TRANSCRIPT

Hey everybody, this is Aubrey with eulogiesbyaubrey.com. In my last video, my first ever vlog, I said that in my next vlog I was going to be talking a little bit about my career history, jobs that I've held, qualifications in writing and the funeral industry, and all that kind of stuff. So that if you're considering hiring somebody - hiring me - to help you with your eulogy then you would have that information to help you make a decision on whether or not you want to hire me. I think that's important that you have that information if you're considering seeking assistance with your...[Gracie the Cat interjection]. Oh hi! Hi Gracie. This is my cat Gracie. She's 18 (in human years!) She kind of lives in my room.

Okay. So let's begin. I'm going to be begin back in 2012 when I first started professionally writing. 2012-2014 I worked for a company near to where I was living in Texas called FYI. They're in Grand Prairie. I did TV guide descriptions, editing TV guide online platforms, that kind of thing. It was pretty interesting; I really enjoyed that while I did that. That was 2012-2014.

In 2014 I left to join an attorney's office, where I learned a lot about SEO - I'd never heard of it before - (search engine optimization) which focuses on key words and that kind of stuff to help websites gain in popularity in search engines, specifically in Google. The attorney's office? He dealt in traffic tickets - kinda boring. But I did that for 2 years.

While I was working there, I married my husband Austin. That was in 2015. He needed to finish college; he was almost done. He had one class left that he needed to finish, so we got him through that last class and he graduated. After that, I said, I want to fulfill my dream of going to mortuary school and graduating from mortuary school. At that time, we finally had the means for me to be able to do that - or I did, because he was able to support me while I went to school. So before I started college in the summer of 2016, I got my first-ever job at a funeral home in Arlington, where we were living at the time.

I really liked it. It was for a corporate funeral home - SCI, Service Corporation International. I had no idea about any corporation stuff or the difference between corporations and family-owned funeral homes and all the differences there, but I sure did learn fast the differences. I enjoyed corporate work. It was very competitive...I didn't like that part of it.

I will say, in the Summer of 2016, I did start at the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service. When I was hired at the corporate funeral home, I was hired under the promise, I guess, that I was going to get to transfer to the care center (at the time I wanted to get into embalming). I didn't ever really want to be a funeral director - directress. I wanted to work at the care center and help with the embalmings and that kind of thing. Long story short, the management that hired me was not the management that let me go. In the corporate world, management turns over fairly quickly. Oh Gracie [Gracie the Cat interjection] Hi Gracie.

Long story short, SCI and other corporate funeral industries are for some people and not for others. I thought they were for me until they let me go. Long story short, if you have a family member who has passed away, and you're going to be turning to a Dignity provider, and SCI funeral home, I will say that they do treat their families very, very well. They have very high standards for how their employees are required to treat their families [toddler making noise in background] My husband is watching my daughter...she wants to come in here, but she can't 'cause Mommy's working!

Long story short, in September of 2016 after I started mortuary school, I was let go from that funeral home because they needed somebody who was able to work the hours that I wasn't able to work anymore because I started going to mortuary school. So they had to hire another "apprentice" as they're called in the industry. And I was left to put all my attention on mortuary school at the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service.

In October of 2016, I decided that I wanted to try and get back into a funeral home. This time, I chose a family-owned funeral home in Waxahachie, Texas, which is about 20-25 minutes south of Dallas. I will say that working in a family-run funeral home in a small town is a lot of work. It's 24-hour on-call. Long story short, I wasn't able to place the attention and hours that I needed at that job, while at the same time all the studying that goes into mortuary school. All the hours of studying that you need to make good grades and pass mortuary school. So I worked there probably a month at the most, and I had to leave because it was just too much. I remember one night I was up there till four in the morning working, and then I had to drive back to Arlington. It was getting to be too much, so that was the end of that.

After that, I focused only on mortuary school, and in the September the following year, September 2017 (at DIFS it was an accelerated program - a blessing and a curse) I graduated and I was so happy.

