"It seems so unfair that death should have the power to take away someone you love. And when it happens, the thought of never again being able to talk to, laugh with, or hold your loved one can be mist difficult to bear. That pain is not necessarily erased by being told that your loved one is up in heaven. As most grieving persons will tell you, when death takes your child, your husband, your wife, your parent, your friend, it is truly what the Christian writer Paul called it, ??the last enemy.? The Bible however, holds out a much different hope. The Bible writer Paul offered hope of relief from that ??last enemy,? death. He wrote: ??Death is to be brought to nothing.? ??The last enemy to be abolished is death.? (1 Corinthians 15:26, The New English Bible) Why could Paul be so sure of that? Because he had been taught by one who had been raised fro the dead, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ promised that millions now dead will live again on this earth and have the prospect of remaining on it forever under peaceful, paradisaic conditions. Jesus demonstrated in a powerful that he is both willing and able to perform the resurrection. Jesus was deeply grieved when he met a widow of Nain and saw her dead son. The Bible account tells us: ??As [Jesus] got near the gate of the city [Nain], why, loo! There was a dead man being carried out, the only-begotten son of his mother. Besides, she was a widow. A considerable crowd from the city was also with her. And when the Lord caught sight of her, he was moved with pity for her, and he said to her: ??Stop weeping.?? With that he approached and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still, and he said: ??Young man, I say to you, Get up!?? And the dead man sat up and started to speak, and he gave him to his mother. Now fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying: ??A great prophet has been raised up among us,?? and, God has turned his attention to his people.??? Millions therefore can have the solid hope of seeing their loved ones alive again on earth but under very different circumstances. May Monty, your loved one be among them. "
In loving memory of
Donald 'Monty' Emmons
October 4, 1960 - December 18, 2002
Donald 'Monty' Emmons MONTGOMERY, Ill. - Donald 'Monty' Emmons, 42, Montgomery, died Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2002, in an aircraft accident in Rockford, Ill. Services are 2 p.m. Saturday at the Geo. M. Wittich-Lewis Funeral Home, Muscatine. The Rev. Paul Dinges will be officiate. Burial will be at the Illinois City Cemetery. Visitation is 3-7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. A memorial has been established at the funeral home. Mr. Emmons was born Oct. 4, 1960, in Columbus, Ohio, the son of Donald and Loretta Markins Emmons. He was a 1979 graduate of Rock Ridge High School and continued on to attend two years at a technical school. He worked at Fermi Labs for more than 15 years in Batavia, Ill. and then became a pilot for Planemaster out of DePage, Ill. flying private and freight charters. He liked to play golf, stock cars, football and flying planes. Survivors include his fiance, Cathy Coughlin of Montgomery; his parents, Donald and Loretta Emmons of Illinois City, Ill.; two brothers, Jon Emmons and wife Kris of Omaha, Neb. and Michael Emmons and wife Elizabeth of Illinois City; and his grandmother, Thelma Markins of Columbus, Ohio
Tributes
"My most heart felt condolences to everyone on this loss. Monty Was just a gem of an individual? He was a stand out person with A great heart and way about him that could make everyone comfortable And always make anything that much more by his presences. I will Always remember going to a track in Lake Geneva to drive a stockcar. What a great day that was. Monty was very helpful explaining everything And just making sure everyone was comfortable and as always making the Moment so much fun just being that wonderful person he was. He made Everything that much more??????? I am very thankful to have known Monty Everyone that had the pleasure to know him feels that way! "