A Eulogy for Betty Jummonville Landry
By Reverend Stephen P. Monahan
Let me begin by pointing out that this English word eulogy is directly derived from the Greek eulogia which simply means good word.
I have a good word to share concerning my mother-in-law and friend of nearly 35 years, Betty Landry, who in the first hour of October 19th, 2013, passed from our midst and is now awaiting the resurrection. When she departed, it was with a wonderful peaceful confidence that she would see and have her place in the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ our Lord and most thorough Savior.
As I begin to set forth the reasons why I'm convinced that Mama's confidence was so very well placed, you may think my logic to be rather skewed but I beg you to bear with me for a few moments.
In all the years of our acquaintance, I never perceived Mama as the stereotypical "sweet little Christian lady." While it's true that she was physically small, her personality was huge, and complicated, being filled with sometimes troublesome contradictions. However, it's these very contradictions and gradually changing way in which she dealt with them over the years that make her life such an inspiration to a sinner like me. What follows is my attempt to describe a few of the more prominent examples.
Mama was generous. A giver of gifts (including over 100 quilts which she handmade and gave away all but 5 or 6), and in latter years she gave away time, and this is just scratching the surface. Mingled with this was a deep and abiding selfishness expressed in a myriad of ways. I leave it to the reader to examine your own inner life to understand how these two can coexist. Another rather vivid contrast was her accommodating and at the same time demanding nature. She could make room for peoples idiosyncrasies and preferences. For instance, she was accommodating in the case of her sons' playing of rock and roll music, LOUD rock and roll music (she even learned to like some of it) yet at the same time she was demanding in her requirement that people often show proof of their love for her. Then there was the matter of communication. A wonderfully eloquent writer, she left us a legacy of letters, stories, original poetry as well as a prosaic and pictorial biographical sketch of her life (which includes a great deal of original art) that will probably take us all some time to fully digest and appreciate. Yet for all that Mama could often be mind numbingly difficult to communicate with verbally. It took me years to realize she wasn't doing it intentionally.
Now at the last I come to my point to why I loved this remarkable and difficult woman so much; to why I feel certain she is now safe in the bosom of the Lord. Mama saw all these problems precisely for what they were: sin at work in her flesh. And in the course of years she came more and more to own them as such, placing less and less blame for them on others. As painful as this all was for her, at times driving her into dark depression and near despair, the truth that there was only one remedy became increasingly real to her. She took all of this sin and darkness and brought it to the cross of Christ - diligently - relentlessly! Fighting against all that was in her telling her that she couldn't, Mama sought and found understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the pages of Scripture. When problems failed to miraculously evaporate from her character, she continually and persistently reasserted her hold on Christ by faith, and especially in her latter years. I also believe that all of this was substantiated by Mom's tireless efforts to restore damaged relationships to the maximum extent that it depended on her. This pursuit of reconciliation with God and men (women and children) continued, increased and intensified until the day my dear friend and mother-in-law departed this life. The rich expressions of her care and concern for all continue still.
I can think of no higher praise for Betty Landry than to say that she kept the faith. She finished her course and has now truly gone home. Praise the Lord!!!
With deepest gratitude for having known her;
Steve Monahan
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