Lucille Gregory Funeral

Lucille (Johnson) Gregory, born September 9, 1927, in Breckenridge, MO, entered her eternal reward in the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on August 8, 2019, at the age of 91 years, 10 month, and 29 days, in Ozark, MO, at the Baptist Home with her family by her side.

Lucille is one of five children born to Walter and Eliza Johnson, her siblings including her sisters: Laranell, Jean, and Helen; and her brother: Russell. She grew up on the family farm there in Breckenridge, seeing the challenges faced by family farmers…learning the value of hard work and a good work ethic. Lucille graduated from Breckenridge High School in 1949…and enjoyed keeping up with friends/graduates from those High School days. She also attended Chillicothe Business School.

From 1964-1993, Lucille worked for and retired from her career job as a Revenue Accounting Clerk for the KC Southern Railroad. Throughout her life, she enjoyed attending many railroad conventions out of town with friends. The last one she attended was in Kentucky, where she fell and broke her leg (ouch).

Outside her work, our Lord blessed her life with two children: Connie and Linda. Eventually, the blessings of grandchildren and great-grandchildren would also be added.

Speaking with her sister, Jean, I have learned that Lucille was a very talented lady. She enjoyed doing various crafts like needle point and others. She also enjoyed music. Lucille played the piano and organ, as well as being able to sing. As a member of the Johnson family, they followed the Blackwood Brothers Quartet. Her family’s favorite song was “On the Jericho Road,” which her Dad would sing, her Mom play the piano…and everybody else joined in on the singing! (More about this in a moment!)

The most important aspect of Lucille’s life I can share with you today, though, took place in her life after moving to Kansas City. Connecting with First Baptist Church in North Kansas City, she publicly professed her faith in Jesus Christ as her Savior and Lord—from that point forward living a life which evidenced a love for Jesus and a love for others. She was active in the Sunshine Ministry, a ministry working with children with special needs.

I mentioned earlier that Lucille was a crafter. This fact is one reason why, in 2003, she chose to move to the Baptist Home in Ozark, MO. She settled into the “Outbackers” town homes there. All the people there really seemed to like her. She connected with Hopedale Baptist Church and provided transportation to activities at the church for friends from the Baptist Home. In 2017, Lucille moved into the assisted living area at the Baptist Home.

Lucille has been preceded in death by her parents: Walter and Eliza; her daughter: Connie; and her grandson: Wayne. She is survived by her daughter: Linda (of Brekenridge, MO); her sisters: Laranell (of Carl Junction, MO), Jean (of Kansas City, MO), and Helen (of Payson, AZ); her brother: Russell (of Breckenridge, MO); her grand children: Jeremy, Jennifer, and Mellissa; and eight great grand children; and numerous other friends from Breckenridge, Kansas City, and Ozark.

Scripture Reading -

Psalm 23:1–6 CSB

The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.

Song - “On the Jericho Road” (The Blackwood Bros [CD or Bluetooth Speaker])

Message -

Psalm 116:15 CSB

The death of his faithful ones is valuable in the Lord’s sight.

Psalm 116:15 CSB

The death of his faithful ones is valuable in the Lord’s sight.

Psalm 116:15esv ESV

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

Today I want to share with you all this simple, straightforward declaration of God revealed in a single verse of Scripture found in the Book of Psalms. The psalms were the worship songs of God’s people, Israel. Just like the Johnson family, and our churches, the people of God (initially in the OT days…and even through today) would gather together and SING of the goodness and greatness of our God. Tucked away In is this beautiful lyric [read the verse].

Think about the words of this verse of that song...

”Precious”—valuable, dear, of great worth

“In the sight of the LORD”—The majestic, holy, perfect, awesome, almighty, creator, sustainer, savior…LORD…Father, Son, & Holy Spirit WAS WATCHING OVER LUCILLE! He still is, because the Bible tells us that to be absent from this body is to be in His presence! A little added encouragement…all of us who have a relationship with God through repenting of our sin and by faith trust Jesus to be our Savior and Lord…He’s watching over us, too!

”Is the death”—What we all to often understandably see as our ‘last enemy,’ DEATH, is planned by our wonderful Savior as our passageway (doorway, transition zone) into His presence (our eternal reward, heaven, reunion with believing loved ones,...Jesus’ presence!

”Of his saints”—God takes no joy in the death of the wicked, but all of heaven celebrates the entrance of one of God’s children into his or her eternal reward. Let me be clear. Based on what God’s word says here and many other places, this truth revealed by God, about God, & focused on His relationship to His repentant, redeemed children is the only death which He describes as precious (valuable, etc.).

Scripture - 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 CSB

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For we say this to you by a word from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.