Yesterday, family and friends of Mary Leona (Lester) Duggar gathered at Cross Church to celebrate her life and legacy. They then made their way to the cemetery in the rain to say their goodbyes. Mary was truly a Proverbs 31 woman, and she was loved and respected by those who knew her. Her life's mission was to serve Jesus and tell others about His saving power. She was laid to rest next to her husband, Jimmy Lee "JL" Duggar, who passed away in 2009.
Photos courtesy dillardfamily.com
The Duggar brothers sing a song for their beloved Grandma Duggar
Pallbearers carry Grandma's coffin to the burial site
Photos courtesy dillardfamily.com
Maybe TLC will do a special so we all can watch the funeral.
ReplyDelete10:40 I rather see TLC do a special of Grandma Mary's life while she was here on earth. Take early clips of Mary and her husband when they were on the show and so on. It could be a 1-2 hour special. Jane
DeleteAs if grandma Duggar was the President, or whatnot... Leave her family grief in peace...
DeleteWhy would you put on TV a private citizen's funeral? As if a funeral was about the show and the audience and not about the family and friends.
I don't know how much of the funeral can or will be shown by TLC since TLC stopped filming when it starting speaking. Anyway if TLC wants to show something it should be about her life.
DeleteI'm going to make a true statement and I know it will not be published because it is very hard to get the truth published for some reason on this blog. No one is perfect but if you don't write all positive comments, they will not be published even if it's the truth.
DeleteAnyway I think TLC was trying to film the funeral but they had to stop filming once it started speaking. Maybe they'll do a remembrance of her life which would probably be better.
Grandma Duggar was a public figure and I'm sure TLC got permission from the whole Duggar family. Grandma was adamant about glorifying Christ in her life, even upon her death. Any Christian knows that Grandma Duggar is more alive now than she's ever been, in the prescence of her Savior. I'm certain she would not have been opposed to filing her funeral in the context it would have been filmed.
DeleteIt's just so sad when a loved one is taken so suddenly. You don't get to tell them the things you want them to know. But I think the Duggar family did a good job of showing Grandma Duggar they loved her, every single day. She went to heaven with a full heart. God Bless this sweet family.
ReplyDeleteI’m sure this service was a true celebration of grandma Mary’s life. I always feel after a funeral people stop asking you how you feel & think you should be moving on, maybe iv just had a bad experience of peoples reactions as I was very young when I lost my parents, but so many of my so called friends would cross the road to avoid asking me how I was doing, mainly because they didn’t really want to know. Thank god I had my priest & the church who were so very kind to me, especially after I lost my dad & was very much alone. That’s the one thing I feel the Duggar’s will have in abundance, love & support of their church community, that will be such a comfort to them. I hope they are all able to find some closure with the funeral & I'm sure they will still talk to grandma every day, & she will always be a huge part of their lives. With every coming birth there will be a part of grandma Mary in every child & I'm sure for JB & especially his sister Deanna, who only has her daughter Amy, that grandchild will give the ultimate comfort & the legacy of grandma Duggar goes on with all the Duggar grandchildren & great grandchildren . . .
ReplyDeleteI feel especially bad for Deanna because she is the one that found her. I’m sure that image will never leave her :(
DeleteIt does not matter how long you have your mum/dad if you were 6 or 9 64 it is hard some said to me 6 years ago now whan my mum passed away the loner you have them the hard it is to let go I don't think so it's hared at any age when you have the best mum dad you give you everything they could my they all rest in peace and the Lord look after them all
DeleteYour experience is fairly common. People often feel inadequate and at a loss what to say to a grieving person. Social contact with the person takes them out of their "comfort zone" so they just avoid the person, not so much because they don't care, but it's awkward for THEM. The duggars won't have that issue as they're a very large family and are quite vocal about expressing their feelings and needs to the world.
