The weather was glorious.
It was in Tony's parish church.
The church was full.
We sang Jerusalem, as requested, and walked him out to Thine be the glory. Amazing grace didn't get a look in!
Lindsey and other family members gave eulogies. Paul read a eulogy on behalf of the UK family. Some people read poems. I read the gospel reading. Ian had prepared slideshows of photos for the church and for the community centre.
Stella's elderly cousin came from Geelong, accompanied by her son. The practice was represented by former Partners, brought by the wife of a current Partner, or a family member, and by the current Practice Manager and the Nurse Manager.
Some of their earliest Australian friends, now all deceased, were represented by their children.
It was a lovely service.
Tony was accompanied to the crematorium by Stella, his children and grandchildren. Sorry Tony - but it was a largely pointless exercise. We had said goodbye at the church. We didn't drive in convoy (would have been very difficult and the traffic was quite heavy) and just turned up at the crematorium to look at the coffin. Then we turned around again and drove back to Mount Martha. Would have been better (in my view) to have spent that time talking outside the church to the people who couldn't come to the wake. However, Tony had wanted us to go, and so we did.
The party was held in the community centre of their retirement village and was catered by a local coffee shop that they were very fond of (Stella still is!)
We sent him on his way wearing (amongst other things!!!) his piano key braces and his music socks. We sent a hymn book for songs of rejoicing in the after life, plus a sheet of music. We sent a glass or three of a good bottle of red wine. He had a copy of New Scientist to read on the journey. A golf tee in his pocket in case Paradise has a golf course. And his stethoscope, although I am not sure there will be much need for a stethoscope now. But Just in Case!
Jim and I are at Mount Martha still. Jim is staying with Stella this week while I am at work. We will leave on Friday. Wendy will be here over the weekend. Then Stella will try her hand at living on her own next week. Luckily she has very supportive neighbours.
Paul is on his way home. He should come for longer next time!
Some of you may remember me mentioning, some years ago, that my Uncle Peter had said that his ambition was to live for longer than Tony, his younger brother by 8 years. I told Tony. Tony took it on as a challenge - and beat his brother by 5 months. So a close run thing.
And Paul tells us that Tony died on his mother's birthday (Tony's mother, not Paul's). Oddly enough he died in a very similar way to his mother. Fading gently away, not eating or drinking much, not getting up much in the last week of life. Not a bad way to go, I guess. Especially when you are full of years
We bought this plate for Tony when we were in Japan.
We hoped that it might encourage him to eat a bit. Alas, he died before we could give it to him
So we gave it to Stella instead
She ate every scrap - although she cheated and ate the chocolate biscuit, hidden in the treasure chest, first :-D
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