Memories of Mum
Hello everyone, thank you for coming today. I and my family really appreciate seeing you all here. I have the honour of talking about Mum on behalf of the family. She was such a special and wonderful person and I hope I can do her justice by sharing some of her qualities and memories with you in the next few minutes.
Mum was born on the fifth of the fifth 1949 to Joyce Lillian and Henry Richard Edwards (also known as Mick). She lived mainly at Faversham Road, Morden, Surrey and was big sister to Linda, Kim and Alan. Those who knew Mum well would know she had an ‘impish’ sense of humour even as a young child! Her sister Linda remembers how they would regularly go and visit Granddad Mick and Mum would take great delight in causing mayhem by swapping the sugar for salt! Granddad Mick would say ‘Carole’s here again’! I grew up with Mum sharing stories about her childhood and how she would get into trouble at school for talking (which may be no surprise to some of you)! She told me how she was asked to leave the classroom and stand outside. Mum being Mum would get fed up with this and take it upon herself to walk home! Mum would have been about 29 when we lived in Northern Ireland and she worked in the Officers Mess. For an April Fools prank she decided to sew across the bottom of the Officers’ pyjama trousers so that when they went to put them on they couldn’t get their feet through!
Mum left home at 17 to join the RAF as a police woman and was stationed at RAF Lyneham where she met Dad. Mum was one of the most organised people I know and could be impatient! She complained that it took Dad 7 weeks after meeting her to take her out and she more or less told him to ask her! They went on their first date on the 3rd August 1968 and he proposed two months later on October 5th! Dad ended up proposing twice as Mum had been ‘talking’ when he asked her the first time! They married 4 months later on 8th February 1969. I know how proud Mum was about the fact that they were going to be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next week and I am gutted that she is not here for that day. However I promise you Mum that we will be having fish and chips on Friday 8th February, just for you! Mum and Dad snuck away from their wedding to go and get fish and chips mid their reception!
I came along on the third of the third 1970 and Mum and I joined dad in Germany on the 7th July 1970. My little brother was born one year later, on the seventh of the seventh 1971. Mum loved the quirkiness of all our birthday dates. We travelled a lot as an RAF family. We were a very tight unit and Mum was at the centre of it holding us all together. Dad would go away on deployment and he recalls how strong Mum was, bringing two young children up alone, in different places, for large amounts of time. Mum loved travelling and seeing different places and the early days of camping holidays progressed into caravan and eventually motorhome holidays. Being part of the Caravan Club for 36 years played a big part in Mum’s life. She would often tell me about her friends, the rallies, the different places she visited and the antics she got up to!
Family and friends were so important to Mum. They were at the centre of her world and she would do anything she could if any of them needed her help. I know she is my Mum but hand on heart I can honestly say she was the nicest, kindest person. She was so caring and showed so much interest in people’s lives. Since losing her Mum 5 years ago, I would call Mum every evening on the way home from work. We would talk about what we had been up to that day and we would joke about whether she had got up to her 2000 step Fitbit target, following her two recent knee replacements, and she would always ask how my day had been, would listen, advise, cheer me up with a joke or two if it had been a long day and generally be a really good friend. I loved our chats.
Some of you may know that Mum had Parkinson’s for the last 10 years. I mentioned Mum’s inner strength earlier. She was such a strong (and at times stubborn) person and I truly admired her spirit. She managed the Parkinson’s and would not let it get the better of her. She was a bit of a daredevil and loved it when she went up in a hot air balloon and got real satisfaction from going up in a glider.
I know that you are not physically here with us now Mum but you will always be with us. I see you in me, in our Mark, in your grandchildren, your family. I see you when I look at the chair you religiously sat in in my front room. I will think of you when Strictly comes on the TV, when I hear Michael Buble or Ed Sheeran, when I see a hand knitted jumper on a child, Mum made so many of these for her grandchildren. You are everywhere. Our memories of you are forever in our hearts and we will treasure them and hold them close. I can only hope I make my children as proud of me as I am of you Mum. We love you and miss you so very, very much.
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