Category Archives: Tributes

Over 70 neighbours, former neighbours and family members gathered together at St Mary’s Easton on Wednesday 20th March 2019 for the Thanksgiving Service for the life of Gerald Symes known to so many as ‘Bunny’, and to his 6 nieces … Continue reading →

Over 100 friends and neighbours of Ken Taylor came to say their farewell to him at St John’s Itchen Abbas on Monday 28th January 2019.  We listened to Heaven was needing a hero by Jo Dee Messina as Ken was … Continue reading →

20 of us gathered at St Mary’s Avington to remember Nicolas Head, step brother to Sarah Bullen and brother to Georgie Black of Avington Park on Monday 10th December 2018.  David Duffin played the organ and we sang ‘Lord of … Continue reading →

About 30 mainly family and friends gathered at St John’s Itchen Abbas on Tuesday 4th December 2018 to say goodbye to Ruth Hunt. We sang Guide me O thou great Jehovah and Morning has broken and Ruth’s niece Anna read … Continue reading →

Around 30 of us gathered to accompany Jennifer Ffennell on her final journey at St Swithun’s Martyr Worthy.  We said Psalm 121 together and Simon gave the following eulogy Well she certainly was a character. We all shared many happy … Continue reading →

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 … Continue reading →

On a beautifully sunny morning on 1st October 2018, the Ross Skinner family came to St Mary’s Easton with 100 friends and relations to Rosemary’s funeral.  The service was peppered with extracts from her beautifully written books Horizon House, Letter … Continue reading →

Just over 90 people came to bid farewell to Joan Bickerdike at St John’s Itchen Abbas on Tuesday 28th August 2018.  Revd. Alex Pease led the service and John Purver played the organ.  The hymns were Dear Lord and Father … Continue reading →

We ran out of service sheets pretty early on as there were over 200 people who wanted to celebrate the life of Andrew Kennedy at 2pm at St Mary’s Easton on Tuesday 15th August 2018. The hymns sung were ‘O … Continue reading →

It was a swelteringly hot day for the Thanksgiving Service on Wednesday 25th July for the life for one of Itchen Abbas’s most prominent residents, David Humphrey.  Despite the heat, around 190 of David’s family and friends were present to … Continue reading →

St Mary’s Easton was full to the brim for the Thanksgiving Service for Gordon Macpherson.  The service was introduced by Revd. Alex Pease and then led by Very Revd Alec Knight.  The hymns sung were Dear Lord and Father of … Continue reading →

St Mary’s Easton was packed full for the Thanksgiving Service to celebrate the life of Judy Countess of Strafford on Friday 18th May 2018. The service was led by Revd. Jan Brookshaw.  The music before the service included In Paradisum … Continue reading →

On Monday 23rd April 2018 about 100 people gathered in St Mary’s Easton to give thanks for the life of Elizabeth, Countess Temple of Stowe, a long time resident of Easton. The hymns ‘Immortal invisible God only wise’, ‘Praise my … Continue reading →

After a long and debilitating illness, Robert “Joe” Urquhart, one of the Valley’s longer standing residents, died peacefully in the Countess Mountbatten Hospice on September 27th September.  He leaves a widow, Felicity, three married children and five grandchildren to whom … Continue reading →

  This was the moving tribute at Olive’s funeral service on Tuesday 14th November 2017 by her grandson Neil Westlake. Olive was born on the 6th March, 1928, in Doncaster – yes, she was a South Yorkshire lass, although you … Continue reading →