Biography
Charles and Viola Deyo were married on May 19, 1974. They were 21 and 19 years old. Amy was born to them on April 13, 1977. She was their first and only biological child. The labor with Amy had been fairly easy. Charles and Viola arrived at the hospital at 10:00 AM and Amy was born 2 ? hours later. She weighed 6 pounds and 13 ounces. She was the first granddaughter out of three grandchildren to ViolaÌs parents and the fifth and last biological grandchild to CharlesÌ mother.
Charles and Viola lived in Gwinner and they both worked as draftsmen at the Melroe plant. Viola took a 6-week leave from work at that time. Upon their returning to work, Amy went to her first of many babysitters. In September they moved their trailer house to 10 acres in the country between Lisbon and Gwinner.
Amy learned to walk and got her first tooth at age one. She never talked in baby talk but spoke in clear sentences. She was left-handed like both her grandmothers. When she was 2 ?, her parents joined the Assembly of God church in Lisbon and Amy attended Sunday school and childrenÌs church. There were about ten children her age in the church at that time. Within six months the pastor and his family resigned and moved. Other families left the church, too. A temporary layman filled in on Sundays until a new pastor was located. When the new pastor and his family arrived, the entire Sunday school class consisted of was their son and Amy. Amy asked Jesus into her heart during this time.
Amy had a few more babysitters before she started school. Because of this she knew many people around town. She could tell you not only their first names but also their last names. She played with boys as well as girls. The Strawberry Shortcake dolls and Cabbage Patch doll were a craze then. She loved to read books and play card games. The Deyos did not have a radio in their car so they sang or read when they went on long trips. Charles’s mother moved to Rapid City, SD so they spent their holidays and vacations there. Later his mother moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. Charles and Amy flew there with her. Amy looked out the window and asked where God was. She loved traveling. Charles’ family loved sci-fi movies and books. Amy loved them, too.
When Amy was about seven years old, she began to feel very lonely. She noticed that other families with brothers and sisters protected one another and had family to play with.She wanted that, too. She had some tough times at a couple of babysitter’s home because these things bothered her a lot.
That summer a young boy from the church stayed with the Deyos and watched Amy during the day. He was like a big brother to her. He played games with her and kept her company. One day when Amy wasn’t feeling well he suggested it might be her appendix. At 9:00 PM she was taken to the emergency room and hour later she underwent surgery to have her appendix removed. This was the only time she was ever in the hospital.
That November Charles’s mother died. Six months later his niece died of an inoperable brain tumor at age 16. At that time Amy developed a fear of dying. It was so bad she developed ulcers. Some nights she didn’t sleep because of the pain.
Charles and Viola had talked about adopting over the years and decided to check to apply. Viola planned to continue working and did not know if that would be a problem or not. They applied at Building Families through Adoption, an agency that worked with hard to place children. Some children had physical or mental handicaps or were older. Charles wanted a boy, Amy wanted a girl, and Viola wanted an older child. Their church prayed for “children” for them. The paperwork was finished in October and they received a call in December regarding three Korean girls who needed a home. The Deyos agreed to adopt them and they arrived by plane on April 3, 1986. Kim was age 8, to be 9 on April 22, Heidi age 5 and Leah age 2 ?.
The girls could not speak any English. The three sisters did everything together and spoke only Korean for the first few months. Amy learned some of their language just from being around them. However, Amy was not included in a lot of their activities. She talked to her mother more and more. They read a lot of books together before the girls came. Now she read the books on her own.
Everything of Amy’s was now shared. It got to be a little too much at times. Even Amy and Kim’s birthdays were so close; relatives gave the same present to both girls on Amy’s birthday or gave one present for both of them. Both of them were used to being the oldest and the boss. The loneliness for her mother and Korea began to get to Kim. She did not know enough English to express her feelings. She became depressed and angry. Most of the anger was aimed at Amy. The idea of having a close relationship with her sisters was not going to happen until she was in college.
