Alison James, Columnists, COLUMNS--FEATURE SPOT, Opinion
 By  Alison James Published 
4:04 pm Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Those who mourn shall be comforted

It is so hard when we lose someone we love.

One behind-the-scenes task I take care of each week for the paper is formatting the obituaries and short notices that are sent to us for print. Of course, by and large these are published exactly as they are submitted, but they usually need just a little proofreading and stylistic smoothing out to prepare them for the page.

I perform the same job for one of our sister papers.

With this as one of my responsibilities, I spend a lot of time each week reflecting on those who have recently passed.

I read about their lives, their loves. I get a small insight into their careers, their hobbies, their achievements and what they meant to the people in their lives, those who will miss them so dearly.

To tell you the truth, I have found it helpful to try to stay a little detached during this process.

Even though the names on the obituary page are often people I don’t know, have never met and now certainly never will, I can nevertheless feel the heartbreak each time, the pain of the family having to say farewell to someone who has meant so much to them.

To me it’s particularly touching and troubling, as I’m sure it is to many, when the obituary is for an especially young person. I’ve edited obituaries for young mothers leaving behind their husband and children, for middle-aged men who are survived by both their parents, for teens whose lives have really just begun and for babies and children, who barely tasted life before tasting death.

It’s hard to swallow sometimes.

Our entire community, it seemed, was bathed in grief this week with the passing of Tange Oliver and the Shoals’ Sgt. Nick Risner. Two very different deaths, in many ways, although in the end not so different: two souls taken from this world and continuing into eternity.

I want to extend my own feelings of sympathy to these two families and to all those who are feeling their loss deeply.

When we lose someone, they leave hole in our lives – the hole they used to fill.

The Bible says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” In my own experience with grief, that comfort can’t always be felt right away, but we can only hope those who are grieving can feel both the support from those around them as well as the tender hand of a loving God.

It’s painful to love and lose, and only by being there for each other can we begin to overcome the grief and be blessed with comfort in our day of mourning.

Also on Franklin County Times
Thorpe to play at Blue Mountain Christian
High School Sports, News, Russellville, ...
Brannon King For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE – Brennon Thorpe made his plans official to attend Blue Mountain Christian University and play baseball for the Toppers during a recent s...
Russellville High Class of 1967 gathers, reminisces
Columnists, News, Opinion, ...
HERE AND NOW
July 16, 2025
You can’t really go back to the good old days of high school, but you can pay them a visit now and then. That’s exactly what the RHS Class of 1967 has...
Former Cypress Lakes official to lead Guntersville State Park
Lifestyles, News
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
GUNTERSVILLE — Heath Puckett had an Auburn University degree and golf course superintendent certification in his pocket when he arrived at Cypress Lak...
European travel builds bonds across cultures
Lifestyles, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- A group of Franklin County travelers spent nine days this summer walking through catacombs, exploring castles and standing in places w...
Little Free Library welcomes readers in East Franklin
Lifestyles, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Eleven-year-old Aiden Hall is an avid reader, but he doesn’t just want to read books. He also wants to share them, and the way he deci...
King becomes elementary curriculum director
Lifestyles, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELVILLE — Molly King says every child can learn, though not necessarily in the same way or on the same day — a belief she plans to carry into her ...
New Junior Leaders begin their training
Franklin County, News
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
FRANKLIN COUNTY — Forty-two high school students from across Franklin County are beginning 10 months of hands-on leadership training and community ser...
Fire destroys 2-story garage, guest suite
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
R U S S E L LV I L L E – Jason Gist leaned against the wall of his home with a look of disgust while dozens of firefighters worked to extinguish a fir...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Stories
July 4, 2025Augusto Simon Diaz, 42, of Russellville, passed away July 4. Visitation and funeral were held at Spry Memorial Chapel on July 12 from 2pm ...
July 16, 2025
July 8, 2025Jamie Kerby Cummings, 41, of Russellville, passed away on July 8. Visitation took place July 13, at Spry Memorial Chapel from 1 pm to 3pm....
July 16, 2025
July 11,2025Julie “JuJu” Welch Black, 63, of Russellville, passed away on July 11.Graveside service was held at 1pm on July 13, at Belgreen Cemetery w...
July 16, 2025
July 9, 2025Scott Noel Benford, age 58, of Muscle Shoals, passed away on July 9. Visitation was held at Pinkard Funeral Home in Russellville on July 1...
July 16, 2025