Most people know the song Precious Memories by J. B. F. Wright. Many of us know it from singing it in church services, but the song has also been recorded by some of the top country artists. One of the most recent recordings is by Alan Jackson but you can also find recordings by Merle Haggard, The Statler Brothers, Patty Loveless, Jim Reeves, Willie Nelson and Tennessee Ernie Ford. I could list many more, but I would run out of time listening to them instead of writing 🙂
I am thinking of Precious Memories tonight as earlier today I sang it at a memorial service for the father of one of my colleagues. We had been talking about her plans for the service and I shared that I had sung Precious Memories at the services for each of my grandparents. She asked me to sing at the service for her father.
I was really nervous today as she was the only one at the service that I knew.
It was moving to listen to the family members sharing memories, and I started having precious memories of my grandparents. Thankfully the song went well as I sang it shortly after they finished sharing and my soul was flooded with memories.
Tonight I will share pictures of my grandparents as precious memories again flood my soul.
My Grandpa Braman passed away in 1997 at the age of 84. This picture was taken near the end of his life when he was living in a nursing home.
See: Remembering Grandpa
My Grandma Yoder passed away in 2003 at the age of 79. This is one of my favorite pictures of her and many of my friends said that I look like her when they saw it.
My Grandma Braman passed away in 2008 at the age of 88. I was going to find a picture of Grandma when she was in her 80’s, but I couldn’t resist sharing this one as it is my favorite picture of her.
See: Remembering Grandma
My Grandpa Yoder passed away in 2009 at the age of 90. I took this picture when we were in Yosemite during a visit he made to California. I have some precious memories of his suspenders 🙂
One last picture. Here is a picture that includes all four of my grandparents. You can probably figure out that it was taken at the wedding of my parents.
Below is the arrangement that I put together for my Grandma Yoder’s funeral and what I have used since.
Precious memories, unseen angels, Sent from somewhere to my soul;
How they linger, ever near me, Echos from the past I hear.
Precious memories, how they linger, How they ever flood my soul,
In the stillness of the midnight, Precious memories flood my soul.
As I travel on life’s pathway, Know not what the years may hold;
Precious Father, loving Savior, I will love Them thru the years.
Precious memories, how they linger, How they ever flood my soul,
In the stillness of the midnight, Precious memories flood my soul.
Steven
That was very kind of you to sing that song!