Sermon Tone Analysis

Obituary

Ralph Eugene Webster, 85, husband of Marian Davis Webster, passed away on Sunday, June 23, 2019 at his home.

A native of Clark County, Kentucky, he was born on October 26, 1933, to the late William and Bessie Brandenburg Webster.

He was a retired foreman with Contractor Supplies and attended Northside Baptist Church.

Ralph enjoyed gardening and building things.

In addition to his loving wife of 59 years, he is survived by two daughters, Connie Webster and Monica Bellamy; one son, Andy Webster; seven grandchildren, Amberly Brandt, Dylan Webster, Ace Webster, Mercedes Trent, Chase Trent, Chris Bellamy and Kelsey Bellamy; four great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

Song - Jesus Take the Wheel

Poem - Read by Monica Bellamy (Ken Metcalf if Monica is unable)

Song - Amazing Grace

Poem - Read by Granddaughter

Eulogy - Ken Metcalf

On behalf of the family I would like to thank everyone here in attendance today your kindness, it is greatly appreciated..

I must confess I never met Ralph, but I feel as if I knew him and deeply regret that I did not.

I spent nearly an hour and a half last night listening as I sat inside the house he rebuilt several times over to suit himself and his families needs.

Marion, Connie, Monica and his dear friend Mark let their hearts be exposed through cherished memories of Ralph they kindly shared with me.

They so clearly painted a picture that matched the surroundings I sat in.

Later Mark gave me the “Ralph” tour.

His man cave where he watch Westerns on the Television.

The steel porch he designed and constructed himself, because the wooden porch that was on the house when they bought it had rotted away.

(The steel porch would never do that Ralph was quoted as saying once).

His garden, (which I must say was more like an English garden with the raised beds and segregated planting areas than what I expected to see).

He has peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, more tomatoes, green beans and more tomatoes.

Sadly Ralph left his garden before he was able to taste his first ripe tomato.

He always had a goal of being able to taste the first ripe tomato by July First.

His workshop filled with wood in various stacks, Marion called them piles, all ready to be lovingly transformed into a piece of furniture or a workbench or whatever the creator Ralph saw fit to create.

Tools of every kind needed for the job at hand Ralph had it.

I stood in the doorway next to the planer that when fired up at an early hour on a Saturday morning could be heard next door by Mark and his wife as they laid in bed.

Mark told me that when they first moved next to Ralph their were conversations where they wondered on early Saturday morning if the choice to move there was a wise one.

Yet 25 or more years later when the quite sounds that will fill the air this Saturday morning they will not contain those of a planer or router or even a saw.

They will only be filled with the quiet memories of a friend that without a word proved his love for Mark one day when he called him over to the workshop to present to him a swing that Ralph himself had designed and built to replace a cherished family heirloom swing that had finally rotted away.

My tour ended with my enjoying a taste from the fruit of Ralph’s garden a plump and juicy blackberry.

I would like to read to you a list of words that I heard last night through the reminiscing of those that loved him.

He was Regular

He was an Alarm Clock (Just ask his wife or his neighbor)

Builder

Gardener

Designer

Direct

Selfless (He put others before himself)

He was a provider

Intelligent (Chester Good - “When you learn a thing a day you store up smart”)

He was a Good Man

Call to Salvation - Ken MetcalfDirect

The Bible tells us we can know that we are saved.

When asked once by a minister if he needed to discuss his salvation status Ralph succinctly replied “Why would I, I never did anything wrong to that man”.

Judgement is left to God according to the Bible God’s own word.

We should leave that there.

Unfortunately we rarely do, we want evidence, proof to satisfy our desires.

God wants faith, he wants us to believe having not seen.

After ministering at many services just like this I have learned many things and not the least of those is that Grace is not ours to administer, only Christ can offer that.

I would like to call you back to the list of traits I gleaned from my time listening to the story of Ralph and quickly provide a comparison to another Father.

Characteristics of God

Immutable - He never Changes “I the Lord do not change, So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed”.

God the builder of everything - “For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything”.

Gardener - the parable of the sower

Designer - Genesis Chapters 1-3

Direct - "The Rock!

His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.” – Duet 32:4

Selfless - “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes on him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Provider - Jehovah Jireh “The Lord our provider”

Provider - Jehovah Jireh “The Lord our provider”

Intelligent - “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” –

God is Good - : “O taste and see that the Lord is Good”

This comparison is just a brief glimpse into the scriptures Gods word says “ let us make man in our own image”

It is clear to see that Ralph Eugene Webster was made in the image of his Creator.

Closing Prayer - Ken Metcalf

Exit Song - Theme from Gunsmoke - The Western Film Band

Graveside Service

Scripture reading -

Committal - For as much as it has pleased Almighty God to take out of this world the soul of Ralph Eugene Webster, we therefore commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, looking for that blessed hope when the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord, wherefore comfort ye one another with these words.