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When Bishop Thomas Thompson Jr. sang, "You thought I was worth saving," he crystalized a message heard over and over in the homegoing service for Sister Hannah Ruth Thompson.
The 77-year-old veteran teaching assistant and public servant who passed March 9 at Hospice House in Greenwood, SC had spent all but the last two years of her life as an icon of Forest City. In addition to 32 years with the Rutherford County Schools, she was active in Harvest Home Baptist Church in Henrietta, served on the board of elections and on the board of the state employees credit union. One friend said she would do anything that was asked of her.
Her lifelong friend, Darletha Simmons said, "The greatest love she had was for the Lord." That love was embodied in friendship, family, church work and prayer. Bishop Thompson said, "Everybody who came in contact with her was left with a sweet fragrance."
The March 14 service was a powerful outpouring of song, praise, and worship. In Bishop Thompson's prayer, he shouted, "Oh, God, I need you right now to do what you do." Minister Debbie Mitchell, who was assigned to read from Revelation 13, became animated and shouted in the Pentecostal tradition, her desire that God be praised in the service. She told of how Hannah had helped her and her husband find a place to live many years ago. She said, "If you do a good deed, don't worry about it. God's got your number."
Speaker after speaker, including her life-long friend Clifton Lynch, praised her for being among the mothers in the Grahmtown community, for her service to the church, her family, her school. The worshippers filled the sanctuary, the choir loft, and extra chairs that were brought out.
The pastor of the church, the Rev. Travis McEntyre, said that Mrs. Thompson had seen God in him. "She knew I wasn't perfect. She knew I made mistakes, but she never let it change the fact that I was her pastor and she saw God in me."
The emphasis on God was never far from the lips of all the speakers or those who offered musical tributes. Anita Patterson sang, "I Won't Complain," and raised up tributes of praise. Taron Kelly offered "Amazing Grace," and by the time he finished, had the whole church singing "Praise God," to the old familiar melody.
Her grandson, Joshua Flack, spoke through tears telling how his grandmother assured him, "I am never going to stop praying." He also said he loved hanging out at his grandmother's house because she was always so kind and encouraging and sometimes, "she would hand me a piece of change and say, 'Go get us some burgers.'"
Minister Rhonda Maddox read Psalm 23 and said, "Hannah asked that these words be read, so she is speaking to us." By the time she reached the familiar, "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever," many in the congregation were reciting along with her.
Bishop Thompson also prayed, "God be everything to us."
Her daughter, Sonya Flack, spoke of the family's deep gratitude to have so many kindnesses expressed and to have the church house so full of mourners celebrating her life. Her son, Bucky, whose real name is Gerald, after his father, was to have read a tribute from the woman who ran the cancer center in Greenwood, SC where Mrs. Thompson received treatment. He became overwhelmed with emotion and his sister, Sonya, read the tribute.
The tribute included a memory of Mrs. Thompson explaining, "My grandson is praying for this port to work," and it did. The port was used to administer medicine during her treatment for cancer. The tribute also recalled that she never stopped praising the Lord.
Before singing, "I Won't Complain," Anita Patterson said, "No matter what she had to go through, she never complained."
Stinson Thompson Jr. greeted many of the mourners and the staff of Thompson Mortuary And Chapel provided their customary professional service. The family also expressed gratitude to Cancer Center-Self Regional Healthcare and Hospice of The Piedmont, Greenwood, S.C.
Over the entrance to Harvest House is a sign that reads, "Feed The Hungry..." The church often serves free meals to the community.
Pat Jobe can be contacted at patjobe13@gmail.com.
