Yesterday morning (Thursday) it promised to be a hot day again. I actually was able to talk Peter into going to the pool with me. And he actually dared to go for a swim! This time he did not complain that the water was too cold.
I took a picture of him as he came out of the dressing shed. Then I asked him to take a picture of me. He obliged. I did sit on a bench as I had been waiting for him when he was changing. This picture that Peter took of me tells me that I definitely have to loose some weight!
However the swim yesterday morning was very enjoyable. We left early to go to the pool. By eight o’clock we were back home. At ten o’clock was the start of the funeral service for L, our neighbour, who had passed away last week. We made it in time to the funeral parlour. More than a hundred people turned up for the funeral. We did not stay for refreshments afterwards.
L, our 82 year old neighbour passed away last Friday and today, Thursday, was the Funeral Service. L had been born in Hungary in 1931. He fled Hungary after the uprising in 1956 and arrived in Australia in 1957. Four years later his wife followed him to Australia. They have two sons and four grandchildren. They also have a great number of friends, quite a few of Hungarian descent. Today more than a hundred people were gathered for L’s funeral service.
ORDER OF SERVICE
Prelude Music: Moonlight Serenade – Glen Miller
Welcome by the Celebrant
“Do not stand at my Grave and Weep” a poem read by L’s eldest grand-daughter, who was quite weepy
Memories, told by L’s elder son, some of them were quite humorous
L’s Life in Pictures with Music: The Wind beneath my Wings – Bette Midler
Floral Tributes by the Family Members to say good-bye
THE LORD’S PRAYER, said by the whole congregation
FAREWELL, the coffin disappears behind a curtain
POEM: Miss me but let me go, said by the Celebrant
CLOSING MUSIC: A Hungarian Piece of Music
When the Prelude Music was played, the immediate family of L came along the aisle to take their seats in the front. The wife of L is a dear friend of mine. She was escorted by her two very tall sons as she came in. The Moonlight Serenade sounded so beautiful. Seeing my friend in the midst of her sons, looking very small beside her sons, I felt very teary. I imagined what pain she must feel.
The beauty of the music I think contributed to the feeling of sadness. However, at an occasion like this it is quite all right to feel great sadness. As it said later on in the poem: Miss me but let me go!
Peter asked me later on, whether I would like to have a funeral service at the Catholic Church. I thought about it and came to the conclusion, that a service similar to the one L had would really be perfectly all right for me. I have only one close Catholic friend I can think of, who would come to my funeral. Everybody else who would come is not Catholic. I am the only one in my family who is a Catholic! So what is the point in me having a Catholic Service? It does not make much sense, does it? I have never seen this as clearly as today.
Our Chinese Lunch with Dumplings. Beautiful!The last part of our journey back to Berlin took place in an ‘Ersatzzug’. Luckily this got us home earlier rather than later!
Today is already the last day of the fourth week of our stay in Germany. The week started with Sunday when we went with Angie on a beautiful boat-tour through the city. The following day (Monday, 1st October), we met Angie at Bellevue-S-Bahn-Station and had morning coffee with her at Thürmann Baker’s Cafe at Hansaplatz U-Bahn-Station. There’s a Post Office at Hansaplatz from where Angie sent off a parcel to one of her sisters. The weather was very pleasant again. Just right for a lovely walk through Tiergarten towards the Victory Column. Angie enjoyed this walk with us. Later on we met Ilse and Finn at the Italian Restaurant close to Hansaplatz, where the five of us had a very satisfying lunch again outside in the garden area.
Afternoon coffee and cake we had upstairs in our little apartment. Angie had booked in at the newly opened Holiday Inn at Alexanderplatz. She left on Tuesday to fly back to America. Peter and I went to Prenzlauer Berg on Tuesday and had dumplings at a restaurant near Rosenthalerplatz.
Wednesday it was time to travel ‘Criss-Cross-Through-the-Cauntry’ to Munich for my cousin’s Urn-Burial on Thursday. On Friday we travelled back to Berlin. Travelling time was about nine hours. We just had to change trains frequently. That way we were able to travel at a much reduced price. For the two nights in Munich we stayed with my cousin’s family. We love this family. They are such friendly people. Even though it was a very sad occasion to meet them, we still had a good time with them.
So far we’ve had always friendly weather during our stay in Germany. Today is the first day where it is quite cold, wet and dark outside.
Angie and Ilse at Ilse’s place on Sat.,29th Sept.
The restaurant where all the family met on that Saturday for dinner
Angie and Peter at Alexanderplatz,
Oktoberfest celebrations were advertised at Alexanderplatz
Now we’re looking forward to the start of our fifth week in Germany. What is it going to bring to us?
Following Gaby’s passing on Sunday, 15th July 2012, there was a viewing on Monday, 23rd July, for family and friends. We were able to take photos at the viewing.
The funeral service took place on Tuesday, 24th July, 12,30 pm, at
ROOKWOOD GARDENS CREMATORIUM, SOUTH CHAPEL.
