Central Community Remembers Mrs. Clydette Rispone

By Mia Freneaux

“Friends if your wake fills the church parking lot like Sunday morning church and your family, instead of waiting to be consoled tells you what a privilege it was to care for you, and your smile on that big screen can still encourage- you've made a mighty big impact.”  This is what one of Clydette Rispone’s friends posted on her facebook page the day of her funeral.  Clydette spent her life encouraging others, and everyone who knew her experienced a renewal of strength, courage, and faith in her presence.
    Clydette was born on November 18, 1959 and spent her entire life in the city of Central.  In 1977, she married John, and together they had 3 sons and 7 grandchildren.  That’s a lot of love to begin with, but Clydette was also an educator, and throughout her 21 year career taught in East Baton Rouge Parish, Livingston Parish, and Central Community Schools.  Mason Kent, a former student, had this to share: “What can I say about a woman who lived her life to serve others? For starters I first met her when I was in first grade, and immediately was drawn to her, she had a light about her, something that I had only seen in my mother. She was kind, compassionate, graceful, and radiated love every time she walked into the classroom…. Mrs. Rispone to me was a second mom, someone who truly cared about me, and showed me what it meant to be Christ like, and not just a Christian.”  “I believe teaching is a calling,” Clydette shared in a video filmed by Mason, “Some people just do it, and other people are called to it.  I really feel God placed me there for a reason.”  
    Clydette did not just limit her activities to teaching.  This true Woman of God also gave her time freely to mission work.  “Our Pastor Dennis Terry was able to take a number of members along with him to preach at Angola many years ago. We took a vanload. He preached, and afterward we were able to visit with the inmates. Clydette was there of course, ministering to a group of men worried about their families on the outside- I watched them circle around as she spoke to them words of encouragement. Towering over this petite soul, tears streaming down hers and their faces, they prayed together for one another's children. This moment to me exemplifies the breadth of Clydette's ministry and life- whether comforting a student or locked inside a prison dining hall with 250 prisoners-she offered the same love, compassion, and message of God's power and love- always,” shared Diana Smith, the friend who wrote the beautiful lines above as well.  
    Clydette never missed an opportunity to witness about the Lord.  She felt that faith was not about religion or denominations, but Jesus.  She shared, “Twenty years ago, I was doing a study that said, ‘Where do you want to be in 10 years?’ I said, ‘I want to be a prayer warrior.”  Mason said, “She was a prayer warrior, and an example of a selfless servant. She took every opportunity to pray with others, encourage others, and in the process give God all the glory.”  Liz Kirkindoll remembered, “I never had the privilege of teaching or attending church with Clydette.  We were Facebook friends and old “Centralites” who enjoyed running into each other.  However, when faced with a very difficult time in my life, I chose a small number of friends as prayer warriors, and Clydette was one of these.  I knew that she would be steadfast to lift my request to The Lord.  I will be forever grateful that I could trust this part of my life to her, and I will always be strengthened by her faithful witness to The Lord.”
    Diagnosed in 2012 with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, Clydette was forced to retire from teaching.  But that did not deter her from still being a witness to God’s steadfast love and faithfulness.  She and Mason filmed her testimony on a video which was put on Youtube.  That video, in which her beautiful smile and shining face are witness enough, was made while she could still speak to attest to God’s ability to carry us through anything.  It has been viewed thousands of times.  “I’m not afraid to die,” she affirmed, “I have that Hope.  We’re not meant to stay here.”  As ALS robbed her of the ability to walk, to talk, to eat, she kept that faith, telling friends not to grieve for her because she knew where she was going.  As her body weakened, her spirit grew stronger and stronger.  She said, “My biggest prayer is not for healing, my biggest prayer is let me carry it well.”    Mason shared, “Throughout her disease I was able to spend time with her, learning from her. She showed me what it meant to live and not die. Even though her body was giving out, her faith grew in magnitude and it was so clear to see. At her funeral I wept, asked why, and she replied for all of the participants of her celebration to see, that she was healed and that "it's all good!" Through her words of wisdom her legacy will live on forever, but more importantly through her message of depending on Christ as her anchor (Hebrews 6:19), and keeping her faith through her trials, many will be saved, and souls will be won for Christ's glory. I truly carry her message with me every day, and I am forever grateful to have known her and have been called not just her student, but her friend! I love her so much, and will miss her everyday!” 
    ALS has now robbed the Central community of 2 beautiful ladies: Clydette and Susan Jacobs.  Folks, won’t you consider honoring their memory by donating to the ALS Association?  Their website is www.alsa.org.