The Service in PDF format is at: 02-04-2023 – Dona Dewees Service
† DONA ADELE DEWEES †
August 1, 1946 – December 27, 2022
AS WE GATHER
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Today we gather in the valley. Grief rising on one side, pain rising on the other. The valley can be lonely, treacherous, and all encompassing. I will fear no evil. Ahead lies a mountain, a mountain of hope. Joy and peace envelop all who pass through the valley and ascend the mountain. Today we make that journey to the mountaintop.
Edwin Othello Excell; John Newton; John P. Rees; William W. Walker; Words: Public Domain ; Music: Public Domain
Amazing grace how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found;
Was blind but now I see.
.
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
.
The Lord has promised good to me
His Word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures
.
Thro’ many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come;
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun.
Pastor: In the name of the Father, the † Son, and the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
People: He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
Pastor: He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
People: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
Pastor: for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
People: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Pastor: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.
OPENING PRAYER
Pastor: Let us pray.
O God of grace and mercy, we give thanks for the life that You have given to Dona. We gather here today to also give You thanks for the eternal life that You have now given to her. We recognize that eternal life is possible because of Jesus’ victory over death. We believe that His death and resurrection opened up the way for everyone to have a relationship with You. Today we turn to You in our grief with Dona’s death. Remind us that Your promises to Dona are also Your promises to us. We pray these things in the name of Jesus, the One who knew no sin.
People: Amen.
We are celebrating the amazing life of Dona Adele De Wees, Born August 1, 1946 – Died December 27, 2022.
Unique, like the spelling of her name, Dona’s story began at the US Naval hospital in Kittery, Maine. Father John Douglas De Wees, serving in the Navy and Mother Adele Theresa Sokoloski De Wees welcomed their first child into their hearts and lives. At the birth, there were complications as Dona was in a breach position. They were unable to turn her so resorted to forceps delivery. This caused cranial damage which was later determined as a form of Cerebral Palsy. This created motor skills damage, but her wit, aptitude, IQ and humor were intact.
Dona’s childhood included many relocations with her dad’s transfers in the Navy, but she was joined 6 years later with a baby brother and only sibling, John. I looked up to Dona and learned a lot from her. An example is how she never complained, gave great advice and I admired her and could not be prouder of her and all that she accomplished no matter how challenging. I never felt my challenges were anywhere close to hers, and since she had more right to be frustrated than me, I didn’t feel like my complaints compared. Once I bent the rear tire on her full size 3 wheeled bike because I was riding it up on two wheels, she didn’t complain but told me to fix it, so I did.
Dona received an academic science award in grade school and graduated from South Salem High school in 1965 and received a diploma from Continental Career College in 1968. She did marry in 1972, but it was short lived, and she retained her maiden name.
She worked for Good Samaritan Center Library, University of Oregon Library and Oregon State University foundation where she retired in 2016 at the age of 70 with a commendable PERS retirement.
Dona also sold Avon as a consultant alongside her mom, and they also shared a hobby of collecting salt and pepper shakers on their travels. She enjoyed traveling and treasured her experience on a cruise she took to St. Thomas and St. Maarten in 2000. Two of her special connections were meeting Actors James Gardner (Maverick and Rockford Files) and Alan Hale (The Skipper on Gilligan’s Island).
Though Dona never remarried, she had a special partnership with James (Jim) Ogilvie, and they continued her love of traveling – their favorite spot was at the beach. She enjoyed playing cards including Skipbo, and Bingo. Dona also loved reading, working puzzles, restaurants, music and riding her bike. She also loved it when I made bar-b-que Salmon for her. Jim and Dona moved to an apartment on 9th Street in Corvallis and created a lifelong relationship with a good friend Homer Mackey. The 3 spent many cherished years of friendship together.
Through most of Dona’s life she walked precariously but did quite well and participated in many activities. Unfortunately, the last 15 years she relied on a wheelchair and although it confined her it gave her the means to keep up with the activities she enjoyed. Dona was preceded in death by her father, mother, and Jim. She is survived by me, her brother John and wife Theresa. A niece Karly and Nephew Ryan from John’s first marriage, and nieces Tanya, Rachael and Emily, Theresa’s children.