When Amy was 10 she wanted to go to the Assembly of God children’s camp at Devil’s Lake, a three-hour drive from Lisbon. Since the family did not know anyone in the area that was attending so Viola drove her there and back. Amy didn’t know anyone there and within minutes of her arrival, her ulcers started to act up. Her mother had already left. There was nothing the counselors could do but pray for her. It turned out to be an incredible week. Amy met so many people and pastors. Children were healed of different illnesses, some were called into the ministry. God touched Amy, too. She was never the same. She went back to camp every summer after that.
Amy tried to get involved in Girl Scouts and 4-H over the next few years but was never able to build friendships there as she did at camp. She dropped out after a couple of years. Sports were not her thing, either. She went to the car races each week with her dad and helped with the food concessions. She became so reliable at helping out that during fair week she was put in charge of opening up the Jaycee concession booth and running it the first three hours. This is something she enjoyed doing throughout grade school and high school. At church she put the chorus sheets on the overhead during worship and later she played the tambourine. She was active in every youth programs offered by the Assembly of God Church. There were youth conventions, disciple camp and Speed the Light rallies. She pledged $100 each year to the youth program to raise money for vehicles for the missionaries. She challenged other youth in the church to give also.
In the lower grades Amy had many friends, but those friendships dropped off by the fifth and sixth grade. Her class was a very wild class, but Amy set a standard for herself even back then. Many of her teachers commented on that during school conferences.
She chose her friends very carefully. She made fewer and fewer friends at school. Her closest friends were the ones from camp. To keep these friendships going she went to youth conventions, church lock-ins, and camp. Her evenings were spent reading Christian books. Her relationship with God became the biggest part of her life.
At church her Sunday school class consisted of a very attractive girl named Erin and two other boys from the area. For the Christmas programs, the girls were encouraged to sing together and later to sing solos. One of their favorite songs to sing together was “Friends are Friends Forever.”
When Amy was 16 she went to Chicago for an outreach in the poorest section of the city. There were about 50 teenagers from north and south involved in it. They stayed at the local church and ministered in that area for ten days. They prayed and interceded for the city ten days. She helped cook and serve, cleaned bathrooms, prayed and encouraged friends. A visiting pastor joined them one evening and prayed with each teenager. He spoke of everything Amy had been through and how God was going to use her in a special ministry of healing the souls of hurting people. It confirmed what God had spoken to her over the years. It was at that time she knew she was to go to Trinity Bible College in Ellendale, North Dakota.
Amy took speech, music and business classes to prepare for college. She was an honor student throughout high school. She was in the top ten of her class of 70 plus juniors and was chosen as an honor usher for graduation. Her ACT test score was 29. That score would have gotten her a full scholarship in a state college but not at a Bible college. She had to make a choice if she still wanted to go into the ministry. She knew she would have a tough time paying for the tuition at a Bible college, but she decided to go anyway.
Amy developed a close relationship with one of her classmate’s younger brothers. John came to a church youth lock-in and turned his life over to God. He changed so much that the following week everyone in the school was asking what had happened to him. Amy knew a lot about his family and knew how much trouble his older brother had gotten into. She discipled and encouraged him. She drove John and his little sister back and forth to church. He spent ten days in an outreach on the Indian reservation while Amy went back to the Chicago Outreach. John did not have a Bible so she bought him one. This is the first time Amy had a chance to impact someone’s life and witness such a change.
The relationship between Amy and Kim was not good so Amy spent her first summer after graduation working at the Bible camp at Devil’s Lake. She worked as a salad girl for the first two weeks of camp and a counselor for the next two weeks. For the other weeks and weekends she helped out with meals for family reunions, a local outreach, and cleaning rooms for guests. The pay was very little, but the experience was good.
Amy was accepted at Trinity Bible College and received a Decade of Harvest Scholarship of $1,000.00 per year. She had only one job while in high school which was at a pizza place. The manager was new and lacked experience. She was very hard to work for. Within a short time she got upset with Amy and cut back her hours to two hours a week in hopes she would quit. The lady gave excuses for the minimum hours and when Amy did not quit she told her she was no longer needed. Amy had made less than $1,000.00 for college and was worried about how she would pay for college. Her parents could only afford to pay the amount that a state college cost. Amy was depending on God for the rest. She had talked many times with her parents on this subject.
