Funeral Services for Richard Hall Sedgwick

March 24, 1952

Note: This is a transcript of an audio recording of the funeral services. Sections of the transcript that have questions marks next to them indicate that the transcriber was either uncertain of what was said because the recording was not clear at that point.

Bishop I. Haven Barlow: Brothers and sisters and friends of Uncle* Richard Sedgwick, and on behalf of the family, I would like to express their appreciation for your attendance here today. We are grateful to our Father in Heaven that He has controlled the elements this day that during proceedings of this service that we have been able to meet one with another and consider the blessings which belong to us. The funeral services for Brother Sedgwick, who was eighty-two. Brother Sedgwick, who was a native of Brooklyn, New York, born May the first, 1869. This coming May, Brother Sedgwick would have been eighty-three years of age.

Our interlude was played by Sister Connie Stevenson. The opening prayer will be given by Bishop Wallace Gailey, and then we will have a violin duet by Sister Carmen Dibble and Sister Oralie Waite, accompanied by Sister Marianne Call. Following them, Bishop Hickenlooper, who was the last bishop of the ward while Brother Sedgwick was actively engaged here, will be our first speaker. Then we will have an organ solo, by Sister Marianne Call. Sister Call is going to conclude with her solo, the number "Earth with her Ten Thousand Flowers," one of Uncle Richard's "favor-ites," and it was requested that it be played here today. And then we will have the choir, accompanied by Sister Connie Stevenson. They will sing "Rest, rest, for the weary soul." Then our final speaker will be Bishop James E. Burns, the bishop who was in direction of the ward in Bountiful in which the family resided.

Bishop Wallace Gailey: Our Father in Heaven, as Thy children we have assembled here at this time, to thank Thee for Thy many blessings and mercies unto us, and to pay a tribute of respect and love and honor, to one of Thy brethren, one of Thy sons, who has completed his mission here, and has returned unto Thee, there to go on and work out his exaltation in Thy Celestial Kingdom. We are most grateful unto Thee, our Father, for the opportunities we have in Thy Church, for the blessings of the Gospel, the understanding and knowledge we have for the purpose of life, and the privilege we have here of working out an exaltation, whereby we may live with Thee forever in Thy Celestial Kingdom. Wilt Thou bless us this afternoon, let Thy spirit be with us, that it may direct and guide those things that may be said and done here this afternoon, that everything might be as Thou wouldst have it. We are thankful unto Thee, our Father, that Brother Sedgwick lived so long with us, to teach us by precept and by example, the great truths of Thy Gospel. May we ever honor and remember him as a man of God. We thank Thee for his splendid family, his sons and his daughter. May they go on and follow the example set by their father that their lives may be righteous, and their teachings may be righteous also. We are most grateful unto Thee, our Father, for all Thy blessings and mercies unto us from day to day. And we ask that Thou wilt bless those who may speak to us this afternoon, those who may furnish music, or in any way take part in this service. We dedicate this service unto Thee, our Father, and ask that Thy blessings may be with us while we are here assembled. We would always serve Thee in humility and be humble before Thee in all our doings. Wilt Thou grant unto us Thy blessings, and forgive us of our sins, we ask in Jesus' name, amen.

Violin duet by Sisters Carmen Dibble and Oralie Waite, accompanied on the piano by Sister Marianne Call

Bishop Frank Hickenlooper: My dear brothers and sisters, I deem it a great pleasure and honor today to be invited by the family to speak on this occasion. I have known these people all the time that I have lived in Layton, something over twenty years, and I feel keenly the responsibility that is mine here today in attempting to address you. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." And I believe that above all things, that this particular beatitude applies to our dear brother and friend, Richard Sedgwick. For as he lived and as we all knew him, there was nothing of the pomp or show of the world, but a meek, humble-dispositioned man, a fine neighbor. I recall us visiting him at different times though I nearly always, if it was in the daytime, found him out in the garden before he became so that he could not do that kind of work. And he always had a very fine garden. And some day, when the meek inherits the earth, Brother Richard Sedgwick will still be there with his fine gardens. For some time, he was caretaker here of our building. He did a wonderful job. And a Relief Society president who was in while he was caretaker said to me since his death, "He was always willing to help us, regardless of what we wanted, or how." And yet, as I said before, there was no show, there was nothing put on.

