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– Thursday- Joan Beard’s funeral
Today was a beautiful day, sun shining, a light breeze blowing, and I had a most wonderful day.
This was a very surprising thing, considering it was the funeral of a lovely lady, and a very dear friend.
It was the day that Sister Joan Beard was laid to rest at the Centennial Park cemetery, in a beautiful garden setting surrounded by standing white roses.
A large shelter had been erected behind the freshly dug grave, where her brothers and sisters could sit in the shade during the funeral.
It was not a large funeral, mostly family members and some friends.
It was held at the graveside and not in the Heysen Chapel where many of our ecclesial funerals are held.
Joan would have liked the intimacy of the surroundings and that her loving family were able to shed their tears in the relative privacy and shade of the shelter.
Everyone there would have known her personally and everyone loved her.
I was sitting in my walker under a shady tree at the front of the grave, with Meg and Kirsty and a few others, so we were in a good position to hear the words being spoken by her family.
It is a funny thing that you can have known someone for years and years and yet do not actually know much of their history.
And it was the case with me with Joan.
Joan’s story, as told by her son was this.
She was brought up in hard circumstances in a home where she felt that “she had been born into the wrong family.”
She was a shy and gentle soul in a family of roughness and harshness.
As a teenager she taught ballroom dancing and this was where she met her husband to be, Colin, a dashing young soldier.
Colin had contracted to go to Japan after the war to help with the cleanup.
But just before he was about to go he had married his wife and no longer wished to go to Japan.
His agony of love was so great that he jumped from the train that was taking him on his first step to Japan and fled back towards his darling.
He was apprehended and spend a protracted period in prison.
Finally back with his girl, embarked upon married life with Joan.
Colin ended up working as a bus driver, while Joan ran a florist shop.
Colin was originally from Pinnaroo and my father was also from Pinnaroo.
Colin learned the truth and was baptised and became a Christadelphian.
He was so enthusiastic for God and over the years he talked to everyone he met about God.
He brought 6 of his fellow workers into the truth over his time as a bus driver and many “interested friends” classes were held at his home.
Joan was always there beside Colin quietly and gently making her wonderful presence felt.
I drank much of their famous ginger beer over the years, because I often visited with them during my days as a real estate salesperson.
I LOVED both of them and was so sorry when first Colin died, and then finally Joan has followed him.
I love their family too, ALL of them are the most wonderful people and all have the same gentle natures.
Son Steve ( or was it Peter) he had his back to me, so I couldn’t see his face) gave the eulogy, and told us all these amazing facts about Joan and her early days, that were quite unknown to me before this.
And then the grandchildren read a poem about Joan’s life that had been written for an earlier birthday, which was quite moving.
After the funeral we all stood around chatting and finally went over to the Heysen chapel for some refreshments and to continue talking to the family.
Then Meg C took me in her car and we went to the Holdfast Hotel for lunch and to spend some time together.
And finally we went to BraceGirdles at Glenelg for coffee and Chai and some chocolate.
It is so long since I have spent time with Meg and we enjoyed our time together so very much.
Well, the first month of my 6 month loss of license is over, only 5 months to go.
With the help of my friends, I have scarcely noticed the loss, and now it is only a few days until my operation.
So that was the end, as I said at the beginning, of a very lovely day with Joan’s family around her graveside.
Goodbye, Colin and Joan, we will see you soon, in the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And soon my darling daughter will be here with me.