Amy moved to Ellendale, just 65 miles from Lisbon to attend college. She majored in youth ministries and business management. She saw many things the first few days she was there. Some teens had enrolled but found out they could not pay the tuition and repacked their cars and went home. Some could only pay the first two semesters and left to earn more money to return in the spring. Some teens were just dropped off at the college because their parents thought the college would be a good influence on them. Amy became so thankful for everything she had. Many teens did not have the support of a family or a church body. She learned so much about life there.
With some scholarships Amy had money to pay all her tuition expenses but needed a job to help pay for everyday expenses. Not all the federal work-studies were filled and she was hired. She cleaned classrooms a couple of hours a day. She made many friends and was at home there. It was the first time most of the teens there had any close friendships. Amy shared her computer, her clothes, books and anything else she had. She loved helping people. When the stress of college and tests got to a few of them, Amy learned how to give back massages to relax them. She became very good at it.
Amy did not make it home much during the school year. Her friends were from all over the US so they did things together on weekends. She started attending the church in Forman, located 45 miles from Ellendale. It was a new church that was started by the Lisbon church. Other students joined her, hoping to help the new church in any way they could. During Christmas and spring break she came home. For Easter Sunday she invited friends to have dinner at the Deyos. She came home for the summer and worked at the Melroe plant for a 49-day program set up for college students. The program paid the students enough for most of their college tuition the next year.
The second year Amy applied to be an RA at the college. She was counting on this job to earn the money she needed for tuition. She was not chosen, but her friend, Meri Alice, did. This girl was in a desperate situation and needed the job more than Amy. They became best friends and Amy helped her out a lot. She worked with the federal work-study program again.
Amy continued to attend church in Forman. Some of the students helped with children’s church. Amy led worship once a month or more. She helped clean the church and organize the Sunday school classrooms. Later, Meri Alice and Amy wrote and directed the Christmas program. One of the young girls was sick the night of the program so Meri Alice played the part and Amy directed. It went over well.
Amy also filled in as a substitute for one of the drama teams. She could not be full time with her work-study but was able to go a few times and made an impact on those places. She also was a chaperone for the youth conventions for the Forman church. She ran concessions for the college games. Amy did not date during this time. There did not seem to be anyone that was her type and that were going into youth ministries. Several friends tried to set her up with young men, but they discovered the same thing.
During her junior year she became class treasurer. Her job was to help the class raise money for and organize the junior/senior banquet. She had never gone to a prom in high school or to the previous college banquet. She asked advice of people who had helped the previous year and those who had gone before. She found out what worked and what did not. It was stressful but went well. Amy invited a former Trinity student who lived in Fargo to be her date. After all that work she wanted to attend.
During spring break that year Amy took a trip with the Modern Day Revival class to churches in other states. On the long bus ride Amy and Paul Keith sat together. They talked together and learned a lot about each other. Paul was seriously dating one of the girls at the college. Amy knew him through the class and through her roommate. She was very impressed with him and talked about him off and on all summer.
As a senior, Amy worked as an RA, Resident’s Assistant. She had not even thought about applying because she did not want to be turned down again, but God kept speaking to her until she filled out the application. The money for the job had doubled from what it was in the previous years. It was the amount of money she needed to make it through. Everything she had learned from things that happened at home with her sisters, to all the books she had read and everything she had experienced the past three years at college helped her do the job well. She counseled girls about dating and marriage. The high standards she had set and kept for herself paid off. She had learned what her strong and weak points were.
By her senior year all of her close friends were engaged or married. Amy planned on finishing her last year without dating. That was one of the questions put to every RA. The college wanted their RA’s to be committed to their jobs.
