Service

For those who were not there...

The service began with the song, "Families Can Be Together Forever". My dad's brother, Peter Rona, said the opening prayer. Following was a special number by dad's nieces & nephews. They sang "Ani Ben Elohim" which is "I am a Child of God" in Hebrew. Our name, Rona actually used to be Rosenthal. My grandfather changed it during the Holocaust, 1- because it was an obvious Jewish name & not safe during the war and 2- he was a stage actor & in a band & Rona was a better stage name. The nieces & nephews then went straight into "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus." This song is very special to us as it is the same song we sang at my grandmother's funeral (my dad's mom).

My dad's sister, Edie Smart, then told some heart warming stories about my dad & his character. "He wasn't a perfect man, but he was a good man."

Then my dad's younger sister, Lily Pearson, gave the performance of a lifetime. She played "Rustles of Spring" on the piano & was overcome by emotion, as we all were. I don't know how she managed to play the whole song with her eyes closed & tears streaming down her face. She said that she felt my dad helping her through the entire song. It was unbelievable!

I then spoke about my dad & shared some stories of his strength, sense of humor & spirituality.
"He knows what it means to endure to the end & his faith has carried him through his tough times. He has stacks of notes with spiritual messages & lessons & I am impressed with his determination & efforts to continue to learn. One quote he had in his office was by President Marion G. Romney. It says,

“I have seen the remorse and despair in the lives of men who, in the hour of trial, have cursed God & died spiritually. And I have seen people rise to great heights from what seemed to be unbearable burdens. “Finally, I have sought the Lord in my own extremities and learned for myself that my soul has made its greatest growth as I have been driven to my knees by adversity & affliction.”

It’s easy to rise when things are good & fall when things are hard, but my father taught me to shine through the storm. When I think of the apostle Peter walking on water, I think of his faith & trust in the Lord. But as soon as he heard the wind & saw the waves, he started to sink. He lost his faith because he lost his focus. Our focus on Christ brings us back. My dad would constantly remind me to focus as I would get distracted with my own worries & fears."

Of course, I added in some funny stories like when he jumped out of a swing & did a belly flop onto the sand or when he would not let go of the rope water skiing (even though he was riding on his stomach with the ski behind him & there was no way humanly possible to get up!) Now he IS actually VERY coordinated but he was not willing to give up even if he fumbled.
I then sang, "Think of Me" & "One Moment in Time". Years ago he mentioned he wanted "One Moment in Time" at his funeral & Phantom of the Opera was constantly played when I would visit. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do & the most amazing spiritual experience of my life.

Then my brother-in-law, Spencer Brundage spoke about my dad's example & how he has made such a difference in his life. Next, was a special musical number. Rich Elggren, Wayne Day, Jeff Angerbauer, & Jim Wilhelm sang, "I Need Thee Every Hour" (accompanied by Laure Rona- daughter in law). This was the last song that my dad ever played here on earth. He was on his way home from this rehearsal when the accident happened. The spirit was so strong during this number.

Then my brother, Cassidy Rona, spoke. He recently had a baby boy named Joshua & told of his perspective of seeing birth & death. "Birth & death are like the opening and closing songs of life." He also shared his experience about dressing my dad for the service & said, "I was dressing a King." It was powerful & touching.

Bishop Greig Huggins then shared his remarks. He felt that through this tragedy we could learn in greater detail about the Plan of Salvation & be strengthened by our faith. He is an amazing man that has helped us beyond description.

The next special musical number was arranged & performed by John Rona. It was the hymn, "Be Still My Soul" which happens to be mine & my husband's favorite. It was recorded on my Iphone on April 18th, 2009 without my dad even knowing. I am so grateful that I was able to capture that amazing moment & share it with you.

We closed the service with, "Abide With Me Tis Eventide". This is my "Meme's" favorite him (my dad's grandmother) & then my uncle Paul said the closing prayer. As the pallbearers carried the casket out, classical music played by my dad was heard overhead.

My dad was definitely there & it felt nice to dedicate everything to him.
John Michel Rona will never ever be forgotten & will live on in all of us who know him.

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who has said such kind things about my dad & who have added their comments of hope & strength & wisdom. I have learned so much about my dad over the past 25 days. It was very apparent at the viewing & at the funeral, that he has had such a huge impact on so many lives & will continue to make a difference in our lives for years to come.

As our family walked into the chapel, it was surreal & touching to see so many faces of those who love our dad. It warmed my heart to see the chapel & overflow full & many extra chairs being brought out to make room to honor such a great man.

He is a man of service, spiritual strength, kindness, talent, wisdom, & love. He has a brightness about him that I can still feel shining on in everything he has touched & in everyone he has met. I am overwhelmed at the effect he has had on others & will live my life striving to follow his example.

The stories many of you shared about him at the viewing were so dear to all of us. If you have any more, please do not hesitate to share them. You can send them directly to summer@summerrona.com if you would like. Also, let me know if you would like me to send you two of the songs we have recorded of him playing the piano. They are amazing!

Obituary

This will run in Thursdays Tribune & Deseret News.

John Michel Rona of Sandy Utah entered into his rest on Sunday May 24, 2009 at the IMC Hospital of severe head trauma due to a motorcycle accident on May 12, 2009.

Son of the late Herbert Rona & Jacqueline Arbogast, John was born on July 6, 1953 in Salt Lake City, UT. He served an honorable mission in Sao Paolo, Brazil & soon after married Darlene Taylor on July 7th, 1976 (later divorced). They had 5 children together. He was a hard working computer programmer & loved by his associates at ACS. He was a man of many talents, not the least of them music. He was adept at multiple instruments but favored the piano, playing for family, friends, church, and for the pure love of the sound and its creation. Although he cared little for the attention it brought him, he enjoyed sharing his amazing talent with anyone who asked and touched countless lives because of it.

