General Chat

Thank you Ann, how nice that your neighbour's friend could get up and speak about their times together, as written by the lady in question. It is so nice to hear about fun times people had in their lives and that is what happened with D's funeral, his brother was quite comical in many ways as he spoke of their childhood and used D's expressions and such.

Today I read in the local paper that an acquaintance of mine, a former local Councillor around my age, lost her husband very suddenly. The family had been at Latitude, two daughters in their early twenties and S. Her husband had gone off for a round of golf and came back to join them at the festival, and just died. (see below) He was a very clever scientist and deserved to have a much longer life with his family. I feel so sad for S and her daughters that all their dreams for the future have been shattered.

"Tributes have been paid to a Norwich man, renowned as one of the country's top plant scientists, who died at this weekend's Latitude Festival.

Prof Mike Gale, who played a leading role in helping to feed the world's rapidly-expanding population, was 65 years of age.

His research into wheat genetics at the John Innes Centre was ground-breaking but he was also an inspirational promoter of international agricultural science policy.

Prof Gale, who was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in March 1996, was also honoured by the world's scientists for his outstanding contribution to cereal genetics and to crops such as wheat and millet.

He was presented with the Royal Agricultural Society of England's research medal by the Duke of Gloucester in July 1994. And four years later, he was jointly awarded the Royal Society's Darwin Medal with colleague, Dr Graham Moore.

His scientific achievements were legion as he also unravelled the genetics of the Green Revolution semi-dwarfing genes and of pre-harvest sprouting resistance in wheat. He mapped the molecular structure of bread wheat, which has enabled plant breeders to develop higher yielding varieties.

He was passionate that better science could help to alleviate poverty in the developing world. He was a director of the Rockefeller Foundation's biotechnology progam, which transformed rice research from a scientific “orphan” into a world-beater. He encouraged the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines to use modern molecular methods in plant breeding programmes.

Prof John Snape, who is head of crop genetics at the JIC, worked with him for 36 years since they had met as junior scientists, and said: “Mike was always a person to get things done and worked extremely hard to push forward science. He was a 'doer' who would find ways around bureaucracy and over bureaucracy.”

He played off eight and was also a good poker player, twice winning the Welsh Amateur championships. He played a round of golf at his favourite course, the Royal Norwich, and then returned later that day to join his wife and daughters at the Latitude Festival, where he died."

Liz

A year or so ago I went to the funeral of a neighbour, in her fifties who knew she was going to die so she planned her own funeral and wrote her own eulogy, if you can call it that when it is about yourself. her good friend an partner in many 'crimes' read it out and it was hilarious as it detailed everything she and this friend used to get up to (she worked at a hospital)
I am pleased it all went off well Liz, always good for the family if it does.
Ann
Glos

Carole, I agree, wouldn't it be nice if they could hear the things people were saying, altho I have a feeling they can, you know. He was a talented artist and his brother had some of his pictures hung on the wall for folk to see, they were so good and people were very complimentary.
D. would have been quite embarrassed I am sure, he was not a pushy man.

Lizx

Liz the service sounds lovely. I always think how the person it was for, would have loved to have been there! To see their friends and family. Having a laugh and enjoying each others company. Pleased you and K managed to get there x

Todayo.h. and I attended the funeral of D. - it was at the local crematorium but a humanist service, it was very nice, with a lovely eulogy from one of his brothers who spoke of their childhood, and his brother's life. They came from Southall with their family when young lads so been in Norwich for many years now.
D's son looked so smart and composed, he is a quiet lad, doing Environmental Science at Uni. There were lots of people there and several donations in the dish for Diabetes Uk.

Part way through they played Cigarettes and Coffee by Otis Redding, one of D's favourite artistes and songs, while people could think their own thougths of D and at the end, Wings of a Dove by Madness. Sort of summed D. up really. It would have been his 57th birthday at the end of this month so that will be a sad day for the family and still lots of legalities etc to be sorted out, but today was full of happy memories and smiles as well as sadness.

