Loring Bearce Memorial Service

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LORING E. BEARCE The Music Man: “I will declare Your Name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises.” Hebrews 2:12 Loring Edward Bearce was born on January 16, 1951, during a major snow storm. His parents, Helen Frances and Charles Merton Bearce, and older brother Larry, had moved from Maine to upstate New York after World War II. Home was a log cabin built by his dad in the lakeside community of Bolton Landing on Lake George. The earliest photo of Loring is not a baby picture. It is one of a little boy dressed in a cowboy outfit with his six-shooter drawn, ready to fight the “outlaws.” As a kid, playing “cowboys” was a favorite pastime. As such, it’s no surprise that one of his (and his dad’s) favorite singers was Gene Autry, the “singing cowboy.” Loring loved to sit on the backyard swing and sing “Back in the Saddle Again” and “You are My Sunshine, My Only Sunshine.” Year round he sang Autry’s Christmas favorites about Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, Frosty the snowman, and Santa Claus up on the rooftop. And who was his favorite movie actor? Just ask any of his family or caregivers - it was John Wayne. Childhood brought its share of growing pains with all the ups and downs of a normal small-town life. Loring loved his mother and brother; but, he idolized his dad. Just about everything Loring did as a youth was influenced by or centered on his love for his father and the time they spent with each other. Even as recent as his time in hospice, Loring wanted everyone that visited him to know about his dad: “My dad built our log cabin.” “My dad built destroyers and submarines in World War II.” “My dad built Highway 87 all the way to Canada.” “My dad called the square dances at the Grange and taught mom to dance.” “My dad taught me to yodel.” “I use to help dad to plant the roses at our cabin. We loved the garden.” “Dad took me next door to watch Lawrence Welk. We sure liked that show.” “My Dad said that beagles are the best dog. His beagle saved his life.” Get the picture? Loring’s father was the model, progenitor and arbitrator for all decisions, acceptable behaviors and aspirations. Frequently whenever Loring met someone new and when asked where he was from, the conversation would mention Bolton Landing and his dad. What devotion…! as where Daddy Loring hid his chocolate stash of Oreos and Reese’s Pieces. Loring (affectionately called the “Chocolate Mouse”) figured out that just about everyone in the household knew the locations but he enjoyed teasing the girls that they were his betrayers. 2009 was a landmark year. Loring was sitting in his recliner reading the latest edition of Golf Digest when the cellphone rang. Not recognizing the number he answered it anyway. It was Stephen Mayer. After introducing himself he proceeded to explain the purpose of the call, i.e., to ask Loring’s permission to date Kathlyn. They talked nearly 40 minutes as Stephen explained his intentions and how he had prayerfully made his decision to take the first steps to what could lead to courtship, and if it was God’s will, to marriage. Loring gave his consent. After he shared the phone conversation with Chris, two thoughts crossed his mind. First, he talked about how impressed he was with Stephen’s decision to follow God’s leading, and Stephen’s consideration and high regard for Kathlyn and her parents. Loring’s second thought was the realization that he could be walking Kathlyn “down the aisle” sooner than he was expecting. For the first time he was seriously contemplating her belonging to another. Well, dating did lead to courtship, courtship led to engagement, and engagement became betrothal. On December 22, 2013, Loring walked Kathlyn down the Seminary Chapel aisle and gave his princess to Stephen. Loring was so happy and grateful to be able to sing for the couple and to stand with his new brother, Stephen’s father Ken, to pray the Fathers’ blessings. Loring sang “Sunrise, Sunset” as a tribute to Ken and Esther’s wedding. Now God blessed and grew the family again by adding Ken and Esther Mayer, and Stephen and Alissa (now Mrs. Hansen, wife of Owen, Loring’s personal cream soda supplier and soda drinking buddy). Twenty-two family members…. Coins for the Baby Bank. . . . God is so good!!! What a blessing to know God and His Son Jesus who has loved us with an everlasting love! To have the assurance that God walks with us through the events of our lives, promising to never leave us in all our circumstances—good and bad. Born out of a Love that knows no bounds, freed from our sins, He is our hope for a joyous, indescribable, eternal existence with Him unmarred by sin and suffering. By faith in our Lord Jesus, we also believe and trust with confidence “… that all things work together for good to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Enter the Disease. . . . After years of odd behaviors masking as quirks and peculiarities of getting old, Loring was diagnosed in 2016 with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). The disease is a
