FUNERAL PROGRAM ******************************************************************************************************* Burial: Wednesday June 20, 2012 ************************************************ Immediately following Mass Gate of Heaven Cemetery Georgia and Aspen Hill Road 13801 Georgia Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20906 Phone: 301 871 6500 Fax: 301 460 7025 ************************************************* Repast ************************************************* Immediately following burial Joseph and Shilda Labule Residence 14021 Lancaster Lane, Bowie, MD, 20715 301 464 2226; 240 882 1168; 240 882 1935; 240 515 4422 ************************************************* Visitation: 9:00 – 10:00 AM ********************************************************** St. Augustine’s Catholic Church Washington DC. 1421 V St., NW 20009 Viewing ********************************************************** MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL MAVIS ELIZABETH LABULE ********************************************************** Opening Hymn: ‘Here I am to Worship’ Led by Ms Shaday ********************************************************** Opening Prayer Father Patrick Smith ********************************************************** First Reading: Wisdom 3:1-9 Mr Joseph Labule Responsorial Psalm: Ps 23 ********************************************************** Second Reading: Romans 8:31-39 Mr. Fidelis Tabe ********************************************************** Gospel Acclamation Gospel Reading: John 6: 37-40 ********************************************************** Homily Father Patrick Smith ********************************************************** Prayers of Intercession Father Patrick Smith ********************************************************** Offertory Hymn: ‘Ave Maria’ Led by Rita Becton ********************************************************** Presentation of the Gifts By some members of the family ********************************************************** Communion Hymn: ‘Be not Afraid’ #23 Hymn Book ********************************************************** Meditation Song: ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow’ # Hymn Book ********************************************************** Obituary/Remarks By family - about Mavis ********************************************************** Final Commendation Father Patrick Smith ********************************************************** Closing Hymn: ‘Soon and Very Soon’ #4 Hymn Book ********************************************************** ******************************************************* You can shed tears that she is gone, or you can smile because she has lived. You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back, or you can open your eyes and see all she's left. Your heart can be empty because you can't see her, or you can be full of the love you shared. You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday, or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday. You can remember her only that she is gone, or you can cherish her memory and let it live on. You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back. Or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on. ---David Harkins

Mavis LaBulé was a caring and God fearing individual. My greatest memories of her are from when she cared for me as a young boy and how she cared for my father when he became ill. May God bless her soul.

I received news of your passing while I was on the road and when I reached out to family I was reassured not to mourn you but celebrate your life, because that is how you would have wanted it. My earliest memories of you date back to when I was 5 or 6 and you had just left for the US. Promptly enough we received gifts from Auntie Eli as we loved to call you. In fact when we reconnected years later, the second thing you remembered and mentioned was my shoe size when I was a kid (the first thing you said was ‘Praise be the Lord!’). In fact your kindness and generosity transcended a generation because your first contact with your grandkids (my kids) was accompanied by a box of goodies. Although illness had jaded your outer glow when I visited you in hospital your unmistakable smile and warm heart filled the room and took me back to my childhood days. I admire your strength and faith in the face of adversity and Laura and I wish you bon voyage as you travel to a place where you shall hurt no more.

As simple as the phrase "thank you" is, we always seem to forget. As children, we are thought to always say "please" and "thank you", but as we get older those phrases seem to get further away from us. On this day, Aunty Mavis, I give thanks to you. Thank you for introducing me to God, The Almighty. Thank you for the times we spent going to mass; thank you for welcoming me into your home; thank you for allowing me to be baptized and choosing my own Christian name; (side note: Aunty Winnie told me the story :-). ) I hear people say cherish those around you, while you still have the chance; it never really clicked until unfortunate things occured within our family. I take it as a learning experience and will grow up. These are the lessons I can now pass on to my children. I hope others can do the same. Remember please and thank you costs us nothing. R.I.P

All I have to say is Goodbye and RIP , my lovely cousin. <br /> To mama and the entire family be strong and only time can heal our broken hearts

Dearest Aunt, You will be missed. May the Almighty God who has chosen a place for you to rest be with you always. No matter what happens, please safe a place for me. You have and will always have a special place in my heart.

