Saturday, March 16, 2024: Slept in until 8, Donna Peeler's viewing & funeral, Sue Hubble, Snowing after funeral - grave dedication, Cheesecake, Nap with Tom, "In the Shadow of a Queen"

 

Columbus, Ohio

60th operating temple

Dedicated: 4 Sep 1999

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 30

Come Follow Me

"Unshaken Saints"

October General Conference

"Brothers and Sisters in Christ" by Elder Ulisses Soares

I slept in until 8 this morning and so did James. We both took sleeping pills during the night and we were zonked. We still have time to be at Donna Peeler's viewing by 10:30. 

When we arrived at the church the viewing was almost over. We had time to look at Donna lying in her beautiful white casket and to give Owen a hug before it was time to go so the family could have family prayer before coming in the chapel. In the last row of family members I saw a familiar face, although she is not a member of the family, Sue Hubble. I asked her if she wanted to stay or come with us into the chapel. She said "come with you." We went and sat in the front of the chapel where we always sat with Sue when she was a member of our ward. 

There were lots of family members. The only one I knew was their son Paul. They also have a daughter Serena who has two boys. So two children and two grandchildren. James knows Serena and pointed her out to me. Donna passed away from the effects of cancer and her daughter Serena has cancer too. 

Here are some notes that I took at the funeral:

Stefani Hunsaker gave her life story:

- Donna preached to the chickens as a little girl

- Donna loved music

- Donna collected fabric - she had an entire room full

- She loved to swim and water ski in her younger years

- She was a car buff ( I remember her driving around a pale yellow Mustang with a white top. When I asked her about it she said she was helping her grandson buy it and he was behind on the payments so she was driving it for awhile).

- She had a green thumb and could grow things that others couldn't

- The gospel made her what she is.

Brandt McNeil (grandson):

- If someone asked grandma her name she might say, "Mary Poppins"

- She loved to thrift shop and sometimes was seen exchanging price tags as she was shopping. She was so cute, no one could get mad at her.

- She had a woman's intuition or "super powers"

- She had a way of "letting go and letting God"

- Brandt found a song on Donna's phone after she pass away. "Remember Me" He played it on the piano

Jarren McNeil (grandson)

- The most loving woman I have ever known.

- I could describe my grandma with the word save, she saved others and she saved things

Rick Lufelt (relative)

- Do we attend our own funeral? According to Neil A. Maxwell, Yes, we do.

- D&C 42:43-46

- Donna lived by her own standards

- Proverbs 4:18

- She was a light to those who knew her

- Proverbs 17:17

- "Keep Your Fork" the best is yet to come

Owen Peeler (husband)

- I always apologize to you but you never apologize to me. Why?

Donna - "Because I'm never wrong"

- In their early years they played Gin Rummy to see who had to do the dishes. Owens says he never won.

- We must become as little children to enter the kingdom of heaven.

- This life is the time to prepare to meet God.

- Commit to do good, seek the peaceable things of the kingdom.

- Wherever she was, there was Eden.

Bishop Kip Hunsaker

- If Donna could come back for 5 minutes, I wonder what she would share

- She would have more of an eternal perspective

- She would tell us to help one another

- Those who knew her loved her

James was asked to dedicate the grave. We said our goodbye's to Sue as she was going home to get her granddaughters for the day. 

It was snowing as I drove James to the cemetery. Very few people came, possibly because of the weather. I waited in the car. I did not bring my boots and the cemetery was very muddy.

James was only gone about 10 minutes before he was back to the car. I was driving. We went home where I stayed while he went back to the church where they were having the luncheon. I was just too tired to go.

James was back within the hour. He brought me a huge piece of cheesecake and he remembered to bring my pan that had the rolls I made on it. I was worried it might get left at the church.

I had a long nap with Tom. While we walked this evening we listened to our new book, "In the Shadow of a Queen" which is about Queen Victoria's daughter Louise.

Neither of these pictures looks like the Donna we knew.

She was very thin and frail and grew more so over the 

12 years we knew her.

My dream pantry

 

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