I recall when I first came to the ward, as you all know, I am more or less interested and have been all my life in music. And as I stood in the audience, I heard a beautiful tenor voice. And naturally it was one of the things that I began to search for. And I looked around and finally spotted Brother Sedgwick. He had one of those outstanding voices and he used it always when he was were he could. I remember too that he always seemed to be the one which they called upon to pinch hit, to lead the music, direct the singing, if you please, when anyone else didn't show up. He was the pinch-hitter. And so I learned to respect him from that angle.

Recently, I read a little excerpt which Brigham Young gave. I'd like to read it to you. He said, "The sons of Ephraim are wild and uncultivated, unyielding, ungovernable. The spirit in them is turbulent and resolute. They are the Anglo-Saxon race. And they are upon the face of the whole earth, bearing the spirit of rule and dictation, to go forth from conquering to conqueror. No hardship will ever discourage them. They will penetrate the deepest wilds and will overcome almost insurmountable difficulties to develop the treasures of the earth, to further their indomitable spirit for adventure." With that kind of a definition of the sons of Ephraim, Brother Sedgwick was a real son of Ephraim. And so are his family. Before Philo and David left the ward, I conducted a male chorus here. They both sang in it. They were faithful. They have nice voices. We had good times together. And I knew that as long as they were with us, we didn't have to worry too much on the parts which they sang. And in the Sunday School, the Mutual, and all of the other organizations which they were asked to work in, they did that, as did he. I'm not so well acquainted with the older boys. I have met them all. But I understand that they, too, had been active in church service. Brother Joel, I believe, has been the president of a stake, bishop of a ward, and held other responsible positions, as have the other boys. And so we find that coming from this fine man, we have the people who follow through, and prove by their actions that they are the sons of Ephraim.

On one occasion, in talking over a particular matter with Brother Sedgwick, I put a question to him, and he thought about it for a minute, and finally he said to me, "Bishop, I want to do what the Church wants me to do." That was his attitude. He didn't want to be of any trouble to anyone. I recall that even when we took him to the hospital a little over a year ago, that night he wasn't anxious to go. He didn't know too much about what was happening, but he wasn't anxious to go. He didn't want to be a care. And as I visited him day after day during those weeks of his illness there, he always had a smile on his face as I walked into the room. And even when he was so weak he could hardly talk to me, he would always ask me to administer to him. His faith was great. He believed definitely in the principles of the Gospel. As he followed through his life here prior to his sickness, if any of you could see the ward record of donations, of fasts and offerings and tithing, you would know that Richard Sedgwick was a true Latter-day Saint. I am grateful for having known this fine family and this good man. He has complied with all of the things which the Lord has asked us to comply with, with regards to the Gospel. He was married under the new and everlasting covenant, and there is no question in my mind as to the outcome or as to his future life. He has gone now before his family to do a work there. Now I would like to say to the family. It's up to you to live worthy of your father, to live that you may join him in the place that he shall go and prepare for you, that finally when life's burdens here have been eased for you, and you have gone to the great beyond, that you may be ready to go and live with him there, and that he may hold out his hand to you, and say "Well done. Enter into the joy of thy Lord." May God bless us, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Sister Marianne Call: an organ solo, including the number "Earth with her Ten Thousand Flowers."

 

The choir, accompanied by Sister Connie Stevenson, sang "Rest, rest, for the weary soul."

 

Bishop James E. Burns: My brethren and sisters and friends, I stand before you in humility and pray for the Spirit of the Lord to be with me to give me utterance in the things that I desire to say and to extend to the family the meditations of my heart. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. For henceforth they shall rest from their labors and their works shall follow them, and they shall find an inheritance in the holy city." Such will be the reward of Richard Sedgwick.

