Page 335 - She's One Crazy Lady!

peace knowing we were there and
happy that her favourite GP – “Dr
Dish” as she called him, came to
see her, as did Rev. John Smith,
who she held in high esteem and
who regularly called in to see Mum
to share ‘moments’ together. As a
family, we were very touched that
John was able to conduct her service
– her funeral where so many people
came to pay their respects and show
their love for her. For us it could not
have gone better, especially as my
brother had arranged for Faryl Smith
to sing. It was amazing! Both Jimmy
and I read her eulogy and a tribute.
It was hard – very, very hard – and
at one point I really felt I couldn’t do
it but seeing Mum’s smiling, happy
face on the photograph we had
placed on her coffin, gave me the strength – strength to face things that she so often gave me when I needed it.
Mum’s funeral took place at the Parish Church in Kettering – her hometown – the toll bells ringing as we arrived. Her favourite music was the main title theme of Ladies in Lavender (she used to joke asking if that was her ‘going in’ music or her ‘going out’ music!). When it was Faryl’s time to sing, Faryl, dressed in black, stood silhouetted against the main window that had been lit up ‘lavender’ and sang Mum’s most favourite Christmas Carol: ‘O, Holy Night’ followed by ‘Amazing Grace’. How Mum would have loved it – Faryl was simply, superb!
Losing Mum was devastating. Mum was the ‘glue’ of our family and without her, life for us all was very different. We all felt a massive void as, for years, we had our routines of going to see her (as well as many impromptu visits, of course). For me at 4.00pm on weekdays and Sunday afternoons I felt ‘lost’ – for a very long time. She’s been gone almost ten years now but there isn’t a day when I don’t think of her, so grateful and so proud of her, for she truly was such a wonderful Mum, friend and companion. In my mind I will always carry the picture of her in bed, unable to do anything for herself, but always smiling and putting on such a brave face... what wonderful memories! What a perfect role model she was! If I should ever be in a similar position I hope, so very much, I will be able to cope in the ways she did.
Mum and Dad are both buried at St. Botolph’s Church in Barton Seagrave, where they lived for much of their married life. They are in a lovely spot and whenever we held the Crazy Hats Walks after her death I would look over Wicksteed Park to see them – Mum would have been there cutting the ribbon and Dad would be walking round!
“Losing
Mum was devastating. Mum was the ‘glue’ of our family and without her, life for us
all was very different.
”
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