What a week!!!

I will write about preparing for a loved one's funeral - something we can all do, even though there may be no pending death in the family.  There is so little time to do much in the short hectic days after a loved one passes.

The day after my father died, we were still busy advising friends and family, and we had a meeting with the funeral director.  Dad had not wanted to have a church service - he was very supportive of mum's church involvement, but thought it would be hypocritical to have a religious ceremony.  All arrangements were made for a service at Centenial Park - with the Funeral Celebrant from the Funeral Home that dad had listed.  We were so happy with everything with the Celebrant - except one thing.  We certainly underestimated the numbers that would attend the service.  Over the weekend when we further contemplated the numbers, we were scared the small Mawson Chapel would be too small.  But we could not change it.  We had calls from people who had seen the death notice in the paper, with messages of support and advice that they would attend the service.  We had been told that it was a Pennants day at bowls, so though the bowls contingent would not be large.  As it turned out it was not Pennants day, and friends and family came from interstate.  Older folk that we thought might have difficulty attending came - with carers, and the whole event was much much bigger than we imagined.

We had worked out the ceremony with various family members speaking - and I was 'thrown in' at the last minute, though I had written down some things to say.  All of Dad's 4 grandchildren attended and spoke at the service, my son sang "Amazing Grace' and two great grandchildren spoke. 

One thing that we had not contemplated was having to witness that the body was indeed that of our father.  He was done up so well, in his suit, with his glasses on.  While it was emotional to see him like that, he looked peaceful and proud.




Afterwards we met a sea of family and friends, many of whom I did not know or recognise.  Being from interstate I seldom see family members, so to meet up with some I had not set eyes on for some 40 years was extra ordinary.

One woman asked me if I remembered her - but I didn't.  It was my little friend from next door - whom I had not seen since 1963!!!  She had her father had travelled a long way to be there.  I was quite overwhelmed.

We had tea and biscuits at Centennial Park, and some of the close family went to my sister's place and had a few drinks for dad too.

We had told mum about the death of her husband of over 60 years, but made a decision that she should not go to the service.  It was a hard one to make, but we do think we did the wise thing.  She is not exactly grasping the whole situation, and we thought it would be too difficult for her.