Good Afternoon Everyone,
Pictured above is a man that I love and think a whole lot of and whom I will never see this side of Heave again. Albert Ray Cartwright is his name but I called him Pop. Pop was my Grandfather on my Dad's side of the family and he passed away today. I have been trying to help with as many details as I can for the funeral and other things. One thing that has become apparent is that I will more than likely be preaching the funeral. I have preached funerals before and I feel confident I am ready to do this. I would covet your prayers in the coming days for my family. Along with the sorrow of loss we will all be traveling in some form or another be it by automobile or plane. I would also ask prayers of strength for me in preaching this funeral. Today I want to leave you with some words about Pop. Pop was a blessing the lives of so many I hope that you bless someone today.
Pop was one of the most interesting people I have ever known. When you think about someone who has done it all that was Pop. He was a milkman, he ran a gas station, he drove big trucks and still made time to teach his family and others to love the game of baseball. Pop has the distinction of being one of the few men in the Old Timers Baseball hall of fame for baseball and softball. Pop was a man who dealt in absolutes. In his life things were either right or they were wrong. It was this since of right and wrong that he instilled in my Dad Wayne and my Aunt Nancy.
Pop had one of the best senses of humor that I have ever encountered. One time several years ago he had gone to play golf and as he was backing his car up he hit a Coke-a-Cola truck. When I asked him about it weeks later he said “yeah buddy I bought a little stock in the Coke-a-Cola company that day.” That was the essence of the man I called Pop. While he dealt in absolutes he also could laugh at himself.
Pop was a man who understood the importance of community involvement. He was Colonel in the Civitan organization and participated in numerous other activities within the city of Nashville. Pop was always known for being a referee of basketball and football. One time I asked my Dad if he liked it when Pop would ref his games for him when he was a boy. My Dad told me that the only time Pop reffed a game for him was the time when he was fouled the most and never once did he give Dad an inch of slack. Some might say that what Pop did was mean but not me. By doing that Pop taught Dad a valuable lesson in life. He taught Dad to never trade on anyone else’s name and to never expect to get something for nothing.
I was always proud to tell my friends that my Pop was one of the men that held the chains at the Vanderbilt games. As a boy we would watch on ESPN every time Vanderbilt played in hopes of seeing Pop on TV. The problem was that when we would see Pop it usually meant that some linemen was running into him. It was my freshman year at Harding when Pop did notget out of the way quick enough and he broke his leg effectively ending his career holding the chains.
Pop loved to tell stories. This past year I lived in California for a time and before I moved my wife and I came to Nashville to visit Pop and Gan. Pop was thrilled for us to come because my wife, April, had never heard any of his stories and he had someone new to tell them all to. Really I say that jokingly. Pop loved April for the same reason he loved everyone and that is because he cared about people. Once when we were living in Nashville one summer our car broke down. My Mom called Pop to come help and when he got to the house we were renting he slipped a 50 dollar bill into her hand and told her “don’t worry about a thing sugar, I’ve got more where this came from.”
I could go on and on about Pop’s life. I could share with you all the stories I heard growing up but instead I will share with you what meant the most to Pop. When I was 16 I came to visit Pop and Dan and we went to a dinner for all the retired Dupont employees. The people there asked Pop to get up and say a few words about life. He stood up and told people the most important thing in life was to never give up. He then asked me to stand and told everyone I was his grandson and he was proud of me because I didn’t ever give up.
What was most important to Pop was never giving up. Whether it be in sports, your business or your faith he never wanted to see anyone give up. The wonderful thing is that even in death Pop has not given up. Pop has won the prize that we read about in scripture. Pop has gone home to be with his father in heaven. I would like to share with you a passage from 2 Timothy 4
2 Timothy 4
1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Pop fought the good fight and ran his race with endurance and now he has claimed his crown of righteousness. Today I encourage you to celebrate the life of Albert Ray Cartwright. Don’t leave this blog with a frown on your face because I know Pop is happy where he is now and he would want you to leave here sad on his account.
Be Strong and Courageous,
Paul
