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Front Page
Saying goodbye to Rachelle O’Neil Tolleson
By Joe L Blevins
Mar 28, 2004
Saturday at 2 PM, family and friends of Rachelle Tolleson came to give our final respects for her funeral at the First Baptist Church, Farmersville. Pastor Dr. Bart Barber officiated a stirring eulogy concerning the senseless loss of a young person, and for forgiveness and hope for us all to find peace in our lives.
The music that was played was “Close to You,” by the Carpenters, and “Wonderful World” by the great Louis Armstrong. There were a number of fire and police departments, the FBI, and the Texas Rangers represented. There were also a number of us citizens whom looked tirelessly to try to bring her back home safely, but to no avail. All of us came to say, “fair well” to someone very special. I had never known her until this week; but I feel that I will never forget how these events have touched my life for as long as I live. I approached this as someone that was a concerned citizen, and as a Christian person that tried to remember that our “family” goes beyond our immediate family to the whole of the community. I hope that her family knows that as I tried my best to present these facts in a careful, considerate manner. It was as a friend who was concerned and tried to help at a difficult time. I tried my best to help Rachelle Lynn O’Neil Tolleson. I wanted her to be found safe, and brought home. Some of the media has been a bit intrusive into the family’s life, but I felt that I wanted to tell the story as someone that was concerned about the family by being involved in the search for the lost young mother of a 6 month-old baby. These pictures that were taken were to show you this same concern. It is a way to find some closure to this event, and to tell you something to enlighten you in a small way. To show appreciation for someone that is valued treasure, and then lost. I had a few people stop me today after the funeral, and tell me that they appreciated that I wrote about this as I did by being involved personally. I hope that it was enough. I certainly tried to do what I could do. There were times that I was so tired I did not know if I could continue. I did not sleep until this morning, for the first time in a week. But this wasn’t about me, or my pitiful problems, this was about finding someone that was desperate to be found. (Someone that was needed, and had others depending on her.) A little child cried during the course of the funeral. It echoed my own feelings of frustration, and sadness. During the funeral I stood along the eastern wall of the century old First Baptist Church. I saw close to 300 or more persons inside a packed church. I saw cars in the church parking lot, and lined up and around the block to make a funeral procession that went on for about a mile. It started to rain as the funeral procession was going to the I00F cemetery. I felt tears in my eyes as I drove home. For since a life is so special then it deserves that kind of remembrance. All I ask is for you to do is appreciate your family. Hold them close to hug them, and tell them how much you love them. Don’t take them for granted. Appreciate them, and take the time to tell them how much you love them.Thank you for your interest and concern over this matter.
Send your questions and concerns to: Joe L. Blevins
E-mail: mailto:www.texasrepublic45@cs.com
