Good afternoon. First off I would like to just extend a thanks from my family to all of you guys. It is a blessing to be surrounded by such loving friends and family. As I'm sure almost all of you know I am Matthew, Karin's oldest child. If you knew my mom at all, you were well aware that my little sister Desiree and I were her pride and joy. I say this completely full of thanks that God so graciously gave Desiree and me an angel of a mother. She was constantly praying for us, and she wanted nothing more than for us to be happy, be successful and to be good people. She was the ultimate mom, wife, daughter, sister, and friend. She quietly served our family and anyone she knew. She blessed us continually with her cooking, fantastic hospitality, and joyful spirit.
Yes we are very sad as a family to have lost our Mom, but we find comfort in the fact that she is pain free up in heaven with the creator of this universe. I have a huge smile thinking of her causing mischief with my uncle Kerry, doing my great grandma’s hair, laughing and chatting with Retta, or meeting Mrs. Richards for the first time. She is in Heaven now. Her earthly life has ended, but she is just now beginning her eternal life with our heavenly father.
Looking back on the 19 years I've had with my mom a few things come to mind. First is her amazing cooking. I'm sure almost every one of you has had the privilege to eat something that was created by the hands of my mother. Whether it was her teriyaki chicken, widely loved chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, or simply a biscuit she would make from scratch before every big meal. Most of you are aware of how much I enjoy eating, so having a great chef as my mother was a gift from God. Along with these wonderful meals at our home there was always lots of fun. Whether it’s the dinner talks full of laughs and jokes, or the games we would often play after dinner. I proudly brought as many different friends home as I could, just so they could meet my family and taste my mom’s cooking. And as long as they could handle the playful banter of the Tyner household, they were always asking when they could eat dinner at the Tyners again. Discussing some of these dinners with friends and family, a few of the famous quotes always come up. Phrases like “Can I get you some more food?” or “Here, have another piece of this” were said almost religiously. A friend of mine jokingly said “No wonder you got so big matt, your mom never lets you guys stop eating.” This was very true. She loved to care for us, and make sure we all had more than enough. This caring and hospitable attitude eventually created the phrase “you gotta eat big to get big." We aren't quite sure who was the original creator of this now famous quote, but we are all in agreement that it came to be, because of my mom's great cooking. The problem now is deciding when enough is enough, so I don’t end up on one of her favorite shows “the biggest loser.”
Almost directly tied into her amazing cooking is her tireless work ethic and her refusal to make excuses or complain. Feeding the Tyners is not a small task. However, she would do it effortlessly. She would prepare all the food, set everything up, entertain everyone, and then clean up once the night was finished. She is hands down one of the hardest workers I have ever seen. Talking with Pastor John and the family we joked that my mom didn't pass away early, she simply accomplished everything on earth that much quicker because of her never ending motor. She always wanted to help or serve. She would go from hosting a huge bbq or pool party and the next day be up early and out the door to go cut someone else’s hair. This attitude and heart towards serving others is one to be admired. She never complained about not being thanked, and she did plenty of deeds that often went unnoticed by some. I don’t think any of us, including her doctors realized how sick she really was. This past summer she would spend the majority of her day on the couch, wrapped in blankets. You would not hear a word of complaint coming from her mouth even though she experienced a lot of discomfort. She lay their quietly just saving up energy so she could get up to help and serve some more. This remarkable attitude of service is one that is extremely difficult to replicate, but she continually instilled these qualities into my sister and me, and inspired many to follow in her quiet example.
Cooking and her never ending work ethic were two big parts of my mom, but they were not everything. My mom was an instant friend to anyone. She could make a baby laugh, a teenage girl feel loved and confident, or a fellow mom feel encouraged. Her people skills were amazing. She wanted to meet everyone and she wanted to be every one’s best friend. She had love for everything and everyone. Whether this was housing two beautiful young girls for a bit, encouraging me to bring friends back during thanksgiving break, or sitting down with Desiree and I while we ate her wonderful breakfasts in the morning. She always made time for people in her day, and always loved on everyone. This is something that I will always admire about my mother.
Reflecting back on all my time with my mom I can think of countless things she taught me. She taught me how to drive a stick shift, when she so kindly parked the truck on a nice little incline, she tried to show me how to bake, she taught me how to TP, which I think she later regretted, and she taught me how to make boring situations fun. My mom taught me so many different things, but looking back the real lessons I learned from her were how to cherish each and every person in my life, how to selflessly serve others, and how to honor God with our words and actions. These are the things that really matter in life and her whole life was a living example of this. Just being here today to see all the love and support our family has received has shown me even more what kind of person she was. She left a legacy with so many of you. I know that part of that legacy lives within me today and will remain the rest of my life. I am and will forever be proud to be known as the son of Karin Tyner. I love you mom, you will be missed, but I’ll see you soon in Heaven.
From Karin's Son, Matthew Tyner on 02/09/2011
Karin, I will miss you so much. You were such a big part of my life for such a long time. You were my best friend through high school, maid of honor at my wedding, were there when my kids were born and much, much more. You were always so kind and giving, always willing to come help with whatever I needed help with. Thank you for all the wonderful years of friendship, may you rest in peace.
Melinda Saccareccia
sacc5
31st August 2011
Being an adoptive mom of three Korean born kids, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Karin. Her Mom has especially been in my prayers this week, too. After admiring Karin's beautiful landscaping, she gave me a bunch of ice plant. When you drive by my house and see the way the delicate pink flowers soften the edges of the surrounding rock, remember Karin and the way she calmed and smoothed others' rough edges just with her smile and kind words. Thanking Jesus for the peace and comfort He will continue to provide all who will miss His daughter, until we see her again.
firstmanfamily
30th August 2011