When You’re Married Almost SEVENTY YEARS… (“Great is Thy Faithfulness”)
Friends! Our family has been on an emotional roller coaster for several weeks over my Father-in-Love, Bill Hoagland. He was taken into the arms of our Sweet Lord on Sunday, September 22nd. He would’ve been 92 this month.
A sympathy card we received in yesterday’s mail says, “A life is a continuous thread. It weaves itself through love and memory, and remains a part of everyone it has touched.” My friend Jayne Combs, who sent the card said,
What a dear, dear thought.
Bill and Adeline are blessed with four children, two daughters-in-law, 12 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren for starters! The number of friends who flowed thru’ the visitation and funeral were astonishing and such a beautiful blessing to all of us.
When planning Bill’s funeral (I called him “Possum” while our kids called him “Huggy”), all of John’s siblings, plus Marte and I, gathered at the Hoagland’s house Sunday afternoon and came up with thoughts for the obituary, favorite hymns for the funeral, etc. Many of our memories were like warm blankets, comforting us, making us laugh one minute and cry the next.
One of my favorite memories of Possum was watching him play the piano. He could play be ear which always fascinated me. When I met him for the very first time and shared I, too, play the piano (but NOT by ear!!!), I believe he decided I was okay to enter the family. That was one of our fun things we could do together.
Possum frequently sported a bow tie. At his funeral, there were twelve grandsons who became two teams of pallbearers, each wearing a bow tie. That was one of many scenes causing us all to tear up.
The final honor guard presentation was a sight to behold: Two young men from the Unites States Navy entered the sanctuary accompanied by taps, saluting the casket, reverently folding the flag, and presenting it to Adeline. Not a dry eye existed, and I know Bill would’ve loved this.
Beyond all of Bill’s accomplishments, far and away were the heights he and Addie would go to for their marriage. Addie often says, “He was always so kind to me.”
Those of you who knew Bill, know he and Addie were inseparable. What one couldn’t do, the other could, always helping one another. They sailed all over the city eating at many restaurants along the way. They would’ve been married SIXTY-NINE YEARS this November.
Below are a couple of older photos of the two lovebirds. I think they look like movie stars!
One of the many lovely hymns sung at Bill’s funeral was “Great is Thy Faithfulness” by Thomas Obediah Chisholm. Thomas was born in a log cabin in Franklin, Kentucky. Rob Morgan, in his book Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories, tells us Thomas began teaching school at the early age of 16.
He came to Christ when he was 27 and because of numerous illnesses, went from job to job. Upon discovering his many new blessings each day, He wrote “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” taking the phrase from Lamentations 3:22-23,
The lyrics speak not only to our own faith in God, but I believe they speak to Bill’s devotion to Adeline and to his family:
Thomas wrote over 1,200 poems and hymns. His friend, William Runyan, is who composed the music to this song and many others. He was so moved in particular by this one, Rob tells us “he prayed earnestly for special guidance in composing the music.”
The hymn didn’t take off at first. Finally, Dr. Will Houghton of the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago made “Great is Thy Faithfulness” an unofficial theme song for the school. But who really made it popular was the one and only George Beverly Shea and the choirs at the Billy Graham Crusades. (These are only a few of the many fun facts you can learn from Then Sings My Soul.)
This summer, soon after our two new grandsons, Ford and Henry, were born, they got to meet Huggy. This tickled us pink to see so many generations. There’s that thread Jayne taught us about.
When I stop and think John and I’ve been married thirty-five years, right about half of what Bill and Adeline were, I can’t imagine life without my “better two-thirds”. Our family would covet your prayers for Adeline as this journey ahead will be challenging.
My sis-in-love, Marte, told me soon after both her parents died and mine were both gone as well, “Oh, but we’re only shortly separated.” Amen and Amen.
Below are the “Fabulous Four Sibs” : L-R: Van, Billy, John and Margee, and a more recent photo of Bill and Adeline.
May it be said of us as we lean toward Heaven, “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” And as Bob Hope used to sing, “Thanks for the Memories.” We miss you, Huggy!
‘Til next time!
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