Delores Tyson Memorial Service

Yet we are also called here today to do some “Good Mourning” as only we in the household of faith in Jesus Christ are able to do when a brother or sister in christ goes on to their reward.

To the world those words would never belong together, but for us and for Delores, we have put our faith and hope in Christ Jesus, and we believe the scriptures when they instruct us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit not to grieve as those without hope because we know that just as christ died and rose again, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

So our mourning today is good because we believe that this is not a permanent separation, but a temporary one, that will be remedied some day.

But our mourning is also good today because as the scriptures say in

Ecclesiastes 7:2 ESV

2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.

It is good that we are here today to mourn the loss of a sister, of a mother, of a grandmother, of a great grandmother, and of our dear sister in Christ because our mourning indicates that our sister Delores lived a life that mattered. That she lived a live of love, of purpose, of care and concern for others that she would prioritize over her own needs.

We mourn today, because we will miss Delores, and we mourn our loss because she made the world a brighter and better place and it won’t be the same without her in it.

So yes, what we do here today is indeed good mourning, because we honor the loving, caring, hard working, and Christian woman she was, and the life that she lived with our tears, our pain, and our sorrow.

Delores Tyson

I consider the opportunity that I have this morning to share with you some memories of the life of Delores a great privilege, and I want to thank the Tyson family for trusting me with this great honor.

I have to say, that I can’t help but think how my being here this morning is a bit surreal for me.

You see, I first Delores around 15 years ago. I was attending college at SWOSU and through the church of Christ student center there I met and became good friends with a brother named Matt Tyson, and somehow, even though he was a Sooner fan and I a cowboys fan, we became good friends.

And I think it was Matt that roped me into umpiring an all day softball tournament with him and so I agreed and proceeded to have one of the longest days of my life.

But sometime over the stretch of that tournament, Matt made up for getting me into that mess when he invited me over to his grandmas house for some homemade food made by our dear sister Delores. I told the family when I met with them the other day, that although I wasn’t her grandson, I sure felt like one after about 5 minutes of walking through her door.

I could have never guessed then that I would be standing here before you today as we celebrate her amazing life.

Our paths didn’t cross much from that point onward, but when it did she sure loved to tell the story of these two worn out boys coming over and receiving some much needed comfort food and conversation.

But I learned that day 15 years ago what so many of you had the blessing of knowing your entire lives, that Delores was an incredible Christian woman.

Delores was baptized into Christ in 1949 at the age of 15 years old and was a she remained a devoted and faithful member of the church her entire life. As I sat with the family the other day and heard story after story about Delores, it struck me how everyone of them pointed out her Christian character.

Delores married Lee Tyson in 1953 and they were married for 58 years when Lee passed away in 2011.

And during that time she worked several jobs including working at Levine’s Mainfair for 30 years where the family stated that she was able to do 2 things that she absolutely loved to do, visit with people and to help people. Don told me that she became so skilled at her job there in the men’s clothing department that a man would come in asking for a certain size of pant and she would be able to tell just by sight what size might fit them best. And she had a way of working in the right size into the mix so that when they tried it on they would really be able to tell what size they really needed was the size she picked out for them.

She was a professional in every sense of the word when it came to clothing and she had an eye for putting clothing together and knowing what was in style. She loved helping young men put together tuxedos and suits for events, and Matt and Brooke recalled how not just everyone had a grandmother that they could trust to buy them shoes, but Delores would always get them clothing and shoes there were popular and in style.

LeAnn said that because she worked in retail for all those years, that you couldn’t go anywhere with her without her finding someone that she knew, that she thought she knew, or someone that looked like someone she knew.

It was stated numerous times when I met with the family how much Delores loved to talk to people. And I can say with sincerity that I can’t imagine that the feeling was always mutual when I had the chance to speak with her. When you spoke to her you just knew that this was a person that genuinely cared about you and your life. She had a way of making you feel like to her, you were the most important person in the room.

And from what the family told me, she treated everyone as more important than herself most of the time. They mentioned how she would often worry about other people’s needs more than she was concerned about herself. No where of course would this be more evident than in Delores’ favorite past time of watching her grandkids and great grandkids grow. Because Matt and Brooke were Ft. Cobb Broxton Mustangs, Delores and Lee became die hard Ft. Cobb Broxton Mustang fans and rarely if ever did they miss a game. She loved to push her great grand kids around on her walker and ride with them on the scooter. I understand from talking with the family that if there ever was a birthday or an occasion for a gift to be given to one of the grandkids she would always have something for the other one so that no one felt left out.

She loved to make themed snacks and birthday cakes for Matt and Brooks class parties, and from what I understand these treats would be quite elaborate and take some time and planning to put together. And even after Brook and Matt Graduated, she would still put together treats and snacks for Debbie’s class that she was teaching. And Brook and Matt said that when they would go over to her house she always had the best snacks ready for them.

She cared for and loved her family dearly, and if you spent more than 5 minutes with her you felt like family.

And part of that family was without a doubt her brothers and sisters in Christ here in Lone Wolf. She loved to make banana pudding for dinners and events and helping out anywhere that she could. Brooke said one of her favorite memories was of helping Delores prepare communion and clean up after communion because her and Matt would get to drink some of the grape juice and eat some of the bread before it got thrown away after services. She loved the church and the friends that were like family to her here.

