It was my Na’s (my grandad) funeral on Tuesday. I have so much I want to write about this special man and my memories of him, but for this weeks Flashback I am going to use some memories my Mum shared during his eulogy and share my own another time.
Not being a religious man, my Mum, Uncle and Nanny decided to have a non religious ceremony which was primarily about him instead of God and the church, which was a very fitting and wonderful way to say goodbye to my Na.
I thought my Mum was very brave to stand before all Na’s family and friends and read out her words, and she managed so well and didn’t falter at all. Here are my favourite stories from Na’s funeral, as written by my Mum.
My Dad
My Dad was a good man, a kind and generous man – a true gentleman, it’s true he didn’t suffer fools gladly and he could be old fashioned in his views on the changing culture of the modern world, he liked a bargain, but he was a never mean or mean spirited man.
Looking back my brother and I had a very safe and simple childhood full of love and laughter, with lots of kind Aunts and Uncles, two Nan’s and a Granddad and a Mum and Dad who always put us first.
We didn’t have a lot of money but we always managed a summer holiday.
My first memory was of a trip to Lowestoft with Aunty Betty and Uncle Morris which would have been the summer of 1959. We camped in a double Decker bus, rather novel I am sure you will agree and the sun seemed to shine every day. My cousin Lorraine and I spent lots of happy times splashing about in washing up bowls full of water as paddling pools.
Dad’s cars were legendary he never spent very much money on them and he probably spent more time repairing them than we did travelling in them! but the worst had to be the soft topped Hillman Minx. It was a sort of bronze colour and the mechanism for the soft top had long since gone, the remaining roof was stuck down in some places with sticky tape, so delicate was it we were not allowed to open windows!
So picture the scene- a hot August day and the car is jammed packed with camping equipment, sleeping bags, clothes, food, cooking utensils, basically everything except the kitchen sink! And don’t forget Bonny, our dog, would have been in the front with Mum!
Richard and I are charged with getting into each corner of the back of the car so the remainder of the packing can be done around us. So there we are like little dormice tightly packed into our nesting holes and when we tentatively say “please Dad we’re hot can we open a window” this booming voice comes from the front of the car …” No, the roof might blow off!!!!”
Dad has always loved children and they take to him because he makes them laugh with his made up stories. One in particular which I am sure Tom and Lucy may remember him for was when we visited the National Trust Property Montecute House and there was an enormous rounded bristled brush on a long pole outside the large back doors and Mum was explaining to them that this was for the people to clean off their boots before entering the house, ” Oh no it isn’t, pipes up Tom, Granddad Gerry said it’s a giants toothbrush!!”
That was typical Dad, always the joker, always the biggest kid of all, Dad never really grew up, it was a standing family joke but he could have a serious side, he was a very clever man, what he didn’t know about general knowledge, history, geography, science and of course his beloved passion aeroplanes, well…… we often used to say he should have gone on Mastermind.
Then there was his love of mental arithmetic he was always working out different sums and equations in his head, often in the night if he couldn’t sleep. He kept a log, both in his car and Mum’s of all their fuel purchases so he could accurately predict the mpg for each car, overall or on any specific journey they made.
Dad made us laugh, although I know it both frustrated and sometimes in later years when money was not as tight, annoyed Mum, just how careful he could be with money. The amount of times we would be wandering around furniture shops and Mum would say “ooh I like that”. , which could refer to a coffee table, a lamp, a set of drawers etc and lo and behold Dad would disappear for a few days in his workshop and then out would come a very similar piece of furniture or a lamp that Mum had taken a liking to!
There are endless pieces of homemade ‘Gerry built’ pieces of furniture and do-it-yourself projects around the house, Dad would turn his hand to anything, he loved a challenge. Give him a job, a puzzle to solve and out would come the paper and pencil, no calculators or computers, and from somewhere a solution would be found!
It did become a family standing joke, but I am proud of my Dad he always went the extra mile for his family, he always put us first and nothing was ever too much trouble, if he could help he would and if he’d had the money he would have given it, he was the best, a good husband, a wonderful Dad, a lovely Granddad and Great Granddad and a truly great man who will be sadly missed by us all.
This post was brought to you as part of Flashback Friday
This is a linky where you can link up a flashback of your own
Remember a flashback can be from any time whether it be yesterday, last week, last month, last year or yesteryear! It can be a flashback of your own, your children, your partner or your friends. And if you don’t want to write a post, then just link up a photo with a date. If you don’t have time to write a new post, no problem simply link up a post you have already posted.
Next week being near the end of the year, the theme is a flashback of 2012 really. A look back on the highlights and lowlights of the last 12 months.
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Thank you xx
Thank you xx
Such a lovely post about your Na. He sounds like a really wonderful man. May he Rest in Peace x
He sounds like a wonderful man, lovely memories of him x
What a lovely tribute for flashback Friday. I’m glad you were so lucky to have him in your life. I hope your Mother is coping ok. Love and best wishes to you all xx
This is such a lovely tribute Jenny. He sounds like a really lovely man.
Of course I love the fact that they holidayed in Lowestoft 🙂 xx
Your Na sounds like a wonderful man Jenny- and what a lovely tribute to him x
What a lovely tribute, this is what’s so wonderful about blogging. One day your children will be able to read this and get a really clear picture of who your Na was and how important he was to you. I agree lovely tribute.
This is such a beautiful eulogy, he sounds so loved and has given you all such fantastic memories of family time.
Fab eulogy, big kisses for you Jenny. I still miss my grandad, they are special folks in our lives xxxx
A beautiful eulogy. What a lovely sounding man x