The celebration of their lives

It was a very hot day. Probably about 30C. Said to be the hottest day in the UK this year!

On Saturday September 9th at 2 pm a “Service of Thanksgiving and Celebration for the lives of my sister Anne Marion Spencer (22nd May 1941-18th August 2023) and Richard David Edward Spencer (4th May 1934 - 18th August 2023) was held a St Vincent’s Church, Littlebourne. The service was live-streamed to the village hall (barn) next door. No one knew how many people would turn up. It is estimated that about 400 attended. The service was conducted by Reverend Nigel Hale who had lived on the farm at one time. The choir was made up of my sisters singing friends.  

The superb floral displays were created by the priests wife Val Hale and Chris Ash. They were the same flowers that had been on the coffins the day before.

Regretfully I have no photos of this day.

The choir sang two pieces “Be still my soul” by Jean Sibelius and “For the beauty of the earth” by John Rutter. 

Daughters Caryn and Helen read a poem and Phillip and Robert read a tribute to their lives which was at times quite humorous. 

The final “tear jerker” was when the huntsman played “gone away” on his hunting horn. 

After this the 400 came to Lower Garrington and a catered reception was held in the marquee on the front lawn. 

In the evening I turned on the TV and found it was BBC  “The last night of the proms” at the Royal Albert Hall. Phillip had tickets to take my sister and Helen to the concert but had to cancel and they plan to go next years. My sister would have enjoyed watching. It was a fitting end to the day. 

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