I've mentioned on a couple of threads that DH's nephew died a couple of weeks ago of bowel and liver cancer. He was almost 48 and unmarried.
For various reasons, he had been more or less estranged from his family from the age of 18 (when he went to work in Spain and France as an [unqualified] English teacher. He came back to the Uk about 6 years ago but still had nothing much to do with his parents, his sister, brother and two nephews. DH and I had not seen him since he was about 16.
When he was diagnosed with cancer his family rallied round and, during his last stay in hospital, his brother slept on the floor in his room and his eldest nephew insisted on going after school every day.
He was very politically active during all his life and there was rarely a demonstration that he didn't attend.
His funeral was on Saturday at a Natural Burial Ground. His brother and nephew carried the wicker coffin into the room and to the grave, his mother played his favourite music on her flute outside, in the freezing mist, as his body was lowered into the ground. His brother played the guitar as we all sang The Internationale and The Red Flag. His father recited a Robbie Burns poem at the graveside and banners were flown.
The wake was full of reminiscences from his Socialist friends who knew him so much better than his family and clearly respected him deeply. My daughter, his cousin, stood and thanked them for telling us about the person he had become and said how she thought she would have liked him.
It was one of the most moving funerals I have ever been to.
don't have a problem with under 16's having free bus travel,BUT
