A Celebration of Life
GERALDINE MARIE SPILLERS
December 25, 1931 – May 4, 2020

Click here to follow along on a PDF version of the Order of Worship, or you can use the one provided below.

Prelude to Worship - “The Power of the Cross”
 
Gathering in the Light

Words of Welcome and Comfort

Opening Prayer

​Scripture

• Psalm 104:1-6, 24, 31-35
• Matthew 10:29-31, 40-42

Special Music - “His Eye is On the Sparrow”
 
Words of Remembrance

Words of Promise and Hope
                                                                                     
Prayer of Commendation & Our Lord's Prayer
 
Changing the Light
 
Blessing and Benediction
      
Postlude - "It Is Well With My Soul”      

Obituary provided by the Cremation Center of KC

​Mom was born on Christmas Day, 1931. She spent days of her childhood in Merriam KS in a home her Dad, built of stone- that still stands today. She attended South Park Grade School and Shawnee Mission High School, now SM North, which her children, Paul, Dave and Connie all attended too.
Mom’s greatest love was her partner in life, Taylor, who passed away a year ago. She is survived by her 3 children, Paul, Dave and Connie, 8 Grand children and 4 Great children.

Mom was a founding and active member of Overland Park Christian Church and loved her time and friends there. She was a member of the Extension Group in Kansas and made many life time friends. Mom remained active, attending a Flexercise group at the community center in Merriam for many years, with many friends there too!

Some of the best things about our Mom was she had a song for every occasion, she was a great confidant to many and truely lived by the motto, ” if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all”. Many of our childhood friends would stop by to see her long after we had moved away. She was a talented seamstress, making quilts, and sewing clothes for us and doing repairs for others. She had a great sense of humor and we spent so many wonderful times with her.

It’s hard to put into words what a great childhood we had thanks to Mom and Dad. If you were lucky enough to know her you know she was truly one in a million.

A Celebration of Life
EDSON HITZELBERGER
March 31, 1930 – May 19, 2020

Prelude

​Words of Welcome and Comfort
The prophet Isaiah speaks words of comfort, saying: Those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
                                                                 - Isaiah 40:31
 
And the psalmists continue: There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
                                                              - Psalm 46.4-5, 7
 
Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?
                                                              - 1 Corinthians 15:55

Opening Prayer

Song  - I Can Only Imagine

Words of Remembrance
 
Scripture

• Acts 20:35 (NIV) – In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
• Matthew 25:21 (NIV) – His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

Words of Promise & Hope

Song – Time to Say Goodbye
 
Prayer of Commendation
O God, our strength and our redeemer, giver of life, and conqueror of death, we open our hearts to you just as they are. We celebrate your gift of life freely given, but are grieved by a sense of loss in the face of death. The love which binds us to one another leaves us aching as ties are broken. Accept our tears as symbols of love and devotion and transform them into the waters of life to nourish us in the days ahead, bringing us again to joy. 
 
We trust you. We love you. We know in Christ that your love is everlasting; that nothing can separate any of us from your abiding care. Thus, with the full confidence of faith we now commend Edson “Ed” . Hitzelberger to your boundless love and overflowing compassion. Through the power that raised Christ from the dead to live eternally with you, lift up this, your child, Ed, to life fulfilled beyond our wildest imagining. Accept him as he is with all his frailties as well as his strengths.  Enfold him in your everlasting arms. Embrace him as your friend. We pray in the name of this Christ who invites us into this resurrection in new life, Amen.

Blessing & Benediction
 
Postlude​

The obituary is provided by JoCo Memorial Chapel

Ed Hitzelberger, 90, passed away peacefully at home on May 19th. Born to Edgar & Nola Patton Hitzelberger of Helena, MO, Ed graduated Belton High School.
Son, Curtis was born to Ed & Helen Walton Hitzelberger. Ed served as a Marine in the Korean Conflict.
The blended family of Ed and Sunnye Carter Bales included their youngest son, Jason (Beth) Hitzelberger, Sunnye’s children Mark, Brian, and Duke (Jennifer) Bales, as well as her step-children, Sharon Bales (Jim) Griffin and Bob (Karen) Bales. Ed was widowed.
The family grew again when Ed married Jane Monroe Adair with children Debra (Bill) Houser, Raymond “Bud” Adair, Fran (Guy) Bergren, and Ann (Bob) Becker. Ed was a devoted family man with a quick wit and a kind servant’s heart.
He retired after 43 years at Allied Systems in Claycomo, MO, He was an active member of Overland Park Christian Church for over 50 years serving as Co-Chairmen of the Board, Congregational Care Director, Minister of Visitation, Elder, Trustee and Bethel Bible Study teacher.
Lakeview Village in Lenexa KS is a wonderful place where Ed and Jane have lived surrounded by supportive and loving friends.
Ed is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Jane, 7 children, 17 Grandchildren, and 4 Great-Grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Alice, his wife Sunnye, his step-son Mark Bales, and son Curtis Hitzelberger.
We will always carry his memory in our hearts.
A private family service was held on 22 May at Johnson County Chapel with Pastor Laura Phillips officiating. Those wishing to sign a guest book, see a video of service, and view family photos, may do so online at www.johnsoncountychapel.com at any time. Memorial donations to Overland Park Christian Church, 7600 W 75th Street, OP, KS 66204 or Evergreen Hospice Care 11875 S. Sunset Drive Suite 200, Olathe, KS 66061.

A Celebration of Life
ANTHONY 'TONY' R. MIELE
​May 16, 1927 - May 6, 2020

Prelude
 
Words of Welcome and Comfort
Those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
                                                     - Isaiah 40:31
 
And the psalmists continue: There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
                                                   - Psalm 46.4-5, 7

When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: “Death has been swallowed up in victory… Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
                                                  - 1 Corinthians 15:54-55
 
Opening Prayer   
                                                                                                            
Song                                                                            
 
Words of Remembrance
 
Words of Promise & Hope (and Scripture) 
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
    He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters; 
    he restores my soul. 
He leads me in right paths
    for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, 
    I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff--
    they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    my whole life long.
                                                           - Psalm 23:1-6
 
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 
                                                             - John 14:1-3 

Song
 
Prayer of Commendation
O God, our strength and our redeemer, giver of life, and conqueror of death, we open our hearts to you just as they are. We celebrate your gift of life freely given, but are grieved by a sense of loss in the face of death. The love which binds us to one another leaves us aching as ties are broken. Accept our tears as symbols of love and devotion and transform them into the waters of life to nourish us in the days ahead, bringing us again to joy. 
 
We trust you. We love you. We know in Christ that your love is everlasting; that nothing can separate any of us from your abiding care. Thus, with the full confidence of faith we now commend Anthony “Tony” R. Miele to your boundless love and overflowing compassion. Through the power that raised Christ from the dead to live eternally with you, lift up this, your child, Tony, to life fulfilled beyond our wildest imagining. Accept him as he is with all his frailties as well as his strengths.  Enfold him in your everlasting arms. Embrace him as your friend. We pray in the name of this Christ who taught us to pray, saying:
 
Our Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, Amen.
 
Blessing & Benediction
 
Taps and Flag Presentation
 
Postlude
            
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