RIP Peter

Thursday 6 March
We had an early start this morning, to drive across the hills to Sheffield for my brother Peter’s memorial service. It was another beautiful day for the drive, though the visibility wasn’t quite as clear as on Saturday. We first had to meet up with Mark and Ian (Peter’s sons from his first marriage) at the church, so that we could leave a car there for after the service. Then we all drove out to Judy’s, where Janet and Andrew had already arrived, despite problems on the M1, causing them a diversion through the countryside. We just had time for a cup of coffee, before the hearse and the limousine for the immediate family arrived. Andrew and Jen went down separately. Peter and Judy still attended the church I grew up in, from age 5, just a few houses down the road from where Mum and Dad lived. So this was also where their memorial services were held. The service was led by the female minister, and another female clergy friend of Judy’s, who had been with her the night Peter died in hospital. It was a lovely service, with three hymns, the eulogy, which Judy had asked Roger to read, a slide show of pictures of Peter through the years, to the music of Gymnopedie No1 by Erik Satie, one of Peter’s favourite pieces of music, readings and a short address by Judy’s clergy friend. I was a bit concerned about Roger reading the eulogy, as he can get so emotional, but he managed to hold it together until just before the end. After the service, the immediate family followed the hearse out to the crematorium for a very short commital service, while the rest of the guests were served tea and coffee in the back of the church. Then everyone met up in Shirley House, for a catered lunch. Shirley is a big old house on the grounds of the church which serves as church hall and Sunday school rooms, and one room can be rented out for other purposes. We were seated at a table with my cousin John and wife Jean, who we hadn’t seen for a number of years. John’s sister Linda and her husband Graham live in the States like us, in Virginia. There was plenty of food, the savoury items being catered, and the cakes provided by ladies of the church. I think it was about 3.30 by the time most people had gone, and most of the family members returned to Judy’s for a cup of tea. Eventually we were down to Judy, Mark, Ian, Jen, Roger and I, and we ended up getting fish and chips, before we headed back across the hills. Janet and John had left in the morning for a few days away, which had been booked before knowing we were coming. So we popped into Bernard’s to check on him before heading off for a fairly early night, after a long, emotional day.