May Minchin

Grace, Strength and Giving: A Legacy of Love

 

Testimonials

The following testimonials, shared following the passing of May, add wonderful detail on why May was such a loved and effective wife, ministry partner, mother and grandmother.

Carol Reynolds (Eldest Granddaughter)

Our family count it a great privilege to have such a woman of God as our Mother and Grandmother. Grandma spent her life loving people. Each one of her family, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren., and many other relatives and friends individually felt a very special closeness to her.

I remember how her face would light up each time we had been away and we would come to see her again. It was especially meaningful for our family to have had the privilege of having Grandma live in my parents home for over seven years. She was such a blessing showing her sweet and unselfish spirit to each family member. We loved to sit and listen to her quote poetry that she had memorized. She always loved to reminisce about the past and especially about her courtship with Grandpa.

Grandma taught us all so much - how to face change and adapt to it courageously, how to make the best of difficult situations, how to laugh and enjoy life's funny moments even at her own expense. Her helpfulness, independence, frugality and neatness were characteristics of her solid character and pioneer upbringing.

Grandma loved adventure and she was always ready to try something new. Even this year she was adventurous to sit with her great grandchildren in the bucket of the tractor for a little fun. Grandma loved God supremely and always sought to lead others to a closer relationship with Him.

When I think of my precious Grandmother I think of her hands, always so eager and willing to help. As a child I remember many special occasions and Christmases spent at her house. Grandma's hands were busy preparing food, mending torn clothing or soothing a wrinkled brow. She even taught me how to darn socks. I loved her special, old fashioned promise box. I remember when I was ten years old, pulling a promise from that box. It had a particular meaning to me then and has meant so much to me all my life. Grandma's hands held her Bible often. They so faithfully wrote encouraging letters to each one of us in her beautiful handwriting. They held Grandpa's hands, and so faithfully loved and supported him in his ministry. Even in the later years those living hands held each new great-grandchild with joy. I had a home birth for my second child and my precious grandma was there with me, holding my hand and encouraging me even though it was in the middle of the night.

Those precious, loving hands are now still. We must say goodbye for a little while. It is time for you to rest Grandma dearest. We will see you
soon, in the morning.

 

Edwin Dysinger (Grandson)

My daughter Evangeline wrote down some thoughts about her great-grandmother. This is how she remembered her.

I think the last memory I have of Grandma was this past summer when we were able to spend time at home again. The family were mostly outdoors, and I came inside for something. I found Grandma sitting by herself in her chair by the window. I said, "Hello Grandma, is there anything you need?" She smiled a great big smile and said, "I just need you." My errand was forgotten while I sat down and spent some time with her.

On the way here I had time to think about what Grandma and Grandpa meant to me and of the legacy they have left to us their family. It was definitely not a legacy of wealth or fame, power or status of achievement, but I believe it was a legacy of faith and love. It was faith that guided them in the big decisions of life like the move to England and America, but also guided them in their daily lives and contact with others. I think of Hebrews chapter 11 and the story of faith given in the lives of patriarchs there— Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and many others. In my mind, Grandma has joined Grandpa in the line-up of those great people of faith. All these were living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised but only saw and welcomed them from a distance. They admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth and were looking for a better country—a Heavenly one. Grandma left her homeland and did not go back there for a long time. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had the opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for that Heavenly home. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has
prepared a city for them.

As we think of the legacy Grandma and Grandpa left to us, what are we going to do with it?

"Therefore as we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and entangles, and run with perseverance the race that is set before us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith."

 

James Gulley (Grandson)

"She was the Godly matriarch of our family. Her devotion to God and family was unshakable, her selfless giving unmatchable. I loved the way she would
laugh when grandpa told his stories about her. Her flushed cheeks and the way she would look adoringly at Grandpa produced feelings of warmth and security
in me.

