Friday 20 May 2011

Grace...

(click to enlarge the board - then zoom  in to see)

We all said our Goodbyes -( well maybe goodbyes is the wrong word) to Grace yesterday.
It was Graces funeral who was 99yrs of age, roughly a month away from being 100.
Grace didnt want a card from the Queen, as she often said"I dont want to be 100". Grace didnt know about illness, she lived a full and active life, until this last year.
Grace wanted a short service, with Abide with me for the hymn  A short history  who Grace was by her dear friends Di and DW(Julie), also a short poem was read that Grace liked -    The service with a song from--Daniel O'donnell called Footsteps.
This photo board stood in front of the coffin, which to me was more pleasant than just looking at the coffin - it tells Graces life and how she lived it

The Poem.

Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away into the next room
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other
That we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes
We enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me,
Let my name be ever the household word that
It always was.
Let it be spoken without effort,
Without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant
It is the same as it ever was
There is absolutely unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am
Out of sight? I am but waiting for you
For an interval
Somewhere very near
Just around the corner .
All is well.
Canon Henry Scott Holland (1847-1918)

This brought a tear or two - wonderful.

.


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10 comments:

Darla said...

Sorry to hear of this loss. Sounds like she was a very interesting lady.

ju-north said...

Wonderful words for a wonderful lady. Grace indeed

Cezar and Léia said...

Seems like a life full of energy and meaning, somehow what comes to my mind is an image of her telling child-angels cheerful stories about her life...
God bless you!
Cezar

Rune Eide said...

My sympathy to both of you. You have lost a true friend.

Jan said...

Thankyou for sharing ...love Jan xx

Unknown said...

Hope the day wasn't too awful. It sounds like Grace's was similar in style to Brian's. He had Queen's 'I want to break free' as one of his songs, and a pin-board of photos of him at his wake.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Too bad she didn't make it to 100. George's Dad will be 99 in August... Hope he makes it to 100--but don't think he wants to... Life gets harder and harder --the older we get.

So sorry about Grace. Even though she lived a long life, I'm sure she will be missed.

God Bless.
Betsy

Unknown said...

That a long time to be alive. Sounds like she had a fulfilling life.

George said...

I'm sorry to hear about Grace's passing. I can understand why a tear or two was shed during the reading of that poem.

Rick said...

Wonderful tribute, Stewart. Sounds like a very down-to-earth nice lady. I'm sure she will be missed greatly - hopefully her wish as expressed in the poem will come true.