EVELYN LAWTON
29/12/1921 - 2/11/2020
Huddersfield Crematorium
10.30am 18th November 2020
Music to start the service
‘Moonlight Serenade’ By Glenn Miller
They say it’s a beautiful journey
From the old world to then new.
Someday we’ll all take that journey,
Up the stairway that leads to you.
And when we reach that garden
Where all are free from pain,
We’ll put our arms around you,
And we’ll never part again.
For god looked around his garden,
And found an empty space,
Then he looked upon the earth,
And found a lady full of grace.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Two hands were laid to rest,
The garden must be beautiful,
Because He only takes the best.
Today we are here to Celebrate the life of a lovely, gracious lady who has been lost to us. And I ask that you feel free to be at one with your sorrow, your sadness and your memories; but I also ask that you feel the gladness, the happiness, the purpose and the serenity of a life so well lived. I speak of EVELYN LAWTON.
My name is Paul Stothart and on behalf of myself and McNulty Funeral Directors I offer you all a most welcome into this service today that is being held at Huddersfield Crematorium.
Attendance at this chapel has had to be strictly restricted due to the onset of The Corona Pandemic; however via the wonders of the internet I am able to welcome into the service family and friends alike who may be watching from the comfort of their own homes or workplaces.
This time we spend together today is to remember EVELYN and to allow our sorrow and sadness to surface and to be expressed in words, in tears, in reflection or in whatever way was meaningful to each of us.
We gather to remember EVELYN and to say goodbye.
Our being together here is a support and comfort for each of us, whether members of the family or caring friends. Our collective sorrow and grief becomes a collective strength, enabling us to find closure and move on without the physical presence of our beloved EVELYN.
Let us remember EVELYN’s life with gratitude, joy, gladness and love.
When we lose someone dear to us the hurt can be almost unbearable, yet somehow we seem to get through it. And I believe that it is because we feel such pain---because the inner ache is so great---that the grief and heartache we feel bears witness to the depths of our love. You see, grief is a great indicator and measure of love. It simply cannot and does not exist except where there has been love.
I thank those of you here o the chapel today for your presence, united in strength and love to remember a life well lived.
EVELYN had a deep love for her family and having spent time talking with them, they each have their own tributes to pay and I start with the tribute I have received from KEITH that details his mothers life;
Evelyn Violet Lawton was born on 29th December 1921 at 75 Sandford Street Exeter the youngest child of Robert James and Charlotte Lucy Mann. She attended Newtown County Primary School leaving aged 15 years to work as a sales assistant with shoe retailers Freeman Hardy & Willis.
Life was tough in those days with her father who had been a tailor unable to find work. Her mother started work at 5am cleaning offices. Her passion was dancing and it was through this that Evelyn met and married Bill at St Matthews Church in Exeter. Bill was from Liverpool but had joined the RAF and was based in Exeter.
Exeter suffered badly in the war being regarded as prime target by the German Luftwaffe. A large bomb fell on the allotments behind Sandford Street but it failed to explode. If it had there is no doubt that the church, the house and the air raid shelter would have been demolished along with all the people inside.
Bill was abroad with the RAF for most of the war but in 1953 the family which by then included sons Keith and David moved to Marlow in Buckinghamshire near RAF Medmenham. From there they transferred to Ludlow in Shropshire but in true RAF fashion they were moved back to Marlow after just 18 months.
The next posting was to RAF Watton in Norfolk and then they moved to Ottawa in Canada for two years. After that the family took a house in Oxshott in Surrey with Bill commuting by train to the Air Ministry in London.
This did not appeal to him and he made plans to retire from the RAF and ''put down roots".
The irony of this is that after having retired they continued to move every 2 years or so because of his jobs in civilian life. By then Evelyn had added to the family with yet another boy when son Mark was born.
The family moved to Stamford in Lincolnshire and from there to Northampton. Sadly Bill died of a heart attack aged 64 whilst they were there and Evelyn was on her own. A spell living in Huddersfield convinced her that the friendliest people she had met in all these places were Yorkshire folk so she went back there to live.
In all this time she enjoyed dancing whenever she could and was responsible for starting several dance classes for all ages as well as keep fit classes. It was only a fall and a fractured ankle which made her stop both - but by then she was over 90.
End of tribute.
David and Lisa have asked me to say the following on their behalf;
Thoughts of Mum from David and Lisa.
When we think of you mum, these are the things that we think of:
You loved your dancing with a passion that was second to none and you were very good at it teaching in schools and competing in competitions. However, there was one time when this caused David’s face to redden; that was when, as a first former, you pulled him out of class to play the female lead to a group of older boys you were teaching ; needless to say, David remembers it well!
Your love of Dance, together with keep fit, served you well over the years, giving you something to get excited about and dressed up for after Dad died.
In contrast, we could never understand how you could put away such vast amounts of chocolate! “I have a sweet tooth, you would say demurely, and Sweet tooth it was: you adored anything and everything chocolate; the gooeyer the better. Chunky kit kats, Hula hoops, Christmas Pudding…. Without nuts”…. And lashings of Devon clotted cream, all went down with equal ease. Baking too was a favourite when you were younger and for us, the favourites were Texas Hash. Key Lime pie and boiled fruit cake.
You rarely spoke of the war, but we know it took it’s toll on you, as it did on many, but it was the story of how you and several others hid behind a hedge whilst the German planes straffed the area, that really brought the reality of it home to us. You were several months pregnant with Keith at the time and there was no Dad to go home to, to give you a cuddle and tell you it would be alright.
Most of the time you didn’t know where he was; but you were a strong lady and you just picked yourself up and got on with it.
