IN MEMORIAM OF MY DAD :

( Photo on left is of my Mom & Dad , taken in May ,1945 , in downtown Milwaukee , WI , after my dad was discharged from the Army . On right is my Mom & Dad , taken around 1996 ) .

" Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this ? " ( John 11:25-26 ) .
 
CURTIS P. STAHL , JR

BORN INTO THE WORLD : MAY 25 , 1920

CALLED HOME TO BE WITH THE LORD : JULY 12 , 2009







( ABOVE PHOTOS ARE OF DAD'S FLAG DRAPED COFFIN , AND MY MOM HOLDING IT AFTERWARDS - GIVEN TO HER BY MILITARY PERSONNEL IN HONOR AND THANKS OF DAD'S SERVICE IN WWII )
OBITUARY

Curtis P. Stahl 89, of Port Charlotte, Florida, died on July 12, 2009 in Port Charlotte, Florida.

He was born on May 25, 1920 in Eureka Springs, Arkansas and came to Port Charlotte, Florida in 1973 from Hialeah, Florida. Curtis was a Commerical Artist, and a veteran of WWII, serving with the 43rd Army Corps of Engineers Battalion in the South Pacific Theatre.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Magdalen, best friend and soul mate of 64 years; his daughter, Jo Marie (Jerry) Grinkiewicz of Sebring, Florida; his 4 sons, Philip (Janice) of Colorado Springs, Colorado, John Joseph of Nevada, Jerome (Denise) of Oklahoma and Michael (Gerri) of Miramar, Florida,; 8 grand children and 2 great grandchildren.

He will be laid to rest  at Charlotte Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Punta Gorda, Florida with Military honors.



( PHOTO ABOVE IS OF MOM & DAD ON THEIR WEDDING DAY ;
MAY 26 , 1945 )

Brothers and Sisters -

As I write this , it is Monday July 13 , 2009 . Last night , July 12 , 2009 , at approximately 11:50 p.m. , my wife called me at work to tell me that my brother , Jerry , called her and told her that our  beloved dad was called home to be with The LORD .

Dad had been in and out of the hospitals , and rehab centers , since April . He had caught  pneumonia about that time , and from what I understand , his lungs were continuing to retain fluid , and it seems he just began a downward spiral ever since . He had just turned 89 this past May 25 th , and yesterday was also my  mother’s 87th birthday .

Mom and dad lived in an assisted living facility in Port Charlotte , Florida , which is located about 30-miles north of Ft. Myers . Due to financial restraints , my family and I were not able to visit them as often as we would have liked to . However , thanks to the LORD , we were able to visit them just this past week - July 8th - 10th .  Prior to that it had been about FIVE YEARS since we were able to see them , and when we walked into the hospital room where dad was - I couldn’t believe my eyes . He looked like the pictures you see on tv of the Nazi concentration camp survivors - all skin and bones ! But , even though I’m sure he was in pain - he NEVER showed it ! Even at 89-years old and bedridden , he was TOUGHER than I could ever be - or would be , in that situation ! He had a smile on his face the entire time we would visit him . My daughter , Ciara , drew him a picture of an angel right there in his hospital room - and gave it to him and said , " Here Grandpa , this angel will protect you forever . "

Anyway , after my wife called me last night to give me the news about dad , I immediately broke down in tears . I thank-God for my co-worker , Rolando , who was there to try and console me , and walked with me to exit of the hospital .

Upon returning home , we ( my wife , daughter , son , and myself ) all sat down in the living room , and I took my Bible out ( that I ALWAYS ) take with me to work and on trips , and I began reading passages to the family , and explaining to them that dad is now with the Lord .

I explained to my children , that we cry and mourn for loved ones who pass on believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior , NOT because they died , but because we will miss their ( physical ) companionship . I explained to them that we DO NOT "pray" for the souls of a person who has died - because if they died as believers they DON’T NEED prayers , and if they died as NON-BELIEVERS , then all the prayers in the world WILL NOT  help them ! Thank-God dad WAS a BELIEVER !!

I read to them from 1 Thessalonians 4:16 , " For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first . "  I then explained that when Paul said , " the dead in Christ shall rise first " , the word " rise " denotes the resurrection of the body , and NOT "rising " into the air . Likewise "first" means that THIS resurrection occurs BEFORE the Rapture .

Because Jesus Christ came back to life , so will ALL believers . All Christians , including those living when He returns , will live with Jesus FOREVER ! Therefore , we need not despair when loved ones die in Christ . God will turn our tragedies to triumphs , our poverty to riches , our pain to glory , and our defeat to victory . All believers throughout history will stand reunited in God’s very presence , safe and secure ! So , as Paul comforted the Thessalonians with the promise of the resurrection , we , as a Christian family , should comfort and reassure one another with this great hope .

I then moved on and read to them from 1 Corinthians 15: 51-52 , " Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. "  I explained to them that , here , when Paul told them , " I show you a mystery " ( cf. 2:7 ) . Not all believers will "sleep " ( "die " ) but we can all be assured of one thing - " we shall all be changed ."  But , how will that occur ? " In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye " , expresses the suddenness with which it will occur . The time is indicated " at the last trump ." But , I went on to tell them , this is NOT the last trump of Revelation 11:15 , but the last trump of 1 Thessalonians 4:16 . It is so designated because it signals the end of the present age . " the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed " , here the term "dead " refers to those who have died in Christ , as dad did , since he WAS a believer . The term "we" refers to those who are still living at the time of the Rapture .

I then read to them , the PROOF that ALL believers , such as dad , WILL live forever with Jesus . Jesus HIMSELF tells us in John 14:2-3  , " In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. "  There are FEW verses in Scripture that describe ETERNAL LIFE ! , but they are rich with promises . Here Jesus says , " I go to prepare a place for you , " and " I will come again . " So , as I explained , we can look forward to eternal life because JESUS has promised it to ALL who believe in Him ! Although the details of eternity are unknown to us here on earth , we need not fear , because Jesus IS preparing for us , as He did with dad , and we , like dad , WILL spend ETERNITY with Jesus AND our friends and loved ones ,  who Jesus called home before us , who were true believers !

As I concluded my "family sermon " , we all , myself included , were teary -eyed , and still in deep mourning , because we would all miss dad , NOT because he was "dead" , but because we will not be able to physically talk to him , hug him , hold him and laugh with him until we are called home by Our LORD and Savior , JESUS CHRIST !

And DAD , we KNOW you’re looking down at us right now . Gather all the angels together , all our beloved family and friends , sit down there in the midst of Jesus , and enjoy the following song . . FROM US TO YOU , DAD . . - JUST " CLICK" ON THE BELOW LINK THAT READS " MY DAD " . WE LOVE YOU AND WILL BE WITH YOU AGAIN ONE DAY . . .






( Above photo's are last picture's I have of Dad , taken on his 89th birthday , May 25 , 2009 , and Dad eating his FAVORITE BREAKFAST . . Biscuits and Gravy . . (with Mom at his side ),  in his hospital room in Port Charlotte , Fla . )

LOVE FROM US ALL ; Dad -

MIKE , GERRI , DYLAN & CIARA . . .

" MY DAD " - click here