I esteem it an honor to be asked to say a few words on this occasion of the passing of Richard Sedgwick, a man of whom I have been acquainted with ever since my earliest days of recollection. The Sedgwick family came to Bountiful two or three years after I came, and I have been acquainted with them ever since. I know them very well. They've been a fine family. The family in which this man came was a very faithful and true and devoted husband and wife and father and mother. I had the opportunity of visiting the Hall family, this man's mother's parents and their family in England when I was on a mission. I enjoyed their ... I enjoyed my visit with them, appreciated that I had the opportunity of contacting them. They lived within three miles of where my mother lived when she was living in England; in Bury, Lancashire, England. I don't know of a greater heritage in all the world that can come to any man or woman than to be born of goodly parents. And the sons and daughter of this good man and his two wives ought to be the greatest heritage that could ever come to them in their lives. They should honor and revere it. They ought to be proud of being able to follow in the footsteps of their noble father. I'm sure they have been an influence and a power to guide these young men and this good woman in their experiences in life. And they need something like that to give them encouragement and faith, and to go forward and be unafraid. We are living in a world where lots of people are afraid. We're living in the day when I, so far as I can remember, I never saw more tragedies and disasters that are happening abroad in the land. I sometimes think that it should awake us to the duties and responsibilities of our mission here upon the earth. I'm sure this good man followed the principles of the everlasting Gospel. I don't know if I ever knew a man who was more humble and meek, more quiet and unassuming, and yet so able and willing to follow responsibility and discharge his duties faithfully in all his activities in life. He's been outstanding. His heart is full of love and charity.

"All things have been done in the wisdom of Him who knoweth all things." "Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy." So this man found joy in his life because he followed Him "who marked the path, and led the way, and every point defined."

One of this man's brothers is one of the closest friends I have ever had in my life. We became acquainted with each other and closely associated with each other in the work of the quorums of the Holy Priesthood. My own oldest sister passed away in Eighteen Hundred and Ninety Six, leaving seven children. Two years later, my brother-in-law* married Rose Sedgwick, the oldest daughter in the Sedgwick family. My sister left seven children, and to the second marriage six children were born and leaving a family of thirteen. Rose Sedgwick was a woman of honor and of faith and dependability, and was willing to raise a family of her own and a family of some other person. That's a great responsibility. It's a responsibility that you find very few of motherhood who will take that responsibility today. So I have been well acquainted with these people. His first wife I knew very well, the Garrett family, who was descended from the Garrett family and the Day family, early pioneers of Bountiful and the south end of this stake. His second wife, was a Dibble girl from here whom perhaps you knew better than I, but she lived in our ward for some time when I was bishop, and I admired her for her loyalty and her faithfulness. And I'm sure that they will go down in the record of the Lord as faithful mothers in Israel, through their magnifying the powers of motherhood the noble daughters of Zion through the charity of their heart and soul in the work that they accomplished.

So I esteem it an honor to be here today; I've spoken at many of the funerals in the Sedgwick family. They have been a companion and a friend to me all the days of my life. My life has been enriched by the associations with them in dealing with them and discerning their honesty and their faithfulness and their dependability in the things that are expected of any member of this church or a citizen of this nation. So this family should rejoice in having come through that heritage. They should honor and they should revere it. And it will be a blessing and a guide to them in all their life. And as they bid farewell here, I'm sure that they sorrow to quite a degree because there's no time that what we like to see father and mother go, but this man has lived a long while and a good life. And so as they bid farewell to him today, they can live in the hope and faith that he is not dead, that he still lives and in some future time and a better place he'll bid them good morning.

It's a great privilege and a blessing to die with a hope in your heart that the person has not gone forever, that he still lives that you still have faith and hope in the atonement of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and what a great atonement that He worked out while he was here upon the earth, and that He advised us to do.

