On behalf of my brothers, our wives and families, I want to sincerely express how blessed we are that so many have joined in the celebration of my sister’s life. We are humbled by your love for this beautiful woman.
This will always remind me of Marcia. It’s a plastic cup. It’s cheap. And I don’t care to drink from them. But they will always remind me of her.
Whenever she would stay at my house she would always ask for a plastic cup. I would tell her life is too short to drink from a plastic cup. I always gave her a glass. She thought I was being too fancy.
Marcia never wanted the best for herself. You had to force her to take it. And then it was a fight.
She didn’t want to sit in the best seat or even a comfortable one. Even when I visited her she wouldn’t tell me which seat was hers because she wanted me to sit wherever I wanted.
It would usually be a stand off, literally.
If you saw the photos on the board you might notice that she’s not front and center in 99% of them. That was the way Marcia was.
So if I could sum up Marcia in one word it would be GIVER.
She never took. She hated to take. She would be embarrassed if someone tried to make her take something. She would prefer to give. And she would try to give you anything you wanted.
You know, she would have loved to see all of you here but would hate that went to any trouble because of her.
“Why did y’all have to come? Y’all didn’t need to do that, no.”
The staff at the nursing home had a nickname for her that is oh, so appropriate: Sister Mary Marcia.
Honestly, she would have made a wonderful nun. Would be a good order: Sister of My Little Sister.
If I could sum up Marcia in one word it would be LOVE.
Marcia was the second woman who ever loved me. And I certainly didn’t make it easy on her because I was the typical big brother who tormented her at any given chance. Yet she continued to love me.
There is not a single person on this earth who has come into contact with Marcia and did not walk away feeling loved. She loved so many people. People who became family. Marcia’s family.
Her spirit was pure love. And everyone on her path was touched by her love, and she left a wake of admirers along the way.
And if you ever hurt her feelings it never lasted long. Her love had some kind of seal-healing properties that I sadly do not possess.
Did you ever feel like you met a saint in real life? I did. Every time I met Marcia.
Marcia was love, and Marcia was truly and sincerely loved.
If I could sum up Marcia in one word it would be SMILE
If you ever managed to catch Marcia with a frown on her face then you witnessed a very rare occasion.
She smiled though everything. Even the worst.
She suffered for most of her young life. I accompanied her to a number of doctor appointments, and I learned to recite the litany of illnesses and afflictions. I was surprised by some. And I only found out others recently.
Her sufferings weren’t our business she told herself. Besides, it might take the smile off our our faces.
And she would just hate to see that.
If I could sum up Marcia in one word it would be OVERCOMER.
Marcia was a giver. But she also never gave up.
I was coming to believe that she just might be immortal. I cannot recall how many times I told myself that this was it – Marcia has met her match. But that girl was full of surprises. Where that energy came from to be victorious in those battles is beyond me. And I truly mean that, I don’t think I would have the determination she had to go on against such odds. But she did.
Many times it seemed that God had arranged a time for Marcia to come to meet Him, but each time Marcia found a way to skip that appointment.
Finally God made her an offer she couldn’t refuse: trading her poor broken body for a resurrected soul.
Please do not tell her to REST IN PEACE!
Marcia has rested in a hospital bed for almost two years. I hope her soul doesn’t rest. I hope it runs and leaps. I hope it soars! I hope it is as active as she couldn’t not be. But I do believe she is at peace.
As you can tell, I can’t sum up Marcia in one word. It would take volumes, and I could talk all day about her, and I don’t anyone would get bored with sharing stories of my sister. So if you care to share your own I’d love to hear them myself.
My brothers and I feel ourselves the luckiest men on earth to have been her brother. Each of us has had a special and unique relationship with her, and each of us feels we’re closer to her than any of the others. Funny how she did that.
Honestly, I think she did that with everyone that knew her.
And now Momma has her little girl back. And Daddy and Chris are there to greet her. And the saints have welcomed her back into their ranks.
And Jesus has offered her a chalice made from the finest crystal from which to drink.
And she will say “That’s ok, sha.”
– Eulogy for Marcia Coleman, October 5, 2017
Categories: What was I thinking?
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