Archived Obituary---Goodbye, Old Friend.....

There won’t be any flowers or a casket at this funeral. The lone pall-bearer will be a tow-truck driver. Interment will be at B & O Auto Parts. Certain organs might be salvageable and will be legally sold, not donated. The “Old Gray Mare” didn’t have a heart, per se, but did she EVER have compassion!!!

She passed on Thursday, June 3rd, 1999 at 4:30 PM. Born in Berea’s First Congregational United Church of Christ, she was the first motorized child of the outreach program called Church Street Ministries.

For eleven years, she worked out of this very small church, doing what even the largest organizations do not---DELIVERING food, clothing, furniture, appliances, beds, holiday packages and many other items to the needy throughout Cuyahoga County and, on occasion, outside the county.

The “Old Gray Mare”, since 1988, delivered more that 500,000 pounds of goods to those who had no means of transportation---natural disasters, fire victims, refugees, those displaced from abuse, recovering addicts and alcoholics, mentally and physically challenged, homeless people trying to resurrect their lives, the many good folks caring for their abandoned grand-children, homes for single parents and a ton of others.

During her 11 years, she serviced more than 9,000 people. She also chauffeured many hundreds of kids to work camps across the country where they learned to interact with people of different cultures, colors, religions and ethnic backgrounds. The “Old Gray Mare” was a traveling classroom wherein people of all ages both volunteers and court appointed community service men and women could learn the ABC’s of St. Matthew, chapter 25, verse 35---feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick.

She did all this and so much more but at 4:30 on Thursday, June 3rd, 1999, she drove the last of 130,674 compassionate miles. She physically and mechanically ran out of gas. Sure, there will be another van to support the mission of this tiny church and it will continue so long as there are those who need help---and the generous people, churches and organizations who helped purchase and maintain her. We’ll definitely miss “The Old Gray Mare”. May she “rust” in peace.