I wanted to get back into funeral service. Back then, I really wanted to be an embalmer like I said. I've learned a lot of stuff since then and I've since changed my mind about that. But yeah, I got back into SCI, corporate funeral service to work at their care center in Arlington, where again we were living at the time (we're in Fort Worth now). I did that from October to December of 2017. [Gracie the Cat interjection] This girl hears me talking and just wants to be petted. I have three other cats, by the way. I just got them. But Gracie's the oldest, so she lives in our room now for the most part. Which is just fine with her because she can't stand other cats.

So long, long, long story short, without going into too many details, my husband and I decided to try and start our family. I know there's lots of studies that say that you can carry out embalming safely while pregnant, but I didn't want to risk anything like that. Formaldehyde, heavy lifting, all different kinds of diseases and stuff like that that you're around when you're handling decedents. So I quit my job at the care center, I got pregnant, and had my daughter in September of 2018.

In March of 2019, I wanted to keep my foot in the funeral industry, but I didn't want to leave [the house] because I had my baby at home. I wanted to work at home somehow. So I put two and two together...I put my writing history and also my history in funeral service together. And I thought eulogies! Boom. I probably thought obituaries first, and then I thought eulogies. So I did some research and it turns out, it's actually a thing online. There's several online businesses that cater to the funeral industry through eulogies. So I put two and two together and came up with Aubrey's Eulogies, and then I came up with Eulogies by Aubrey, and that's the one that I liked the best.

I've been writing been writing for Eulogies by Aubrey since March of 2019 and I absolutely love it. I love that it's all online (or on the phone if you prefer talking on the phone). I love that I'm able to stay at home while still doing my part in the funeral industry. It's where my passion is. I feel like my calling is there, and it's always been there my whole life. Maybe in another video I'll talk more about that, I don't know. I need to come up with a topic list or something to keep y'all interested in me. So we've been going on for over a year now. We're not showing any signs of stopping. I'm just really enjoying it.

So that's a little, shortened, condensed version of my history in funeral service and my writing career, if you want to call it that. Besides that, I'm a certified crematory operator, certified cremation arranger, have my certificate in burials at sea from New England Burials at Sea. Someday I might go back and get my funeral director's license, you never know, it could happen. But even if I did that, I would still keep this business. It's just a nice service to have; it would go nicely with that.

I do send out my business card and I email postcards to funeral homes in my area. I need to send some emails. I'm thinking of getting my name out there to some pet funeral homes. I don't think we have any around here. But maybe in California or something? I'll have to get online and look. I think that'd be nice too, because pets are our family too.

That's it for this video, I hope you enjoyed. Sorry there's two videos; my phone popped up a notification while I was filming and messed up my other video. I'll see you in my next vlog. I don't know what it's going to be about yet, but I'll see you then.

Bye!

TRANSCRIPT

Hi everybody, my name is Aubrey Bauer. I'm the writer behind eulogiesbyaubrey.com. I thought it'd be good for me to make a video for you, so you can meet the face behind the person who's going to be writing your eulogy. If you found me through a Google search, or you're in need of a eulogy writer, I hope this video helps you get to know me on a more personal basis, kind of one on one, like an interview; especially if you're ordering through my form and we're not going to be speaking on the phone, I think a video like this could help you get to know me. Hear my voice, see my face, that kind of thing.

A little bit about me, qualification-wise: it's kind of long...you can check out my LinkedIn! I want to keep this video short, kind of like a quick intro to me and to eulogiesbyaubrey.com.

I've been encouraged to share - you won't find it on my website - my grief story. I have a couple of reasons that I don't want to share particular details or stories about my own journeys, people that I've lost in my life. I have a couple of reasons for that. A) I don't want to hurt people in my family who share that loss with me, and they go to my website and see the stories and memories get dredged up...I don't want to do that. B) I think that everyone has dealt with great loss in life. Everybody has lost someone that they love and miss. Even it's not a person or a pet, it's loss of another dimension, like a job or a home. Loss comes in many shapes and forms and I think that we can all connect on an intimate level in that way.

