In Memory of Sonny Dockins

In Memory of Sonny Dockins

My friend Sonny Dockins went to be with the Lord Wednesday evening around 9 p.m. 

Sonny and I had a few things in common.  We both loved the game of golf and played countless rounds together since I began playing in between the summers of my 8th and 9th grade (the summer of 1991). 

In fact, Sonny came along side of me and helped me to develop my golf game.  I played my first ever 9-hole round of golf with Sonny in June, 1991, and had a birdie on the 7th hole of the Crawfordsville Municipal Golf Course (blasting it in from the sand).  In that same summer, Sonny took me out to the soccer fields on Whitlock Avenue where we hit balls together out of his “shag bag”.  Sonny had a real passion for the game of golf.   He was a highly skilled, left-hand player with a fine short game. 

And then I recall the many times I attended services at Fremont Street Baptist Church sitting a seat or two behind him.  I think most churches (at least most Baptist Churches) have “Amen’ers”.  Sonny was a very faithful “Amen’er”.  And when the pastor made what he believed to be a particularly important point, Sonny would say “that’s true!” 

But apart from our golf together, we had another thing in common.  Like me, Sonny had received - by faith - God’s gift of salvation.  He loved the Lord Jesus and saw himself for what he was - a sinner in need of God’s saving redemption.  Salvation is a miraculous thing - because it is a transaction that happens individually for each person and - accompanying it - is that person’s very unique story and path to that place.  I don’t know all of the details of Sonny’s story of salvation.  But he liked to tell the story of how his two oldest boys, Bobby and Gary Duane, wandered into the Fremont Street Baptist Church one cold wintry morning and asked Ralph Cope, who was there early to turn the heat on for that morning’s services, if they would be welcomed to attend church there.  “Well, of course you can!” - as I stated, Sonny loved to tell this story. 

To make a much longer story quite short, those boys did come.  God was doing a work in the Dockins family.  Sonny worked at the Raybestos automotive parts company and so did his wife, Carol.  One of Fremont’s dear women, Mrs. Marie Lewis, began to share the Gospel with Carol Dockins.  I believe I’m stating correctly that Carol gave her heart to Christ first and Sonny shortly thereafter.  My best guess would be that the year of their salvation would be around about 1968.  Sonny - as he would tell you - was inextricably, instantaneously, unalterably changed.  He told me within the last year that - after he gave his heart to Jesus - he laid it all aside.  He laid aside - and lost the desire - to continue the ways of the past.  I asked him “you mean you never had another drink?”  His response, “nope, I never had another drink.”

The bar room visiting, the smoking, the absence of God in his life for any direction - - that was all changed when it became clear what Jesus had done in his life. 

In fact, as I got to thinking about it, what sticks out about Sonny more than anything was that he was a man of passions.  He was passionate about his golf.  He was passionate about his family.  He was passionate about his local church and he loved his pastor and supported him.  He was absolutely passionate about his love for the Lord Jesus. 

I’ve told you a bit about his golf. 

But then, as I mentioned, Sonny was passionate about his family.  His heart was broken when he lost his two oldest boys, Bobby and Gary Duane, within about five weeks of each other.  His wife Carol and his remaining children - and their offspring - were the light of his life.  About four years ago, one of Sonny’s grandchildren, Warren, and his dear wife, presented to Sonny a boy named Colton.  Let me tell you, I’ve never seen a grandfather’s eyes light up as Sonny’s did with this boy.  And I wasn’t around to see so much of their interaction.  But I didn’t miss much, because Sonny would tell you about him.  Oh, how he loved to spend time with that boy playing together and hanging out at the golf course or in the woods or in the garage.  I think Sonny’s last years were some of his most fulfilled because of the joy that Colton brought into his life. 

And then, Sonny was passionate about his local church and his pastor.  I have shared with you before my love of pastors and - as I have thought about that - I really believe I owe much of that disposition to Sonny Dockins.  Sonny taught me, through his actions and word, that it was rightful and proper to love one’s pastor and serve the man of God faithfully:  to be a friend to him and to help him and to love him.  Sonny was faithful to our pastor, Dan Aldrich.  He was faithful to help at the church (particularly after his retirement).  He mowed the lawn dutifully and shoveled snow past the point a man of his years usually would. 

He was passionate about telling others what Jesus had done for him - and that Jesus could and would do the same thing for them.  Sonny was a regular in participating in soul-winning efforts at the Indiana State Fair.  I believe many gave their hearts to Jesus by Sonny’s sharing. 

Sonny was passionate about Jesus.  I think back on so many times Sonny gave a testimony on a Sunday evening - or the dozens and dozens of times he would be called upon to pray in service.  Almost without fail, he would become emotional as he reflected on what the Lord had done for him, a sinner.  Tears would come to his eyes as he pleaded with the Lord to touch someone’s spirit, that they might be saved.  

Sonny’s illness was painful, debilitating and merciless.  But he approached this, too, with unwavering faith.  He told his son, Alan, “Don’t cry for me.  I’m going someplace that will be beautiful and wonderful - where we’ll worship all the day long.  You’ll have to stay behind.  Cry for yourself!” 

I visited with Sonny about three weeks before he went to be with Jesus.   There was no “why me?” or “I sure am scared” or “I just don’t understand this”.  He knew that the Lord would be with him.  To the end, as the songwriter said,

But I know Whom I have believed,

And am persuaded that He is able

To keep that which I’ve committed

Unto Him against that day.

I know not how this saving faith

To me He did impart,

Nor how believing in His Word

Wrought peace within my heart.

I will see you on the other side, my dear friend.


http://www.burkhartfh.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1334053&fh_id=10733

I welcome others who would like to leave a remembrance about Sonny..