Another farewell today

Today was the funeral for Paul Schatzberger - a neighbour, and someone I've known through both Sheffield NHS and photography networks since the 1980s. We weren't close.  But over 35 years or so, we saw each other in passing, either in the neighbourhood or at meetings (or, more recently, online).  I know his wife better, she led the 'active birth' classes I attended in my second pregnancy... back in the 1980s.  Before Christmas Richard and I found ourselves in the queue at the local grocer's with Paul's wife, Angie, and at that point we learned how ill his was.

So... another 'Covid' funeral. Paul didn't die of Covid; he died, at 70, of kidney cancer that took hold suddenly and progressed horribly fast.  But it was a 'Covid' funeral in the sense of the new routines and interactions that we've all learned, in order to mark these occasions somehow when we can't assemble at a shared event in the usual way.

First, there was a socially-distanced gathering on the street near Paul's house, for those who could make it in the snow, to pay respects and to say farewell as the hearse pulled away. The dress code for this: masks, winter coats and boots, woolly hats.  Sometimes it was hard to spot who was who, under all these layers. Then back home, to log on for the webcast of the service itself.

As well as being a GP and a wonderful photographer, Paul was an accomplished musician.  So the service included some lovely musical interludes, as well as family memories.  It was good: a genuine celebration of a life ended before time but well-lived.

There's a link to Paul's photographic work here, for anyone who'd like to take a look: https://paulschatzberger.com/

Thanks to everyone who enjoyed yesterday's entry and left stars and hearts: much appreciated.