RIP Tom

A sad occasion for the village, but what happy memories he left behind for us all.
The chapel at Dewsbury Crematorium was packed, with many standing at the back and out into the antiroom.
Most of the village had turned out to gives thanks for the life of Tom Schofield, and the privilege of knowing him.
A true gentleman in every sense of the word.
Always called everyone by their surname, as he had been brought up to do, when manners and respect meant something.

When the minister mentioned Tom and his special tomatoes, a ripple of laughter went round the room, and there were a lot of nodding heads when he said we wouldn’t taste such good tomatoes again.

The hymn we sang was
“ Morning Has Broken”

If you know the words you will realise how very appropriate this was.

“ Mine is the sunlight,
Mine is the morning,
Born of the one light
Eden saw play;;
Praise with elation,
Praise every morning,
God’s re-creation
Of the new day.”

He seemed to live in another time, one we seem to have forgotten.
He lived by the seasons.
People and plants mattered more than materialistic things.
We could all live better lives if only we remember this.

We will remember Tom with a smile on our face.