|
Fred's send off
Fred Stout b Leigh, Lancs 26 March 1928 d Lickey,
Birmingham 2008
The last time we saw Fred was in August on the way back from Julian's
Swallows & Amazons week. He was in notably good form, really brighter
than the previous few visits. We had brought DVDs of movies made
around 50 years ago by the Kedwards and Epps and they had him giggling
and groaning; of course he knew the names of everyone on them even when
no-one else did. We also had a short greeting movie brought back
from California, including a wicked imitation by Simon which had him whooping
and shouting "Oh No"
We agreed on a religious ceremony for Fred because he went to church
in Harborne for decades, and he went to the service in the Home every
week. (He was very certain that the home was the right
place for him, I asked him when mum died if he wanted to go to another
home and he was emphatic that he liked where he was.) Nick and especially
Julian did the organising.
We set off just round the corner from Betty's house at Joyce's, processed
along Moor Pool Avenue, with the man in the top hat in front of us, only
to meet a bus coming the other way, requiring much undignified reversing
and manoeuvring. I mean, for a funeral procession you'd have thought
the bus could wait, oh well. The coffin was painted red and had
a biretta on (priest's hat, not the gangster
gun). The funeral was held at the Lickey Hills church, a pretty
little English church mainly because the vicar knew and appreciated Fred
and was keen to have an appropriate send off. As evidenced by the
first item being the vicar himself donning a red sash and singing the
"Lord High Executioner" as a solo - but changing the words at the end
Defer defer to our noble Fred
to our glorious Fred
to Fred, in red, whom we adore.
We also sang the National Anthem which is a church crime apparently (everyone
keeping an eye on the coffin in case he struggled to his feet), Onward
Christian Soldiers, To be a Pilgrim. The organist had a go at
a Spoonful of Sugar, Feed the Birds, A Wandering Minstrel I, and
The Hills are Alive. There were tributes from Nick and Julian,
some good funny stories (for instance when Fred was on the phone to a
nurse about an injury - My ring finger said Fred - Do you wear
a ring? said the nurse - Only when I'm dressed as a archbishop
he says. Julian's talk ended sweetly, quoting Fred with
a gentle imitation - All being well .... which it will be.
From the church we drove down the Bristol Rd to Lodge Hill cemetery which
is where Dad and then Mom were also cremated. Julian has the
ashes, some of which will go to Merton House
in Ross on Wye, certainly Fred's favourite place in Britain.
Here's a picture John Plumb took of the red coffin with the biretta.
Thence to a hall in Harborne with snacks from Pickles (the one clear instruction
from Mom for her funeral was catering by Pickles). Attendees included
David and Ron Handley, Jean John & David Plumb, Pat Sharpe (representing
Betty Annett), Joyce Waldock, John Cutler, about 25 in total. I
think we all thought it was a lovely ceremony, just right for Fred.
I hope there is a Happy Place for him to go to.
|