FLOWER FRIDAY

There were only four family members at Edna’s service yesterday, and when we came out after the service I spoke to her sister-in-law, Peggy, who I knew had been very ill herself, so it was a real effort for her to be there.  She said that her husband, Ken, who had died 33 years ago, was Edna’s husband’s brother and although they had lived in the same town for all their married lives, they hadn’t seen much of each other.  

I told her how we knew Rob and Edna;  that we used to go round to see them quite often and enjoyed hearing about their many holidays abroad.  I also told her that they were well loved in our church, so it was sad, in one way, that they were now both gone.  She said that she and her sister used to go and see Edna every Friday so I was able to tell her that my daughter-in-law had been Edna’s carer at the nursing home, so another link with Edna.

I went over to look at the simple spray of roses whereupon Peggy said that if I wanted to have them, I was very welcome.  The funeral director also said that if no-one took them, they would only wither and die on the ground, so I willingly took them, and here they are, for Flower Friday - with a copy of the Order of Service, showing Edna on the front and a photograph of her and Rob on their Wedding Day on the back.

A sad occasion in some ways, but as I said yesterday, Edna had been suffering from dementia for the last few years, so a blessing in disguise really - there were quite a few others at the service and at least twelve from our church so we gave her a good send-off.

“Dementia might hide the person underneath
     but there’s still a person in there
          who needs your love and attention.”
Jamie Calandriello