name it!

What made her correspondence so memorable was each one would include some scripture, or poem to brighten your day. One such poem, I know many of us received was The Mighty Oak:
"When you are discouraged and feeling kind of blue;"

"Take a look at the mighty oak, and see what a nut can do!" 

Then when you would see her in person, she would hug you so tightly you could hardly breathe. She just didn’t want to let the ones she loved, get too far away.

Some of my favorite memories of my grandmother are when I was grade school age, I would brush her hair, and always be surprised how long it was…and then there was the time that she visited my 3rd grade class to teach us how to make bread, from scratch! And while I was training & fundraising for the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk this past year, each month she would send me a donation along with a note of encouragement.

Another thing I remember is how she took the time to make stuffed toy animals for us all; like gingham dogs, calico cats, and Easter bunnies. Today in honor of grandma, my cousin April has brought one of those many stuffed toys, a Humpty Dumpty. I would bet in her lifetime Grandma has made over 200 stuff toys, and that would be just an estimate of the ones she made for her grandchildren.

My grandmother loved animals, all types of animals. She passed on that love of animals to all her children and grandchildren, and I am so thankful for that. Grandmother was always interested in each of my pets, whether it was my black-hooded rat or my fat cat Louie who loves to sit in the bathroom sink.

Grandma was famous for her ability to recite short stories and poems from memory. She entertained not only her children, but also her grandchildren for countless hours. I wonder how many times she has recited for me and my brothers the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff and Little Red Riding Hood? She would read aloud often to me and my brothers from all types of books. One of my favorite books she read to us was the Wind in the Willows series, which recounted the adventures of Mr. Toad. When she read she would alter her voice to suit each character.

Another of my grandma’s great loves was music. And how blessed we all are that she passed on that love of music to her children, and grandchildren. My grandmother played both the piano and the organ, and some of the instruments that her children & grandchildren have played are the piano, guitar, trumpet, and flute.

My mother has often told me stories of the many times that the family would gather around and grandma would play the piano and grandpa, the violin, and all the children would sing hymns. And today we will be hearing three of my grandmother’s favorite hymns; How Great Thou Art, Amazing Grace, and The Old Rugged Cross.

The most important thing she passed on though was her faith, her love of the Lord. You could see this evidenced in every aspect of her life, and the way she lived it. She would read her Bible till the pages were tattered and torn, they crumbled in my hands, as I searched for her favorite quotes of scripture, especially from the Book of John, a book of the Bible I have been told that she could recite from memory. A couple of passages that I’m sure were very dear to her heart because they were underlined are...

John 11:25 when Jesus says … I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet he shall live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die…

and

John 8:12 - Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

I know that my grandmother prayed daily for each of us. I found the following poem tucked in the pages of her Bible and I thought it would be fitting to share it with you.

I said a Prayer for You Today

I said a prayer for you today And I know God must have heard

I felt the answer in my heart Although He spoke no word!

I didn’t ask for wealth or fame (I knew you wouldn’t mind)

I asked Him to send you treasures Of a far more lasting kind!

I asked that He’d be near you At the start of each new day

To grant you health and blessings And friends to share your way!

I asked for happiness for you In all things great and small

But it was for His loving care I prayed for most of all!