She was beautifül as a young woman, courted and won by our grandpa. She provided the nurturing atmosphere in which she raised wonderful children who grew up to be fantastic parents and uncle / aunts. Then, later in her life, when I grew to know her, I was struck by her inner beauty as well. She would gladly
do without in order to give to others. It somehow seems fitting that she departed from our midst to our memories soon after mother Teresa did.

And she was a strong lady. Strong in the Lord, and never complaining about anything. Yet, paradoxically, she always wondered if she was strong enough or good enough. She wondered if she really had what it took to be a good
Christian. But we knew what she sought to find out, and we drew comfort and strength from her Godliness. But it was hard to imagine with that inner
strength and generous heart that she would not be with us forever. However, ninety-seven years had made her weary, and mercifully she departed from us swiftly without excessive suffering.

There are always things we wish we could have said or done. One thing we all said, and all wish we could say once more, is, "We love you, Grandma." Another is that, yes, Grandma, you were a wonderful matriarch and continually directed us to the cross in a meaningful way. And no, you were never a bother."

Grandma will never be forgotten. Too many people's lives were touched, too many blessed, too many sạw Christ in her selfless acts. While her life spanned
almost a century, her love encompassed the globe. Her grace and giving leave a legacy of love for us, her friends and family."

 

Dottie (A Niece, representing children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews in the family)

Dear Auntie May:

Today you have made your last trip to California. You have come here to be with Uncle Len, the love of your life and your partner of many happy, fulfilling years. You faithfully held the family together with letters. And when your lines began to straggle diagonally across the page, we still treasured every remembrance of our birthdays and anniversaries. So now, in writing this letter to you, I represent us all,
the children, the grandchildren, the nieces and nephews of all degrees, and the little ones who will come to know you only in the bedtime stories their parents will tell them.

Long ago, you became a member of that remarkable partnership that grafted our two branches of the family tree together in a unique way. When the Minchin brothers first introduced their families to one another back in 1941, they succeeded better than they could ever have imagined. Indeed, we children, the "seven little Australians," as we called ourselves, fell in love at first sight. At the same time we acquired two mothers and two fathers. Four parents, as different as possible from one another, yet each one having an enormous influence on all of us. You did your part with incredible love and courage.

Eventually, the family splintered off into various professional activities. You, however, always represented that hard-core center of home-making. At times, your skills as a nurse were used for public good, but most of your energy and attention went to creating a home, raising responsible children, and
helping people. Always helping anyone and everyone. You often faced decisions and crises alone. Yet, I don't believe I've met anyone who ever heard you complain. Upon returning from his frequent travels, Uncle Len always found his home lovely, well-ordered, and secure. A place set alight by your indestructible faith and warmed with your devotion.

Anything you were ever involved in, Auntie, was going to be done right —nothing less. We children all know that. If we ever forgot, you reminded us in your steady, quiet way. No matter how often we fell short of the mark, you kept the ideal of "being good" solidly before us. We ate food that was "good" for us when we didn't like it. We waxed floors on Friday afternoons when we'd rather have been playing in the bush. We tried to keep out of trouble at school, because we knew if we did, the case would be reopened when we got home. All of this without any uproar. Just steady pressure. At the time, of course, we couldn't realize that you were disciplining us for life. You knew so well how to reinforce Christian character, didn't you?

Still, within your house, there was always space for us children to be exactly what we were: kids. Most of the time, we were harmless, but we could also be very silly. When I recall some of our mischief (accomplished with or without your immediate knowledge), I realize now how patient you were. So wise, you always share a little proverb to tide us over in every situation.

From today, however, we can reach out to you only in loving memory. We will visit you and Uncle, here in this sunny hillside, but we aren't saying goodbye. Not at all. We're just waiting. It's only a matter of time before our family will be put together again. Then you will see, at last, just how far the loving influences of your 97 years reached into eternity. What joy for us all on that day! We may even get a little silly again, but no one in heaven is going to mind that.

We love you, Dear Heart. Rest well.

 

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