Aunt Margie

Margie Vagedes

January 6, 2010

Revelation 21:1-5

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men, He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.

And he who sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”

It doesn’t seem real, or fare, or plausible. Is Margie really gone? Will I never again see her face, here on Earth?

A woman of great character, a joyful spirit that could not be extinguished. A mother, sister, aunt, friend that you longed to see. Margie made me feel like I was incredibly important to her. I think she made us all feel this way. She was an ever-optimistic encourager, a voice of inspiration.

When I was young, and even now, I loved it when all my aunts and uncles would get together. The stories they would tell, the hours of laughter as memories were relived. There is something special about family, and the role that we all play in our families. Margie came from a family of love, and I think she worked hard to develop an extended family of love.

When someone is committed to helping others, by profession or faith or sense of duty, and lives a life that exemplifies such commitment, I think that those around such a person feel a deep sense of loss when that person passes from one world into the next. Margie cannot and will not ever be replaced. Her smile, laugh, and beauty are memories we will carry with us wherever we go. Some of those memories may fade, but the true glory of who Margie really is and who she was created to be has only now been realized. Her old creation is gone and she has been made new in the shining presence and glory of the One whom created her. She is home.

My sister called me early in the morning in Uganda to tell me of Margie’s death. As I began to cry and reflect on Margie, I fell back into a deep sleep. I dreamt of Margie, but she was somehow different, though very much the same. She was more beautiful, brilliant, and splendid then I had ever seen her before. Her shining brilliance was so great that I could not look directly at her, but yet I could still see her face. She was speaking to me, with an incandescent smile on her face, and she kept repeating, “I AM HOME. I AM HOME. I AM HOME.”

Margie was unique, in who she was and how she lived her life. I think her spirit has always transcended the realities of this world, uplifting us all to feel better about ourselves. There was something about Margie that just made you always want to be around her, ever happy to see her again. I’ll miss her dearly.

John 12:23-26

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it provides many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Margie is like that kernel of wheat. Her untimely death is a tragedy for which we may never know the outcome of its ramifications. But I firmly believe that her life, and death, will bear many fruitful seeds. She sowed happiness, joy, and life among all of us. She gave of herself to help us grow and to live. She served the Lord in all she did, and He will honor her. He has called her home.


Scott J. Will
Bundibugyo, Uganda
Margie’s Nephew