A sad day

[londonronnie]

We said goodbye to our Zoe/probodie last Tuesday.

The service was held at Barnsley Crematorium, a quiet and peaceful place in a leafy setting. It was a humanist service, and the officiant had obviously taken great pains in her preparations. She spoke about Zoe's life; her family, her interests, her career, her love for Mike... She raised a smile or two with some funny stories, and quite a few tears as well. Her words summed up Zoe's personality so well that several of us there assumed that she must have known her, but we later found out that that wasn't the case at all.

The biggest smile of all (and the most tears, in my case) came at the end, when we filed out of the chapel - to the strains of Morecambe and Wise singing 'Bring Me Sunshine'.

After the service Zoe's friends and family gathered at a small pub not very far away, where Zoe had once worked when she was younger. It was a bittersweet gathering, not all sad I have to say as so many of us have happy memories of Zoe that we were keen to share with each other. As well as family and work colleagues there were friends there representing all aspects of Zoe's many interests - friends from Pros fandom, fellow Cult TV attendees, members of Zoe's Bay City Rollers 'gang' from years gone by... Not only BCR fans, I hasten to add, but an actual Bay City Roller too! Zoe would have been gobsmacked!

I've just read through this again before I post it, and I realise that my first sentence is incorrect. We'll never say goodbye to Zoe. She'll always be with us.

Comments

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing this with it. It does sound like a really fitting service.

She will indeed always be with us.

*Hugs*

[ci5mates.livejournal.com]

Thanks for this detailed recount of the day, it sounds a very fitting service and celebration of Zoe's life and what a difference it made that the officiant had done her research. What wonderful tribute to someone who obviously meant so much to you and others, taken too young though.

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Big hugs, luv.

It sounds like a sad and beautiful service, and incredibly right for all her friends and loved ones. ♥

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I'm so pleased to hear there was a Bay City Roller at Zoe's service, I can just imagine her face to see him there. *g* It sounds like a lovely service, just right.

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your thoughtful post.
The humanist service was perfect, and Pros fandom got a mention too.

Derek Longmuir! my inner teenage fangirl was over the moon.
Testimony of course to how much Zoe is loved. The BCR gang were really nice, I'm sure we'd have had plenty in common :-)
It was good to see so many friends from Zoe's many enthusiasms, and for some of us to come together thanks to the enthusiasms Zoe shared with us.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

That sounds like it was a nice gathering to remember Zoe. And you're right, you will always remember her as a wonderful person and friend.

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

*Hugs*

Thank you for sharing the day with us. Yeah, I teared up when you described filing out of the chapel...and can just see/hear it. She would have been so pleased with all of this, including a BCR! My goodness, that takes me back.

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

It sounds like such a lovely and fitting send off.

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

Such a sad day for you all but I'm so glad you managed to go and Zoe had a great turnout.

Zoe would have been gobsmacked!

I bet she was looking down and thrilled to bits!

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for sharing the day with us. It really does sound like a fitting gathering of friends and family for Zoe - loving, irreverent, full of life and passion and humour as well as sadness.
Much love to you, and I hope you are OK and surrounded by your family and friends right now.

xxx

[caffyolay.livejournal.com]

It's lovely of you to share something of the service and day with us, C. It sounds like it was a perfect send off. And wow! a BCR in attendance. I can only imagine what she would have said. How lovely!

[sw33n3y.livejournal.com]

It sounds like the service and gathering afterwards were very fitting and warm. I'm sure Zoe would have smiled to see herself celebrated with such love and affection.

[moonlightmead.livejournal.com]

That sounds like it was a very fitting service and after-service get-together. complete with sorrow and smiles and so many of her friends from so many circles.

[rosie55.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for sharing this with us, it must have been a very hard day for you but obviously a very special gathering. I'm glad so many people were able to be there to share their memories and show how much she was loved.
And there were a lot of us who couldn't be there but were thinking of her that day, too.
I shall never hear 'Bring me sunshine' again now without thinking of Zoe. But it is so very Zoe!

[solosundance.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing this with us - it sounds as if it was just the right kind of service. I think Morecambe and Wise would have made me very emotional too. And you're so right, she will always be with us.