His second joy was sunlight, always a healthy brown from his time in its rays, he spent more time in his garden and on his lawn than in his home, his arms full of the fruits of his labor. A selfless man he gave more away than he kept for himself.

John was a deep thinker, constantly studying and learning, sharing the knowledge with his children and those it would help. A peace maker he often helped with conflicts at work. John was a wonderful listener, providing an ear for those who simply needed to talk. He was also thoughtful, offering such heartfelt gifts they seemed hand tailored to the recipient.
He was a sweet man, revered by many, loved by all, and dear to his family.

He is survived by his children & their spouses: Summer James (Tyson), Cassidy (Laure), Moshe (Rachel), Jasmine Brundage (Spencer), & Eden; his two grandsons: Boulder & Joshua; siblings: Dan Rona, Edie Smart, Peter Rona, & Lily Pearson. Predeceased by grandparents; Alphonse Arbogast & Sophie Matz; Martin Rosenthal & Ellen Cohn.

A viewing will be held on May 28, at 6-8pm at Larkin Mortuary 1950 E 10600 S Sandy. The funeral service will be held on Friday May 29, at 12pm at the LDS Church 10945 S 1700 E Sandy with a brief viewing before at 10:45am – 11:45am. Burial will follow at Larkin Mortuary.

Memorial Service & Viewing for John Rona

Thursday May 28th 6-8
Viewing at Larkin Sunset Gardens 1950 East 10600 South Sandy, UT 84092
Friday May 29th 10:45- 11:45
Viewing at Dimple Dell Ward 10945 S 1700 East Sandy, UT 84092
Friday May 29th 12:00
Memorial Service at Dimple Dell Ward Chapel

John Michel Rona
June 6th 1953- May 24th 2009
Survived by his children:
Summer James, Cassidy Rona, Moshe Rona, Jasmine Brundage & Eden Rona
And his siblings:
Edie Smart, Dan Rona, Peter Rona, Lily Pearson
Obituary will be in the Wednesday papers in Salt Lake City, UT

He will be greatly missed until we see him again.

We will Never Forget You

Our dear father, John Michel Rona passed away today at 4:17 p.m. He fought a good fight, but he was called home & has an important work to do. Many of us believe he is arranging the music in heaven & is preparing for the second coming. His bishop gave him a blessing & we all were praying for dad to be at peace. They removed the life support & allowed him to breath on his own without the trach. He did so for about an hour and a half. As soon as my brother, Moshe moved his bed into the sun he took his last breath. He looked peaceful & we trust he is happy.

I can't help but feel grateful for the last 12 days we were able to spend with him. His injuries could've taken him the first day, but we were able to hold his hand, watch him move his feet, see him smile & hear his heart beat.

There must have been thousands of prayers around the world going up on his behalf. I am so glad that he was able to stick around to see the outpouring of love that was shown to him throughout his last days. The visits, the comments, the letters, the prayers, the hope, the caring of us kids, the tears. I know he saw & felt it all.

We miss him so much already & feel a deep sadness for his loss. He is an amazing man, a hard worker, a giver, a talented piano player, a father, a son, a brother, a father-in-law, a grandpa, a teaser, a gardener, and a righteous man whom we love so much.

According to his statement, "we are left in our callings until we figure out how to do
them right" he must of finally figured out how to do it right & has now been released to a higher calling.

We love you dad & will never forget you.

Love, Hope & Faith

After church we are going to the hospital & the doctors will withdraw life support from my dad. His body is healthy, heart is beating, he is breathing in and out; but his mind is injured possibly beyond repair. We don't know how he will respond & pray that whatever the outcome, it is for his highest good. We all want to help my dad in any way that he needs it & it may be to help him move on. If the chance presented itself, we would be there every step of the way during his recovery, no matter what it took. We would move in with him & help him to learn to walk again, or talk or play the piano or just listen to great music. If this is what our dad chooses, we are up for it. It is easy to sacrifice for those you love. There is no doubt that we are willing to go the distance for my dad. He is an amazing man with such a good heart.

If he moves on, we will remember his greatness. We will dedicate everything we do to him. We will hear him in music, in the wind & in our hearts. We will miss him everyday & talk about his memory with pride & happiness. He will live on through us & become our greatest ministering angel. I know he will watch over us & continue to parent us kids in a more meaningful & powerful way than he ever could here on earth. He will be with us always.

We love him, we miss him, we look up to him, & we are so proud of him. We will continue to have faith until the end & hope in our hearts.

Message from John about music

This was sent to me from the woman in charge of the ward newsletter. She asked my dad to share a little something about serving as the choir accompanist. Here is what he said:

Music has always been a large part of my life and has brought me a lot of peace
and enjoyment ... it is almost therapeutic and provides a spiritual environment that
is difficult to find from any other source.

Accompanying the choir is a very rewarding experience and is a great way to give
back to the ward by sharing my talents.

I have accompanied the Dimple Dell choir for 14 1/2 years and before that when I
lived in the Kingshill Drive area I accompanied that choir for over 12 years.

The way I look at it is that we are left in our callings until we figure out how to do
them right. It usually takes a Bishop about 5 years to learn how to do that calling
and then they are released and a Stake President usually takes a bit more time than
that.

I have been through quite a few choir directors over the past 14 years that have figured
out how to do their calling and were released. I guess after 26+ years that I still have
more to learn from this calling before I can be released ... so I will keep learning and
keep accompanying ...

John