We held an intimate family service for Winifred Wolfe at St John’s Itchen Abbas on Wednesday 10th October 2018.  Michael chose some beautiful music: The Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 and we sang Dear Lord and Father of Mankind and Praise my Soul the King of Heaven.  We listened to Songs of the Auvergne by Joseph Canteloube with Victoria de los Angeles Soprano) for a period of reflection.  The Bible reading was John 14:1-7.

As we left the church for the burial, we played Missa Luba Kyrie Gloria.

Michael read the following tribute:

Tribute to my Mother, Winifred, who sadly passed away on the 3 October 2018. Held at St John’s at Itchen Abbas

Saturday’s child works hard for a living, part of a rhyme to help children remember the days of a week originated in 1883.

Mum was born on Saturday 21 June 1924 in London. How true! Mum worked very hard!She lived in Islington with her two sisters and brother. Mum often spoke about her father, she was very close to her father who fought during the first world war.

My mother also experience war, the second world war. She worked in a factory to help the soldiers who needed spectacles.

My mother was only 15 when the war started and had to dash for the nearest air raid shelter frequently.

Despite the war my mother was a happy teenager. She loved dancing, reading and going to the cinema.

Mum taught my father to dance so they could frequent ball room dancing. My mother married in April 1945, four months before the end of the war she looked after her family very well, keeping the house in perfect order and we were so lucky because she excelled in cooking. We were treated to the most wonderful meals.

Mum was also extremely good at knitting and making clothes. I can remember her having a conversation and not needing to look at her stitching, which did at such speed! As a young boy I can remember imitating, pretending to knit too!

My mother enjoyed gardening too as well as visiting gardens. When we were children she would prepare delicious picnics to take to Kew gardens. We would spend the whole day there until the closing hour.

When I moved to Sweden and other parts of Europe she would visit us with my father and so we spent many wonderful moments together.

I can remember picking autumn chanterelle with Mum and Dad on a beautiful day, deep in the Swedish forest. A truly wonderful experience I will never forget. Later when Pascale and I started a family she would look after her grandchildren Josephine and Laurianne. On numerous occasions we would go on holiday together, visiting many places including Cornwall and Devon, the Yorkshire Dales, Derbyshire, Wales and Bourgogne in France.

They were wonderful times and they will stay in our memory forever.

More recently, my mother frequently visited us in our house in Feins, in Brittany, France. For both Summer and Christmas holidays. Mum was staying with us in July, 11 weeks ago. I flew home with her on the 18th July. We will reminisce and think of the wonderful moments we spent together and treasure them forever.

I think of my brother and father almost every day and now I will think of all 3 rejoicing in God’s House.

Monday’s child is fair of face

Tuesday’s child is full of grace

Wednesday’s child is full of woe

Thursday’s child has far to go,

Friday’s child is loving and giving,

Saturday’s child works hard for a living,

And the child that is born on the Sabbath day

Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay

Winifred has been laid to rest next to her husband and with her son in the churchyard of St John’s Itchen Abbas.