To keep things simple, I know grief, I've been there. Like I say on my website, I haven't been where you are personally...but I've been where you are. I've lost people that I've known and loved to cancer and other diseases, murder, suicide, car accidents...I've been there. I think it's important, when you're going to be hiring somebody who's going to be knowing the details about the person who you love that you've lost, hearing their life's story...that's very personal, that's very intimate. I think that you deserve to see me and to hear me and to know that I have experienced loss and grief, and I live with it ever day. I'm here for you. I'm a writer; you're going to be hiring me to write your eulogy. But I'm also a person. I'm not a corporation, I'm not a faceless entity, I'm here for you. So whether that be through email or text or a phone call, or just the messaging on my website, I want to be here for you.

Professionally, I do have my professional career in writing, professional career in funeral service. Again, go check out my LinkedIn! Give me a follow on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and now YouTube. I'm getting all over the place because I really want to expand my business, to reach more people that need help writing a eulogy.

Because you've found my website, because you've lost somebody that you love, you need help; you're going to be speaking the eulogy at the funeral service. That's a big deal, and that can be scary. Reach out to me. You don't have to hire me to reach out to me. I can still help you. If you don't have the money to hire me - I do have the lowest rates...I check my competition constantly, to be honest, and I do have the lowest rates online right now - I realize that everybody can't afford $125. So I have created a eulogy template, if you would like to utilize that. Go to my website, it's in my blog section, also in the Eulogy Resources tab. It says Free Eulogy Template. Please go there, take a look at that, and it that still doesn't meet your needs then just contact me and we can work something out.

So, how can I help you? You've heard about me a little bit, I want to hear about you, about your loved one. Tell me about them. I don't know when you're watching this video, but right now it's May 20th (I think?), 2020, and we're in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic. Life is different right now, life is hard. Funerals are starting to take place again in some places, but they're different. Funeral service is going to be different going forward. I want to be here for you as you navigate that. I do have history in funeral service; I've worked in both corporate and family-owned funeral homes and mortuaries. I understand how they operate on a pre-Covid-19 level. I do know that it's different now, it's going to be different going forward and I want to be here for you at least with the eulogy aspect of it.

A little bit more about me personally. I'm a Christian. That is something that is very intrinsic, it's in my bones, it's in my heart. I couldn't separate from it if I try. That said, to me, as a Christian, no matter where you are coming from or what you have (or lack of faith, if you don't believe in God), I want to be here for you! I want to love you and help you write the eulogy that honors your loved one and the life that they lived. Maybe you are religious or a person of faith, and your loved one wasn't. To me, that's okay. I still want to be here for you. Reach out to me, send me a message. If you need to talk on the phone, I perfectly fine with talking on the phone.

Getting a little bit more personal, I have Asperger's Syndrome, which is a form of high-functioning autism. I share this with you not as an excuse but it is an explanation if I'm a little bit awkward on the phone. Some days are worse than others, some are better than others! But if you're a person who does better speaking over the phone, I am perfectly 100% willing to speak over the phone with you. If I'm a little bit awkward at first, I'm just telling you why.

That's a little about me. Send me a message and tell me about you. If you're following me on Instagram or Facebook, hope this video is interesting to you! I'm thinking of doing this as part of my blogs. I'm a mom, I have a toddler, I do some freelancing work on the side. It's kind of hard to find time for my blogs, but I know that it's really important for SEO (search engine optimization) for people who need me so that they can find me on Google. So I think I may be turning these vlogs into blogs. I don't know if I'll do a transcript or not on my blog - I probably will. I think that might be a good idea, because they're more convenient. This one's pretty fast, it's running almost ten minutes.

I'm going to end it here. Like I said, if you want to know more details about my qualifications, the jobs I've held, you can go to LinkedIn. I'd love to hear from you, comment down below, subscribe to my YouTube. Hopefully I'll be making more of these videos. Probably in my next video (it'll probably be longer), I'm thinking I'll go over my background more - how and why I started Eulogies by Aubrey, how I got into funeral business to begin with, how I first got into writing...but that's another video for another time!