For all the things that Delores was, it is my understanding that an outdoorswoman she was not. This likely was due to her fear of mice which is at the center of many humorous stories over the course of her life. LeAnn recalled Delores telling her of a time right after Delores married Lee when Delores saw a mouse and jumped up on some furniture and commenced to screaming. Delores told LeAnn that Lee was probably thinking what have I got myself into?

Don recalled the time that they went camping out at Red River, and as they turned in for bed, Delores made Lee zip up the door of the tent and then also clothespin the flap closed all the way around the door. Her concern was that a mouse might get into the tent while they slept. Don said right about the time they got the last clothes pin into place, the Camp host came around looking for the camping fee and they had to take all those clothes pins off and do it again. He said that was the first and last time they went camping.

But whatever hatred she might have had for mice, or hamsters as brook found out when she brought some to her house one time, She made up for in loving people. She stuck by her husband, Lee’s side during his declining health and cared for him in her home until she couldn’t any longer, but even then she would visit him every day and have lunch with him and dinner there at the Hobart Living Center. She even cared for a man who lived down the road from her and would go to check on him everyday and try to clean up some of the things that he would hoard away. She just cared for people, and lived a life of service to make sure they were taken cared of.

Even when Delores was unable to stay at home by herself and moved to Yukon, she still showed a love and care for people. Don was saying that Delores had gotten into the habit of helping out a lady there in Yukon who was having some memory issues and often couldn’t find her room. So Delores would taker her by the arm and lead her back to her room after dinner time, and I guess she got to doing it so often that the lady stopped looking for her own room and would just come looking for Delores.

Matt said that at one time, Delores was in physical therapy after she had been hurt and the doctors were noticing that she was losing weight. So the doctors were of course concerned and started trying to figure what was going on, and it turned out that Delores was spending so much of her time visiting during meal times that she wasn’t eating properly so they had to start making her eat at the counter before she could go sit with the rest of the crew.

I want to end with that story because it seems to me that so perfectly summarizes the way that Delores lived her life. She was willing to sacrifice things that might make her life better or more comfortable in order to love and care for others.

That was a lifestyle she no doubt learned from imitating her Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus who humbled himself to become as we are.

Jesus who said that he came not to be served, but to serve.

Jesus who washed the feet of his disciples.

Dolores’ life of love, joy, service, and sacrifice gives us a reason today for “good mourning” as we honor her memory today.

But her obedience to the gospel of Christ and service in the kingdom of God gives us a hope for reunion someday in that land where there will be no more sickness, no more death, no more pain, and no more parting.

Graveside

On behalf of the family, I want to thank you coming today.

*Any stories anyone would like to share?*

We stand here currently knowing that the earthly body of our sister in Christ will be laid to rest today, but I would like to read the words of Paul to the church in Corinth as recorded in 2 Cor chapter 5

2 Corinthians 5:1–10 ESV

:-10

Obituary

2 Corinthians 5 ESV

1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

What joy to know that our sister is not here. That our Lord has promised us that this life is not all that there is.

Paul also wrote in

1 Corinthians 15:55–57 ESV

55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We mourn our loss today of Dolores, but we rejoice in the victory that she has realized in Jesus Christ, having put away this earthly tent with all it’s pain and problems, and gone home to be with the Lord.

Let’s Pray:

Obituary for Dolores June Tyson

Dolores June Tyson passed from this life on October 1, 2019 at the age of 85. Dolores was born on June 14, 1934 to Ernest and Roxy (Martin) Reeves in Dill City, Okla. They moved to Lone Wolf when Dolores was in the 7th grade. She was a proud graduate of Lone Wolf High School in 1952. Dolores met Lee Tyson in Lone Wolf and married shortly after his return from the Korean War on November 13, 1953. They were married fifty-eight years when Lee passed away in 2011. Dolores worked in retail all of her life. She worked at the Dixie Castle’s Grocery, Tarelton’s Flower Shop and Levine’s Mainfair. She loved retail because she was able to do what she really enjoyed, which was visiting with people. Dolores and Lee’s favorite pastime was watching their grandkids and great-grandkids grow. They especially enjoyed watching them play ball. Dolores loved her family and enjoyed every second that she was able to spend with them. She was a lifelong faithful member of the church of Christ in Lone Wolf and South Yukon. Dolores is survived by her daughter LeAnn Tyson of Yukon and son Don Tyson and wife Debbie of Fort Cobb, one sister Ella Jane Head of Duncan and one brother Jerry Reeves of Tucson, Arizona. Dolores leaves a legacy of two grandchildren: Matt Tyson and wife Bonnie of Oklahoma City and Brooke Brown and husband Dakota of Yukon and great-grandchildren Reagan Tyson, Collins Brown, Madeline Tyson due in November and Baby Brown due in February, along with numerous nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends. Dolores was preceded in death by her parents Ernest and Roxy Reeves and her loving husband Lee. Memorials in Dolores’s name may be made to the Quartz Mountain Christian Camp in Lone Wolf.

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