The Prophet Joseph Smith says this axiom about a good man: "A man who will live to do well, we should extol his virtues, and speak not of his faults behind his back. A man who willfully turneth away from his friends without a cause is not easily forgiven. The kindness of a man should never be forgotten. That person who never forsaketh his trust should ever have the highest place of regard in our hearts and our love should never fail, but increase more and more, and this is my disposition and these are my sentiments." --The Prophet Joseph Smith. Those words fit this man, I think, perfectly.

Shakespeare, in describing one of his characters, says "His life was so gentle and kind and the elements so mixed in him that nature could stand up and say to all the world, 'He was a man.'" That would be my testimony of Richard Sedgwick.

We don't count time by years anymore but how what a man has and this world (his word?) is good. The English poet Bailey says "We live in deeds, not years, in thoughts, not breaths, in feelings, not in figures on a dial. We should count time by heart-throbs. He most lives who thinks most, feels the noblest and acts the best." Measure this man's life by that standard, and he has lived a long while, and accomplished a great deal. We should be honest and upright in following his example. And you would not go far astray. I always admired him for his musical ability and for his willingness to lead in things pertaining to that which he could do. I remember when he was a young man, he was a member of East Bountiful Choir, in which my father was a member. While my father was considered a good tenor singer also, Richard often told me that he always liked to sit by my father because he's learned so much in the art of singing from him. And Father liked him. And I remember when Richard carried responsibility in the musical department of the Bountiful Second Ward, in Sunday School, and wherever he was placed. He was just full of the spirit and the desire to do good. We ought to revere and honor the memory of the man who had that character.

...that wants to die. Richard has fulfilled that appointment. We don't know when it's coming, nor how, nor were, but brethren and sisters, it's coming. May we prepare ourselves for that day. The testimony of Malachi, not Malachi, but Alma, tells us that this is the day of our salvation, a day to "prepare to meet God." This day is There's not ... a period in our lives that we have the chance and opportunity to do certain things that the Lord requires of us to do in this period of the earth's history and life. And if we fail to do it, a period of darkness comes after wherein the Book of Mormon prophet tells us that no man can work. You can't work much in the darkness, we'd all rather work in the light. The glory of God is intelligence, or in other words, light and truth. The Lord has revealed much knowledge unto us in this dispensation. A lot of things that have been hidden from the world for hundreds of years pertaining to the destiny of man here upon the earth was given through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He gave to this generation one of the biggest contributions to the science of theology that has ever been given to the children of men, and established the philosophy of religion which can be practiced by rich and poor and every bond and free and every person who comes upon the earth. And organize a church which is the most perfect organization that there is in the world today, and has been since its organization. To this we should be full of appreciation and gratitude, to have the light and the knowledge of things pertaining to our welfare. The Prophet Joseph Smith never claimed this honor unto himself, but he said it was given to him of the Lord through inspiration and revelation and through the visitation of angels and prophets. And he said (sat?) in Liberty jail as he issued a letter to the saints in those days, he said "How long will the rolling waters remain impure? Who can still the hosts of heaven? As well might man put forth his puny arm to change the decreed course of the Missouri River or turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring out knowledge, pouring down knowledge upon the heads of the latter-day saints. And He doeth it now, and He will do it, through our faithfulness." [See Doctrine & Covenants 121:33.] Let's not worry or seek for things more, but let's try, strive, to do those things which the Lord already has given to us. Let's walk by faith in that which we know about best, and learn it. And then when we have that accomplished, then the Lord will give us something else to do, and show us the way and mark the path. That should be the desire of all who come upon the earth and join the kingdom of God here on the earth. [end of side one of the tape] I think it's in the twenty-sixth chapter of 3 Nephi that the recorder of the plates(??) wanted to record some of the things that the Lord had done and accomplished in His visit to them, and He forbad him and say "That which you have written will be necessary for them and will come forth in the day when it is necessary for them to have it." And he wanted to try the faith of His people. So the revelations and things that have been given to us in this dispensation are for us to obey, and to be tried and trusted. You know I've never a sorrow came to us and never a loved one die, many things that come to us in our life we'd yearn for things to do and to accomplish, and the Lord will help us. Said that He'd never give a commandment to any person but He would show them the way and give them power and strength to do it, if they were true and faithful.

