Margie's granddaughters, and cousins

The day started under heavy cloud and the rain increased steadily as I drove the 120 miles to Surrey to attend a funeral service for Margie L.. She was my mother's oldest friend having met each other at school in Southend-on-Sea in the late 1920s. They stayed dear friends till my mother died in 2004 and she came to her funeral. 

Margie died just before Christmas having spent her last five years in a nursing home where I used to visit her occasionally. She had a brilliant life and lived in southern Africa and Ecuador where her husband Neville worked as an eminent geologist. She brought up her two sons Stephen and Richard, who are slightly younger than me, on both continents and then later in England where my sister and I spent time with them as young kids. My mum was godmother to Stephen.

After a private cremation earlier today, I went to Holmbury St Mary church for the memorial service which was packed. Margie and Neville lived there in their latter years and became very involved in the local community, as I think they did wherever they were. The community turned up in force today and the church was packed for the moving tributes and music much of which Margie had planned many years ago!

Everyone was invited back to the local village hall for food and chat amongst old friends and new with many people having also come long distances. I couldn't stay too long so I made an effort to speak with Stephen and Richard and to find out more about their extensive families. I took some pictures to share with the family of all the great grandchildren who were delightful.

I also made an effort to say hello to Stephen and Richard's children, and while doing so I asked if I could take a picture of Margie's two granddaughters, Becky and Emma, who are also cousins. I didn't ask their permission to blip them but I feel sure they wouldn't mind as I really like this picture. I will be sending them copies in due course.

Update:
Stephen now tells me that they are happy with this blip and that Emma is wearing Margie's beautiful poncho, which she'd bought when living in Ecuador. In the background is Jason, Emma's husband.


RIP Margie Lindner 1921–2017