What is Mother?

12:30 PM Greeting by Reverend Byron Miller
12:35 PM Psalm 121 by Rev Miller
12:40 PM Lord's Prayer by Assembled in Unison
12:45 PM Eulogy for Mom by Patrick Darnell
12:50 PM Reflections -- by Hunter Paniagua -- by David Darnell -- by Bernadine Foster
1:00 PM Sermonette by Rev Miller
1:10 PM Closing Prayer

In Loving Memory

Jerre Jean Hynds Darnell

Born

December 3, 1926

Entered into rest

April 19, 2013

Houston, Texas

Celebration of Life Services

The Chapel of SouthPark Funeral Home

12:30 PM

April 24, 2013

Officiating 

Reverend Byron Miller

* * * 

A Eulogy for Mom

Some of you know Jerre Jean Hynds Darnell as your coworker. Others know her as your party planner. Some know her as their dance partner. The board of Directors knew her as that fastidious worker. You might have caught her style as she walked the runway at the Country Place style show. Maybe you see her in her yard. You might see her praying with her church circle. Many know her as your top secret confidante. Many, many know her as that ravishing beauty. I don't often use the word ravishing, but in Mom's case she is.

But you see, Jerre Jean Hynds Darnell is my Mother!

She bore me, she named me with her heart of hearts husband, and she raised me.

My brother and sisters know of what I speak.

Most important to me is that Mom always speaks the truth. Jerre Darnell always tells the truth. That is her way. The truth isn't always the most popular thing we want to hear. Sometimes when she said those truths, it would make me want to run and hide. And she always stuck to her guns. If you fidgeted, she tells you to sit tight. If you tried to pull her away from her important task, she tells you to hold your horses.

When conversations become nonsensical, Mom relies on her maternal wisdom. Her truth statements have become pearls in her children's, grandchildren's, and great-grandchildren's lives. Mom's wisdom, you see, comes back to her.

Mom and her steadfast friend, Robert, are blessed with long lives, 67 years of which they have been husband and wife.

What is Mother --

what is Mother,
without her house
and her child?

Her babies
are born and grown
in her domicile

Many houses
Mom has known
Many seeds she has sown,

Where she settled
she made it her own.

As years gathered numbers
some ideals are put to rest
her children, now with children,
are wiser, never alone, at best,
for Mother journeys with us ...

See all their bright little faces
Hear their falsetto voices,
... full of trust, truth, and whim,
Creating such a din.

Thank you all for coming.

Patrick Darnell

Mom

It's how we slip away
Little did we know
That you would one day
... leave us here alone

You were the most beautiful
we had ever seen
life was merciful
... you left no un-turned stone


Patrick Darnell

Sleeper Movie Review

Imagine our future
as seen in this Woody Allen suture
Apes don't read philosophy
so each one could be out for one's self ...
... , our future was sunny
Maybe back when,
Woody Allen was funny.
by Pat Darnell

It was late one early night
we were watching "Sleeper" on the tube--
you know, with Keaton and her Silly putty nose ...
She claims two positions and trends:
... 'Sex' and 'Death' as harbingers --
presage to what will become --
but as those two ideas intend ...
... already have been done, ... yes, dead ringers,
That,
When it comes to an end ... we wish it to go on.

Elm Street is much changed
Robots like HAL, the avenues roam,
getting confused at crossroads
just like humans getting hanged --
like Jurors' contrasting impressions,
Ambivalent as Nietzsche tomes ...
... adverse to change in direction,
... static as gnomes

By the way;
Sleeper never sleeps and,
whatever he eats, he slips on --
like it cannot be real,
because peels and rinds remain behind ...
with giant chicken,
which prompts the plot to thicken
and creates apprehension ...
... about His POD left around to satisfy
His pons ... Woe is me ...

Di's and Wood's very funny troubles
often bring out their stunt doubles --
like His new robot dog pet, Tricky-woo,
when Sleeper gets his brain rubbed out
-- Puppy is a true sport too ...
as its command is his master's wishes ...
... makes one question about:
'Say, what about the fishes?'

We wonder why
She disbelieves He;
... because later He disbelieves She;
all because 'Big Brother ...
... redesigns their pedigrees;
so that two equals three --
'Till the end we are a'swirl,
but thankfully, in final scene ...
da' Boy kisses da' Girl.

[pd\Bryan TX\04.16.2010]
Patrick Darnell