A Tribute to My Dad (by Kellie Benge)

             On November 5, my father, Don Lesh finished his journey on earth and went home to be with the Lord.  He left a godly heritage of faithfulness, joy and contentment.  He showed us how to finish this race well even in very difficult circumstances.  Dad was always a god-fearing man and made sure that we were in church every Sunday.  He was familiar with the Bible, but it wasn’t until I was 15 years old that he became a believer in the promise  that God sent His Son to pay the penalty for his sins.  From that time on, I don’t remember a day not seeing him up early reading his Bible.  He had a passion for God’s Word, especially the message of the gospel.  Many times as he met with people in their homes and talked about life insurance, the topic would inevitably turn to life “assurance.”  He met with many different men’s Bible study groups to learn more about the Bible. He was faithful to His Lord who gave him the desire and grace to faithfully lead, provide for and love his family.  Not only was he faithful, but he had joy.

            He loved to tease people and make them laugh. So many people commented about his sense of humor during calling hours before the funeral.  He used humor to lighten many tense situations; his laughter was contagious.  We have many memories of fun family times camping, playing games and just enjoying being together.  Even in his last year when it was hard to communicate, he would try to say something to make one of his nurses laugh.  God gave him the ability to see the humor in different situations.

            Probably one of the most remarkable things to me is his total contentment, especially after being diagnosed with MSA (Multiple Systems Atrophy). This disease gradually weakened all of his muscles so that at the end he could not talk, walk, eat by himself or do anything for himself.  He was basically trapped in his body, but he never complained.  That was amazing to all of us, but it just pointed to the greatness and abundance of God’s grace in his life.  I am so thankful for the great God in my dad’s life who enabled him to life faithfully, rejoice in all kinds of circumstances and live in submission believing that his God was working out His perfect plan in his life. Thanks to all of you who kept him and our family in your prayers.