|
 The life of Damon
Paul Brunelle celebrated March 7th
By Larry Price
Published March 7,
2008
Photo at left, Damon with Heather and
children, Kihara and Aidan (photo courtesy of family)
Damon Brunelle
was remembered as a young man who loved his family, enjoyed music and
art, and working with computers by nearly 200 mourners who celebrated
his life in a funeral service at North Kingstown United Methodist
Church, Friday March 7, 2008.
In her
meditation, Pastor Beverly Stenmark echoed the thoughts of many
when she said, “We are all feeling Damon’s death is a nightmare from
which we will awake, but we know we won’t.” This is a time when we might
be angry and wondering, “where was God?” She reminded everyone that God
is always with “those who die and those who loved them.” And she spoke
of the coming Easter season and Jesus’ promise that we all will have
victory over death through Christ’s resurrection.
Damon Brunelle
died too young on Saturday March 1st at the tender age of 22, leaving
behind a wife and two small children. The Rev. Stenmark remembered Damon
from a Sunday School confirmation class as an inquisitive youth who
asked serious questions about faith. He loved all kinds of music, his
art, and enjoyed taking mechanical things apart and putting them back
together again. He was good with computers and began exploring them
early in his childhood.
The service
included comforting words from Romans 8 and the Gospel of John and a
beautiful solo, Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, requested by the
family. The mourners also sang Shall We Gather at the River and
Here I Am, Lord.
No one spoke
during the time of sharing memories. Perhaps, the shock of the tragic
and untimely death was too fresh to put into words what we were all
feeling.
A long procession
of cars carrying family and friends made the final journey to Chestnut
Hill Cemetery in Exeter for the service of committal, following the
funeral service. A reception was held at the Brunelle family home in
Exeter following the burial—additional time for sharing those precious
memories.
Many in our
church watched Damon grow up and our hearts go out to his wife,
children, mother and father, brothers and grandparents. We all prayed
today for God to “comfort us who mourn, and give us grace, in the
presence of death, to worship You, that we may have the sure hope of
eternal life.” |
Prayers for
Chet Thomas and his family
Published March 8,
2008
On the day
following Damon’s funeral, his grandfather, Chet Thomas, came to our
church’s monthly men’s breakfast, as he usually does on the second
Saturday of each month. We had anticipated that we would not see Chet
today because of the deeply emotional week he and his family have
endured and the loss with which they continue to cope.
We know it was
difficult for him to come with all that he was feeling, but we felt
blessed that he chose to spent time with his friends in the midst of his
family’s loss. In conversation at one end of the table, he had some
emotional moments as he talked about his grandson and showed us, with a
grandfather’s great pride, photos of his great grandchildren--Damon’s
young children, 2-year old Kihara and 7-month old Aiden. They are both
adorable children and we laughed at seeing Aiden’s photo—the precocious
young boy shown smiling and sticking his tongue out at the photographer.
He
also talked about Damon and how he would take computers apart. And Chet
remarked tearfully how when he looks out at the back deck at his house,
he can’t help but picture in his mind Damon standing there. Healing the
grief takes time and Chet understands that, but living the time is so
hard.
Chet, we just
want you to know you and your family remain in our prayers and we hope
the time you spent with us today helped.
Life is but a stopping place,
A pause in what's to be,
A resting place along the road,
to sweet eternity.
We all have different journeys,
Different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things,
but never meant to stay...
Our destination is a place,
Far greater than we know.
For some the journey's quicker,
For some the journey's slow.
And when the journey finally ends,
We'll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
Together with the lord
Author unknown
|
A death in our
church family -- We ask your prayers for the family of Damon
Brunelle
who died Saturday March 1. Damon is survived by a 2-year-old daughter,
Kihara, and 7-month old son Aidan and their mother Heather
Wilks. Damon was the son of Paul and Lori Brunelle,
brother of Brandon and Aaron, and the grandson of
Chet and
Cora Thomas, and also grandson of Marianne Brunelle. Damon grew up
in our church and attended Sunday School. He was 22. Our hearts go out to his family.