“The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. That pale blue dot is here, it's home, it’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives.”
(Quotation: Carl Sagan ‘The Pale Blue Dot')
At 10.00 a.m. on Friday August 24th, eighty or more of us were gathered in a lovely setting at the north-west corner of a green meadow, adjacent to a small copse, in Wrabness, north-east Essex. In front of us: Lynne’s coffin and grave, in the lee of a seven-foot high hedge. Beyond that: a field and then the River Stour, with the Suffolk bank in the distance. We were there to say farewell to our Lynne. Among the four generations of family-members present was Kay, Lynne’s mum, who she often brought to our lunches.
Appropriately for Lynne, who had a love of crafts, both personally and in her work as an occupational therapist, her coffin was made of beautifully worked wicker, with pastel blue and pink flowers attached to the sides and in a large bouquet on top.
The ceremony to celebrate Lynne’s life was conducted by British Humanist Association celebrant Linda Morgan. She did it so fittingly, so personally. Linda treated us to a long tribute, which included an account of Lynne’s life, work, always in caring professions, and interests; her love of friends and family; and quotations from Carl Sagan, Philip Pullman, and Max Ehrmann.
As we all know, Lynne was a very' sociable person and had been active in many groups. These included two book groups and Ardleigh Horticultural Society. (I learned later that this last group is to honour Lynne with a cup to be awarded in her name, as a token for all the work she did, such as organising an annual strawberry plant competition for local schoolchildren.) She also worked for charities concerned about people with breathing problems, especially Colchester Breathe Easy* and North Colchester Remap*. And, of course, she edited for ten years the newsletter ‘Small Beginnings' for us, Friends of Old Barling School. A friend had described her as ‘a human dynamo’.
“With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."
(Quotation: Max Erhmann ‘Desiderata’)
As Lynne had quirky tastes in music, enjoying familiar work that was played or sung in unexpected ways, there was a bagpiper on hand to play the largo from Dvorak’s ‘New World’ Symphony (‘The Hovis tune’), while we thought of her. Later, as we all sprinkled Lynne’s coffin with sprigs of rosemary', for remembrance, he played ‘The Skye Boat Song’ and ‘Amazing Grace’. Finally, another lovely touch: we were all given packets of seeds from Lynne’s garden.
The whole memorable occasion had been organised by Verity' Percival, Lynne’s daughter. From the variety of trees available, Verity has chosen that an oak be planted above where Lynne rests. Lynne’s oak will eventually become part of the woodland there.
Rest in Peace, Lynne
“Even if death means oblivion, friends. I’ll welcome it, because it won’t be nothing; we'll be alive again in a thousand blades of grass, and a million leaves, we’ll be falling in the raindrops and blowing in the fresh breeze, we’ll be glittering in the dew under the stars and the moon, out there in the physical world which is our true home.”
(Quotation: Philip Pullman “The Amber Spyglass')
* You may wish to honour Lynne by making a donation to one of these charities via the funeral directors:
John J. Smith & Son Ltd, St Mary’s Chapel, Mersea Road, Colchester CQ2 8PN Tel: 01206 761 800
Some details about Lynne, extracted from the Admission Register of Barling Magna Primary School:
Lynne Marshall
Date of Admission: 7.1.53
Date of Birth: 11.5.48
Parent or Guardian: John
Address: 290 High St, Gt Wakering
Date of Leaving 29.7.59
Cause of Leaving: Transfer to Southend High