I'll leave it at this. Have a beautiful day. If you're just starting your grief journey, remember that you're not alone. If you feel like you're alone, especially during these times, you're not alone. I am here for you, people are here for you. If you need quick help, you can go to my Resources Page. And you know what? Eulogies by Aubrey is available 24/7. I do sleep at night, but I wake up and I'll see your message if you need to send me a message. So keep me in mind.

I'll try to end this as un-awkwardly as possible, so bye!

I am a wife, mother and Christ follower with dual passions for writing and death care. I have years of professional writing and editing experience, and have worked in both corporate and family-owned funeral homes in the DFW area. I am married to the love of my life, Austin, and together we share a beautiful daughter.

In 2017, I graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service, where I studied funeral directing, embalming and restorative art, counseling, grief psychology, composition and public speaking as it relates to funeral service. I hold certifications in cremation arrangement and operation (ICCFA), as well as burial at sea (NEBAS), and am also a guest writer for US Urns Online.

When I'm not writing, I love spending time with my family and friends, traveling, listening to music, reading, and gardening.

Learn more about me and my qualifications on LinkedIn! Also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest...I update there quite frequently :)

For any questions or thoughts you may have, feel free to reach out to me today.

-Aubrey

Our website recently underwent a little construction!

When navigating the new style of our eulogy service website, Eulogies by Aubrey, you'll notice that many things remain the same as they always have. The overall look and layout hasn't really changed that much. The main changes we've made are almost unnoticeable, but significant, all in an attempt to make the site more personal, personable, and user- friendly for those who are seeking help writing a eulogy for a loved one.

We've prioritized pages and tabs to minimize disarray and maximize user-ability, enhanced our Eulogy Resources page, updated links throughout our blog and made the overall interface easier for visitors to navigate and find what they need. Perhaps most importantly, we've updated our SEO in an effort to reach more of the people who really need our help.

So check it out and let us know what you think! We have already received comments and emails offering suggestions and other helpful info...so please feel free to share any tips and ideas that you have as well. Eulogies by Aubrey is still a young, growing business and we appreciate our readers' comments.

Fears over Coronavirus, implementation of social distancing, and other measures being put into place to combat further spread of the virus are affecting the funeral industry in unprecedented ways. While it may seem that everything is being closed, cancelled, or postponed (even funeral services), rest assured that Eulogies by Aubrey will remain open 24/7 in an effort to help in any way we can. We are able to do so by operating entirely online/by phone.

Are you trying to plan a funeral in the middle of COVID-19? Are you wanting to complete a eulogy for your loved one but are running low on time or energy? I want to help. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Note: If during these uncertain times you are experiencing financial hardship, but you are still needing assistance writing a eulogy for your loved one, do not hesitate to reach out with your concerns. I believe that every loved one deserves a quality eulogy, no matter the circumstance, and I am here to help make that happen.

-Aubrey

Fears over Coronavirus, implementation of social distancing, and other measures being put into place to combat further spread of the virus are affecting the funeral industry in unprecedented ways. While it may seem that everything is being closed, cancelled, or postponed (even funeral services), rest assured that Eulogies by Aubrey will remain open 24/7 in an effort to help in any way we can. We are able to do so by operating entirely online/by phone.

Are you trying to plan a funeral in the middle of COVID-19? Are you wanting to complete a eulogy for your loved one but are running low on time or energy? I want to help. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Note: If during these uncertain times you are experiencing financial hardship, but you are still needing assistance writing a eulogy for your loved one, do not hesitate to reach out with your concerns. I believe that every loved one deserves a quality eulogy, no matter the circumstance, and I am here to help make that happen.