She loved creating and nurturing friendships and held her Church family close to her heart. Also, the connections she made at work, throughout the community from her living locations, restaurant staff, and anyone she met brought her joy. Next to her family, these were her treasured relationships.
The family would like to thank you all for your prayers and support during and after the unforeseen accident that finally took her life. We know she was welcomed by loved ones and Jesus into God’s kingdom for a life well lived. Your shared memories and comforting condolences are truly appreciated. Please feel free to share your special memories and experiences with us as we navigate without Dona in our lives.
† DONA ADELE DEWEES †
August 1, 1946 – December 27, 2022
DONA’S LIFE IN PICTURES (Music)
FIRST READING I Corinthians 13:4-7
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades.
3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”
7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.”
8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.
10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.”
11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’ ” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?”
13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.
14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”
15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.
SONG OF CONFIDENCE “How Great Thou Art”
Stuart Wesley Keene Hine; Copyright 1949 and 1953 Stuart Hine Trust CIO Stuart K. Hine Trust (Administration: USA All rights by Capitol CMG Publishing, except print rights for USA, North, Central and South America administered by Hope Publishing. All other non USA Americas rights by the Stuart Hine Trust. Rest of World – Integritymusic.com.)
O Lord my God
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds
Thy hands have made
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy pow’r thru’out
The universe displayed
.
Chorus: Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
.
When through the woods
And forest glades I wander
And hear the birds
Sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down
From lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook
And feel the gentle breeze
Chorus
And when I think
That God His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die
I scarce can take it in
That on the cross
My burden gladly bearing
He bled and died
To take away my sin
Chorus
When Christ shall come
With shout of acclamation
And take me home
What joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration
And there proclaim
My God how great Thou art
Chorus
WORDS OF COMFORT
Pastor Lucke
PRAYER
Pastor: Heavenly Father, give to the family of Dona and to all who mourn comfort in their grief and a sure confidence in Your loving care that, casting all their sorrow on You, they may know the consolation of Your love. Lord, in your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Give courage and faith to the bereaved, that they may have strength to meet the days ahead in the assurance of a holy and certain hope and in the joyful expectation of eternal life with those they love who have departed in the faith. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Receive our thanks for Dona and for all the blessings You bestowed on her in this earthly life. Bring us at last to our heavenly home that with her we may see You face to face in the joys of paradise. In the name of Jesus, the One who knew no sin.
People: AMEN.
LORD’S PRAYER
ALL: Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pastor: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
CLOSING SONG “Beautiful Savior”
Text: Gesangbuch, Munster, 1677; tr. Joseph A. Seiss, 1823-1904, Tune: Silesian Folk tune, 1842; 1978 Published by Augsburg Publishing Company, Minneapolis and board of Publication, Lutheran Church in America, Philadelphia
Beautiful Savior, King of creation,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I’d love thee, Truly I’d serve thee,
Light of my soul, my joy, my crown.
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Fair are the meadows, Fair are the woodlands,
Robed in flow’rs of blooming spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
He makes our sorrowing spirit sing.
.
Fair is the sunshine, Fair is the moonlight,
Bright the sparkling stars on high;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels in the sky.
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Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, Praise, adoration,
Now and forevermore be thine!
Pastor: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and +give you peace.
People: Amen.
“Safely Home”
I am home in heaven dear ones;
Oh, so happy and bright!
There is perfect joy and beauty
In this everlasting light
.
All the pain and grief is over,
Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in heaven at last.
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Did you wonder I so calmly
Trod the valley of the shade?
Oh! But Jesus’ love illumined
Every dark and fearful glade.
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And He came Himself to meet me
In that way so hard to tread;
And with Jesus’ arm to lean on.
Could I have one doubt or dread?
.
Then you must not grieve so sorely,
For I love you dearly still;
Try to look beyond earth’s shadows,
Pray to trust our Father’s Will.
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There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idly stand;
Do it now, while life remaineth –
You shall rest in Jesus’ land.
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When that work is all completed,
He will gently call you Home;
Oh, the rapture of the meeting,
Oh, the joy to see you come!