A Special Tribute
By Joyce Wachsmuth --
Fran Pelinka went to be with the Lord on Sunday evening, January 27. Fran was a loyal friend to many. With the gift of hospitality, she faithfully coordinated our greeters for our morning service. She did that for 13 years. She was also one of the small group leaders for our women’s Bible study for many years. She was married to David for 30 years. She and David have been a part of our community since the 1990’s. These are facts about Fran, but I would like to tell you more about who she was as a friend, and as a beloved follower of Christ.
Once you were a friend of Fran, she was willing to be part of your life by the special way she showed her love for you. When you were with her, she made you feel loved by the way she listened and affirmed you. She was thoughtful, and she looked for ways to bless you. She loved nature, and as a photographer she took a lot of pictures and made greeting cards in a very unique way. Hopefully, you were the recipient of a card from her. I will never forget how she and David went to Hawaii and took the time to check out the village where I grew up. She took a picture of the sign and made a greeting card. I was able to give the cards to my brothers and sisters at a family reunion and they were very touched. She also made a greeting card of my great-grandfather’s church in Hawaii (historical landmark). The church was established in 1850 and I have a copy of the card. She was very generous and humble. I will truly miss her friendship and time with her.
Fran was a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, and she loved the Lord with all her heart and soul. In whatever she did, she wanted to bring glory to the Lord. She really loved the Word of God. She knew the Word and constantly looked for ways she could be more like Jesus. She was the leader of my group in the morning women’s Bible study, and she led with a desire to see transformation in our lives. She was honest and shared the things that grieved her, but at the same time, she was always positive and thanking the Lord for all that He had done for her. She loved the women in the group and the women loved her, too. She led with excellence and integrity. She also loved the hymns and enjoyed singing the old hymns. I will never forget our last class with her, how excited she was when she realized through the study that there was joy when the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) created the heavens and the earth. She was so excited and it was inspirational. I can still see her raising both hands to share this revelation that she saw through studying the Word.
We know that Fran was greeted by the Lord when He said, “Welcome thou good and faithful servant!” Fran, we will see you again! Thank you for blessing our lives!
Let us continue to keep praying for David, her husband, as well as her family here and away as they grieve this unexpected loss. May they feel His presence of comfort and peace in the coming days.
See you Sunday!