Please take care,
Aubrey Bauer

BEGINNINGS
Born in 1945 and raised in the Bronx, New York, Lawrence Gordon Tesler felt his calling in the yet budding field of computer science while still a student in high school. After impressing a teacher with a complicated prime number algorithm, he enrolled in a computer class at Columbia University, where he essentially taught himself computer programming. Upon graduation from Stanford University in 1965, he worked various programming jobs before landing a spot with the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. It was there at PARC that he was first began work on the Gypsy Word Processor, and also first began contemplating ideas on what the future of human-computer interaction would look like.

COPY & PASTE REVOLUTION
While at PARC- the same place that introduced the world to the computer mouse- Larry Tesler came up with an idea that would revolutionize computer programming (and everyday work and play for the layperson). That idea was Cut, Copy & Paste. Such a simple notion, but one of the many "little" things he developed to ensure easy user interface for all...and not just those who were formally educated in computer science. This "counterculture" idea was unheard of back in the '60s, but it was something that he would advocate for for the rest of his life.

NO MODES
To further develop a seamless user experience, Tesler also promoted and actively worked on the idea of a "modeless" computer system. Basically, he felt that the everyday user shouldn't have to switch in between modes or functions depending on what they were doing while computing. He was so passionate about modeless computing, in fact, that his official website is nomodes.com, as is his Twitter handle and even a license plate on his car at one point.

FURTHER WORK
After PARC, Tesler went on to work with Apple at the request of Steve Jobs. There he helped to develop many pioneering software programs, including Macintosh and QuickTime. Following his 17-year tenure there, he moved on to several other high-profile companies- Yahoo, Amazon and Stagecast.

DEATH
On February 16th, 2020, at the age of 74, Larry Tesler passed away at his home in San Fransisco. There is not very much information available surrounding his cause of death, nor whether he was buried or cremated. But his legacy lives on in the computer innovations that he pushed to bring to you and me.

You can learn more about Larry Tesler's life's works here.

-Aubrey

Quotes are amazing things. I love quotes. They provide you with a gist of what a book or article is about without having to actually read the whole thing. They provide comfort in times of sorrow, explanation where none other is to be found, solace in the midst of loneliness and just the right amount of disturbance whenever the situation calls for it. You can look up a quote for just about anything and any occasion, to help you through a hard time or to remind you just how far God has brought you in life.

QuOtEs!

Today is Valentine's Day, a day of love and affection for many. But I think it's also a day of sorrow, longing and deep reflection for perhaps even more...whether you've lost someone to death or to life (whoa). If you already know that you're going to be struggling with difficult feelings today, it's likely that this day used to mean something to you that it no longer can. So today, in the midst of all the unwarranted lovey-dovey-ness you're bound to encounter- whether at work, on social media, at the grocery store (a dozen roses for only $15!), or on TV when you're trying to relax at home after the day is over, please be sure to find some time for yourself.

Because you're not alone.

Make today a day that you place the focus on yourself. Practice some self love, whether that be taking a bubble bath, snuggling up with a blanket and a warm cup of tea, or listening to your favorite song over and over. Give your pet some extra love today. Buy yourself dinner (and maybe that dozen roses for only $15). Open your Bible and melt into the peace and true love that only God can provide.

And maybe read a couple of these quotes to help get your started.

Here are just 8 quotes that have resonated with me in one way or another throughout my life thus far. I hope they bless you as you read them, too, from your own perspective and in your own way. Links are included where I could find them so that you can read/listen to the sources too, if you want. We all understand words differently and take our own messages away from what we read or hear (especially on days like today), so with that in mind, let's begin.

-Aubrey

The recent tragic deaths of basketball star Kobe Bryant, his young daughter and seven others on board a helicopter that crashed has sent the world reeling. As funeral plans are being put into place for all those who died, today we're going to talk about celebrity deaths and how they affect us, even though we may never have met the person.

THE SHOCK FACTOR
 
Kobe Bryant, his young daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed when the helicopter they were riding in crashed into the side of a hill in Calabasas, California on January 26th. This news, when first reported, shocked old and young the whole world over. When I first heard about the crash, my first thought was actually "Fake news!" In retrospect, there was a bit of denial going on there, because I'd actually read the headline on a reputable news site.

