The funeral for my Aunt Thelma was held in South Park Church on Tuesday, just after lunch. The heavy rain turned into a downpour as the service concluded, and there was general reluctance to leave the church. Eventually I made a dash for the car, which I’d parked strategically opposite the door, and got the umbrella for Dot. We also gave a lift to Mitch, my cousin Stephen’s son, who needed to get to Unthank Road. The burial was at the Rosary (in Dorothy’s grave), and by the time we got there (I overtook the hearse on the way, which is probably a Bad Thing) the rain had dropped back to merely heavy, then steady. We had a brief few words around the grave from Jason Griffiths, the assistant pastor at Surrey, who had taken the service, and then went home. There was a very private “wake” at my cousin Mark’s, but only closest family were invited. Phil and Joy came round to ours for an hour or so. I would have liked more of an opportunity to talks to my cousins and to Catherine, Pat’s daughter, who we had got to know quite well at the celebration we went to in London. I would also have liked the chance to talk to a few of the congregation at Park, who I knew when I was very young, but it didn’t work out that way.
The church was quite full for the service, with Molly Wurr on the organ. All Paul’s children were there, of course: Pat and her husband Brian; Stephen and his wife Anita; and Mark and his wife Julie. Some grandchildren too, notably Catherine and Mitch. Don’t really know the others. As well as Dot and I and Phil and Joy, Joe was there, as was my Aunt Kathleen and I think Aunt Josephine, though I’m not positive. During the morning it suddenly occurred to me that my cousin Barbara might not know about it, so I gave her a ring. She didn’t know, so I’m glad I got in touch. Paul gave a long talk which covered Thelma’s birthplace (Stapleford, in Nottinghamshire, which I think has connections with the Evetts) and the way they met, as well as their life together. Learned a few things: her middle name was Eveline, for instance. He concluded with an evangelistic appeal which only just stopped short of inviting people to come to the front and left me a bit worried about how Jason would follow that with the sermon. But he did very well.
Yesterday morning had a couple of long phone calls, from my cousin Ann in Liverpool and from our friend Sharon at Alpington, then another one in the afternoon from Anne Robinson. In between the piano tuner came, at a civilised hour for a change, and pronounced the machine in good nick. After lunch, which Dot spent with Carrie, Nicholas came round and discussed his book, as well as the situation at St Luke’s. Not sure I was too helpful in either case, though I was supportive. He does things completely different from the way I would do them, but I think he’s done really well and has some great gifts. Also he tries to see things God’s way, which can’t be bad.
Dot has just returned from Long Stratton and is planning a post-prandial stroll into the city, partly to buy a new pan and coffee-grinder. I might go with her.
