I designed and printed the Orders of Service, and was really pleased with them. I had a high quality card cover, with printing and photos on the front and the back. The front had a recent photo, one that my Aunt actually liked.
The back had a photo from when she was about 21.
The middle was 120gsm paper, and contained the last photo taken of my Aunt, when she was smiking and happy and healthy, taken just a few days before she died.
My Darling Aunt's surviving brothers and their wives came, and many of the cousins came too. Lots of My Darling Aunt's friends were there.
We had Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah, possibly my Aunt's all-time favourite song, as the "going in" music.
My brother did the introduction; we all sang Abide With Me (which seems to be our family's choice of funeral hymn), and then he handed over to me.
I'd practiced the Eulogy, out loud, many times. Deep breath.
It was a long Eulogy, about 15 minutes. Lots of stories and snippets about my Aunt, lots of quotes from people, lots about what she thought about others as well as what they thought about her. It went well, got a couple of chuckles and some smiles, as well as many tears.
I think she would have liked it, and I'm sure she would have appreciated it being delivered by someone who knew her so well.
Those who contributed appreciated that I'd included their words.
We had two minutes quiet time for people to privately remember my Aunt, and then a Goodbye from my brother - no curtain around the coffin, so people could go and say goodby to my Aunt if they wanted to.
We had Elvis singing The Wonder of You as people said their goodbyes to her.
Afterwards, a lovely wake.
Just the inquest to go now.
