You can watch and listen this on YouTube Just click on Marlene’s Service.
The following is a copy of the Bulletin for this service.
AS WE GATHER
Today we gather in the name of the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to remember the life of Marlene and to proclaim the victory of Jesus Christ who has been raised from the dead. Both the Old and the New Testaments of the Holy Bible speak powerfully of the resurrection of the dead. Isaiah, Hosea, and Paul all remind us, “’Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Such is the wonder of the Christian faith. When a Christian loved one is taken from us in death, we have the assurance that Marlene has won the victory! Our struggle with sin and death, pain and sorrow continues, but her victory is complete! Our sense of loss can be overwhelming, but her victory is won!
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
Opening Song “Amazing Grace”
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.
CALLING ON GOD Psalm 23
Leader: In the name of the Father, the † Son, and the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Leader: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
People: He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
Leader: 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, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Leader: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
People: 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
Leader: Let us pray. O God of grace and mercy, we give thanks for Your loving-kindness shown to Marlene and to all Your servants who, having finished their course in faith, now rest from their labors. Grant that we also may be faithful unto death and receive the crown of eternal life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
MARLENE’S LIFE IN WORDS AND PICTURES
FIRST READING Romans 8:31-39
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
GOSPEL John 14:1-6
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
SONG OF COMFORT “The Old Rugged Cross”
George Bennard, Words: Public Domain, Music: Public Domain
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Chorus: So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
On that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above,
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Chorus
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see;
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
Chorus
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory for ever I’ll share.
Chorus
TIME OF SHARING
WORDS OF COMFORT
Pastor Lucke
CLOSING PRAYER
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.
CLOSING SONG “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
BENEDICTION
OBITUARY
Marlene Joyce Blanchard passed away January 22, 2024 following a 10 year struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was with her family at the time of her passing. Marlene was loved by all who knew her. She was a very social person and will be missed by her family and many friends, and she will definitely be welcome in Heaven.
Marlene was born, to George and Gwendolyn Bailey, in Bismarck, North Dakota, October 13, 1939. Her family moved to Washington state in the early 1950s where her father found work on several construction projects. They later moved to Oregon. When she was 14 years old, they moved to Mosier, Oregon where she met Gary, the love of her life. They graduated from Mosier High School, both in the class of 1957. By the end of high school, they had become sweethearts. Following high school, she worked for the U.S. National Bank in The Dalles while Gary moved to Corvallis to attend Oregon State College. During that year of separation their desire to be together grew stronger and they were married in September 1958. After they were married Marlene transferred to the U.S. National Bank in Corvallis where she worked to make living expenses for the couple. Gary always bragged that she put him through school.
Both Marlene and Gary were fortunate to find employment in Corvallis following Gary’s college graduation. They have been part of the Corvallis Philomath community for the past 65 years. She continued to work at the bank where she gained valuable experience that gave her a good foundation
to start her own businesses. She did a marvelous job of balancing her work, while giving birth to, and being the mother to three daughters. She eventually established Marlene Blanchard Realty and continued to sell real estate until 2014. In 1999 she was honored with the recognition of being named Realtor of the year by the Willamette Association of Realtors.
She is survived by her husband Gary and three daughters, Capri Robison (husband Arlyn), Angela Wilson (husband Tom), and Crystal Kerr (husband Mike, deceased). She is also survived by four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. She also has a sister, Sandra, in Portland. Her parents, and two brothers, Donald Bailey and Robert Bailey, preceded her in death.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dementia Warriors support group c/o Peace Lutheran Church or other charity of your choice. An alternative way to honor Marlene’s memory would be to do one of her favorite things, take a friend to lunch.