Paul returned that year and planned on getting engaged to the girl he had dated the previous year. She, however, found someone else over the summer. Through the next couple of weeks Paul and Amy talked off and on. They hung around the same friends. These friends kept asking if they were interested in each other. Paul was debating whether he should ask Amy out or another girl. Amy had been told of his thinking and called him up to ask if he would go for a walk with her. This is something she would not ordinarily do. She asked him to ask the other girl about her call to the ministry to see if it matched his. Through this he started asking Amy lots of questions. Each day he called her and asked more questions. They took long walks together and he asked more questions. Finally he asked her what kind of man she would date. She told him she would date the man she was to marry. Paul asked God for a sign in the sky if he should date Amy. He wanted to see a certain satellite. They continued to take walks and Paul kept looking up at the sky.
He never saw exactly what he wanted, but they decide to date and set their first date for October 31st. That was a month away, but they were both so busy it was the first open day. They continued to talk off and on. When the day finally came, Paul had to ask if they could use Amy’s car – he didn’t have one. He bought her flowers. Their friends were so excited, they took pictures.
Their first date was a little tense and they decided not to date again. They spent a lot of time together and developed a deep friendship. Amy knew then that this was the man she would marry. Her parents met him off and on and heard about him a lot. Amy had always said she wanted a guy who was strong enough to pick her up. She was 5Ì8″ and battled with her weight. Once Paul teased her by picking her up and putting her over his shoulder, then tried to set her in the garbage can at her parents’ house. He loved her the size she was.
At Christmastime Paul flew back home for a month. That separation was a challenge for both of them. Sometime after he returned Paul began attending the church in Forman with Amy. College continued and Amy prepared to be licensed as a pastor. She would be only the eighth female licensed pastor in North Dakota Assembly of God history. Women were not encouraged to get licensed. She wasn’t sure if she could or should do it, but it was very important to her parents so she decided to try. She passed and Paul became “The Reverend’s Boyfriend”. He signed all his letters to her that way.
When spring break came, Amy borrowed her parent’s car so the two of them could meet Paul’s parents. The weather and the snow through the mountain passes were a real challenge. A semi blazed a trail for them through a real rough area and they made it. Amy met his parents, two sisters, and lots of his friends. Paul had so many friends compared to her. Paul and Amy picked on each other all the time – that is just the way they were. He said he would never kiss her until they were married. They had already been thinking in that direction. He kept kissing her cheek, first one side, then the other. Finally, she turned her head and kissed him. Like she said, “Rest stops on the way home never looked the same.”
Amy graduated Magna Cum Laude in May. She packed her belongings with the help of some of their church friends and drove home. She was going to work at Melroe one more time. Paul had accepted a job as a lifeguard in Detroit, Michigan. He flew back to Washington and then drove a car back, stopping in Lisbon on the way to his job.
The summer came and went. Amy was able to teach a class for the community vacation Bible school before being called to work at the plant. She checked on rings, dresses and such for the wedding. Paul had not yet asked her to marry him, but they had finally talked about it. Paul asked Charles and Viola for permission to marry their daughter. Paul was to graduate before they would get married. Amy did not want to be engaged for a year before they could marry.
Amy flew to Michigan to spend the 4th of July with Paul. His job had been difficult. It was not what he was told it would be. He kept asking if he could come back to Lisbon to be with Amy. Paul and Amy used a chat room on Internet and found some 1 cent/ minute phone cards.
Paul needed to be back to school early for the drama team practices, and arrived in record time so see Amy. He had purchased Amy’s ring. He planned to recreate their first date and ask her to marry him. Ellendale is a small town and their favorite hangout was the slide in the park. He was going to give her the ring and ask her to marry him on the top of the slide.
Amy had been looking for a job in Ellendale or Aberdeen all summer. The college called her one-day and asked her to apply for a temporary job in the main office. She would not know if she was hired until just a week before school started. She had already lined up a room to stay at in a trailer house on campus, because everything looked like it would work out.
Amy was going to pay for the wedding. Paul did propose as he planned. He was surprised to hear that she had the dress already. But she knew that the stores would have wedding dresses on sale in August and she found the right one in the first store she looked in. The material for the six bridesmaids’ dresses was bought and her mother was sewing them. Paul made arrangements for the honeymoon. The pastor in Lisbon was going perform the wedding, but he suggested that a college teacher in Ellendale could do the counseling to save on driving. The cake was ordered. Amy found 250 white roses on the Internet for a reasonable price and ordered them for the bouquets.
