Earth to Earth, Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust

Image of the rare "Fringe Orchid" found at Munson Cemetery, Cambridge, IL. (Quad-City Times picture)

"In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God our brother; and we commit his body to the ground; earth to earth; ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless him and keep him, the Lord make his face to shine upon him and be gracious unto him and give him peace. Amen." (Funeral prayer)

On August 15, 2009, our neighbor and good friend, Clarence Medley, was laid to eternal rest.

The above prayer "earth to earth, ashes to ashes, and dust to dust" describes the life of one tied to our native soil.

Clarence described himself, "A simple man." I describe him as, "A complex man who was very good at being humble."

As we talk about Clarence, we are also talking about Marie (his wife of 42 years) because where you saw one, you always saw the other.

They were a team as they supported, helped and loved one another. Often holding hands, they laughed or struggled together.

Clarence was compassionate towards others. As in his involvement in the Henry County Housing Authority, he cared for those who might need help with life's basics. He and Marie would scour sales, buy quantities of clothes and puzzles and religiously take them to the Veterans' Home in Quincy.

He was an excellent neighbor - never interfering but always caring. He shared his knowledge without preaching.

Clarence had the ability to "cut to the chase." I'm sure his middle name was "Common Sense." While some people do this with a cutting edge, Clarence did it softly and simply.

"Why?" you may wonder, is this eulogy in a garden article. It's because Clarence was a farm boy who knew how to conserve, propagate and respect our native resources.

A walk with him around his bountiful yard showed numerous patches of seedlings, produce of various sorts, native flowers and trees. Where others would weed out Indian Grass or other native perennials, Clarence would cultivate them.

My head would swim with all the knowledge he would share. Honestly, he could grow anything.

A member of Natural Area Guardians (NAGS), he was very involved in the Munson Cemetery restoration. His common sense knew that to save one species of nature was to save many. His yard has bird houses, feeders and more importantly, it has the environment necessary to sustain native wildlife and plants.

Earth to earth can be taken literally as in we were born of this earth and at burial, we return. In Clarence's case, he came from the earth and spent a lifetime giving back to the earth. Some call that simple but to understand the implications of those actions and to spend a lifetime caring is anything but simple.

That so many think Clarence as a simple man of the earth speaks to his humble nature - one that would rather do than call attention to himself.

He death leaves a hole in the lives of his wife, family and friends. 

By looking at a native flower waving in the breeze, we can be sure this Illinois soil (and its citizens) are better for having Clarence Medley walk its surface for those 88 years.
"May the Lord bless him and keep him, the Lord make his face to shine upon him and be gracious unto him and give him peace."