Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Today I learned........

I was tasked with writing the eulogy for my mothers funeral, which takes place this Wednesday 17th May 2023.

My dad and myself were chatting with the vicar, so she (vicar) could get some background information on mum.
I put forward that she enjoyed cycling, climbing and caving when she was younger.
Dad got choked up and said..... "There's something we should have told you..... Mum wouldn't tell you and I should have done"

There's me thinking "Bit too late to tell me I'm a ba%tard - Enough people have called me that already".

Then came this piece of information / anecdote.

Dad says - "Your mum used to play football........." (I had absolutely no idea!)
He said, they were in a hotel many years ago and there was a football match on the TV in the bar. There were quite a few in the bar watching the match.
Apparently mum passed a comment on the state of play or an incident on the pitch.

One guy said "Shut up, you're only a young woman, you know nothing about football"

Dad responds with - "And how far did you get in your football career?"
The guy boastfully replies "I was centre-forward for my village team"

Dad says......... I'd pipe down...... She's an ex-England international......

Mum was 83 when she died............ And I had no idea of this until now.
She played for the famous (in their time) Dick Kerr Ladies

Yesterday I learned that at Preston North Ends football stadium, there is a tribute to the Dick Kerr's ladies team

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There is a Roll of Honour of former players - and mum's name appears on it - Pat Wilkinson



There are going to be some VERY surprised people when mum's eulogy is read at her service as neither her or dad have told no one about this.

As the eldest of five it fell to me to write my Mum's eulogy when she passed away. It's amazing in her 90+ years how much she packed into her life, surviving being bombed on Hull docks during WW2 being just one episode.

Cracking story Saxonian ... just goes to show that we know so little about even those close to us ... she was a real ground-breaker.

My own Mum (who never drove a car and shied away from the very thought) drove a 'Queen-Mary' aircraft recovery artic during the war ... I was somewhat surprised when I found out.

K

Lovely to hear of a life well lived. I hope it goes as well as these things can.

I think your comment is very common of people around our generation. There are things about my parents I had no idea about until after they passed I and I got to go through the household sorting things out with my sisters. Lots of it was there but when we were young so much of it passed us by. Youth is so self focused in most cases, even more so with this selfie generation. I wonder what it will be like in fifty years when they start passing and their Twitter accounts are still up there for all to see.

My dad was lifelong in the RAF. There is a newspaper clipping of him with his finger (disabled, posed for the photo) on the red button of one of the British Nuclear Deterrent missiles. Just as well that job did not get handed down to me with my interest in breaking things.

Brilliant story. It reminds me how little I know of my parent's youth. Must ask them about it more often while they are still here (both 92 now - very lucky to still have them around).

Excellent story, something your family can be really proud of.Now you have a project finding out all the information and details before they disappear into oblivion.

The encounter with the buffoon in the hotel bar sounds like it would make a great opening scene for a documentary film about that football team...

We never do! I didn't, now my children and grandchildren tend not to unless I broach the subject. A good idea is to sit down with them with any old photos they have. That prompts memories. You might need a rainy day and a teapot
I keep intending to write a sort of autobiography, but my writing skills aren't wonderful and there are other things to do.

Grumpy (can I call you that?)

If the content is there and you are bored of typing there is a brilliant voice dictation capability in most software now. You hit the microphone symbol and speak into the computer and it will move most of it to text on page. You can then correct any specific errors and move the blocks about. It saves hours and releases the creative button to do more. All but the slowest machines can support it.

I have tried that, but then can't think of the words I want. Then, when I get started someting else distracts me. I must get more focused!