Beverly Fitzhugh's Funeral

---

 

I. Welcome and introductory comments 1. My name is Chad Wagner. I was Bev's pastor for the last nine years. 2. We are here to remember the life of Beverly Fitzhugh and to give glory to God for her salvation in Jesus Christ. 3. Beverly Lynn Fitzhugh was born on October 19, 1946 in Norton, KS to Jim and Doris Jean Fitzhugh; grew up with three brothers David, Rodney, and Mike and one sister Peggy; and died on April 13, 2022 at 75 years old of lung cancer. 4. Bev had two children, Bob Fitzpatrick and Deena Province; eight grandchildren, Lewie, Shay, Sadie, Sarah, Eli, Emerson, Alexis (deceased), Amanda; and four great-grandchildren. III. Information about Bev 1. Bev's and interests A. Bev ran a photography business from 1968 until 2010 when she had to quit for health reasons. B. She liked to do needle work including cross-stitch and crocheting. C. She was also interested in politics, history, and serial killers. 2. Bev's life events A. Bev was born and raised in Norton, Kansas. B. After high school she moved from rural Kansas to Queens, NY for a couple of years. C. She lived in Broken Bow, NE; Ansley, NE; and Excelsior Springs, MO since 2014. D. Bev is now present with the Lord Jesus Christ in soul and spirit in heaven. i. Ecc 12:7 - Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. ii. 2Co 5:8 - We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 3. Bev was a Christian and a seeker of God's truth. A. She grew up Catholic. B. She was an alcoholic for many years. C. Her latter end was better than her beginning. i. Ecc 7:8 - Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. ii. Pro 19:20 - Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. D. Her spiritual journey started because she thought she was going to die if she didn't stop drinking. i. She knew she couldn't stop unless God did it for her. ii. The Lord woke her up to the fact that it was killing her. iii. By God's grace she was able to stop drinking cold turkey in the 1980s and never took another drink again with the exception of the wine that we drink for Communion. iv. On numerous occasions she felt compelled to start drinking again, but the Lord through amazing circumstances kept her from it. E. She started going to a Methodist Church when she began to seek the Lord. F. She made stops at an Evangelical Free, American Baptist, and a Nondenominational church along her journey. G. In 2009 she listened to a taped sermon by Pastor Conrad Jarrell on the doctrine of election. H. She was persuaded of the truth of sovereign grace, and she was baptized by Pastor Ben Mott in 2010 and was added to the Minneapolis Church in Minneapolis, MN as a non-resident member along with her then-husband and another man from Nebraska. I. She was a faithful member in Minneapolis for five years making 4 trips per year up there from Nebraska. i. Bev made many of those 10 hour drives by herself in her late 60s. ii. She was a woman of great faith. J. In 2014 after both of the men that she was baptized with had abandoned the faith, she decided to move here to Excelsior Springs all by herself after having lived in Nebraska for nearly all of her adult life. K. She moved here because she wanted to live among people of like-faith who were also non-resident members of the Minneapolis Church. L. In 2015, by the grace of God the Excelsior Springs Church was constituted of which Bev was a founding member. M. She remained a faithful and fruitful member until the day of her death. 4. Bev was a godly woman. A. She demonstrated her faith by her actions. B. She would receive correction in sermons, even when it made her mad. C. After she got mad, she would consider what was taught, and if it was Biblical she would accept it and change accordingly. D. This happened on at least two occasions. 5. Bev had a good sense of humor. A. A few days before she died, she said, "You are my favorite pastor." i. I replied, "I'm your only pastor." ii. She laughed and said "That's right." iii. I told her she was my favorite oldest church member. B. She loved to banter back and forth with certain people in the church, even to the point of threatening them with excommunication at times. 6. Bev was cool. A. I made a comment in a Bible study on self defense that I thought every American should have an AR-15 to defend themselves with. B. Bev, a little old lady in her 70's, asked after the Bible study in complete seriousness, "Pastor, do you think I should get an AR-15?" 7. Bev was generous. A. She offered and wanted Sette and me to use her car to make long trips instead of our old clunker. B. She later gave us her car when she thought she was no longer safe to drive. 8. Bev was ready to go to heaven to be with the Lord Jesus Christ. A. On the day she was diagnosed with cancer, she was not depressed, angry, scared, or in denial, but she was rather happy, upbeat, and looking forward to being with the Lord soon. B. She didn't even consider trying to fight it. 9. Bev was loved by her family, church, and friends and will be missed dearly. 10. I'd like to say "thank you" to all those who helped Bev during her last years. A. Thank you Wayne and Austin Hatcher for moving her down here. B. Thank you to all the ladies in the church that cared for Bev and did so many things to help her over the years and during her last days. C. Thank you to the Hospice workers who took good care of Bev. D. Thank you to the people at the Oaks who cared for Bev and were friends to her. E. Thank you to her son Bob for coming down to see her at the end of her life. V. Sermon 1. Bev wanted me to preach sovereign grace, which she loved, at her funeral. 2. Here is what Bev believed so strongly that she would drive 10 hours each way to Minneapolis four times per year to hear it preached and fellowship with believers of like-faith, and later moved to Excelsior Springs to be among brethren in a church who believe it. A. Before God created the world, He foresaw that the first man Adam would sin and plunge all mankind into sin and death. i. Rom 5:12 - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: B. Foreseeing this, God chose to save a portion of mankind from eternal punishment in hell which they deserved. i. Eph 1:4-5 - According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, C. God gave those people which the Bible calls "the elect" to the Lord Jesus Christ who would come to this earth, be born of a virgin, live a sinless life, and die in their place on a cross to save them from their sins. i. Mat 1:21 - And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. ii. Joh 6:39 - And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. iii. Joh 17:2-4 - As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3) And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4) I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. iv. 2Co 5:21 - For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. D. Jesus gave His elect, who are called His sheep, eternal life. i. Joh 10:27-28 - My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. E. Their works, including their faith, repentance, baptism, or other good works had no bearing whatsoever on their salvation. i. 2Ti 1:9 - Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, ii. Tit 3:5 - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; F. Their faith is the evidence, not the cause, of their eternal life. i. Joh 5:24 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. ii. 1Jo 5:1 - Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. G. Jesus Christ is coming back on the last day to resurrect all men, judge the wicked, and take His people to live with Him on the new earth that He will create. i. Joh 5:28-29 - Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29) And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. ii. 1Th 4:16-18 - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words. iii. Rev 21:1-4 - And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2) And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. H. Bev's faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the evidence that she is one of God's elect whom God chose and Christ died for and saved her by His grace.