Wednesday, August 12, 2009

What will people say at YOUR funeral?


My mum's cousin collapsed and passed away on Monday night. I attended her funeral yesterday. The church service ended with her brother Rohan's eulogy. Some of the words he and many others used to describe his sister were as follows:


KIND

GENTLE

HONEST

SINCERE

GRACIOUS

RESPECTFUL

FORGIVING

LOADED WITH FAITH (IN GOD AND IN PEOPLE)

COMPASSIONATE



My uncle (Dato Dr Charles Vijayan David) once said 'She is close to being the perfect person'.



Rohan said as far as he remembered, his sister only ever displayed anger, or a semblance of it once. And even that was a feeble attempt! She simply could not get upset or angry about anything or with anyone. She lived her life in service to God and to the people around her. She was a qualified Pharmacist and a person of high standing in the Consumer Association of Penang (CAP). She travelled the world and attended international conferences as well as spoke at them. Her voice might have been soft and gentle and her personality humble and reserved; but she left a huge imprint on the world and on the lives of the people she touched.


My memories of her are of a lady who always smiled. Smiled like she cared and like she herself didn't have a care in the world. She was calm and reassuring. Always asking how you were and very interested in what you had to say. She took the time and she took the trouble. She was a devoted mother, a loving daughter and a wonderful friend.


It was a lovely funeral. Very sad but everyone with so much good to remember her by. And for those of you who believe in heaven (I know I do), she is definitely there right now, feasting and dancing. Another angel to watch over us.


Her passing got me thinking. What have I done that's good in my life? Whom have I touched? What worth will I leave behind?


What will people say at my funeral?



Kireen Marion Marshall was 45 when she passed on. She leaves behind her husband - Peter Louise and their darling son, Joseph - 6 years old and with a smile just like his mother's.



4 comments:

Unknown said...

Kirren's death was tragic,untimely and the circumstances were so unfortunate.

But her Mother and two brothers held everything and everybody together with their deep and abiding faith.

The eulogy was good and I hope that Rohan will send a copy of it around.

There was much for us to learn from Kireen's life and death and the behaviour of her immediate family.

For me it is principally about faith - something I struggle with all the time.

It was also about grace and dignity.

Anthony

charlene rayna sebastian said...

This is our chance to make a real change. Be a better person and live each day to the max! Carpe Diem!

Unknown said...

The suddeness of her death has made me even more determined not "to sweat the small stuff" and to lecture less and listen more and to try and live each day as if it is my last and the last one of the people I love.

Unknown said...

I miss her very much. We worked on issues together. We spoke over the phone almost everyday and sometimes 2x, 3x a day. Whenever I was feeling and depressed, I would write to her and express my feelings. She would always say this to me "you are very important to us and the work we do together means alot"

I look through her things and all I can do is stare at it and think, how am I going to cope without Kireen.

I love you Kireen and miss you very much .

Uma