Amy’s temporary job was working out well and was extended longer than expected. She still had a job by Christmas. She was the head secretary for the Administrations office. She was in charge of seven students with the work-study program. She had handled things so well she was asked to work on special assignments after Christmas. She set up the new computers donated to the offices. Many of the things that were handled in the office were confidential so she could not share much about her work. She enjoyed the job and the people she worked for. Working part-time was harder because she would miss things that happened earlier in the day that related to her job. She was, however, able to take time off to attend interviews with Paul for his licensing and jobs.
Paul and Amy were wondering a lot about what to do after graduation. They knew God had called them to work with youth in the evangelistic field, but they did not know how or where to start. Paul had been asked to perform three weddings that summer and Amy was asked to be a bridesmaid in one.
Because they had no idea where to go they decided to see how other ministries were run. They planned to go to Fargo one Friday night to check on a citywide youth ministry at the Assembly of God church there. They were to return the next day to finish their final wedding purchases and order tuxes. Amy’s parents decided they would come to Fargo, too. Because of the heavy fog at that time Charles arranged motel rooms for the night for their family and Paul and Amy. The fog made seeing impossible even in town so they spent the time at the motel swimming pool. That night Charles and Paul shared a room and the girls shared the other room.
The next morning the fog lifted some. The tuxes were fitted and ordered. Paul checked out some different places to eat for the wedding rehearsal supper. Amy still wasn’t sure about what plates to buy so did not pick up any. Paul and Amy spent time to themselves just looking at things. All their plans were on hold until they knew where they would be. They talked about that a lot. They stayed in Fargo a little later then Charles and Viola, then came to Lisbon to spend the night. Paul had volunteered to preach in Oakes Sunday morning at the Nazarene Church. They spent the day in Oakes and preached again that evening. They went back to Ellendale that night.
Amy was very busy that week and was not able to call home. Her mother had called several times, but she was busy picking up their engagement pictures and getting ready for the trip. On Thursday Amy lined up the pictures on her computer and e-mailed them to her friends and family. She stayed up late talking to the girls in the dorm that she had worked with over the past year. She went to work early the next morning to fill in for the head secretary. Afterwards she packed her things in Paul’s car and called him to let him know she was ready. They were taking the engagement pictures and announcements along to finish up in Washington.
That is the last her parents know of them. They hadn’t spoken of the plans to drive straight through. The e-mail said they were leaving at 5:00 and not to worry about the clothes they forgot at the house, they would pick them up when they came back. Amy said to have a great weekend.
Her parents were told of her death the next morning at 8:30 by their pastor and youth pastor. Amy had her birth certificate with her and the funeral director in Deer Lodge, Montana called Charlie Armstrong, the Lisbon funeral director. He, in turn, knowing the Deyo family very well, called their pastor. The family was told that Amy was thrown from the car and died instantly and Paul was not expected to live. At that time it was unknown who was driving the car and why a vehicle was on the wrong side to the interstate. The Deer Lodge funeral director said there was no way anyone could view Amy’s body. He spent a lot of time preparing Amy’s body for the trip and picked up her Bible and suitcase from the accident sight. Everything had been thrown out of the car during the crash. Arrangements were made to have Amy flown to Fargo and then picked up by Mr. Armstrong on Monday evening. All the arrangements for the funeral were planned for Thursday afternoon. The Deyos wanted to view some part of their daughter, a hand, a foot, something to let them know it was really her. On Tuesday afternoon Mr. Armstrong called crying and said there would be no viewing of Amy whatsoever. He said her body was worse than he had imagined and he was having a tough time. It was like preparing his own daughter. He said that he had ten boys come back from Vietnam that he had to prepare and this was worse. He was the only person to see Amy.
Despite the fact there was no viewing of Amy, she was dressed properly. She wore her white suit that she preached her first sermon in at college. Her beautiful hair was washed and a lock in the back was cut off for her parents.
