This week Mother learned of the brief illness and subsequent death of a dear friend from her high school graduating class at Burbank High School. June Moore Loyd, passed away at age 95, less than a month away from her 96th birthday.
As we have reminisced about her
memories of June, Mother shared that she first saw June at the Burbank Baptist
Church where Mother was visiting. June’s family had just moved to Burbank. Mother
exclaimed, “June wore a beautiful dress with a pinafore. It was yellow with
large pockets trimmed with dark yarn stitching.” Upon seeing June’s dress,
Mother persuaded her mother to create one in the same style for her.
June’s family attended faithfully
the Baptist church in Burbank. Even though Mother had not publicly professed
her faith in Jesus, she knew Christian friends helped her follow the godly standards
her parents had for her.
When
she arrived at school, she made friends with June, who was already a believer
in Jesus. That one year, their senior one, cemented their friendship. Somehow,
they forged a friendship during the school term that stayed true, loving, and
vibrant almost 80 years.
June and my mother loved music,
were accomplished pianists, and enjoyed singing. A few days ago, Mother said,
“I think June and I sang a duet.”
Her statement sparked a memory
from many decades ago, when she sang and taught me a fun song. Surely, the
fashion of the late ‘60s – early ‘70s caused her to belt out “Bell Bottom
Trousers.” Secretly, I thought she loved to burst into the song because Angie
and I thought the flared-leg jeans of our era were so “cool.” Telling us she
and June sang it during their senior year in 1942-1943, was Mother’s way of
letting us know “everything old is new again.” (Click on the link to see a performance of "Bell Bottom Trousers" -
As she recalled the singing of the duet with June, Mother remembered it was for a banquet in the home economics building on the Burbank High School campus. June sang soprano, the lead, with Mother providing the harmony. I only learned this week that the love of June’s life, R. J. “Jack” Loyd, was a sailor in World War II. June's obituary stated he fought "in some of the heaviest battles of the Pacific as a Seaman and Fire Control Director on the S.S. Pittsburgh.
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| Photo of Home Economics Building on left and the Burbank High School - taken in the summer of 1998. |
Reminiscing often helps us deal
with grief as memories warm our souls. This has been true for us, especially
for Mother, this week. Our memories can reveal life-altering impacts. Two
influences echo down the three-quarters of a century.
My grandparents set principles
for living for their only daughter, my mother. After their salvation, when
Mother was around 7 years old, they took her faithfully to church at least
twice a week. She kept the vintage Bible story book from which Grandma taught
her the accounts of God’s work in the lives of people. Even though Mother was
not a Christian in high school, she agreed with the standards by which she had
been raised.
Mother’s closest friends, Lela
Leiber Stewart and June Moore Loyd, were both Christians who lived out their
faith. Mother was drawn to friends that pointed her to the Lord. My
grandparents prayed for Angie and me innumerable times, so I know my grandparents
prayed for Mother during her formative years to come into a relationship with
Jesus.
Mother explained when she was
around fourteen years of age, she wanted to be saved with all her heart. But
she didn’t want to be a hypocrite. On an evening in May of 1943, she made a
public confession of her faith in Jesus. She and June had been very close
friends during their senior year, the only year June attended Burbank High
School.
Any parent or grandparent can
take heart that diligent, purposeful training coupled with consistent living
day-after-day before children and grandchildren will impact them. Proverbs 22:6
states succinctly, Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is
old he will not depart from it.
As believers, may we realize
that God brings people into our lives for a purpose. Peter wrote under the
inspiration of God about our part in His plan for sharing the Gospel of Jesus. I
Peter 2:12 commands, Live decent lives among unbelievers. Then, although
they ridicule you as if you were doing wrong while they are watching you do
good things, they will praise God on the day He comes to help you.
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| Mother and June celebrating Mother and Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary in March of 1998. |
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