This man is not dead. He still lives. He's gone to a home where he will rejoice and be exceedingly glad. He's gone to a place to visit and live with people who he had loved and known years ago. And what a day of rejoicing it will be for him! That's how I look at it. The Beyond to him will be a great revelation. He will see more and understand more, perhaps may not have to walk so much by faith, but walk by sight and knowledge. He's gone to a place in the kingdom of God in heaven where it's organized and he will find his place, and be assigned to a place which he'd be satisfied, in which he has entered through his faithfulness here. The Lord will have another? man there who will be willing to do his part and who will be faithful and trusted, one who will want to gain all the intelligence and knowledge and understanding, and prepare things for the coming of his loved ones who will follow. I don't think, the Beyond is not too far away from us.

And so, as we sorrow here, there is some place where there is joy and rejoicing. Brother Sedgwick is entitled to it. He's been faithful and true and responsible for all his work here in the earth. He has lived a good life and he has kept the faith, and he's endured unto the end. And we can say in the affirmative "If a man die will he live again?" I'm sure we can all answer in the affirmative to that. That has been a great question that has bothered lots of people for many hundreds of years. But Job answered it for them. He said, "Oh that my words were written, that they were printed in a book, that they were engraven with an iron pen in the rock! And I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He should stand upon the earth in the latter-day. And after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. And my eyes shall behold Him and not another though my veins be consumed within me. The testimony of Martha and Mary, at the death of their brother, Lazarus, believed in the testimony that Jesus told them. He told them that their brother was not dead. They said yes they knew that he'd come forth in the resurrection, in the due time of the Lord. That's when the dead would. But He said "I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And he that liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believeth thou this?" And the sisters answered in the affirmative and said "Yes, we know it." We've had that testimony, brothers and sisters, many times in our lives in our experiences, and our faith and hope has given us encouragement and understanding in things that we should do.

I'd like to read a few rhymes. When we come upon the earth, we all have a choice. Every day a choice comes to us. We either choose this, or we choose that. And I wonder sometimes what we are doing with that which we know to be true.

You are the person who has to decide

Whether you do it, or toss it aside

You are the person who makes up your mind

Whether you lead, or leave it behind

Whether you triumph at a goal that's far

Or just be contented to stay were you are

Whatever it is you are wanting to be

Remember to fashion the choice you are free

Kind in your selfish or gentle and kind

Keeping the right way or taking the wrong

Careless of honor or guarding your pride

All these are questions which you must decide

You're the selection whichever you do

The thing men call "character" is all up to you

So, Brother Sedgwick lived right. He qualified in all those things that were good, and I think that he followed these instructions that are given there in that counsel and advice.

Yet another one that I think applies to life:

Who does his task from day to day

And meets whatever comes his way

Belief in God has made it so

As found through greatness here below

Who guards his post no matter were

Belief in God must meet him there

Although that lowly being it be

Has reached to nobility

For great and low there is but one test

'Tis that each man shall do his best

Who works with all the strength he can

Shall never die and death command

And so, this good man has accomplished a great deal in his life. And I'm sure that the Lord will bless him and his posterity if they'll be true and faithful. May we honor and cherish his life. May it be an inspiration to us as we go on in our lives, that we will be true and faithful until the end. Brethren and sisters, I know that this is the work of the Lord, that God has established his Church and Kingdom here in the earth, and that Joseph Smith was a divine prophet and an instrument in the hands of God in establishing His work here in the earth. Let's go forward in trials and tribulations, as well as in joy and happiness. May our hearts be filled with peace which shall only come through the gospel of Jesus Christ. May it give us a desire to do our best and receive the blessings of the Lord, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Bishop I. Haven Barlow: I presume each of you have heard a slight humming noise. And as I speak, and as those who have spoken before me, and as the music has been played, and sang, it has been recorded, my brethren and sisters. And how much like life is this, in the constant hum of everyday living, each of the actions which we perform are recorded. And though in the impressions of our mind they do not become so vivid, yet in the judgment books of our Father in Heaven, each act is recorded, and we shall be judged thereby. And considering that in its fullness, how well shall the impressions be of our life? Shall they be as well as the impressions of this good man who is now called home to his Father's home? We have had quite a joy in our family for some two or three years. He was the host in the home and we were the guests. Today we were able to play the host and he's the guest. And how grateful to my Father in Heaven am I, as my wife and children are, that we were able to return to him the bread which he so nobly cast upon the water.