Lizx


Thanks all for your support xx

n

Thanks all of you, and Jean and Lainey for understanding the confusion with the posts.

O.h. spoke to his sister last evening, apparently her exhusband had in the past had surgery for hardened arteries in his leg, due to very heavy smoking. O.h. thinks his sister said a blood clot moved to D's heart and stopped the blood pumping through so he died very suddenly, no chance to call out for help. How sad, would he have stopped smoking long before, had he known his life would be cut short - he was only 56?

A similar thing happened to an old friend of mine, also a heavy smoker, who was having real problems getting around because of the pain of hardened arteries in his legs. He got up to go to the loo in the night, and two days later, when he didn't meet with friends as arranged, and no reply at his door, was found dead in the bathroom - he lived alone. He was around mid fifties I think, can't quite remember now.

Had o.h.'s nephew not been home from uni, his Dad could have been the same, dead in bed for days til someone checked.

His son is now having to go through all his things to see if there is a will or instructions for his funeral, it 's arranged for 22nd July. I feel sad for him and for his son, but it isn't affecting me and o.h. much as we weren't close to him and hadn't seen him since the divorce. I also feel very sad for his brothers and their families who I know, as well his parents.

Thanks again for all the kind words and support.

Lizxxx

Hi Jean,

Thank you for the apology it is very much appreciated. I don't often reply to posts but just felt Liz needed some support. I know these boards offer lots of love, compassion and support in times of need and could not understand how anyone could be so cruel.

Liz, hope you are all coping and finding strength from the love of friends and family at this sad time. Much love to you all.

Lainey xx

Dear Liz

Sincere sympathy to you and your family. Loving thoughts to you all, particularly your nephew.

Love & cuddles
Steph xxx

Thanks all, for your kind thoughts. O.h. has been trying to contact his sister to see if she is ok, but she hasn't returned his calls. No news of funeral date yet, I suppose there will have to be an inquest or post mortem as he died so suddenly and probably hadn't seen a doctor for a while.

Lizx

Dear Purple Sparkly Diamond

Sending you and your family deep sympathy.

Very sincere wishes
xx

My apolgies, apparently I was addressing my comments to the wrong person, sorry Lainey. Not usually on at this time but put this on as soon as I could. Jean

Thanks all of you, I keep thinking about the lad. I wondered if he was able, had he wanted to, watch the Michael Jackson tribute as it could have helped him cry healing tears if he has been bottling things up, don't know so far how things are with him. O.h. on late shift so might have called his sister from work and know more about funeral arrangements etc.

So right about this board having lovely supportive people around, isn't that what life is all about, and aren't we all a bit like was spoken of on the Micheal Jackson programme, good Samaritans - we don't pass by, we stop to see if we can help or offer support.




Lizx

My sympathy to the family
Mau

Lainey, have not seen you post on here before, so maybe you dont realise that we are a large family on here and like to support each other in times of distress. Lucky you if you dont need that support, but dont deny it to others. Jean

my thoughts and prayers are with your family at this sad time
tina x

Liz, I am so sorry to hear your sad news

Thanks to all of you but one, the usual sharp talker.

I was shocked and sad to hear the news. D. might not have been the best of husbands but then o.h.'s family have a history of divorce and such so was probably 50/50 on the blame setup. He and his son were close and he was supportive of the lad going to university. I feel sad for D's family too, as I know two of his brothers through other circumstances. One is married to a woman I know whose son was very good friends with my son. He was a good stepdad to him and they were all devastated when that lad had an epileptic fit in the night after a boozy evening out with friends, and his maternal grandmother found him dead in his room. He was only about the same age as W. is now when he died. It will bring it all back to them now so double the upset.

Lizx

The poor boy, sincere condolences and support to him and his family.
Mary

So sorry to hear this news please give my condolences to the family

Hazelx