Did you have a similar response when you learned the news? Whenever you receive unbelievable news like this, you may feel what seems like a "shock" go through your body. I know I do whenever I get news of a celebrity death, or anyone's death for that matter. The hair on the back of your neck may stand up, and if it's someone famous who's died, you will probably reach for your phone or the remote to get the very latest information. You'll want to share what you've just found out with others, so you'll probably call or text your family and friends to break the news. This way, in a sense, you'll be able to grieve together.

Case in point with Kobe Bryant's death. People my age grew up watching Kobe, seeing and hearing about his amazing feats on the basketball court. He's right up there in legendary status with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O'Neal. People older than me who enjoy watching basketball most certainly recognized his talents on the court right away, and enjoyed watching him help take the Lakers to several NBA championships throughout his 20-year career with them. So naturally we're all feeling a sense of loss now that he's gone. To make our grief-work that much more intense, besides knowing how he died, we've got to process the fact that his child perished with him, and that he leaves behind a grieving widow and three other kids.

The same kind of shock was felt in 1977 when Elvis Presley died...fans were crying in the streets. And in 1997 when Princess Diana died. And in 2009 when Michael Jackson died. And in 2014 when Robin Williams died. The list goes on.

At first, you may feel silly for being sad over the death of someone you didn't even know. But really, it's more like they didn't know you. You knew them very well, even if just from film, pictures, or music. (There's definitely psychology behind this phenomenon, and you can read about it here.)
 
For instance, maybe this particular celebrity was your role model, and it was on your bucket list to get to meet them in person one day. That dream has now been taken away. Or maybe you did get to meet them once, and you’ve always felt that the two of you somehow clicked. Even if you’ve never met this person, you’ve claimed them as your favorite…you’ve watched them on TV or in movies, sang along with them to your favorite songs, and celebrated with them when they got married or welcomed new life into the world.

Or maybe you had a loved one who passed away a while ago, and it was they who were this celebrity's biggest fan. So now you're feeling remorse for them, since they can't themselves. Or maybe this particular famous person provided you with a sense of comfort when you were going through something difficult; maybe a certain interview they gave encouraged you in some way, or a certain song they sang made you feel like everything was going to be alright.

And besides personal emotions like these, there's the objective side of it all, too. Next to perhaps any charitable works they had going on, this person who's died is never going to do anything new again. Sure, we'll have videos and interviews and books and the like to remember them by. The world will have their legacy. But there will never be another novice, creative anything initiated by them, ever again. That kind of loss is a loss to humanity, and it's completely normal to be sad about it.

Finding Closure

When someone you personally knew and loved passes away, you may find closure by attending the funeral and saying your goodbyes. Likewise, if a celebrity death is affecting you more than you thought it would, honoring them in a similar way could help you process this new reality. For example, if there's going to be a public memorial service for this person, consider attending it if you can, or even watching it on TV from the comfort of your own home. (For the record, there will be a public memorial for Kobe Bryant and the eight others who died with him at Staples Center, Los Angeles on Monday, February 24th.)

Studies have shown that attending a funeral or memorial service, or even just watching it online or on TV, does actually bring us a sense of closure about what has just happened, especially if the death or deaths were traumatic. It also helps to kick-start the grieving process, which has a time table all its own and varies from person to person.

So if you've been grieving over the loss of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and everyone else who was lost on board that helicopter, don't feel like you shouldn't...I'm sad about it, too. Instead, do yourself a favor and tune into the memorial. Or sign an online memorial book for him like this one. Go outside with some friends and play a game of bball in his memory. Any one of these rituals will help you say goodbye and move on with your life.