May your soul rest in perfect peace and with He who created you! May God give to your mother and all your siblings, the courage and comfort to go through these very difficult moments in their lives.

Aunty Mavis, I write with joy because I know where you are. How you may ask? Four days before your passing away, dad told me you were in a critical situation and as an Evangelist, I was more concerned where you would spend eternity. Dad told me you were a good Christian. That wasn't enough for me though it gave me peace. So a day before you passed on to your glory, I said a little prayer to God and told him if he knew you were going to meet him he should take you but if you were going to end in hell he should give you another chance. The next day I got the news of your passing away. <br /> Tears rolled down my eyes because I was going to miss you but I had peace knowing God had answered my prayer the day before. As you rest in the presence of God, I look forward to seeing you. <br /> You were one of a kind. Different from the family but so loving. I love you aunty and I will always hold you in my memories. Till then...

Evangelist Vanda Ndikum

12 years ago

YOU PASSED ON TO GLORY

There is so much I can say and now I have you in my heart to talk to you forever. I am so proud to have had you build me into the person I am now. I want to thank you for all the fun childhood memories, because of you I was able to notice the good in people. Till the next time...

Aunt Mavis,<br /> <br /> How times have changed! I remember Judi, and myself would hang out at your apartment with Bangi when we were you! Those were the most fun times I had with you and I will always cherish that. I also admired the wisdom you gave me when I was in my teens growing up and I did my best to learn from you. I'm disappointed and sorry for the fact that times have changed and we haven't really had time to hang out really, due to hectic schedules and conflicts. I'm glad now that you're able to find peace. All I can ask you is to say hello to grandpa for me and please watch over this family so that we're all heading in the right direction. Take care Aunt Mavis, I love you and we'll meet again when the time comes. XOXO

Eli,<br /> You know its tough right? Did you prefer to meet God face to face to present Keats’s situation? I’m very convinced that’s what you decided to do. How can the caretaker become the patient and so quickly pass away? You took such good care of your brother who has been bed ridden for over two years now. What happened? Why did you decide to abandon? What about your sweet mom? Eli, what a loss!<br /> What can I possibly write about you Eli, when you arrived in the United States I received you, you know all what we both went through,and you know well our long story…<br /> The last time we spoke, you were in the hospital but most of our conversation was based on what we could do for Keats to regain his health. I tried to convince you to come back to Cameroon but you never gave me an answer.<br /> I remember how you use to assist me when I came over for my business shopping, you will make me laugh in the shops so loud sometimes that I got embarrassed. When we got tired we will stop at a burger restaurant and you will warn me to watch my weight, we will laugh about it, I told you each time I will do so when I got back home.<br /> You suffered in silence, mostly and kept to yourself now and again, just because you never wanted to hurt anyone. You were such a private person, and we respected that and loved you the way you were; it was never easy to get personal information from you; you loved kids, and you would spoil your nieces and nephews…<br /> Eli, my baby sister I’m convinced you have found peace. Sleep and rest in the Lord. You were such a prayerful person and sometimes I wonder where prayers go; but who am I to question God? He alone knows what is best for us; so I trust that He has called you to come home and rest. Rest! Rest! Rest in the Lord my sister. I will miss you forever!<br /> ADIEU!

