Mother's Funeral Tomorrow

 

Margaret Rose Clarke

09-02-1940 — 07-8-2018

Funeral: Mintlyn Crematorium, King's Lynn, Norfolk
10.45am – Thursday 30th August 2018

Tomorrow we say goodbye to the most amazing mother ever. I feel sick with worry about getting through the day and want to be strong for my sisters, but its probably they who will be strong for me. Can't believe she died so quickly – we knew she was dying, but we thought she had a bit longer. My heart is torn to pieces.

We have been so busy preparing for the funeral. I designed the Order of Service sheets for John Lincoln and so I have been back and forth there with changes and checks etc. The 'natural' wild flower display has been arranged, which Vivien and I saw at the florist in Hunstanton this afternoon. Unfortunately I will be wearing all black tomorrow, which wasn't my intention, but the bright green top I was going to wear is not as complimentary to my figure as I first thought! I also had to do the most intricate sewing job of my entire life this morning – I spent at least a couple of hours wrapping the finest silver thread around a lock of mother's hair and knotting it, then making it into a complete circle and placing carefully into a new locket that Lucy purchased from 'Pandora' – finished off with a very thin silver heart placed on top. The locket is glass with a silver surround. I then did the same for myself, but mine was even more difficult, as I was entwining father's lock of hair with mother's!!! I was extremely stressed as didn't want to mess them up – I gave a sigh of relief when I had finished both of them.

I found a real treasure trove amongst father's belongings last week, a box titled 'Family Slides'. I found pictures of all of us that we have never seen and mother probably hasn't ever seen them either sadly. I have found some really beautiful pictures of her and they will be on show at the wake after the funeral. So many exciting pictures, including one of her sitting in the first ever bird hide built in Norfolk! I have spent hours and hours scanning slides in, photoshopping all the hairs, blobs and marks out, which slides collect over the years – all displayed on the same display board that Sophie Barker lent us for father's wake last year. Had to buy loads of velcro tape and my fingers are currently very painful after all the cutting, peeling off the backing and sticking on all my laminated pictures!

On my card for the florist today I wrote the following:

Your vibrance, passion and knowledge will forever be in my heart.
I will miss you so much.
May you now be at peace.
My love for you will never fade – until we meet again.
Love Penny xxx
Lucy and Vivien's cards were so beautifully worded, I cried.

I have to get up very early in the morning to go and set up the display board at the wake venue and a few other quick jobs. The caterers are organising the room for us, whilst we are at the funeral. When I return to the family home, Vivien will have just left to go and pick Lucy up in King's Lynn. The hearse and a limousine will start from our family home. I drove my family to father's funeral, I simply couldn't do it this time. I would like to thank all of you who are coming tomorrow – it is deeply appreciated by my sisters and I. Also huge thanks to all the wonderful cards we have received and the massive bouquet of flowers from my dear work colleagues and also from neighbours in the village, including buns and garden grown produce!

I will see some of you tomorrow morning – good night.

Margaret Clarke

Scything hay outside Holme Bird Observatory in 1964 – ©Peter Clarke

Then became known as 'Firs House, Norfolk Naturalists Trust'
and now 'Holme Dunes Nature Reserve Norfolk Wildlife Trust'