On Saturday, January 8, 2011, Holy Family Anglican Church had a Solemn Requiem Liturgy for Melva Turpin at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Highland, Maryland.
A picture of Melva was next to the urn. Melva was born May 18, 1918 and died on January 1, 2011.
The altar was prepared for the service. During the service many people had an opportunity to speak about Melva: members of her current church and the family. It was an impressive service with the music that Melva loved. The program and a bookmark prepared by the family featured one of her pieces based on Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; To Everything There is a Season.
After the service the family had set up a big display in the church's fellowship hall. Some of the items were from Melva's 90th birthday party.
Several recent quilts and needlework pieces were displayed, including a new one that Melva had begun and was unable to finish.
Photos and albums of pictures showed scenes from the family's events.
A computer screen showed pictures; this particular picture was of Melva surrounded by those of us who had performed at her 90th birthday celebration. The unfinished quilt is in the center.
Some of the things Melva was most proud of; her honorary Dean certificate and her past Dean's pin.
Melva also had earned the Service Playing Certificate.Here is the text of remarks I made at the service:
I first met Melva Turpin when I moved to this area in 1972. Melva was very interested in church music and the work of the Guild. She served our chapter in many different capacities. One of the most pleasant memories for me is of all the various picnics and meetings we had at her home.
I can remember working with her planning a program at St. Luke’s United Methodist in Washington. As with all of her church positions, she did a lot more than she should have or was paid to do.
I think all our chapter members remember her 90th birthday celebration back in May of 2008 at Colesville United Methodist Church. For several months I had to make up two newsletters, one to send to everyone with notice of the surprise birthday celebration, and one just for her, listing the event as members in recital. We were indeed in recital, but it was in her honor.
Ruth Jane Barth and Tom and Irma Bast helped organize the event. The printed program began “A Celebration of the 90th Birthday of Melva Turpin; AN ARTISTIC LIFE.” Ken Lowenberg, Dave McCahan, Julie Evans, Tom Bast, Carl Schwartz and I all played for her. The family had prepared the fellowship hall by decorating it with the quilts and other examples of her sewing, many still bearing the blue ribbons from the county fair.
The punch was “Mrs. Turpin’s Recital Punch”, something Jan and Lois had been taught to make for the annual piano recital by Melva’s students. The quilt at the end of the serving table was “Toby’s Ties”, made from his old ties, as a gift to Toby upon his retirement.
Here’s part of a thank you note from Melva to me: “I guess I should also thank you for being such a sneaky guy! I was truly upset that I had to miss the concert by my friends, and didn’t catch on until Toby turned into the Colesville UMC parking lot. There is nothing in this world that would have given me greater pleasure.”
Melva had a wonderful time that day, enjoying the fellowship of her friends and family. Let’s remember her as she was that day, full of life and energy and excited to be with her friends at church.
Gerald Piercey
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