A Cebration of Life Service for Mrs. Lois Mitchell
January 9, 2026
Today we gather with heavy hearts—but also with grateful hearts. Grief and gratitude often sit side by side at moments like this. We grieve because we love. And we give thanks because God gave us the gift of Mrs. Lois for 77 years.
Mrs. Lois was many things to many people: a daughter, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a sister, a friend. But if you were to ask her family how they would summarize her life, you wouldn’t hear long speeches or grand claims. You’d hear words like caring, giving, and big-hearted. You’d hear stories about faith lived quietly and love shown consistently.
You may have heard recently that the U.S. government has stopped minting new pennies. After more than 200 years, they finally said, “That’s enough.” Why? Because it costs more to make a penny than the penny is worth. It’s inefficient. It doesn’t make sense economically. So they quit making them.
Now, here’s the interesting part: every penny already in circulation is still legal tender. They still count. You can still spend them. But no new ones are being made.
And it got me thinking about that old phrase we use when something is rare or valuable:
“They don’t make them like that anymore.”
We usually say that about things that had weight to them—
Old tools that lasted forever.
Old trucks built out of real steel.
Grandparents who kept their word and showed up early.
What we mean is: something has been lost in the process.
Spiritually speaking, the Bible often uses the same kind of language.
There was a time when faith wasn’t flashy—but it was solid.
When worship wasn’t convenient—but it was costly.
When obedience mattered more than comfort.
In Scripture, God repeatedly calls His people back and says,
“Remember the former things.”
“Return to your first love.”
“Stand in the ancient paths.”
Not because the past was perfect—but because what was being produced had value.
The kind of life Mrs Lois lived, marked by caring and loving others, matters and makes a difference. It has value. Just like this penny in my pocket.
Scripture reminds us in Proverbs 31:30, “Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
Lois was not known for drawing attention to herself.
However, she WAS known for faithfulness—and heaven places great value on that.
Mrs. Lois Lived A Life of Faithful Service
Lois was a lifelong resident of Midland City and a faithful member of Mt. Gilead Baptist Church. For years, she taught Sunday School to children to preschoolers at our church. And anyone who’s ever taught that age group knows: that’s not for the faint of heart.
But Mrs. Lois did it faithfully.
She planted seeds of truth in young hearts—week after week, year after year. Many of those children grew up. Some now have children of their own. And whether they remember every lesson or not, they were shaped by a woman who showed them kindness, patience, and the love of Christ.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me… for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Mrs. Lois took that seriously. And Scripture assures us that no act of service done for Christ is ever wasted.
Mrs. Lois Lived A Life of Love at Home
While Lois served faithfully at church, her greatest ministry was always her family.
She loved her sons—Jeremy and Matthew—and she absolutely cherished her grandchildren: Gage, Ella, and Rylee Kate. Family wasn’t just important to Mrs. Lois; it was central to who she was.
She was a good cook—known for things like chicken casserole and smash cake. And then retirement came, and with it a new rhythm of life, where she semi-retired from the kitchen too. Somewhere along the way, Hamburger Helper became a staple. (PLEASE tell me it was the lasagna and beef stroganoff and never the Mac n cheese.)Add in a daily banana and mayonnaise sandwich followed by a Nutty Buddy, and you had a routine that suited her just fine. Was it fancy? No. But as I said, classically southern. I can only knock Mrs. Lois’ pallet in one way. The family and I were discussing the proper was to prepare banana sandwiches…I asked them if Mrs. Lois ever ate pineapple sandwiches and she did not!
Those small, ordinary details are often what families miss the most—because love is usually expressed in ordinary ways and in routine days.
A Life Full of Personality
Mrs. Lois also had a wonderful sense of humor and a personality that brought joy to those around her. Every time I saw her, she always greeted me with a smile.
She was an avid Alabama football fan (Bammer or Fan?), and passed that love of football down to her boys, although it IS a house divided.
She also wasn’t known for being the world’s best driver. There are stories—like the time Mrs. Lois and Mrs. Elizabeth were in the ’59 Apache getting high-centered in a parking lot, or the PT Cruiser being affectionately referred to as a battle tank. And then there was the special friendship between Mrs. Lois and her mother-in-law, Elizabeth Mitchell. Together, they had a way of “staying in trouble,” much to Kermit’s frustration.
Those stories don’t diminish her legacy—they humanize it. They remind us that a life well lived includes laughter, imperfections, and shared memories that linger long after someone is gone.
Mrs. Lois Reminds Us That Hope Does Not Fade
Lois was preceded in death by her husband, Kermit, and today we trust that their reunion is not a wishful thought, but a gospel promise.
Jesus said in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.”
Christian hope is not denial of grief. Jesus Himself wept at the grave of His friend Lazarus. But He also stood there and declared that death does not get the final word.
Because Lois’ life was grounded in faith, her story does not end here.
The apostle Paul writes, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” That means for Lois, what she has lost cannot compare with what she has gained.
For Those Who Remain
For the family—especially her sons and grandchildren—your grief is real, and it is personal. You have lost a mother, a grandmother, a steady presence. And it’s okay that this hurts.
But hear this: love does not end at the grave. The lessons Mrs. Lois taught, the faith she modeled, the love she gave—those live on in you, in us.
The best way to honor her is not only to remember her, but to carry forward what she gave you:
• Care for others
• Love family deeply
• Serve faithfully
• Trust God quietly and consistently
And for Pete’s sake. eat a banana sandwich every now and then.
Closing Hope
Scripture says in Revelation 14:13, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord… for their deeds follow them.”
Lois’ deeds follow her.
Her faith follows her.
Her love follows her.
She lived a life of value. I pray we all do.