Alice first crossed my path at the Tri-State Campground here in East Liverpool located on Andersen Boulevard during the annual July Camp Meeting. Her family stayed in the cabin next to ours. She was five years older than me and I thought she was about the prettiest girl on the campground – but too old for me.
She was
outgoing and friendly to everyone. She
wasn’t stuck-up or aloof; rather, she
was extremely fun to be around. Her
sister, Janet, was closer to my age and I considered her my friend too.
Some years
later, to everyone’s surprise, I went to college and seminary then returned to
the Pittsburgh Conference as a pastor.
In June, 1982, my name was read off as the newly appointed pastor of the
Oakland Free Methodist Church on the East End.
I was thirty.
Alice’s
parents, Clinton and Audrey were members and regular attenders at that
time. I was in their home many times
over the thirteen years I served the church.
Upon my appointment, most of the church leaders were from my parent’s
generation. Their memories of me were of
that ‘bad Haire kid from camp.’
Consequently, I had a hard time winning any confidence.
Clinton and
Audrey Rockenhauser were wonderful people and always supported me as I worked
to grow the kingdom of God in this place!
Most of us knew Clinton as ‘Rocky’.
He was an amazing story-teller, World War II Veteran and had a
delightful sense of humor. He worked
hard and steady but had a difficult time on many fronts. I often thought of him as a modern-day
Job! But he always persevered and kept
his trust in the Lord! And Audrey stood
firmly beside him.
Alice and
John had married and lived here in the East End. I was in their home frequently. ‘Johnny’ was a young boy at that time and I
clearly remember when his brother, Freddy, was born. Unfortunately, I also clearly remember the
day that Freddy was killed by a truck in front of their humble home. I stood with them that day. I wept with them. Along with the church, we offered them our
love and support! It was a hard time.
The support
I had received from Alice’s parents was replicated in her life and home. We became trusted friends and stayed in
contact all through the years. Like her
father, Alice faced lots of tragedy and troubles; but she had inherited the ‘survival gene’
from her father. She also inherited his
humor! She kept on going and we
regularly swapped jokes and funny stories.
My final visit with Alice (and Janet) was last summer when they visited the campground
one warm afternoon. I got to introduce
her to our son, Troy, and his wife, Missy.
Our older son, Travis, - who died in 2015 – had been in school and a
friend to Johnny. As we talked that day,
we stumbled over one another pulling up old stories of escapades during Camp
Meeting. It was delightful!
You may
sense what I’m trying to say here: Alice
(Rockenhauser) Beaver was more than an acquaintance; more than a parishioner; Alice had entered my circle of
friendship! There was a treasure in her
heart! You had to be patient to see it
emerge; not everyone is patient
enough. But if you were patient and
watched for the cracks to flash around her eyes, that treasure would emerge and
you would be glad!
So, with a sense of hope and confidence and with gratitude for a legacy of making the best of hard circumstances, I am grateful today that she was my friend! The thought that she is reunited with her parents and husband and son brings me nothing but joy!
Johnny –
sorry, that’s how I’ll always think of you – I’ve been praying for you and will
continue to do so. Live to make your Mom
proud. Live to make your Grandma and
Grandpa proud! Live to make Jesus proud!
Your friend,
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