Grief felt over the death of a celebrity can be complex, and really goes deeper than I could ever talk about in a blog post. So here are a few articles that do a little more than just skim the surface:

www.rd.com/culture/why-we-get-sad-over-celebrity-deaths/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/bouncing-back/201601/3-reasons-we-mourn-celebrity-deaths

https://www.centerforloss.com/2017/01/grieving-death-celebrity/

Important note: Whenever a celebrity or anyone else you loved dies, it's important to stay mindful about how the situation is affecting you. If you find yourself thinking a little too much about the person, researching their life or death a little too much, or becoming a little bit obsessed over them (to the point that it's interrupting your day-to-day life), it may be time to reach out for some professional help in dealing with these feelings. There is absolutely no shame in doing so. If you don't want to go anywhere, or simply don't want anyone else to know that you're seeking this help, an online counseling service like TalkSpace may be of interest to you.

In closing, we'd like to know: What celebrity death has shocked you the most? How did you deal with the loss you felt as a result of it? Share your response in a comment below.

-Aubrey

Good morning everyone. My name is Samantha Briggs. Most of you here know me on a personal level, but if not, I am George’s daughter.
 
My dad, George Filman, was born on April 5th, 1935 to John and Martha Filman, my grandparents. He was a loving father to my brother Jesse and I, a doting grandfather to my children Max, Jill, and John, and a caring friend. Most importantly, my dad was a friend of God.
 
Dad grew up in Texas and spent a majority of his life in the western part of the state. At the young age of sixteen, he met and fell in love with a beautiful young lady named Mary. After only three weeks of dating, George and Mary decided to get married. Even back then, their relationship was criticized because they were so young. But, like most young people in love, they didn’t care what anyone else thought, and myself and my brother Jesse are living proof of that…! My mom and dad’s love story was truly one for the ages, and even though everyone said they wouldn’t last, they were blessed to share a happy, loving marriage that spanned 60 years. It brings me peace now to think that Dad is back with Mom, together again at last. No more pain, no more sadness and heartache, no more death.
 
Dad left high school to marry our mother, and served our country for four years in the United States Army. He was very proud to serve, and also very proud of his wife and the family they had created together. After getting out of the military, Dad was a railroad man for the rest of his life, and enjoyed a long and distinguished career of which Jesse and I heard many a magical story while growing up.
 
Over the past several days, I have been so blessed to hear so many of your stories about my dad. He had a love for his home state of Texas, but anyone who knew George Filman knew that the southwest held a special place in his heart as well. He loved to pack up his things and take a trip there whenever he got the chance. While he enjoyed traveling, if you knew my dad, you also knew that he was a very private man. He loved to take care of his family, but as someone who was quite introverted by nature, he also enjoyed solitude. He was not a church goer, and was never really one for organized religion. But he was very spiritual. He tended to his relationship with God on a daily basis and remained a devout follower of the Lord to his dying day.
 
While he did relish his alone time, there was nothing Dad loved more than to sit down with family and friends over a delicious plate of fried catfish. When you were with him, he was willing to talk about anything that was on your mind, and would listen intently and carefully to you without any judgement at all. That is a precious and rare thing to find in a friend these days. But that is exactly the type of man that he was. Dad was an avid reader of the Bible, and loved discussing the Word of God with anyone who would partake with him. Anyone who knew Dad knew too that he loved to fish. It was one of his favorite things to do in his alone time. And of course he cherished his old country tunes and gospel songs.
 
This past week has been a very trying time for my family, and I want to extend a very heartfelt thank you to everyone who has reached out to us. The messages, phone calls, and support we have received have all been noted, and it is all greatly appreciated. I want to thank Grace Baptist Church for taking care of us today as well as for all the love and support everyone here has shown us as we all prepare to say goodbye to Dad. It is the hardest thing in the world to say goodbye, but there is also great joy in knowing that it’s really only goodbye for now. Just for a little while. And just like Dad is now with Mom again, so we will see them both again one day very soon.
 
Thank you.

My name is Lance Lawrence. I know most of you here today, but for those who don’t know who I am, I’m Denison’s brother. Today we have all gathered together to celebrate in loving memory my brother and the life he led. I’m sure everyone here has a story they could share about time spent with Denison… and boy, do I have a few stories that I could tell.
 
