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Aunt Marian's funeral
Mar. 12th, 2009 04:10 pmI travelled to Southampton Crematorium with my father. We arrived twenty minutes before the proceedings were due to start, so I roved around the paved area outside the entrance meeting up with relatives and exchanging hellos and hugs. About five to, the hearse arrived, preceded by a man in a top hat and suit, followed by the limo containing my cousins Rob and Lil, my mother, Aunt Cynthia, Aunt Jean, Gran, and Aunt Marian's best friend Tess. There were a few tears from several people as the hearse sat there waiting. Finally the pallbearers carried the coffin in, the lead party filed into the crematorium behind it, then the rest of us followed them inside. We were just five minutes behind schedule.
As we entered, the Shadows' recording of Cavatina was playing and the lady vicar was reciting blessings. When we'd all filed into pews, we sat down; soon after, the music ended. The service was short and very pleasant; my mother gave a nice heartfelt speech consisting of memories of Aunt Marian, with Aunt Cynthia and Aunt Jean joining her to say the final bit, then Uncle Hector told the story of their forty-year relationship, and Lil recited a lovely poem she'd written. A few people who'd known Aunt Marian from her active role in her local church, charities and as a carer for a disabled boy all said a few words. What shone through from everyone was how much pure love and affection she inspired in everyone and what a caring, happy, eccentric yet shrewd and persuasive person she really was. It was all very moving.
The vicar gave a sermon; as I'm an atheist it didn't really strike a chord with me but she too conveyed a sense of how well loved Aunt Marian was. She finished with a few prayers, ending with the Lord's Prayer, then spoke the words of Committal as Time To Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman started up. As the curtain slowly closed around the coffin, there were tears from a couple of people in the row behind me.
We went on to Aunt Marian's local parish hall in Hythe. A couple of her friends from the church had laid on a nice little spread; the spring rolls were lovely, though the samosas were a little too hot and spicy for me and a few others. I spent most of the time talking to my mother's cousins Pat and Ray, my cousin Sam and her boyfriend Mike. We all mostly used the time to wind down and all just have a relaxing chat, though a few people had brought albums with a selection of photos of Aunt Marian with various of us over the decades, all of which went down well. At half past two, with all the food long finished, one of the church volunteers produced a tub of biscuits for us all. Around three everyone began to disperse, we all said goodbye with a lot more hugs all round, while my mother and the other ladies were invited to pick out a flower from the display on the table.
Goodbye auntie.
As we entered, the Shadows' recording of Cavatina was playing and the lady vicar was reciting blessings. When we'd all filed into pews, we sat down; soon after, the music ended. The service was short and very pleasant; my mother gave a nice heartfelt speech consisting of memories of Aunt Marian, with Aunt Cynthia and Aunt Jean joining her to say the final bit, then Uncle Hector told the story of their forty-year relationship, and Lil recited a lovely poem she'd written. A few people who'd known Aunt Marian from her active role in her local church, charities and as a carer for a disabled boy all said a few words. What shone through from everyone was how much pure love and affection she inspired in everyone and what a caring, happy, eccentric yet shrewd and persuasive person she really was. It was all very moving.
The vicar gave a sermon; as I'm an atheist it didn't really strike a chord with me but she too conveyed a sense of how well loved Aunt Marian was. She finished with a few prayers, ending with the Lord's Prayer, then spoke the words of Committal as Time To Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman started up. As the curtain slowly closed around the coffin, there were tears from a couple of people in the row behind me.
We went on to Aunt Marian's local parish hall in Hythe. A couple of her friends from the church had laid on a nice little spread; the spring rolls were lovely, though the samosas were a little too hot and spicy for me and a few others. I spent most of the time talking to my mother's cousins Pat and Ray, my cousin Sam and her boyfriend Mike. We all mostly used the time to wind down and all just have a relaxing chat, though a few people had brought albums with a selection of photos of Aunt Marian with various of us over the decades, all of which went down well. At half past two, with all the food long finished, one of the church volunteers produced a tub of biscuits for us all. Around three everyone began to disperse, we all said goodbye with a lot more hugs all round, while my mother and the other ladies were invited to pick out a flower from the display on the table.
Goodbye auntie.
