Though they, surely, through death, have reached true Life, we who are left behind still struggle with the sadness of their deaths. I refer of course to John Hester, Sarah Knight, Grace Pirie and Stella Greenall, all of whom have left this world and us over these very few past weeks. They were – each of them – remarkable people whose contribution to our community was large, in some cases very visibly, in other cases more quietly. Each was a dedicated Christian, each in his or her own way being an example to us all.
Each of us will doubtless have an immediate instinctive thought of them – of John his contribution to our drama group, of Sarah as a live and devoted churchwarden, of Grace and Stella their dedicated support of, and help to, the clergy over several years in the ministry to the residents of Branch Hill House, but whatever our first and instinctive thoughts they but scratch the surface of our reasons for gratitude to them all.
Following the funeral of her husband some years ago, his widow, a friend of mine, said to me (in reference both to the address at the funeral and to the many loving cards that she had received) “What a pity that these things are not more often said during a person’s lifetime.” If we failed to say to these our friends all that we might have said during their lives we may hope that even now they may know how greatly each was loved here and how grateful we are for their lives and what each of them did for us here.
In Memoriam
Derek Spottiswoode