Page 118 - History of the STGA

‘We contacted also the pastor of the nearby German church who came to see her. We had a funeral service arranged for the following Monday afternoon. Unfortunately the pastor had to go to Aberdeen that day but sent a theological student along in his place, along with the minister 'du jour' at the crem. He happened to be the father of a BB guide. When the widow and I arrived at the crematorium we were alone and went to look for the chapel. As it was raining slightly we asked if we might be admitted to the chapel. 'Ye cannae come in here till the principal mourners arrive' we were told. 'But we are the principal mourners' I said and they then let us in.
'Might we have the candles lit?' I asked at the request of the widow. 'Ye cannae have the candles lit for a Protestant funeral' came the reply. 'But these people are German Lutherans,' I explained. ‘Since this was an unknown denomination the candles were indeed lit. It was a lovely short service with also an amazing couple from the German church who came and invited us back to their flat for 'Kaffee und Kuchen' This was a really lovely touch which was greatly appreciated by the widow.
‘The next morning a car, supplied by the consulate arrived at my door to take the widow to the airport. Earlier on the ashes had been delivered from the crematorium, with again everything expedited so quickly at the request of the consulate and the lady returned home to her family after a weekend, which she later described, space understandably perhaps, as surreal. A month or so later a parcel arrived with presents from Germany for all the people who had helped. For myself and my wife there was an invitation to visit the lady and her family in Germany. As it was, it was five years before I was able to take up the offer and when I wrote to say that I would come, the family replied that the widow herself had just died suddenly, but that I was welcome all the same to come. I set out to go when something happened with my Ryanair flight and I never got there. But that is another story.’
Changing times
By Kenneth Hanley
‘I have been a guide for 35 years having qualified in 1986 and over the years guiding has changed in many ways. Of course, technology has advanced. When I started guiding there
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