To remember, with love, the life of
Eileen Winifred Foster
Markeaton Crematorium
Monday 12th October 2020 at 1000
 
WEBCAST/ORDER OF SERVICE/ SPRIGS OF ROSEMARY
 
Entry Music- We’ll Meet Again- Vera Lynn
 
 
Welcome and Introduction
It is with very heavy hearts and great sadness that we are gathered here today to say our goodbyes to Eileen Foster, a much-loved and cherished grandma, great grandma, sister and aunty. Although we are all grateful for Eileen’s amazing 98 years of life in many ways this makes saying goodbye all the more difficult as none of you can remember a time without her.
 
Parting from those we love is something we can never be prepared for and today we remember all of Eileen’s family, those who are here with us and those who are joining us via the webcast from Australia.
Working as a florist for many years, the family in Australia knows how important flowers were to Eileen and she has replicated the displays of flowers that we have here today at her home in Australia where the family are gathered.
 
It is a real honour to be leading this service for Eileen today and it has been such a pleasure to ‘meet’ her family in Derby and, with the help of technology, in Australia too.
 
The family in Australia would like to thank Richard and Kate for their support and all their help in preparing the service and I would like to thank them and Nikki for their incredible organisation skills and wonderful team work.
 
All of Eileen’s family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to the carers and staff at Southover for giving Eileen such a wonderful home and so many happy times during the last four years of her life.
 
This small sprig of rosemary with it’s purple ribbon, Elieen’s favourite colour, represents remembrance and each of you here and in Australia have one to take home to be a reminder of Eileen in days to come.
 
 
Red roses were Eileen’s favourite flower and she always liked the following poem :
 
Poem- If Roses Grow In Heaven 
 
If Roses Grow in Heaven,
Lord please pick a bunch for me,
Place them in my Mother’s arms
And tell her they’re from me.
 
Tell her I love her and miss her,
And when she turns to smile,
Place a kiss on her cheeks
And hold her for awhile.
 
Because remembering her is easy,
I do it everyday
But there’s an ache within my heart
that will never go away.
 
During their last few visits Richard and Kate played many of Eileen’s favourite songs to her including all of the songs that have been chosen today.
I was fortunate to see some photographs of Eileen and her brilliant smile was both cheeky and infectious and is something you will never forget so as we listen to Nat King Cole we have an opportunity to watch a visual tribute to Eileen.
 
Reflection Music with Visual Tribute - Smile- Nat King Cole
 
Eulogy
 
Tribute from Kate 
 
 
 
Thank you Richard and Kate for reading and sharing your family’s memories and painting such a lovely picture of Eileen. You will all have been reminded of your part in her story and the good times you have had together so please use the next few minutes to reflect on your own personal memories and all that Eileen continues to mean to you.
 
Reflection Song- What A Wonderful World- Louis Armstong
 
Please would you stand
 
The Committal
Although we know that for everything in life there is a time and a season, this does not take away our sadness today and parting from Eileen is one of the hardest things we will ever have to do.
 
Eileen- we love you and miss you, not a day will go by when we don’t think of you and your name will be as familiar to us as it always was.
 
We all looked forward to seeing you and to your weekly phone calls. It is hard to imagine life without you and we will miss your stories and your interest in our lives
 
You were great company to be with and never lost your fun-loving approach to life and that twinkle in your eye, and we will always remember you with a smile on your face.
 
We know that your family were at the heart of every decision you took in life and the bonds of love that you shared with them will never be broken even though you have now gone from our sight.
 
So with love and respect we now commit your memories to our hearts and we commit your body to the elements, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, into the freedom of the wind and sunshine we let you go. You go with our love and it is our greatest hope that you will come to the end of your journey in gentleness and joy and rest in peace.
 
Please be seated
 
Poem- Her Journey’s Just Begun 
 
Don’t think of Eileen as gone away
Her journey’s just begun
Life holds so many facets
This Earth is only one.
 
Just think of her as resting
From the sorrows and the tears
In a place of warmth and comfort
Where there are no days or years.
 
Think how she must be wishing
That we could know today
How nothing but sadness
Can really pass away.
 
And think of her as living
In the hearts of those she touched
For nothing loved is every lost
And she was loved so much
 
Closing Music- I’ll Be Seeing You- Jimmy Durante
(Curtains to close with final music)