My wife reminded me last evening that I should say to you that Brother Richard, Uncle Richard --that's what I call him, because he is my uncle literally--that Uncle Richard was immaculate in his person. Every morning he arose at 5 o'clock, by an alarm so that he wouldn't sleep in late. And after getting his house in order, he washed and cleansed himself, shaved himself, combed his hair, and done all the things that any individual would do, even in the later years of his life. And when he set his table for breakfast, a clean table cloth would go upon the table and he would sit down to dishes that were immaculate, that he himself had washed. I didn't notice these things, but she did, and it speaks well in her mind. As now she has brought to my attention, it speaks well in my mind, as I know it does in yours. He was a good man, and I think, as Bishop Burns said, eternity is quite close to us. And I wonder today, if because he loved music so well, if it isn't wise that our Father called him home, but perchance he may join the heavenly choir that will come with our Savior and our Lord when He comes to make the world His own, which rightfully it belongs to Him. And so these scenes flash through my mind today. Truly he was a good man. And I am grateful, as my family is, that we have had this opportunity in the later years of our life, because in the younger years we were not able to get acquainted with him, that in this later part of his life, that we were able to live with him and enjoy his company and partake of his patience.

It was our pleasure just recently before he died, to go visit him in Ogden. And he was so hearty in his greeting, so fine in his attitude, it come somewhat of a surprise to us when his daughter Marie called us and told us that he was to be taken to the hospital because he was ill. And as a bishopric we made our plans to go over and visit him, but before we were able to get to the hospital, he had been called back to our Father's kingdom. But I will cherish that memory in my mind. It's too bad that the boys can't visualize it as I can, and Marie. However Marie had opportunity because she was with him almost to the end of his life. But to us as we went there that evening with our baby, and he almost helped raise our baby, little girl, and as we walked in his room, he was retiring. And immediately he smiled at us, put out his hand to shake hands with us, and we had a lovely visit with him. And even today I asked the baby if she remembered Uncle Richard when he was in the hospital, and she said yes she knew him. And I believe that young children, before they become impressed too much by the things which we teach them which are wrong, and those who are just about ready to pass out of this life into our Father's kingdom, become somewhat the same in their attitude toward life, that important things become important, and things which are not important are relegated to the proper position in life, that they do not take so much importance in the things which we do.

And so I think today this funeral is a benediction both to Uncle Richard and to us, if we will accept it so. That it brings to us a sharp stopping point, as it were, that we may more seriously consider the fact that we too must make this step down into the valley of the shadow of death, and we too must face our Creator, and we too must answer for the things which we do. And can we meet all these things as we look ahead, as well as he has done.

And now, my brethren and sisters and friends, on behalf of the family, I would like to extend to you for them, all the thanks for the things which you have done in these past few days, for the food which was brought to the home, for the lovely flowers, and I can feel assured that Uncle Richard today is enjoying these lovely blooms and blossoms. For there is nothing that he enjoyed more. He tended a little garden in the back of the home and kept the weeds from it and kept the flowers blooming right up until the time he was not able to any more. And so for these things we are grateful. For those who helped in preparing the outside entrances of our home which we were not able to do in time. We are grateful to them and I know the family appreciates it. They are grateful for the words which have been spoken, the music which has been played and sung, and for all the things which we may have missed in our notes because of the rush of this day. But it has been an opportunity to renew old acquaintances. And I have particularly enjoyed it because I have been able to become closer to this lovely family.

