Obsequies: The Stories and Lives Within

The purpose of The Compass Rose is to raise awareness of Special Collections' resources and to foster the use of these resources. The blog series also reports significant new programs, initiatives, and acquisitions of Special Collections.

The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries Special Collections is full of primary resources that give insight into the events and people that have shaped history. As archivists, we understand that history is not the retelling of the great events and leaders who have shaped the world. History is made by everyday individuals. Their experiences and stories serve to build accurate narratives about their lives and communities, which in turn creates a more informed perspective on history. 

In this blog post, we will look at an example of obsequies from the Emerson Emory collection and review the information they hold about the person it memorialized.

Obsequies, also called funeral programs, are typically handed out to funeral and memorial attendees. Some may hold long obituaries that illustrate the life of an individual in great detail, while others may hold a verse or brief sentence dedicated to a person’s memory. They can serve as vital resources for preserving the memory of an individual and their experiences, as well as genealogical information. Obsequies often have a listed funeral program that contains the names of spiritual leaders, organizations the deceased participated in, and the music that was scheduled for the service. These details help to illustrate contemporary life in different eras and shows how people sought to memorialize their loved ones and seek comfort during their times of loss. The addresses of funeral services were often listed, which is helpful to researchers as it serves to document the historical locations of churches. 

The obsequies for Mrs. Anthony Rene Hanks does not have a photograph of Mrs. Hanks, but rather a simple image of a cross within a plain circle. She “entered into eternal rest” on June 29, 1966, and her services were held on July 2, 11:00 a.m. at Hamilton Park Methodist Church. It was officiated by Rev. Zan W. Holmes, Jr., Pastor. The church address was at 11881 Schroeder Road, Dallas, Texas. A brief internet search shows that the Hamilton Park Methodist Church now goes by The Park, and is still at that location.

The first page of Mrs. Hanks' obsequies opens with the following poem: 

“Sunset and evening star

And one clear call for me; 

And may there be no mourning at the bar

When I put out to sea. 

Twilight and evening bell 

And after that the dark;

And may there be no sadness of farewell

When I embark,

For though throughout the bourne of time and space

The flood may bear me far, 

I hope to see my Pilot face to face

When I have crossed the bar.”

This poem is a shortened version of Crossing the Bar by Alfred Tennyson. We don’t know if it was chosen by Mrs. Hanks, if it was a favored poem of hers, or if her loved ones found it comforting, but we do know that it held some significance for it to have been chosen for Mrs. Hanks’ obsequies. 

The poem is followed by an obituary that tells a brief story of her life: 

"Mrs. Anthony Rene Hanks was born in Galveston, Texas, September 21, 1926. Her father, the Reverend Anthony Daniel Hendon, then pastor of proud Mt. Olive Baptist Church in that city, was a prominent leader in state and national denominational affairs. Her mother, Mary Alma Hendon, a native of Calvert, Texas, was an active worker with the Baptist Women’s Missionary and Convention work. She literally, was born and grew up in the church.

At age 9, she found herself in Dallas, a very lively and loved member of the family of “Aunt Madeline” and “Uncle Carl” (Mr. and Mrs.  Carl J. Hines). Reared as their very own child, she attended Wheatley Elementary and Lincoln High School where she was graduated. Her two years of college at Prairie View State College ended in marriage to Lincoln Hanks, III, her Wilder Street, childhood sweetheart. 

Three children, all surviving her, were born of the union: Carl Edgar, 17; Lincoln III, 14 (on July 3); and Judy Gail, 11. Other survivors: Mrs. Ora West, Marion Hendon, Eunice Hendon, and Mrs. Lillian Hamilton, step-sisters and brother; and Mrs. Madeline Hines Gipson, aunt. "

We can learn about her life and community by analyzing this obituary. Her parents were involved in the Methodist church, and are not mentioned as surviving her. She moved to Dallas and was raised by the Hines family, but we do not know why that happened. Could she have been orphaned? Were there other circumstances that led to her living in Dallas? We can’t make any concrete conclusions from this obituary, but this can serve as a starting point for researchers. 

Mrs. Hanks was born in 1926 in Texas, so it is safe to conclude that she attended segregated schools. A quick search for Lincoln High School in Dallas shows that this school was designated for Black students during the school segregation era in Dallas. Wheatley Elementary was likely the same if we take into context the time and location of her education. Prairie View State College is a historical name used by Prairie View A&M, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). This information can introduce researchers to the names of historically Black schools of Texas. 

Listing the names of surviving relatives is helpful to genealogical researchers and can provide insight into the personal relationships of the deceased.

Following the obituary is a prayer, simply titled Her Favorite Prayer:

“Lord make me an instrument of Thy peace

Where there is hatred, let me sow love -

Where there is injury, pardon -

Where there is doubt, faith - 

Where there is despair, hope - 

Where there is darkness, light - 

Where there is sadness, joy.”

This prayer is also called A Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi. 

The next page outlines the Order of Service for her funeral. Her service was to open with an organ prelude, followed by a processional. An unnamed minister would then lead a scripture, followed by another unnamed minister to lead a prayer. Neither the scripture or prayer are named in the program. Following the prayer would be Hymn number 213, Faith Looks Up to Thee. 

YouTube has served as a powerful tool for preserving and presenting music, and while the website was not built to serve as an archival repository, many users have uploaded historical music. A recording of this hymn and lyrics have been uploaded onto YouTube:

Barring any last-minute changes, we are likely listening to the same song that was sung at Mrs. Anthony Rene Hanks’ funeral service. 

Following the hymn was a reading of resolutions by the church, with other resolutions to be given to the family privately. We do not have a copy of the resolution, but based on other funerary resolutions in our collection we know that it would resemble non-funerary resolutions, and would include statements to continue the work of the departed and to remember them. 

After the hymn was sung, the obituary was read silently, with untitled music playing in the service. The reading was followed by Hymn number 70, The Lord is my Shepherd. Tracking down this specific hymn was a bit more difficult considering the popular name of the song, but it may have sounded like this version, the title of which identifies the song as coming from the MHB, a shortened name for the Methodist Hymn Book:

The eulogy was scheduled to follow, and was presented by Reverend Zan W. Holmes, Jr. Wikipedia has an article about Rev. Holmes that does not mention his time at Hamilton Park Methodist Church, but it does describe an impressive career in theology and education: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zan_Wesley_Holmes_Jr.

The funeral service closed with an organ interlude, review, and recessional. On the back of the obsequies was an acknowledgement from the family stating: The family gratefully acknowledges the telegrams, cards, telephone calls, visits, flowers, and other expressions of sympathy received during the illness and passing of their loved ones. 

The pallbearers were listed as follows: Elsa Mcknight, Jr., Clarence Russeau, Edwin Cash, Howard Kirven, L. W. Davis, and Frank Breedlove. Internment was at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, which is in Dallas, Texas. The service was by Black and Clark, Funeral Directors, 1802 N. Washington Avenue, Dallas, Texas. This funeral home is still in operation, although the location has moved. 

Obsequies and obituaries often include only the positive memories and experiences of a person, and in times of grief it can become easy for loved ones to focus solely on the best parts of their dearly departed. Nevertheless, these resources offer a fascinating glimpse into the personal lives of those who have gone before, their communities, their experiences, their music, and even their cultural practices and attitudes towards death. The next time you must attend a funeral or memorial service, consider preserving or donating obsequies or programs to a local archive. We can help ensure that their legacies reach students and researchers for generations to come.