When it comes to the most sincere expression of love that one person can give to another, a man named Russel Harvey Belshee demonstrated such a sincere expression the day he died. Russel was born in a small town of Monkland Oregon that today no longer exist. Monkland was once a quickly growing town during the "gold rush" of sheep farming that took place in Oregon in the early 1900's. Monkland Post Office closed in 1919. He was born on January 22, 1915 and grew up around the Monkland area and graduated from Moro High School in 1935. |
He served as Sunday school superintendent for many years in the Moro Community Presbyterian Church, as a Sunday school teacher, as clerk of the session and as an elder. One of his greatest joys was to sing tenor in the church choir. He also filled the pulpit on occasions as needed.
Russel and his wife were on the board of the Mid-Columbia Chapter of Child Evangelism Fellowship for many years. For over 45 years, they traveled in a Christian Film Ministry to small churches in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and northern California. After his retirement from farming, they often took six weeks at a time for that film ministry, and staying at home during the winter months. |
"Do you, Russel Harvey Belshee, take, Hope Harriet Hall, to be your lawfully wedded wife?" I am sure he was looking through the white of the veil and into her beautiful sparkling eyes and answered with a confident smile, "I do."
On that day, Russel lost his Hope. He lost the love of his life.
It's widely believed that when one spouse dies, especially if they had been married for years, the other tends to die sooner than he/she would otherwise. Dying of grief isn't merely romantic legend but a well documented phenomenon, verified in a range of studies over the last 20 or 30 years in several countries. |