DeleteWeeping endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning. I am so sorry for your lost, I didn't know your grandma but I know if she was in Christ then she was a good and blessed woman. May your family be strong and hold on to GOD'S unchanging hands. GOD BLESS YOU ALL
ReplyDeleteAMEN! Death can be a time not only of grief, but also of joy when we know where our loved ones are going and that we'll be together again some day.
DeleteMay God's love lift you up even the more! I only knew her by watching on TV, by her kindness and soft spoken words truly showed her love of Christ and oh my, her smiles were a beaming light into this world!
ReplyDeleteIf Josh and Anna have a little girl in November, then maybe they could name her Mary, in honor of Grandma Duggar, since all of their children's names start with an M.
ReplyDeleteThat would be sweet
DeleteRIP Grandma, Job well done. I enjoyed watching your family.You were such a blessing to them.
ReplyDeleteI would love to have seen it. We all feel like we have known her they this show. Rest in peace....peace of knowing Jesus
ReplyDeleteI'm truly sorry for your loss. She was a great lady to all and a Blessing to her family. May God hold each and everyone of you close to Him, as you walk this path of mourning her, but yet celebrating her life, as well! God Bless you all!
ReplyDeleteSo very sorry to hear of this She will be greatly missed my prayers and thoughts are with Jim Bob, and his Sister and the whole family !!!
ReplyDeleteSo sad for my favorite TV family.
ReplyDeleteAs we have all watched this family grow up and have shared in their happy times, surely we can join with them in the celebration of Grandma Duggars life.
ReplyDeleteStop being negative and be thankful that she is in heaven.
I remember seeing grandpa Duggar’s funeral.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your loss. Grandma Duggar seemed like a very loving and caring person. I never met her but have been following your family on TV since 2008. Prayers to your family during this difficult time.
ReplyDeleteI am/have been IN LOVE with Grandma D since 2008, she has always been a wonderful light in the world, and I love that about her!!!!! What a loss!!!! 100%!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteNormally I have for the most part been a fan but, isn't there anything that is still sacred and not forsale?? I would think as Christian 's they would have been above loving money 💰💰 more. Sad 😢😕
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be normal for the Duggars. It's not the Christianity I grew up with. As far as I'm concerned Christianity has moved in a direction I don't wish to go.
DeleteI find it very odd and very telling about what the Duggars ever choose to share and what they ever try to keep private.
DeleteJust maybe it's not about the money. Maybe they were thinking of their fans and friends around the country, the thousands who have come to know and love their Grandma Mary, who would want to see her funeral. They have received thousands of Facebook condolences alone.
DeletePraying for your family during this sad time!
ReplyDeleteMay they grieve properly, and heal quickly.
ReplyDeleteI always feel a person of faith heals a little better than someone who has no faith. If you have faith, you know your loved one is in heaven and reunited with other loved ones, and that you will see them again when you go to heaven. If you don't have faith, then the person is just gone.
DeleteAnon @ 12:00 You are making generalizations, I have known people with no faith who have grieved and gotten over it quickly, and I know christians who struggle with loosing someone dear and cannot come to terms with their loss years later. People cope with the stages of grief in different ways and at different times, what is not healthy is to supress it and try to carry on like nothing has happened.
DeleteThere's a proper way to grieve???
Delete12:00PM I don't practice your type of religion, but I don't feel my loved ones who have died are gone. They've come to me in dreams and in other ways.
DeleteI think by "grieve properly", the original poster meant to honestly grieve. Many Christians tend to say "encouraging things" like "She's with God now. She's singing with the angels. She's pain-free now, with a new body. She's reunited with her [husband/brother/sister/mother/father]., etc." While those things may indeed be true, family and friends are experiencing a tremendous rending, a void, a loss. Many grieving Christians feel pressured to "faith it"-like if they grieve or grieve for some time, they're not really trusting/believing in God. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's far healthier psychologically and far more courageous as a Christian, to bring your honest, heart-wrenching grief to God. God can handle it-He's already been it Himself, through watching His one and only beloved Son die an excruciating death on a cross and experiencing that loss of missing Him-that void. Our faith is of little value if we can't be honest and open with God. We find God best when we get to end of ourselves and our efforts to handle what we were never made to handle in and of ourselves.