Another of your saving graces, was your self discipline and love of routine, everything was organised and bedtime was no exception, you would get your glass of water, kiss everyone “Goodnight” and then disappear into your bedroom. Then it would begin; the rolly ball exercise machine… It would roll endlessly across the bedroom floor as you exercised. But, then all would go quiet and you would start softly praying. Your faith was simple, church was not for you, but every night, without fail, you would get down on your knees beside your bed and ask God to take care of those you loved.
Finally, we could not remember mum without mentioning the TV remote! …. When visiting, you would have hardly removed your coat, before you had located and appropriated the relevant TV remote. You would then, cast a look about, that brooked no argument and place it on the arm of your chair; Coronation Street, Emmerdale, East Enders and Hollyoaks, you loved them all; Strictly, Nicholas Parsons and Bruce Forsythe, not forgetting the Queen at Christmas. Television was your companion; it was the first thing she turned on in the morning and the last thing off at night.
We all wished that you would move closer to one of us, but you would say no, Yorkshire had a grip on you; you had many friends there, you sang around the homes there with your great pal Mollie and even after Mollie’s passing, you still continued on your own.
Singing and doing armchair keep fit you would bring happiness to the residents of Newsome nursing home, the very place you chose to spend your last years. The people there meant a lot to you and you always spoke fondly of them all.
So, Mum, to sum up; you loved Dancing, keep fit, sweet things, prawn sandwiches, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers, TV Remotes, the Soaps, Games shows, milky coffee, The Daily Mail crossword and Yorkshire. A place that was embedded firmly in your heart for both it’s beauty and it’s people, who you firmly believed to be. “the friendliest people in the world; A comment you were well placed to make as you had seen most of it: Bali, Australia, Canada, Thailand, The States, to name but a few places that you visited, either with Dad or your good friend Nancy.
The list of loves is long, but we all know that your greatest love by far was your family: Bill, your one and only, your soul mate and husband. Your sons; Keith, David and Mark. Your daughter in laws, Janet and Lisa. Your grandchildren Catherine, our Peter with the angel wings, John Chris, Hannah, Will, Ollie and Max. And last, but not least , your great grandchildren Sophie, Rebecca, Jacob, Sienna, Jazzy and Noah.
Seventeen lives you and Dad put on this Earth, seventeen reasons that you will always live on.
Goodnight sweet lady
We will always love you....David and Lisa
End of Tribute
A Tribute from CATHERINE and family;
My dearest Nana….
We spent so may years living at opposite ends of the country but the distance between us did not stop you from being always in our thoughts.
We are so thankful to have had you in all our lives for so many years. But now you can Rest in Peace Nana – you may be gone but will live in our memories and our hearts forever.
Nana, you always signed off your greetings’ cards with “Love Ya!” – well, we loved you too.
Keep dancing up there in heaven!!
Night night, God bless,
Catherine, Mark, Sophie and Rebecca xxxx
And finally a Tribute from HANNAH
My nan was a lady full of grace, from the way she talked to the way she carried herself. She loved being a lady and everything that it involved. She loved to dance and to recount all of her favourite dancing stories to me as a child. When Nan would come to stay, she loved to see me dancing and help me learn new steps. The one thing I am certain of is how much she loved my granddad, unfortunately I never got to meet him but from all of her stories and how she spoke about him I feel I did.
Nan, I will miss you and think of you often. I will always remember us dancing. I know you are happy and with your love now.
Until we meet again, sleep tight.
All my love
Hannah
I think we can agree that EVELYN was a much loved person and as we take the time to digest the tributes that have been paid, let us now just share a few moments with our own personal thoughts of happier times and whilst we do so, listen to a piece of music chosen for this part of the service.
Reflection music
‘Amazing Grace’ By Aled Jones
EVELYN was a woman who added value and breather life, love and example in everything she did. She loved a challenge, always being led on by what was over the next hill and what was around the next bend. Her life was characterised by strength, dignity, courage and achievement, and she truly made a difference to the lives of many.
All who were privileged to have known her—family, friends or colleagues alike—found that she gave life, strength, substance and spirit to everyone around her. Her legacy of kindness, love and commitment will live on in our hearts and memories forever.
EVELYN’s role down here is done and as I read the following words to you, they are special, so ponder on them just for a while;
Her loving soul has touched us all,
She didn’t need to stay:
Her spirit touched each one of us
Before it sailed away.
We all know souls arrive on earth
With special roles to fill,
And hers has fully played its part,
Her memory guides us still.
She had a very special soul
She stayed but just a while:
So if, or when, you’re feeling sad
Recall her with a smile.
For then you’ll know inside your heart
The reasons why she’s gone:
And never feel too empty that
Her role down here is done.
Her spirit touched each one of us,
No other ever could.
Forever we will cherish her
The way we know we should.
Please be upstanding if you are able
Tenderly and reverently we commit EVELYN’s body to be cremated.
We are grateful for the life that has been lived, and for all that life has meant to us. We are glad EVELYN lived.
We are glad we saw her face and felt the pressure of her hand. We cherish the memories of her words, her deeds and her character.
We cherish her friendship and most of all, we cherish her love.
We now leave the memory of our beloved EVELYN in peace, with enduring love and respect we bid her farewell in the hope that one day we shall see her again. (c)
May you find richness and example in your memories of EVELYN, may you find strength and support in your love for one another and may you find peace in your hearts.
Amen
Please be seated
Thank you and time to say goodbye and I bid you a very Good Morning as we listen to the final piece of music chosen for this occasion;
‘We’ll meet again’ Vera Lynn