And now, may I make one or two suggestions? The police of the Davis County Sheriff's Department who are to escort the funeral procession to Bountiful have asked us that each of you who drive, kindly turn your lights on that they will be able to direct it properly, and remember this until you get to the cemetery. There will be someone with us all the way.

And now, as a closing musical number, and I know that Uncle Richard has enjoyed this music today, a violin duet again by Sister Carmen Dibble, Sister Oralie Waite, accompanied by Sister Marianne Call. And after that, a friend of Uncle Richard, who he enjoyed companying with, Brother John Thornley, will offer the benediction. I forgot to mention that Bishop Ray Corbridge offered the prayer at the home. And then the prayer at the grave side and the dedication of the grave will be given by Brother Orson Page, the group leader of the high priest quorum of which Uncle Richard was a member. God bless us in this journey, that we may all seriously consider life and its proper aspect, that we too may fight the good fight and keep the faith, I humbly pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Violin duet by Sister Carmen Dibble, Sister Oralie Waite, accompanied by Sister Marianne Call: "O My Father"

Bishop I. Haven Barlow: I failed to make mention of the fact that David was not able to be here today. We don't know whether he is caught somewhere between here and his home in California, but the rail lines, as all of you know, are snowed in, and he was trying to get plane connections out and is not here. And so we thought it would be wise, it was brought to my attention to say this to you. We know that he would have been here if it was possible. And I know that he would like that mention made because he felt the same way we do in this offering.

Brother John Thornley: Our Heavenly Father, at the conclusion of these services we feel to thank Thee for Thy Holy Spirit that has been with us, and for the many beautiful tributes that have been paid to Brother Sedgwick and his family. We thank Thee, our Heavenly Father, that we have been able to know Brother Sedgwick, and work with him, and live as a neighbor with him. And we have learned to love and respect him. And we have labored with him in the church and he was always willing and ready to do his part at any time it was asked of him. We thank Thee that we have been able to know his family, his good family, his sons and daughter. We know that they are people that are willing to serve Thee and keep Thy commandments, and we ask Thee Heavenly Father to bless them. Bless all those that have cause to mourn this day, the family, the brothers and the sister, and the one who is unable to be here. Bless him with Thy Holy Spirit and cause that his heart may be tempered. We ask Thee now, Heavenly Father, to dismiss us with Thy blessings and go with us to the cemetery, that we may be protected from harm and accident. And when the services there are complete that they may return home in peace and safety. These favors and blessings we pray for with every unmentioned blessing that will be for our good and benefit, we ask it in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Organ music

 

Transcribed by Mark A. Sedgwick, 2001

*EXPLANATORY NOTES:

Israel Haven Barlow (1914-2005) is the son of Edmund Francis and Lucy Ann Garrett Barlow. He is known as "Haven Barlow" and "I. Haven Barlow." Haven's mother, Lucy, is the sister of Richard Hall Sedgwick's first wife, Dora Belle Garrett Sedgwick--making Richard Hall Sedgwick Haven Barlow's uncle. Haven, his wife, and family purchased Richard Hall Sedgwick's home, and Richard continued to live there with his nephew and his family until shortly before his (Richard's) death.

James Edward Burns (1880-1957) is the son of Charles and Susannah Lord Burns. Charles is Susannah's second husband. Her first husband was Edward Oliver (1811-1876), and the first child born to Edward and Susannah was Mary Emma Oliver (1862-1896). Mary is the oldest half-sister of James Burns, and the first wife of James Bryson (1858-1950). James and Mary had 8 children, 1 of which died before Mary. About 2 years after after Mary died, James married Rosie May Sedgwick (February 16, 1898), the younger sister of Richard Hall Sedgwick. (Richard H. was the oldest, and Rosie was the second oldest of the children of Richard and Mary Emma Hall Sedgwick.) Rosie raised the children that Mary left at her death. Rosie and James then went on to have 6 children together, so Rosie had 13 children to raise with James, which she did with love and joy until her death in 1923.