DeleteI’m sorry for your loss
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone but me tind this disrespectful of the person who passed? I went to a funeral once where someone took photos of the person lying in the caskit and I was appalled. In my opinion cameras shouldn't be pulled out at such a time.
ReplyDeleteDeath is as much a part of life as birth and marriages. If family members want to take a last photo of a loved one, who are we to criticize? I see no dis-respect in this. Pictures of funerals REMINDS all of us that life is short. We should cherish our loved ones while they are alive.
DeletePeople have been taking these types of photos for hundreds of years, especially the Victorians.
DeleteHow many people film and televise their mother's funeral, though?
DeleteJust because people do it does not make it right or proper to do.
DeleteAnon @ 11:37 The Victorians took pictures of the deceased because photography was fairly new and for many it would be the only picture they would ever have of their loved one, they also posed the corspe as if the person were still alive, should we do that too? They Duggars have few boundaries in this respect they televised Grandpa Duggars funeral, and he was visable in his casket on national television, and of course there was little Jubilees funeral which should absolutely have been family only. I agree with the OP they should grieve in private and then celebrate the persons life in a special if they want too, there is no need for this.
DeleteMy great uncle passed away years ago. His lady friend has a daughter from the South who came for the funeral and she carried on such a fuss. She had someone take her picture with my great uncle! She stood next to the open coffin and smiled for the pic. My sister, brothers and I kinda watched in morbid fascination
DeleteAnon 3:02. You never know WHAT people will do at funerals. My cousin's ex-wife showed up at his funeral and played the "grieving widow". Considering all the trouble she'd caused throughout the years, it was amazing that she even had the nerve to show up.
DeleteThank you for the summary and pictures of the memorial service. It sounds like it was a touching tribute to Grandma Duggar. She was an amazing woman who will be missed!
ReplyDeleteSo very sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteGrandma Duggar was a beautiful person.. inside and out. I'm sorry for your loss. From what I can see, you had a very lovely service for her.
ReplyDeleteI was very saddened to hear of your loss. Prayers for all. Know that she is with Our Lord in glory
ReplyDeleteRest in Peace Grandma Mary Duggar. Prayers for the comfort of the Duggar family.
ReplyDeleteJoan,Marion and Marilyn
They are just about stepping on someone's gravestone! Disrespectful.
ReplyDeleteIf Anna has a girl, I think Maryanna Lee would be so cute - after Anna, Mary and Grandpa Jimmy Lee. My prayers are with the whole family.
ReplyDeleteJust as each of us has a unique birth we also have a unique reaction to death. Some are comforted by that “last” picture. Let this family grieve and do not judge. They are suffering a huge loss of a very special person. Her untimely death has to be a shock.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a sad situation. I find it distasteful to show pictures on line or to put it on T.V. I hope they don't. I think it should be private for only her family and friends. We are just fans and never even personally knew her so it's really none of our business.
ReplyDeleteThey showed Grandpa's funeral on TV so I'm sure this one will be aired too. No one is required to watch.
DeleteI don't see it that. Grandma was a well known Christian entertainer so her fans should be able to see her funeral.
DeleteShe was a well known Christian entertainer? I didn’t realize she was an entertainer. Did she sing and dance? Tell jokes? Act in movies? Just curious
DeleteIvy Jane's birth was so precious and a Miracle from God. I have watched the Duggars for at least 10 years. So sad to see Jim Bob's Mom passed. I was watching when Jim Bob's Dad was ill and passed away.
DeleteI love this family and am thankful for an inspiring family show, with problems, just like we all face.
I was taught to have respect in a cemetery, and part of that respect is never stepping on or over anyone's headstone like that. Surely there was some other route to Mary's grave site than directly over that marker.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts and prayers to the Duggar family during this sad time. May your precious memories of Grandma Duggar help you in the days to come.
ReplyDelete