We Are of Confident, I Say, And Are Willing Rather To Be Absent From The Body, And To Be Present With The Lord - Our Mother Passed At 3:20 AM

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
Date: Jan 21 2015 5:08 AM

DOTHAN:    At 3:20 AM at Flowers Hospital, our mother, Sarah Helms Stokes McCord left this earth and entered into the Gates of Heaven.

Since Sunday mother has been in Flowers Hospital following a fall. The fall caused blood on the brain and there was nothing that could be done.

Sarah Stokes McCord, age 87, was confident that she knew and accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior. She taught Sunday School many years during her some 63 years as a member of Southside Baptist Church. But, that attendance and being a teacher is not what has allowed her to enter into the Gates of Heaven.

What has allowed her to enter the Gates of Heaven and have ETERNAL LIFE is, sometime as a child and as a member of Pilgrim’s Rest ( West ) Baptist Church, she and only she could make the decision, which she did, to accept the truth of Jesus Christ. She made that decision public and that decision was followed through baptism in the creek behind the church.

Sarah Stokes McCord, on January 19th, would have been married to my daddy, Curtis Stokes for 69 years. Together, they found and operated Stokes Floor Covering. They remained as owners until 1984 at which time they sold Stokes Floor Covering.

Mother and daddy loved to fish. They spend many a hour on Lake Seminole fishing. In fact, when they met, mother was walking to the creek with a cane pole and fish bait. On Sunday following her fall, she told the family that she was "going fishing".

Following daddy’s death mother married Terrell McCord. She and Terrell knew each other for may years.  Terrell has lost his wife, Chastine. Mother and Terrell grew together at Southside Baptist Church and both were friends with each other’s spouse. They were married by Dr. Jerry Grandstaff and mother and Terrell were married for 18 years until Terrrell passed away with cancer.

During the time of their marriage, we could not have asked for a better step father which looked after our mother. She never had a need that Terrell did not meet.

Mother had alzheimer’s. The onset was prior to Terrell’s death some three years ago. Following his death mother lived in Dogwood Court and Azalea Court in Headland and Abbeville. When the alzheimers further deterioated mother, she was moved to Westside Terrace in Dothan.

We have great things, and only great things to say about Dogwood Court, Azalea Court and Westside Terrace. All 3 looked after mother and cared for mother.

We, Sandra Walden, Terrry Stokes and myself, Rickey Stokes, thank GOD for our parents and what they have meant to us in life. While not ready to release mother, there has been a perfect peace that passes all understanding. That peace comes from our knowing  that, Jesus died for our sins, He loves us NO MATTER what, and has promised eternal life.

2 Corinthians 5:8 tell us, (NAS ) we are of good courage, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.

There is NO DOUBT in our minds where Sarah Helms Stokes McCord is. In heaven. and with that knowledge and confidence, we know she is pain free, rid of the terrible disease of Alzheimer’s.

We also want to say THANK YOU to First Baptist Church of Dothan. When Terrell was living and after his death, when mother could not attend church, mother’s pastor and church became First Baptist Church, Dr. Johnny Fain. She enjoyed the Sunday Morning televised worship services and Dr. Fain’s delivery of GOD’S Message. We wanted you to know, your television ministry meant a lot to mother.

The staff of Flowers Hospital in Dothan. GREAT. Thanks to the Emergency Department and the staff of 6th floor. Thanks to Dr. Frank Crocket.

FUNERAL SERVICES

Ward Wilson Funreal Home on Hartford Highway will be in charge of the funeral services. Unless their schedule conflicts, there will be visitation on Thursday evening from 6 PM to 8 PM. The funeral will be held on Friday, Ward Wilson Chapel at 2 PM followed by burial at Gardens of Memory Cemetery on Highway 431.

We have many fine funeral homes. Ward Wilson buried my dad in 1985, Terrell and my aunts, Martha McKinney and Mattie Golden.

Thanks for all of your kind messages through text, email and FACEBOOK. Earlier today is was FACEBOOKED she had passed away. Since noon it has been a roller coaster in that she would stop breathing, have the death sound gurgle of release of air, quietness and then about 2 minutes start breathing again. And that lasted until the last breaths.

A special thanks to my sister, Sandra Walden. She has been the primary  care giver to mother. And Sandra, my daughter Emily and nieces Lynn and Tricia were here when mother passed.

In lieu of Flowers, donations can be made to Southside Baptist Church or the television minisrty of First Baptist Church in Dothan.

Rev. Billy Rich and Dr. Jerry Grandstaff or Dr. Cecil Sanders will officiate the services, depnding on which is available.

THANKS.

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