FULL TEXT OF EULOGY OF CELES KING III
Delivered by Rev. Heber C. Jentzsch
President, Church of Scientology International
Saturday, April 19, 2003
Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood, California

EULOGY
Celes King III

Rev. Heber C. Jentzsch, president of Church of Scientology International, delivered the eulogy at services for civil rights leader Celes King III on April 19, 2003, in Inglewood, California.

L. Ron Hubbard once wrote:

“A being is only as valuable as he can serve others.”

Celes King gave his entire life to the service of others.

It is to him and his service to others that this eulogy is dedicated.

TO CELES KING

Before you, the author of the universe, we gather here not to mourn but to celebrate the life of our friend, our confidant, the peacemaker — Celes King.

We celebrate the decades of his service, his warmth and smiles, his acts in service to others. We are thankful for the time we were able to journey with him.

We pray that we continue to recognize the power of his spirit, that we do not diminish it with time, or dilute it with our fear of loss. Let us celebrate the richness of his life now and into the future.

We move from the darkness of his passing into the light, knowing that he is not flesh, that he continues.

We give thanks for his fierce determination to preserve the rights granted under the United States Constitution. Celes King knew that it was written for all people.

We celebrate his strength and courage in standing for the rights of those that others sought to diminish. He gave help to the voices that sounded like the trumpets at Jericho, voices that spoke louder than those raised in opposition to equality, voices that rang out “freedom!” and broke down those walls that were closed against color.

Sixty-two years ago he married Anita Lugo Givens, who has stood with him through the decades and shared with him the richness of children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Anita — who was and will always be the love of his life.

Let the ledgers of Celes King’s life of service remain open, so that those who have journeyed with him continue to enrich others with his spirit, against the winds of racism, indifference, and yes, against the status quo voices chanting “that’s just the way it is.”

He did not agree with “just the way it is” when he was a young boy riding his bike on the landing fields of the Chicago Municipal Airport. He did not agree with “just the way it is” when his determination lifted the wings of this country’s famed black pilots, the Tuskegee Airmen. He rose above the clouds with the emblem of the United States Army Air Corps on the side of his ship.

Now he did not peddle his bicycle, but with full throttle he raced down the runways of opposition and soared into the skies where the rainbows of colors bridged the horizons to freedom.

Some pilots went on to break the sound barrier. Celes King and others of the Tuskegee Airmen went on to break the barriers of color and the obstacles to human rights. Brigadier General, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend to all — Celes King.

As is written in the books of my faith,

“We do not contest your right to go away. Your debts are paid. This chapter of thy life is shut. Go now, dear Celes, and live once more in happier time and place. Thank you, Celes.”

All here now lift up your eyes and say to him goodbye.

We will miss you, you know.

Come friends, he is all right and he is gone.

We have our work to do.

And he has his. He will be welcome there.

Until we meet again.