Thursday, 7 March 2013

I know it may seem an odd thing to say......

but my friend Bernadette's funeral was lovely!

This was Bernadette when she was approx 19/20 years old.  I didn't know her then but she was always an attractive woman, even in these latter years when ravaged by illness.  She was 75 in January, just gone.

Being an Irish Catholic, and of the old school, her family arranged for Bernadette to spend the night before her funeral in her own home.  Bernadette was taken to church by a horse-drawn carriage, which is something she had expressed a wish to have for her funeral.   The photograph below is the actual carriage as it arrived to convey Bernadette to the church for the Requiem Mass,




followed by three limosines.  The floral tributes from family and friends were magnificent.    The service at the church was followed by a commital for cremation at the local crematorium, then a buffet at a local restaurant for family and friends to celebrate her life.  Her family gave her a wonderful send-off, I know that Bernadette would have been watching and enjoying going out in style and to top it all the weather was absolutely beautiful for her last trip.

God bless you Bernadette, you will never be forgotten.
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25 comments:

  1. tony7 March 2013 at 16:32

    She went in Style.A lovely tribute.

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  2. Melanie7 March 2013 at 16:43

    I didn't get a chance to stop in the other day...I am so sorry that you lost your friend. I am glad that you found some happy when saying your goodbyes. Thinking of you.xx

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  3. Ron7 March 2013 at 16:50

    What a stunning tribute to Bernadette!

    And no, I don't think it odd at all that you said her funeral was lovely because I felt the same way about my mothers. And honestly, I think that's how a funeral/memorial should be...a lovely celebration of a persons life.

    "Bernadette was taken to church by a horse-drawn carriage, which is something she had expressed a wish to have for her funeral."

    Oh how wonderful! You don't see that anymore, so I bet it was lovely. It reminds me of the final scene from the movie, "Imitation Of Life."

    "I know that Bernadette would have been watching and enjoying going out in style and to top it all the weather was absolutely beautiful for her last trip."

    Yes, I bet she was too!

    God bless you, Bernadette.

    X

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  4. Akelamalu7 March 2013 at 17:14

    She did indeed Tony

    Thanks Melanie xx

    I absolutely agree with you Ron, funerals should be a celebration of life. Thankyou xx

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  5. A7 March 2013 at 19:21

    It really does sound lovely. It's always great to see a person's life celebrated and remembered well, and it seems like her funeral did exactly that.

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  6. MorningAJ7 March 2013 at 20:29

    I think funerals should be lovely. The should celebrate life. I'm glad your friend had a good send off.

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  7. Commander Zaius7 March 2013 at 21:02

    Awesome tribute!

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  8. Cloudia7 March 2013 at 22:26

    God Bless her & all true friends who make your lives worth living!



    ALOHA from Honolulu
    Comfort Spiral
    ~ > < } } ( ° > <3
    > < } } ( ° >

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  9. Finding Pam8 March 2013 at 00:06

    Sounds like a lovely service for Bernadette. I love the idea of the horse drawn carriage.

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  10. Valerie8 March 2013 at 08:40

    A beautiful tribute to Bernadette, Pearl. Having recently celebrated the life of my aunt I appreciate that you posted this. It reminds me, too, that I need to record in my plan that I want a horse-drawn carriage. It has such a romantic touch for the journey to our Maker.

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  11. Akelamalu8 March 2013 at 12:29

    I think it did A :)

    I think so too AJ

    Thanks Beach

    Yes indeed Cloudia x

    The horse drawn carriage was lovely Pam.

    I have written my plan for my family .too Valerie It doesn't include a horse drawn carriage just the most simple and cheapest coffin and a party afterwards, but that's only if the University don't want my remains as I've left them to medical science.

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  12. Daryl8 March 2013 at 14:58

    to celebrate a life is a beautiful thing ...

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  13. G-Man8 March 2013 at 18:27

    Sorry Pearl..((HUGS))

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  14. Empress Bee (of the high sea)8 March 2013 at 19:38

    i think the funeral should be a tribute to their life and it sounds like your friend would not have been disappointed. i tried to do that for sarge as well.

    hugs, bee
    xoxoxoxoxo

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  15. Secret Agent Woman9 March 2013 at 02:33

    I don't think it's odd - seems like a fitting celebration of her life.

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  16. Akelamalu10 March 2013 at 10:54

    I agree Daryl x

    Thanks G xx

    Absolutely Bee xx

    That's the way I look at it too SAW :)

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  17. Shrinky11 March 2013 at 12:54

    Goodness, what a beautiful way to go out, it's a sound testimony how loved she was, that her relatives did her so proud!

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  18. Gledwood11 March 2013 at 13:18

    So many of my friends have died I've lost count but I never indulged in tears except in one case... (I mean, if a person is a raving heroin addict, crack user and heavy drinker... what can you expect~??)... and I have never been to the funeral of a friend. The one friend I did cry over was a woman I called "Lucky" who was old enough to be my Mum and she just collapsed one day and her emaciated little body just packed up... the organs failing one by one (multiple system failure)...

    Ukh sorry to go on about me me me but I am glad you managed to have a "good time" (so to speak) at her funeral. And I think you're really brave going there in the first place!

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  19. Maggie May11 March 2013 at 18:47

    Yes, I've also been to some lovely funerals and many of them have been inspiring events that I wouldn't have missed for the world.
    This one looked like a fairytale funeral.
    Maggie x

    Nuts in May

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  20. CrystalChick12 March 2013 at 01:35

    I've been to both types of funerals... the dreadfully sad, and the lighter, more celebration of life ones. Seems like your friend's was certainly a bit lighter in mood and all came together to give her a wonderful send off.

    We don't have anything quite like that here, that I know of anyway. A horse drawn carriage, I mean. Wow! Nice. She would have approved!

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  21. Travis Cody12 March 2013 at 02:47

    Sounds like a wonderful celelbration of a life well lived.

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  22. Flowerpot13 March 2013 at 10:10

    A good send off makes all teh difference, doesnt it?

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  23. Unknown14 March 2013 at 17:13

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  24. Lorraine30 March 2013 at 21:07

    I'm so glad the day went well. The horse drawn carriages are so beautiful aren't they. I went to a friend's funeral years ago that made me decide to put money aside for the same thing for mine.

    They too had a buffet, but all paid for by him as one of his last wishes. It was all caviar (the real deal) white crab meat, huge prawns and langoustines, champagne non stop, plus red, white and coffee, tea or soft drinks and similar foodstuffs. It was amazing. They said he loved the good things of life and decided his friends must share in them too to say farewell to him at his expense. He said it was to be his party to end all parties - and it was. Incredible day and I think I might do the same for mine.

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  25. Akelamalu9 April 2013 at 17:53

    It was really lovely Shrinky

    Funerals are not something I relish Gleds but sometimes it is necessary.

    The carriage are horses certainly made it fairytalelike Maggie

    Bernadette particularly requested horses and a carriage a long time ago CrystalChick.

    It was indeed Trav

    Yes it does Flowerpot.

    Your friend's funeral sounds amazing Lorraine. A horse and carriage is much more beautiful than a hearse.

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