Denison Lawrence was born August 11th, 1973 to Charles and Cecelia Lawrence. Mom and Dad raised Denison, Laura, and myself in Paris, Texas, where as a family we cultivated many wonderful memories together. One of the best memories I have with my brother is us fishing together with Dad during the summers growing up. Dad took us out to fish at least a couple times every summer. Denison was the baby in the family, and when Dad passed away, Denison made it a point to check in on Mom as often as he could.
 
Perhaps stemming from our childhood was my brother’s love for the great outdoors, which he nurtured well into adulthood. He loved to be outside, whether it was to go fishing, hiking, or camping. My brother, as many of you here today know, was also an avid musician. Hand him a guitar and he would show you his knack for it. He enjoyed occasional jam sessions and open-mic nights around town, sharing his love for music with anyone who would listen.
 
You’ve all heard that Dire Straits song, “Money For Nothing,” right? I’d like to paint Denison’s life to the likeness of that song. He loved anything by Dire Straits but that song was one of his favorites. Some of the lyrics to that song go something like, “Now that ain't workin, that's the way you do it, Lemme tell ya them guys ain't dumb, Maybe get a blister on your little finger, Maybe get a blister on your thumb.” That was Denison for you. He was a content man who was very content with the life he led; he was satisfied with the work he did and was very proud of the fact that he did not get up in the morning for anyone but himself.
 
Denison called Dallas home for most of his adult life. He held a few different jobs, graduated from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelors of Business Administration, and after college he worked in management for awhile. But most of you here who knew Denison knew that he had started his own real estate rental company. If you knew him well, you knew that he was very proud of this company and worked on it til the day he left us. My brother had a true entrepreneurial spirit and was involved in a small investors’ group that worked to assist other business men and women in starting up their own companies.
 
Denison had a few different nicknames, some of which you may recognize: Dennies, Dougy, Diggy. A couple others may come to mind…maybe some of you here today had a special nickname for Denison that no one else knew about…! My brother enjoyed a bit of humor from time to time, and growing up he was encouraged to see the funny side of life. A prime example is a story from when he was in the first grade. His teacher had asked the class to name off some animals that started with a letter she would give. So she said “H” and she heard back, “Horse!” She said “T” and she got back “Two horses!” She called out “M” and Denison decides to be the class clown and yells back, “Maybe a horse!?” He got into just a little bit of trouble that night at home.
 
My brother was a quiet man who led a relatively quiet life, and that was how he wanted things. He was not a very religious man, but he believed in God and made it a point in his life to help his fellow man whenever he could. He was easy-going and loved to go out and meet new people, but he also loved just being at home, alone, recharging after a long day. Denison was fun-loving but a gentle person at the same time. He wouldn’t hurt a fly and would go out of his way to avoid hurting anyone in any way.
 
He had a close relationship with our cousin, Sam Smith. Smithy and Denison spent some bachelor years together just hanging out, playing music, going hiking and camping together. We want to thank you for that, Smithy…Denison had so many wonderful times with you and the kids, and I think that brought him a lot of joy these past several years.
 
I want to thank not only my cousin Sam, but also each and every one of you that showed up today to honor Denison’s life and memory. Everyone here had a special kinship, bond or memory with my brother in some way, and I want you to know that he did with each of you as well. I hope that knowing that can bring you a little bit of comfort as we lay him to rest. On behalf of my mother and sister Laura, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the condolences, kind messages and company you have provided us these past several days. It will always be remembered. I would also like to thank the local church here, Sam’s church, for helping my family in the many ways that they have. Denison was not a member of the church, in fact they didn’t even know him. They did not have any real reason to step up like they did, except out of true compassion. That compassion has touched my family and we are especially grateful for it.
 
In closing, I’d just like to say…and I think we can all agree with this… that the world was better off for my brother Denison Lawrence being in it, and not worse.
 
Thank you.