Betty S Bolding

In her journal, Betty Sue “Susie” Bolding talks about her early church experiences. When describing her Sunday School teachers she states, “Mrs Wade taught me that people love you and to keep your dishrags clean.” This simple statement explains so much about how Susie lived her life. She loved people and treated everyone as family. With family you keep your dishrags clean because you never know when someone might need to borrow one, so she always keep them clean. Throughout the years her dishrags included money to buy groceries for a newly single mom, food to spare for those who needed it, clothing for those who couldn’t provide for themselves or couldn’t find their size (she could always find any size), and plenty of love and attention to those who felt lonely or just needed that extra bit of care. For Susie, everyone was family. It didn’t matter if the person was so poor that they couldn’t afford a five cent piece of candy or so rich that they could build a million mansions… everyone was family. She learned this through her relationship with Jesus which began as a teenager at a youth revival and continued throughout her entire life. Susie lived what Jesus taught and she taught these principles to her children. Some of these principles included “to be kind and polite, to love and to be loved, to accept praise, to accept criticism, to have a half full glass, greet each day with a smile, and let God do the worrying.” The last one could be seen in any form of crisis that she went through. She would see the on-coming storm, pray, and do what needed to be done while embracing the uncertainty of its winds, knowing that God would see her through. It was very important to Susie that her family to know God like she did. Her relationship with Jesus was one of deep kinship and she taught her children (both those by birth and those claimed) that Jesus is approachable, ever present, the greatest comforter, the master healer, and the truest friend. Seeing her family in relationship with God was something that she prayed for and wrote about in her prayer journals. She never hid her love for Jesus and sang her favorite hymns boldly. As she said in one of her journals “I needed God to feel God in my life.” She knew that to feel God’s touch in her life, she needed to acknowledge her need for Him and turn her eyes upon Jesus. This close relationship with God carried Susie throughout the years from her birth on September 22, 1953 to the day she left this earth on April 16, 2016. Her faith and perseverance guided her as she navigated every valley, plateau, and mountain peak in life. Her decision to daily make it a point to make someone else feel special led her to being called Mama Susie at church, at work, and at her favorite places. It made her a source of friendship, comfort, and compassion and it is why her presence is still felt by many. She lived her life, not for herself, but for others. At the end of her life she made sure that her children and siblings would be okay before she finally allowed herself to go home to her Savior. Then on her final day she spent the day saying silent farewells and praises to God. At the very end of her life, she passed from this life to life everlasting surrounded by family while they sang her favorite hymns from one of her favorite hymnals. As the hymn Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus ended she looked toward Heaven fully and turned her eyes upon Jesus, she looked full in His wonderful face, and the things of Earth looked strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. She left this mortal world for her immortal home and is now making ready the mansions for all of her family alongside her greatest love, Jesus, and her family that arrived before her. Her love for her Savior guided her throughout her life as she made sure that there were no strangers in her life, only family and her immediate family is proof of that as they live out the principles that she and her late husband Richard taught. Now she is finally free of worldly cares, spinning and singing, praising and worshipping, laughing and loving, happily rejoicing with the Heavenly choir and resting in the arms of Jesus. Susie was preceded in death by her husband Richard Bolding Jr and her parents Wallace Edward and Beatrice Masters. She is survived by her son John Christopher Bolding, daughter Christina Ruth Bolding Todd and her husband Jason McCormick Todd, son David Paul Bolding and his wife Susan Grace “Suzie” Hoffman Bolding, and son Joshua Adam Bolding. She is also survived by her grand-daughter Colysta Ziv Bolding, daughter of David Paul and Susan Grace “Suzie” Bolding. She is survived by her brother Bill Masters and sister Barbara Turner and their families. The Family will receive friends at East Pickens Baptist Church on Sunday, April 24th from 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM. Memorial Service following at 3:00 PM. Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace. Thro’ death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there; Over us sin no more hath dominion For more than conq’rors we are! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace. His word shall not fail you – he promised; Believe Him, and all will be well: Then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace.