Grief Upon Grief
"Turn to God with your questions--not away from God," Mr. Schrock told all of us at school this morning. I think we're all trying to do that, but it's not easy. This morning, again, the group that gathered for school was quiet--a little numb from just having heard of Sheldon Martin's death. He was 31.
This is the third death to impact our school significantly since school started last fall. The funeral is planned for Saturday, with the school vacating the Pilgrim/Cedar Crest facility on Thursday evening.
Sheldon had left home yesterday to go canoeing and spend time alone with God. When he did not return at the expected time, his family and friends went looking for him. They found his truck and then notified authorities that he was missing. With more help, they found an empty canoe and then his body--at about 3:30 A.M. He was wearing a life-jacket.
Sheldon had been married for three years to Louisa Schmucker. Her parents live about a quarter of a mile down the road from school and the Cedar Crest church where they all attend. Most of us learned to know Sheldon after he and Louisa started dating. He grew up elsewhere--mostly in Pennsylvania, as I recall.
Louisa and I "started" high school at very nearly the same time--she as a freshman and I as a teacher. She was a student in a number of my classes. After that, she helped me in the house for a period of time when Marian was unable to do so. She is a friend, apart from those connections, and my heart breaks for her loss.
Louisa was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis soon after she graduated from high school. The medical interventions available have kept her functioning very well, by all appearances, and she went on to earn a degree in English, and, this past May, a degree in nursing--her father's career.
I remember hearing, at their wedding, that Sheldon was a premature baby, and his survival was in question. He grew to be a tall man--just right for the tall young lady Louisa became.
Louisa has four bothers, three of whom live in this area. In Kansas are Abner, William, and Levi. Andrew lives in Pennsylvania. Louisa's only sister, Maria Stutzman, lives in Elnora, Indiana. I've met some of Sheldon's family, but can't give much information on names and whereabouts.
As Louisa and others who are grieving come to mind, please pray for them. We're not "recovered" from the previous deaths, and this feels like too much.
This is the third death to impact our school significantly since school started last fall. The funeral is planned for Saturday, with the school vacating the Pilgrim/Cedar Crest facility on Thursday evening.
Sheldon had left home yesterday to go canoeing and spend time alone with God. When he did not return at the expected time, his family and friends went looking for him. They found his truck and then notified authorities that he was missing. With more help, they found an empty canoe and then his body--at about 3:30 A.M. He was wearing a life-jacket.
Sheldon had been married for three years to Louisa Schmucker. Her parents live about a quarter of a mile down the road from school and the Cedar Crest church where they all attend. Most of us learned to know Sheldon after he and Louisa started dating. He grew up elsewhere--mostly in Pennsylvania, as I recall.
Louisa and I "started" high school at very nearly the same time--she as a freshman and I as a teacher. She was a student in a number of my classes. After that, she helped me in the house for a period of time when Marian was unable to do so. She is a friend, apart from those connections, and my heart breaks for her loss.
Louisa was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis soon after she graduated from high school. The medical interventions available have kept her functioning very well, by all appearances, and she went on to earn a degree in English, and, this past May, a degree in nursing--her father's career.
I remember hearing, at their wedding, that Sheldon was a premature baby, and his survival was in question. He grew to be a tall man--just right for the tall young lady Louisa became.
Louisa has four bothers, three of whom live in this area. In Kansas are Abner, William, and Levi. Andrew lives in Pennsylvania. Louisa's only sister, Maria Stutzman, lives in Elnora, Indiana. I've met some of Sheldon's family, but can't give much information on names and whereabouts.
As Louisa and others who are grieving come to mind, please pray for them. We're not "recovered" from the previous deaths, and this feels like too much.
posted by Mrs. I (Miriam Iwashige) at
7:19 PM
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