ig carnivorous dogs, Redskins football fever and distress, and wonderful holidays (especially Christmases). After the boys became young adults and went their separate ways, the rest of Loring’s time as a parent was as a stay-at-home Dad raising Kathlyn. Being a “Mr. Mom” in the nineties was a whole new world and very different from raising sons. From the beginning, Kathlyn was his Angel. When she was a baby he would rock her to sleep while softy singing. Not surprisingly, some of their favorite memories included teaching Kathlyn how to sing, performing together in talent competitions, and singing in the church choir and on the praise team. As a Christian parent growing in faith and learning to embrace Bible truth, Loring was being transformed. He became more and more active in the Church and eventually began working for the local church as a janitor, office manager and substitute teacher at Vienna Adventist Junior Academy. Later he followed Chris to the World Headquarters and took a position at Home Study International & Griggs Academy as the manager of their bookstore and shipping facilities. He especially loved working with the students and parents around the world. It was while working at HSI that Loring made three more life-long friends--coworkers Lois Rhoades, Steve Fox, and Cindy Swanson (later at Andrews University). These friendships continue to bless the Bearce family to this day. After attending a performance of the National Christian Choir, and at the repeated urging of Chris and friends, Loring auditioned for and was selected to be one of the Choir’s first tenors. He felt that participation with the Choir was divinely appointed. Serving for 5 seasons, his walk with God deepened and Loring’s music ministry grew to include singing at other churches, at conference programs, and at the World Headquarters at the General Conference. With the General Conference’s decision to join HSI with Andrews University’s Distance Learning operations, the family relocated to Berrien Springs in 2012. With Kathlyn attending classes at Andrews, a new “sister” joined the family, Alissa Mayer. She fit in so well that Chris and Loring felt like they were given another daughter. By now Jay and Paul were already married adding daughters-in-law, Janelle and Kelly. Grandchildren (Ellis born in 1996), Karsen (1999), Madison (2006), and Colby (2009) raised the ranks to 17 members. Little did the family know that God was ready to build a bridge to expand the family again. Enter the Mayer family…. Allisa Mayer befriended Kathlyn and became a regular member of the Bearce household. She also adopted Chris and Loring, calling them Momma Chris and Daddy Loring. An immediate insider, Kathlyn was glad to share family secrets such Summertime would find Loring in and around Lake George. He swam like the proverbial fish and eventually became a lifeguard. A love for water in natural settings sparked his interest in lakes and, later as an adult, in trips to the ocean. Bearce Lake in Maine, Burke Lake in Virginia, Lake Michigan, Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, Virginia Beach, The Golden Strand in North Carolina, and his favorite Lake George provided wonderful memories, inspiring thoughts, enjoyable excursions and more music. It was during summer that Loring also took an interest in golf. After getting a job at 16, caddying for the Sagamore Golf Club, Loring was hooked for life. Golf became a life-long obsession. Fast forward to adulthood—Loring subscribed to several magazines, read numerous books, took lessons and was obsessed with learning and experiencing the game. If he wasn’t reading about it he was playing it, frequently arriving before the course staff. He eventually became adept at organizing golf tournaments (for Fairfax County Services), golf fundraisers (for the National Christian Choir), and setting up golf outings for men’s ministries (for his local churches). The best of all, God created new friendships that blessed and lasted for a lifetime. Back to the sixties—after graduation from high school, Loring took a serious interest in music, deciding to concentrate his formal education on music arts, instruments, dance, theater production and performing. His goal was a fulltime career. Classes and performances were sandwiched between an eclectic assortment of jobs, e.g. logging, coaching semi-pro football for the Empire League, and short-order cook at the local diner. Briefly moving to New York City and eventually to the DC metropolitan area brought an assortment of roles in Broadway, off Broadway, dinner theater, and summer stock. Loring reveled in sharing behind-the-scenes stories about his parts in Hair, Oh Calcutta, Carousel, and Finnian’s Rainbow. Performing with the George Mason Chorale at the Carter White House, at the National Cathedral, and with the Richmond Symphony were high points in his musical career. Unfortunately, Loring could not make a decent living by just performing. Fulltime wages became a must as Loring had fallen in love with a childhood friend, Denise Mary Williford. In 1977, Denise and Loring were married and were blessed by the birth of their son, Andrew Loring Bearce, in 1980. Although the marriage did not survive, a life-long friendship was created through their mutual love for and co-parenting of Andrew. Becoming a father and co-parenting had its share of challenges and rewards. Loring especially looked forward to his weekends with Andrew and to planning fun activities. Loring loved to talk about coaching Andrew’s soccer team and bragged about their winning record. The stories became epic as they were retold, and sport injuries and “scars” were lauded as heroic badges.
Page 1 and 2: In Loving Memory of Loring Edward B
Page 3: terminal cerebral vascular disease

Loring Bearce Memorial Service

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