Dear Jan,   We are so dismayed to learn that your beloved Ned has died, and both Peggy and I extend to you our heartfelt condolences and sympathies in your time of such deep loss.  Ned's was such a valiant struggle against all that was working against his health and well-being, but in my conversations with him he never was anything but upbeat and very strong in his faith.  His body may have been gradually failing, but his mind and his sense of humor was always sharp and quick.  I remember fondly from my times as interim pastor at HTLC his avid participation in Bible study and afterwords discussions; he was, however ailing, always interested in the subject under study and always into the discussions.  What a good and faithful person Ned was.  You can be thankful to God, in spite of losing him, for the time you had together.  None of knows how long we will have on this earth, but his memory will live on for you and for all of us fellow members of the Body of Christ who have been privileged to know him.  May our gracious God help you as you grieve and sorrow to be of strong faith and courage.   There is a comforting text in the book Wisdom of Solomon 3.1-2 I want to share:   "The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them.  In the eyes of the foolish they seem to have died, and their departure was thought to be a disaster, and their going from us to be their destruction: but they are at peace. . . .their hope is full of immortality."      God bless and comfort you, Jan, in this time of sorrow.   With love,  David & Peggy