A sad but nice day

[Andy]

I know it’s nothing to do with pigeons and probably not of much interest to others, but we had the funeral of our aunt today. Our mum’s sister. Joy had 2 daughters, Debbie and Jackie who we haven’t seen for years. Debbie lives in Sussex still but Jackie now lives in Australia. She had come back over here a few months since Joy was going downhill with dementia and then had a stroke. The funeral was in the church where we as a family have a lot of history. Our grandad, mums and Joys dad, was the minister for 10 years. We were all christened in the church, went to cubs and crusaders in the church hall. Our uncle was the organist there as well. One of our brothers was married there and our dads funeral was in there 19 years ago. Although a very sad occasion it was lovely to see family members and old friends that we hadn’t seen for years. My eldest son came with me as Joy was his godmother.
Inside the church they have a cradle roll of everyone who has been christened in the church since it was built in the 1940s.

In these 2 photos you can pick out my name 6th Aug 1962, our cousin Debbie one above me being born a month earlier than me. Brother Francis in the same column 14th Nov 1963. In the next column our cousin Jackie born in 1964 then Trev 4th Aug 1966. Twin Brothers Robert and Kevin are in the other photo 20th March 1968.

This is us 5 boys outside the front of the church. We have a similar photo of the 5 of us in the same place many years ago at Kevin’s wedding.

Another one with mum in this time.

This final photo is of us 5 boys plus mum and our cousin Jackie on the bench at the church that is in memory of our grandad.

RIP Auntie Joy.

[Murray]

Thanks for sharing that with us, Andy.
It is nice that you would think to share a special family event with us.

[Buster121]

Sad but nice occasion nice pics and weather, is she going back to Australia now

[Andy]

Sad but nice occasion nice pics and weather, is she going back to Australia now

Yes she is Buster. She has a business out there, although as it is nowadays a lot of it can be done online. He partner who has been over here for the past couple of weeks is going back in January and Jackie will follow soon after once probate etc has been sorted out.

[Trev]

Yes it was a very sad but lovely day, Aunty Joy had pretty much planned the whole service herself as she wanted it to be a celebration as much as a final goodbye and although there were the inevitable tears there was also plenty of laughter to go with it just how Aunty Joy would have wanted. It was good to see a lot of old faces that we hadn't seen 40 years and it was lovely for us brothers, Mum, Shane and our cousins to spend a few hours together reminiscing as we just don't get many opportunities to all be together anymore.
The Church was actually opened in 1935 Andy.
As Andy says and has shown the Church has been a massive part of all our lives as that is also where our Mum and Dad first met in the Church Youth Club back in the 50s and where Aunty Joy also met Debbie and Jackie's Dad who was our Dads friend.
Aunty Joy was the Churches longest serving member having been part of the church for 75 years. As well as the Bench that we are all on outside the Church which as Andy said was put there in memory of our Grampa there is also a room at the back of the Church called the Connie Rowse room in memory of his wife, our Gran.

[killer]

Sorry for your loss ,great to see there are still people with faith ,me my self having been to church twice ,with one to go ,trying my hardest to delay the last one ,lol my best wishes to the family’s on a sad day ,