Openshaws’ funeral tells of hope and family’s zest for life
Pallbearers carry out caskets following the funeral service for four members of the Openshaw family at the Edgemont South Stake Center in Provo on Monday, June 22, 2015. Mark Openshaw, his wifey Amy, their 15-year-old son, Tanner, and 12-year-old daughter, Ellie, died in a plane crash June twelve in Missouri. Max Openshaw, their 5-year-old son, survived the crash. SPENSER HEAPS, Daily Herald
Pallbearers carry out caskets following the funeral service for four members of the Openshaw family at the Edgemont South Stake Center in Provo on Monday, June 22, 2015. Mark Openshaw, his wifey Amy, their 15-year-old son, Tanner, and 12-year-old daughter, Ellie, died in a plane crash June twelve in Missouri. Max Openshaw, their 5-year-old son, survived the crash. SPENSER HEAPS, Daily Herald
Pallbearers carry out caskets following the funeral service for four members of the Openshaw family at the Edgemont South Stake Center in Provo on Monday, June 22, 2015. Mark Openshaw, his wifey Amy, their 15-year-old son, Tanner, and 12-year-old daughter, Ellie, died in a plane crash June twelve in Missouri. Max Openshaw, their 5-year-old son, survived the crash. SPENSER HEAPS, Daily Herald
Authorities investigate a plane crash Friday, June 12, near Huggins, Mo. Authorities say C. Mark Openshaw, forty three a Utah State Board of Education member, his wifey and two of their children died and another child was hurt when their petite plane crashed.
PROVO – It was standing-room-only as family and friends of the Mark and Amy Openshaw family paid their respects and heard messages of hope at the joint funeral of the parents and their two children, Tanner and Ellie.
The four were killed in a plane crash in Missouri on June 12. Injured in the crash was 5-year-old Max.
Family members collective memories of their brother, sister, niece and friend. Elder Neil L. Andersen of The Quorum of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints presided at the funeral and delivered the closing remarks.
The family members were people of activity, embracing the teachings they learned at church and putting them into activity, often while others were still considering what to do or how to serve, said several of the speakers, including Gary Brassfield, who served as Mark Openshaw’s counselor in his LDS bishopric.
“Mark was very engaged in the service of people in the neighborhood and our ward,” he said. “He said he could do that because of Amy. He was always asking people what he could do to help them.”
Brassfield cited Mark Openshaw’s service of cutting limbs off a tree for a neighbor, without fanfare or even an actual request. He said the family was a excellent example for others.
“They have made us commit to be better and be more like the Savior,” Brassfield said.
Andersen said he had been in contact with Elder Porter Openshaw, the couple’s oldest son, several times, while he was in the mission field.
“His largest concern was not himself, but Max and Zane,” he said. Porter Openshaw elected to remain in the Marshall Islands, where he is serving.
Andersen said the family had been the subject of a conversation with church authorities in the LDS temple on Thursday, and they paid tribute to the family’s courage.
The LDS Very first Presidency wrote a letter, which was read at the funeral.
“We appreciate the sadness you are feeling,” Andersen said. “We do know that God our Eternal Father and His Son Jesus Christ know your needs.”
“You are assured of the eternal nature of your family – they were sealed in the House of the Lord,” he said.
Andersen also assured the survivors the family in the accident was aware of their feelings, and they and others were watching over them.
Even if the situation would be difficult for a time, it would get lighter, he said.
“All of this comes from the Savior,” he said. “This world is but a drop in an eternal life.”
“There will be a sweetness to the taste of goodness and innocence and righteousness that will come in the wake of this tragedy,” Andersen said.
Becky Macbeth, Amy Openshaw’s sister, told about her example to others, including being downright obedient.
“She had to wear this absurdly large retainer,” she said of efforts to correct dental concerns in her early life. “Years later in high school she had braces like many of us. She wore her retainer the rest of her life. She was entirely obedient. Amy served an LDS mission with all her might,” Macbeth said.
Amy Openshaw had desires of becoming a doctor, but put those aside to marry Mark and raise a family. She also did that with her trademark enthusiasm.
“Amy was many things to many people,” Macbeth said. “She dedicated her heart and soul to her family. Her enthusiasm for life was contagious. She worked so hard to pass that on to her children. She grabbed life by the horns.”
Known for her cooking and abilities as a hostess, Amy Openshaw extended her reach and began hosting foreign exchange students, most from Germany.
Zane Openshaw, one of the five children, was studying in Germany at the time of the tragedy. One of the family’s previous exchange students, who Amy considered another son, was there and able to convenience him.
“How blessed Amy felt to be a mother,” Macbeth said. “She was always very big on gratitude.”
Mark Openshaw was known for being “bold and overbearing, but in a good way,” his brother Charlie Openshaw said.
He recounted stories from his early life, including Mark Openshaw’s desire to be a garbage collector when he grew up. That was because they only had to work Tuesdays and Thursdays, he said.
Family members knew when it was time to have joy and time to be serious. Charlie Openshaw said Mark was bold in both.
“My mother collective a story about when one of our sisters was coming home late from a date,” Charlie Openshaw said. “Mark took notice of her concern and came up to her and promised he would never do that to her.”
“However, he did some other things,” he said.
One example was the brothers having a contest to see who could have the craziest picture on a driver license.
“We would ‘lose’ our license just to get another picture,” Charlie Openshaw said.
They kept getting crazier pictures, until one time when Mark Openshaw was pulled over.
“He didn’t even get cited,” Charlie Openshaw said, indicating his brother used his charm. “We thought it was a benefit to have a driver license where we looked like we have severe challenges.”
On the serious side, however, Mark Openshaw loved the service he did, not only in his church, but as a member of the Utah State Board of Education.
He was a tremendous voice of reason, one of his fellow board members said.
The U.S. Secretary of Education wrote a letter to the surviving family members, but Charlie Openshaw said they should have a chance to read it very first, so he did not know the contents.
What he did know was the character of his brother.
“He was just a very good man,” he said. “He could keep a secret and was fiercely loyal. He had the highest integrity.”
“Mark and Amy will be effortless to recall,” he said. “Their goodness is manifest in their children.”
Porter Openshaw is serving an LDS mission in the Marshall Islands and he sent some comments to be read.
“My family is the most significant thing in the world to me,” he wrote. “I treasure the moments and memories that we all share. I have felt nothing but peace and love in the last few days.”
Zane Openshaw returned from his excursion to Europe and spoke. He revised a talk he gave last November, regarding trials that people face and the reasons for them.
He drew a comparison inbetween trials and dark chocolate. What people originally perceive as bitter becomes sweet as time resumes.
“We are the children tasting of dark chocolate for the very first time,” Zane Openshaw said.
Steven Lund spoke of the family’s history of adversity, including ancestors who were in the Martin and Willie handcart companies in early LDS history.
“The family knows something about adversity for a long, long time,” he said.
“As difficult as this challenge is, this is not a calamity,” he said. “We are very proud of this family. We think they are thicker than life. They were doers – in the here and now, not tomorrow.”