Service of Remembrance
&
Celebration of Life
Toby Joe Yoh
Sunrise, May 27, 1972 – Sunset, October 6, 2019
Judas Priest, Eulogy (3 minutes)
Greeting
Friends, you have given to Toby Joe Yoh the greatest honor that you can give to any person. You have put your lives on hold. You have travel miles to celebrate his life.
“Hope” is the thing with feathers - (314)
BY EMILY DICKINSON
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -
I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
The Word of Grace
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,
And saves the crushed in spirit. (Ps 34:18)
Th Lord heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power,
Whose understanding is beyond measure. (Ps 147:3,5)
Toby, as we honor your memory and the love you leave behind, we offer your Spirit this old English blessing:
May your joys be as bright as the morning,
your years of happiness as numerous
as the stars in the heavens,
and your troubles but shadows that fade in the sunlight of love.
Do not go gentle into that good night
Dylan Thomas - 1914-1953 39 when died
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want;
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil;
for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
thou anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Luke 24:32
32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Telling the Story of Toby Joe Yoh
Toby’s life of was a life of moving down the road. His years in the military, his years as a long haul truck driver, his silver wing Honda, his marriage to a love across the sea, and even in the adventures that he explored in his imagination through gaming, his life reminded me of Truckin’ by the Grateful Dead. The first refrain goes like this,
Truckin', got my chips cashed in
Keep truckin', like the do-dah man
Together, more or less in line
Just keep truckin' on
Keep truckin', like the do-dah man
Together, more or less in line
Just keep truckin' on
Toby loved his military service having graduated from West Noble High School, he spent 5 years active duty in the United States Army and spent an additional 3 years in the United States Army Reserve.
Toby worked at LSC Communications with Amanda. The work that defined him was his years as a long haul truck driver and his years in military service. As a truck driver he like traveling west. He was in the United States Army and in the United States Army reserved. Keeping with the love of the road, he had a Honda Silver Wing and road regularly until there was a mix up with a deer.
Amanda, you and Toby are truly a 21st century couple. You met through playing games on Facebook a world apart. From Facebook chats came hours of long phone calls. Then you took the plunge and came to the US to meet Toby. After having made the circuit of families for six days, the two of you married on August 23, 2013 in Milford. Immediately, your relationship was challenged by the immigration rules in the USA. It took you three years to be given a permanent visa and return to the states.
Anytime off of work was a holiday for Toby. Toby, or JThunder, enjoyed playing the World of Warcraft, reading and collecting comic books. He like to see the movies based on the heroes of the comics. He didn’t really favor one over another he just liked them all. He enjoyed his gun collection and loved the cooling weather of the fall months. Toby like biscuits and gravy, pork-n-beans, baloney, lemon meringue pie, pumpkin bread and ice cream.
Toby did not describe himself as a church goer. We find this curious little statement in the Gospel of Luke, Luke 24:32, “They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”” You see Jesus shows up on the road meeting and eating with people. Those with whom he traveled and talked, did not know his identity. They did record a special moment of grace that came over them. In the Grateful Dead song a similar experienced may have been describe with these words that come late in the song.
Sometimes the light's all shinin' on me
Other times, I can barely see
Lately, it occurs to me
What a long, strange trip it's been
Other times, I can barely see
Lately, it occurs to me
What a long, strange trip it's been
I believe that none get through this life without having grace “light’s all shinin’ on me,” as the songs says.
I asked you, Amada, with what one word will you remember Toby. You gave me three phrases with a twinkle in your eye, “pig-headed, stubborn and a lovely heart.” The first two words reflect his resolve to love which manifested in the loveliness of his heart to do what he could for you and for his family as he was able. The last verse of the song, Truckin’, is for you Amanda,
Truckin', I'm a goin' home
Whoa, whoa, baby, back where I belong
Back home, sit down and patch my bones
And get back truckin' on
Whoa, whoa, baby, back where I belong
Back home, sit down and patch my bones
And get back truckin' on
Prayer
O God, you have ordered this wonderful world and know all things in earth and in heaven.
Give us such faith that by day and by night, at all times and in all places, we may without fear commit ourselves and those dear to us to your never-failing love, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.
Bell Ceremony
For centuries, the church has used the ringing of a bell to mark the passing of the Beloved and to sing God's praises in silent worship. I now ring this bell four times as we join in a silent prayer of thanksgiving for all the gifts Toby brought to our lives.
Toby Joe Yoh, with the ringing of this bell, we bid you safe journey.
[Celebrant rings small hand bell]
Having committed Toby’s Spirit to eternal rest, we now say to Toby:
Be free, be strong, be proud of who you have been,
know that you will be mourned and missed,
that no one can replace you,
that you have loved and are beloved.
Move beyond form,
flowing like water,
feeding on sunlight and moonlight,
radiant as the stars in the night sky.
Pass the gates,
enter the dark without fear,
returning to the womb of life
to steep in the cauldron of rebirth.
Rest, heal, grow young again.
Be blessed.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word. Amen.
Thank you all for coming.
Here Ends the Ceremony,
Here Begins Toby’s New Life.
Grateful Dead, Truckin’ (5 minuets)
Military Honors for Specialist E4
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