The casket was mauve and white with flowers painted on each corner. Many of the flowers sent for the funeral were white roses. A note that Paul had written saying “HI, AMY! I LOVE YOU! PAUL” was found in her back car windshield. This was framed and placed beside the casket along with the white gorilla that Paul had given her.
No family service was planned the night before. Visitation at the funeral home was announced, but a blizzard swept into the area and dropped 8+ inches of snow that evening. All the roads were impassable, even in town. Thursday morning was spent digging out. Many people could not go to work so were able to help with snow removal at the church. By afternoon the weather was fine and the streets were cleared. Through it all 350+ people came to say good-bye to Amy and encourage the family. The trip to the cemetery was limited to four 4-wheel drive vehicles for family and pallbearers only. None of the sisters had gone to the funeral home beforehand and two of them felt they could not handle going to the cemetery.
Many friends and college students stayed at the church afterwards to talk to the family. The booklet that Amy had made for Paul for Valentine’s Day had been given to the family and was passed around. It told the story of their relationship and their plans for “Amy and Paul, Forever! (I like the sound of that).”
Amy’s Footprints
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Quotes of friends, co workers, teachers:
As a Resident Assistant and fellow secretary, I got to see a side of Amy that I wasn’t aware of. She had a great sense of humor and truly loved God. That love shone through in everything she put her hand to do. I thank God I was able to know her and have her as a part of my life. She will be greatly missed.
Jeannine Gibson
Amy was so special and so fun to be around. Even though she wasn’t my R.A., I still found myself up in her room a lot for advice and encouragement. She always listened and she always cared. I loved her very much and I will miss her.
Shandell
Amy was a great friend and blessing from God.
Lebert Groun
Amy was a friend to those who knew her. She was a hard worker and loved God with all her heart. I am glad I was able to know her.
Christy Groah
Amy was always concerned for others. She (as an R.A.) always made time to listen to us and make sure that we were “doin’ okay.” I loved her as a friend as well. She was very special.
Stacey J. Thompson
Amy was a true example of Christ to those who knew her. She was sweet and loving and knew how to bring a smile to a downcast face.
Jamie and Adam Ewing
Amy was a blessing in my life! She was always there when someone needed her. She had a giving heart and would do anything for anyone.
Michelle Whitehurst
I remember Amy’s sense of humor more than anything. She always had a smile on her face. I will miss talking to her all the time and seeing her smile.
Lisa Borgwardt
I met Amy in ’94 when I went to Chicago. She was an awesome woman of God and always had a smile. She was always willing to lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on. The second time I believe was Conquest Î95. We worked in the kitchen together. Once again she was a big encourager.
Rebecca Ganguish
Amy was a great friend and encourager. She set an example and was always there when you needed her.
Jamie
Amy was always the one that was there whenever you needed her. She was always the encourager and her love of Christ would show through her wherever she went. She would always light up my life by just seeing her smile.
Janine Tenrancour
Amy was always kind even in the midst of a trial. I do not ever remember seeing her lose her smile. She always greeted me with an attitude that said that she was glad to see you. Jeremy Harris I only know Amy through Paul, but I remember this year when she showed up in my dorm room just to talk cause she knew I was friends with Paul. She was amazing and Paul always talked about her in this way that made me wish I knew her more. I also came in contact with her in the Student Ministries office where she was always willing to help and be patient even if I came in 6 or 7 times a day.
Kristen Horn
I am so grateful that I was able to meet and be friends with Amy. She always had time to listen to anyone. She shared her heart with me when I needed it.
Heidi Atkinson
Amy was so sweet. She had a big heart and people saw Jesus through her.
Melissa Harmon
Amy was a woman who loved people and loved God.
Jason Atoclp
Amy was a caring person and always went out of her way to help and love people. I wasn’t real close to her but she definitely showed me what loving people was all about. She also was a great woman of God.
Charity Christian
Amy was a blessing – she was always real and always loving. The talks we had will never be forgotten – she was a great one to ‘vent’ to! She displayed the love of Christ. Thank you for allowing Amy to pursue the call of God on her life.
