1935

Chard, Somerset¹

c. 25 Apr 1985 (age 49-50)

Heather Ann O'Dare attended the burial of William Charles John Ward circa 25 April 1985 in St Mary's Churchyard,Limpley Stoke, Wiltshire. William's stepson Jack who always thought of him as his father arranged with the Funeral Director for William to be dressed in his sports jacket with one of his shirts and a tie that he would have normally worn and for his glasses to be put on the end of his nose. He looked just as if he had fallen asleep in his armchair. Jack took his mother Alice to see her husband and make her final farewells at the undertaker's Chapel of Rest. The Chapel was dimly lit, and although the coffin was open a veil had been draped over it. Alice whose eyesight was very poor bent over to kiss her husband and encountered the veil which distressed her greatly. The undertaker removed the veil which allowed Alice to kiss her husband on the forehead saying as she did, “Oh Will, you're so cold.”

There were few mourners at the funeral service; as far as Jack can recollect it was just him, his wife Heather, his former wide Joan, Jack's son Richard and his wife Ruth, Jack's daughter Alison and a few of the staff from Waterhouse where William and Alice had lived for the last few years. When the coffin had been placed in the aisle (the church was so small it couldn't be taken up to the Chancel) Mum stepped out of her pew, held onto the coffin and kept saying, “Oh Will, Oh Will, …” and it was with some difficulty that Jack persuaded her to return to her seat. After the service Alison was rather scathing about her grandmother's conduct but Jack thinks it was genuine expression of her overwhelming grief. The service was taken by a Reader and Jack gave an address on the life of his (step)father. There is no record of the address Jack and can't remember any of the details but William had been a good husband, a great schoolmaster and a wonderful father to Jack, but he is certain that he owed his career to his (step)father's influence, and Jack probably touched on all these matters. After Jack's address the Reader said he had obviously been a fine man but Heather was absolutely furious and after the burial was over castigated Jack for saying what he did about his step father.

24 Jun 1987 (age 51-52)

Heather Ann O'Dare attended the burial of Alice Eleanor Dowell on 24 June 1987 in the churchyard of St Mary the Virgin,Limpley Stoke, Wiltshire. Her burial service was held at the church of St Mary the Virgin in the village of Limpley Stoke and she was buried with her husband William. There were few mourners; just her son Jack, his wife Heather,and his ex-wife Joan; her grandson Richard (Jack & Joan's son) and his wife Ruth; her granddaughter Alison (Jack & Joan's daughter) and a few of the staff from Waterhouse. Jack wanted to give an address on the life of his mother but Heather forbade it presumably because of the address he had given after Dad’s funeral had made it obvious that he had a good relationship with his parents whereas Heather had a poor relationship with hers. The fact that Jack was unable to give an address was a source of internal sadness as he thought so much of his mother who had been through so much for him. It was just another example of the relationship between Heather and Jack, and the extent to which he would go to keep the peace.

A few years later after jack and Heather had been divorced and Jack had married Pat, Pat encouraged him to have an inscription referring to his mother added to the headstone. The added inscription reads:

Also his wife Alice Eleanor

Born 13th May 1896

Died 17th June 1987

Her life a precious memory

Too dearly loved

to be forgotten