Dawn Clary

Dawn Marie (LeBeau) Clary

Born: December 16, 1943

Day of Passing: August 22, 2020

 

Our mother moved from her earthly home into her heavenly eternal home on Saturday August 22, 2020. Our mother was not aware of the transition that was taking place while she slept. We thank God that we were granted the privilege of being with her to tell her how much we loved her, would miss her, and to say our goodbyes.

 

We can honestly say that we are blessed with the knowledge that our mother is fully healed and home safely in the presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whom she served faithfully and without reservation.

 

It is because of her faith (and our own) that we are able to imagine the celebration that took place when she arrived dancing, laughing, and praising our God. We can imagine her beautiful and restored, fully healed and pain free forevermore. What a day of rejoicing that must have been when she shed her worn out body and received a new perfect and pain free one.

 

If we close our eyes we can easily imagine her being welcomed by those who preceded her. We can see them hugging and greeting each other with laughter and smiles all around. We can picture our father and her beloved husband Gerald Edgar Clary, our brothers, Richard Gillis, Thomas Richard Clary, and Robert Joseph Clary, our sister Patricia Gillis, our grandparents Mary Krinivich Stone, Henry Paul LeBeau, Patrick Joseph Stone, and Evelyn LeBeau, her brother Patrick Joseph Stone, and her great granddaughter Makayla Briana Robinson, and various family members and friends all talking at once. As we continue to imagine (and if we listen closely) we can hear their excitement as they all talk at once (a family tradition) laughing and hugging each other. Oh what a day of rejoicing that must have been when they were reunited again.

 

As we continue to imagine what she experienced, we can see a long line of people whose lives she touched with the message of salvation. We imagine her greeting each person with a hearty hug and big smile as they thank her for her testimony and faithfulness to His call. The line is long and the end invisible as it stretches into the distance. We imagine the countless faces which include those she ministered to in jail and prison, the homeless people she took time to feed, the unwed mothers who felt all alone, and those in nursing homes and hospital beds who needed to know God had not forgotten them. What a day of rejoicing that must have been when she finally saw the fruits of her labor in Him.

 

As we imagine her homecoming, we are comforted by the knowledge that we, her children Kathern Anne Gillis, Susan Marie Helton and her husband Keith Lynn, William McKinley Clary and his wife Jill Sherell, Robert Michael Gillis, and Janet Francis Larson, daughter in law Heidi Marie Smith; her grandchildren Luv Lee Yates, Adam Scott Lambert, Joan (Jade) Marie Jamison, Rachel Elizabeth McGee and her husband Sean, Joshua Dale Sumrall and his wife Christine Marie, Nicholas Patrick Bates, Savannah Lauren Guy, Miles Larson, Gavin Richard Clary, Danielle Dillard, Kempton Martin Smith, Baye William Houtz, Jamie McKinley Clary, Kamryn Sherell Clary, Aaryn Kennedy Clary, Taylor Nicloe Thompson, Logan Kristopher Thompson, Stacy Lynn Helton, Zachariah Lance Thornton and his wife Alexus Nicole, Mathew Lance Thornton, Keith Lynn Helton JR and his wife Ashley, Kris Helton and his wife Mellisa, and Aimie Helton; her great-grandchildren Edwin Lee, Christian Deion, and Reahna Faith Robinson, Maesun Bradley Yates, Destin Nathaniel Partain, Hannah Storie, Brentlee Lambert, Luna Grace Sumrall, Calli and Cailyn Jones, Gavin, Tinleigh, Allisa, Hayden, Aiden, Alexis, Myleigh, and Bryant Helton, Taylor Dillion Ross, Lucyl J, Jurni Ann, and Tryton William Thornton will one day see her again. We promise that we will share her stories, memories, and beliefs with future generations so they will come to know her and her Lord for themselves. Oh what a day of rejoicing that will be for us all when we see her again or meet her for the first time.

 

We are grateful for the gift God gave us in the form of our mom whom we love dearly and will miss greatly. She was truly our best friend, advocate, and teacher. She was a true example of Christ' love and mercy not only to us, but to all who had the pleasure of meeting her. Because we know that she loved the Lord and was a true believer of His, we are confident that she is in His presence. With this knowledge we can find peace even in our time of separation and sadness.

 

We know our mother was truly a light in this dark place called earth. We know she spent her life bringing others into His kingdom with her beautiful smile, hearty laughter, loving heart, and childlike faith. We know she was filled with the unconditional love of Christ for all people whether family and friends or strangers and enemies. We, her children, testify that she was the backbone that supported her family. She stood strong and faithful regardless of how heavy the load was, how much pain she was in, or how rough the road she was on. We also know that she never gave up on us no matter what we did or how far we fell. She prayed for us all to come to know Jesus and made it easier by being a true disciple and godly example.

 

Our mother truly believed none of us would be left behind and that all of us would spend eternity together with her and (because of her example) we believe it too. Because of this, we know without a doubt it is not goodbye mom, but rather see you soon. Oh what a day of rejoicing that will truly be for us all when we see you again mom face to face in our eternal heavenly home. We love you.

 

Please be comforted as we are (and rejoice with us) in the knowledge that our mother was a true saint and she is alive and well in heaven. She will be there to greet us as we arrive, we can rest assured in this. Amen