Trudy Knutz
Amy was the person you could always go to when you just needed someone to be with. Her heart was her best attribute. And I will miss her dearly. She was the one who always encouraged.
Carla Buckmaster
Amy made an impact in my life just by smiling at me and showing me the love of Christ. I could truly see Jesus in her.
Michelle McEuon
Amy was a great lady. She was my boss and fellow R.A. and a great friend. She challenged and encouraged me a great deal with my future being unknown after graduation.
Please know that Paul and Amy’s life made an impact on our lives. We met Paul and Amy the way we have met many of the students at Trinity. Since Oakes and Ellendale are only 30 miles apart, we have found it easy when our pastor is on vacation to find our pulpit supply speakers by simply calling the college and letting them send over whoever. So it was by ‘chance’ that we met. We have come to expect a high caliber person from the Bible College. Once again we were not disappointed. What a fine couple they were! In walk this handsome young man and his lovely finance in time for Sunday school. During the service when Paul preached we were reminded again why we don’t despair when a Trinity Bible College student preaches in our services. After the morning service it was my pleasure to take them to the local pizza shop for dinner and then to my home where we got better acquainted. How excited they were of Paul finally graduating in May and then two days later to be married. A honeymoon, of course, and then the future – a future that they didn’t even know, because as of yet not sure where God would lead. I also remember Paul telling me that he knew at a young age that God had called him into the ministry. He was thankful of that because he thought that he possessed no other abilities. I found out that Amy was ordained in her own right. If we had known that, she could have preached, but they were concerned that maybe we wouldn’t accept that. We also talked of the upcoming trip to Washington, how long it would take. I remember being impressed with their decision to drive straight through. Knowing they weren’t married, that they didn’t want to spend the night and have to pay for two motel rooms, and that one room was out of the question. Be proud of your kids for their convictions. We live in a day and age where values don’t matter, and that mentality is even infiltrating our churches. So when young people decide to go against popular culture and to do what is right because God says so, I’m impressed. We did meet again Sunday night. Again Paul was in high form. His sermon title was, ‘Heaven, get excited, it’s our destination.’ I hope you had some chance to be present when he preached, because when Paul spoke of heaven, he got animated, knowing that someday heaven would be his home, and that we can know that it will be our home if we trust Jesus as Lord. I don’t remember which service, but during one of the services, I Peter 2:9 sticks in my memory. ‘We are to be a chosen people… a ‘peculiar’ people.’ We are to live our lives such that people will note the difference and want to know why. Then it was time for Paul and Amy to leave. Through the course of the day, I found out that they would minister in Forman and then stop in Oakes for a noon meal at the pizza shop. So before they left we made plans to meet, after spring break, after they got back from Washington. Little did we realize….
Raymond Olderness
Church Board Secretary,
Oakes Church of the Nazarene
When we had our ‘Spring Impact’ with TBC’s college drama team, it was very obvious Amy had touched a lot of lives. We just got through a motorcycle rally BBQ here at the church yesterday afternoon and last night with Motorcycle Missionary Mark Rittermeyer. His missionary son and fiancee and also their summer intern came up for the bike show and rally. Missionary Mark and the ‘kids’ talked about the tragedy of the accident. I was sharing about Amy’s sweet spirit. Amy’s life touched more people in so many ways that we don’t even know about, and the fruit of her life and testimony keeps surfacing, even down here in Keokuk! So I want you to know that through the loss and the pain, Amy’s life was a life of victory, and her ministry and love for God has been proven, and she touched a lot of people with her sweet personality and smile and love for God.
Pastor Bill
I served on the North Dakota District Presbytery when Amy came before us for her credential interview. I remember her vividly and she impressed me so much because of her heart for God and her ardent desire to serve Him. In the five years that I served on the Presbytery, your daughter was among the best that we interviewed. It wasn’t just Amy’s bright and enthusiastic personality that impressed me and others on the interview committee, it was a focused and singular desire to serve the Lord and reach the lost. Her devotion to Christ and His call on her life were powerfully evident.
Jerry and Linda Lubrano
Dallas, TX.
