Yesterday i attended my uncles funeral.
It was exactly what i expect, give or take a few things. Before i begin i think its important for you to no that my uncle wasn't a normal uncle in fact, he wasn't a normal guy so his funeral was not your average funeral but it is very fitting for him.
7.00am:
The day started with the normal daily things, up, breakfast, get dressed in my comfy clothes. I then went with my dad to walk the dog and get his hair cut (my dads hair that is, not the dogs!)
10am:
We headed into bullwell to pick up the flowers.
11:30am:
I sat with my dad wile he reflected on his older brothers life.
12am:
I had a shower, did my hair and put on my all black (even hair bobbles) outfit.
1:30pm:
Helped my brother pick his outfit, and do his tie (think its a man thing, no man can do there tie)
1:50pm:
We left the house, i had flowers piled high on my knee and couldn't move..not the best position to be in for a long time.. but we were... because what always happens in these situations, happened.... TRAFFIC JAM caused by ROAD WORKS!!!
The road that should have took 5 mins to get down took 30mins!! Mum then felt it was the right time to do her nails - she wanted to paint them black and to be honest, considering we were driving, she did a good job. Her mascara then leaked in her bag so when we stopped at the petrol station she ran to the loo to get some tissue.
Once everyone was back in the car we headed off to the crematorium at bramcote.
2:30pm:
We pulled up into the car park, finally i got my legs back and the flowers - thank god - were still in one peace. We met up with some of the family outside the chapel and awaited the rest to arrive, we had a chat and caught up as we hadn't seen most of them in a few years. We moved inside as it was freezing and when my mum signaled the coffin and the car was here, we all went outside again.
The coffin was smaller than everyone expected, he was a tall guy, maybe his legs were bent???
He had 3 skulls on top of his coffin and a candle, very uncle Steve, he was into his Gothic stuff so this was him down to a tee.
As the men lifted his coffin out, the skull fell off to which we all smiled and shouted "oh that's Steve, always causing trouble".
We followed the coffin inside, they placed it on a stand to the right and we all sat to the left. The man doing the service also did my grandads funeral, it was nice to see someone we new.
There was no himes or prayers, he wasn't religious.
A rock song played as we entered. My dad sat on the front row with his 3 sisters and my brother sat next to him, me and my mum sat behind along with another 2 rows of family and friends.
The man said a few words about how Steve didn't want a normal funeral and then continued to read a poem he said he found fitting to Steve, it was fitting.
Here is that poem.
I read of a man who stood to speak,
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on his coffin,
From the beginning.... to the end.
He noted that first came his date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
That he spent alive on earth...
And now only those who loved him
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own;
The cars... the house....the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.
After that the man invited family to stand round his coffin as we said goodbye, the curtains closed around the coffin and he was sent to be cremated. We sat down and listen to a song he chose, another rock song, by this point most member of the family were crying.
We then stood to another song wile we reflected on his life, we then left via the exit past the flower tributes (including the ones that had been on my nee for the best part of an hour!).
We said out goodbyes and kissed everyone.
My auntie then said to us:
"lets hope were not back here for a good 10 years, we've buried enough members of our family for now!" (mum,dad,brother).
My dad didn't want to go to the after party, he wanted to say his own goodbye so instead we headed off to the stadium for a meal.
We headed home and watched TV wile we got over the days events.
The funeral was fitting for a man that liked to stand out and he chose most of it himself.
There are a few things that i won't go into as people read this that maybe offended, like the people who should have been there, that won't and the people who were there that shouldn't have been.
Also i won't be putting any photos on as i think that's private,
that aside, it was a nice send off and i hope he R.I.P.