While I try to get my thoughts together I will just say GOD BLESS YOU. I am not through with you yet and never will be because of all the lovely memories. The news of your passing has thrown me into shock, I have spent a few nights getting all our pictures together and when I will get myself together you will hear from me. Madam, may our Father open His hands and direct you staight into His loving embrace and keep you there till we meet again in His eternal Kingdom. You were a wonderful friend and sister to me, a rare specy who did not bother about letting too many people into your life, so I feel specially priviledged to have been one of your few friends. THANK YOU for all your love and friendship and attention. That your outlook which you once told me about thirty years ago had gone international , has now gone eternal...TO GOD BE THE GLORY. Madam, I will always have you in my memories.... there are too many from Bambili, through your apartment in Douala, to all your apartments in DC where you always received me with love and happiness, before we start quarrelling next day and then make up by evening and cook and joke and laugh, o boy , my heart is splitting.... if tears could bring you back I would surely cry till I get you back.... However, our Father knows best what is good for us all. Madam, rest in our Fathers bosom, rest my CLASSY,deeply religious,lovely, loving , intelligent, gentle, not- very- understood-by-the- world, friend....now you are with Him who understands you best, your Creator, so rest, Madam, REST. Fondly remembered, Madam

May your soul rest in perfect peace. May God give your family and all those around you the strength to cope with your untimely departure!

May your gentle soul rest in perfect peace!!! prayers go to the entire family especially ur mum at this difficult moment!!!

May you rest in the bossom of the Lord where there is no more pain or worries. May God strengthen your family members especially your mom.

Dear aunty, it hurts me that you passed away without my getting acquainted to you. At least now you're in a place where there will be no more suffering,sorrow or pain. Rest in God's bossom.

Aunty Mavis its extremely sad that i met you only very few times in my life and that was when i was a little boy. The memories are faint but definitely not lost. You suffered with your illness and the good Lord called you home. Who are we to question him? May your gentle soul rest in perfect peace aunty!!

I remember the first time i saw you, you looked so much like my own mom that i was surprised. Then years and years went by and when i did get to hear from you or see you again you were sick. Even in all the pain you called and always checked on me. MY last memory will be our dinner in DC which now will forever be imprinted in my brain. The calls on my birthday that you never forgot. I wondered why the calls stopped coming in, i guess the illness only got worse. Now you're in a better place where no one can seperate you from me. Guide over me aunty Mavis till we meet again. ADIEU!

My most recent memory of her was when I went to visit her at her apartment on Maple Avenue in Takoma Park, MD once and we got stuck in the elevator between the 3rd and 4th floors. The elevator door opened and all we could see in front of us was a brick wall! Mavis almost passed out. She started panicking and sat on the floor, stood up, grimaced etc. In short, for all who knew her as Lady Drama Queen, you can imagine how we spent the next few minutes. About 5 or so long minutes later, we were rescued and the elevator was brought down by Maintenance (I guess). Once out, she burst into laughter and doubled over as we walked to the car parking lot. It was hilarious and I will never forget that day! Rest in peace Mavis. May God take your hand and lead you home.

Dear Eli, your warm heart and gentle soul is resting in Peace; no more pain or suffering! We mourn, but we have the memories and will treasure these. Farewell dear friend! Frank and the rest of the family, 'ashia', your loss is Heaven's gain, she is at peace!

Liz, I am not sure how to mourn, what to say nor how to feel. You have been a few miles away from me for years and I had no idea. I have thought and asked about you many times but I was told you lived out of state. I have always wondered where you and Christie Killi were. I was out at the hospital where you lay sick and did not even know you were there. Someone lied that the world had become a global village! I could have met you at the water trough, the church or the market. In short eeh Labulll, di palava pass me. Rest in peace in the Lord and we will meet again in eternity. My heart goes out to the Labule family. Accept my prayers for this big loss. May God comfort you as you make arrangements to lay Liz to rest.

Driving down K-Street for your appointment to George Town Hospital, we are running late, the traffic is jammed pack, we are looking for the best turn to take, someone steals my space, you see the look on my face, then you know the words i am about to blot, then you say to me 'Fidelis don't!' Then i am calm again...Respect the Big Sister! Don't we all need people like you in our lives? And that precious little girl you introduced me to, St Philomena! Now i know i have four girls in: my mommy, Jesus' mommy, St Philomena and You! I am truly set for that Divine Battle!

May your Gentle sour Rest In peace . Though you are gone, you shall be remembered forever. Lesans will miss you greatly. A silent mourner.