The officiating celebrant was Michael Bourke. Michael lives in our area and came to visit us on Saturday, 21st July, to discuss with us the order of service.
Bernie, our funeral director in Sydney, organized the viewing at the funeral parlor. Daughter Caroline and Matthew had made first contacts with Bernie. Caroline took time off work that week, Matthew went back to work and also filled in for Caroline a bit. Son Martin took time off work too. He arrived from Melbourne in a hired car late on Wednesday, 18th July.
Martin drove daughters Caroline and Monika as well as Peter and myself to the funeral directors in Sydney on Thursday, 19th July, to make arrangements for the funeral. (Monika had taken time off work too.) Peter had that same day an appointment with an officer at Merrylands police station. After the consultation with Bernie for all the funeral arrangements we were on our way to Merrylands. The traffic turned out to be extremely slow moving because of an incident. So we were late getting to Merrylands. The police were very understanding. The interview with the police took about two hours. They wanted to know a lot about Gaby’s life.
By the way, on the day of Gaby’s departure Caroline and Matthew had driven us first to Merrylands West to Gaby’s house where we had a chance to talk to all the distressed carers including David. Later in the day Matthew drove us to Glebe. He had arranged that we could view Gaby’s body there at the morgue. The visit was very good for us. It gave us a chance to say properly good-bye to Gaby. A very understanding woman greeted us very respectfully. She made arrangements with Caroline to talk to her on the phone on our behalf whenever we had any questions. Caroline stayed with us at our place and was constantly doing all the necessary phone-calls for us. It was such a relief for us that she could do this. She was great in handling all the calls.
On Sunday, the 15th, when we were at Gaby’s house for an hour or so, we took some of Gaby’s photo albums along and also her computer, her digital camera and her mobile phone. The following day the police asked Peter to bring all these electronic items of Gaby’s to the next police station. At present these items are still in the hands of the police for further checking and investigation.
Early on Wednesday morning, 18th July, Ryan and Ebony had a baby boy. They called him Lucas. Ryan is one of Monika’s twins. So Monika is now a grandma. And Peter and I are great grandparents again! Our son Martin has already two grandchildren. So the family is growing. Caroline drove Peter and me to Wollongong hospital to see the new born baby boy. He was surrounded by his Mum and Dad and a number of aunties. We were all allowed to hold him. The baby was most of the time asleep and didn’t mind at all being passed from one to the other. It was a very joyous experience for all of us.
The shirt on Gaby’s coffin is signed by all the ‘Eels’, the Parramatta Rugby players.Peter and I with all our children on the day of the viewing
Uta and DavidCaroline
Peter and Uta with some of the carers
Martin at the viewing
Bernie at the funeral directors’ office
Bernie gave us ample time for the viewing. It started at 3 PM and we were allowed to stay there till 6 PM. People could help themselves to cups of tea. There were also some chocolates on offer.
I took a photo of the chocolates because they reminded Monika of some chocolates Gaby used to have when they were children
From 11,30 on people arrived at Rookwood Memorial Gardens on the day of the funeral service. The Pall Bearers were our son Martin, Monika’s partner Mark, Monika’s twins, Troy and Ryan, Carolines’s partner Matthew and Gaby’s friend Steve. Welcome by Michael Bourke, Celebrant: Tributes by Peter, Soloist Elice Craig, and a choir of carers and friends singing Amazing Grace. Next a Photographic tribute with images of Gaby: Her life, her family, her friends.
Prayers: One Hail Mary. Verse: Michael Bourke and Committal.
The South Chapel of Roodwood Gardens Crematorium
Four of the Pall BearersCaroline and Michael BourkeSteve had brought Dave to the service. Dave decided he didn’t want to go inside. He preferred to stay in the car.
After the service the celebrations of Gaby’s life were to continue at Parramatta Leagues Club. We stayed there for a while for drinks and to talk to people. Some nice pizza was available too.
Entrance to Parramatta Leagues ClubMiriam with an ‘Eels’ Shawl. Miriam used to be Gaby’s cook.Still want to include this picture of Gaby’s coffin inside the South ChapelMonika looked after ‘Honey’ and took her inside the chapel for the service.This is when the funeral car arrived at the Crematorium
Caroline, with some input from Matthew, did a tremendous amount of work in assembling the photos for the photographic tribute. She also organized the printing of the cards for the funeral service. Caroline stayed with Peter and me from the 15th of July until the day of the funeral. Martin stayed with us for one whole week too, and for part of the time Matthew stayed also with us. Recently Caroline stayed with us once more for a few days to sort out things and to give us some support. We’ve been driving with Caroline to some beautiful places here in our area. A lot of these places remind us of Gaby, of course. In our home we constantly find things that remind us of Gaby. Gaby had been a very demanding person, but also very loving and caring. She made sure that we’ll never forget her.
AuntyUta 