2021 Obit: The Gnome's Mum

Subject: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 May 21 - 04:10 AM

My Mum passed away on Tuesday. It is sad and upsetting of course but a blessing that she passed peacefully. For the last few years she had suffered from dementia and had lived in care. Still able to eat, drink and move about a little she managed pretty well. As her condition deteriorated we had to move her to a different home and both homes were wonderful in their caring. More recently she had a scan for a blood clot, which they found but at the same time they discovered renal cancer. With that she had to move to the sister home next door which did medical nursing as well as dementia care. A couple of weeks back she stopped eating much and while they managed to get fluids in her it became apparent that she had given up. At 89 I suppose she had enough and decided to go. She passed in her sleep, very peacefully and not in distress with one of the nurses by her side. I

She had 3 marriages and one other name change so had the distinction of having had 5 surnames. It was not that that was her record though. That was in moving house. By the time I left home at 20, I had already lived in 5 different houses. She went on to live in at least 10 more not including the care homes! She often made us smile when in the care home by talking about moving back to the street where she was born and had lived in twice again in later life. Towards the end her memories were mainly of her first husband, my Dad, and she often used to tell us that he had just decorated her room. Quite a feat seeing as they divorced in the late 70s and he died a few years back :-)

Her main love was her family but a close second was shopping. She had worked in shops most of her life and spent her leisure buying things and then taking them back to exchange them because she had changed her mind. Talk about a busman's holiday. She also loved country music and Irish rebel songs, an odd choice for a Lancashire lass brought up Methodist. Her favourite country artists were Mikki and Griff, who we saw once or twice as kids. We shall make sure one of theirs gets played at the funeral.

RIP Mum. I hope this is the last change of address!

Muriel Foster. 1931-2021.

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 22 May 21 - 05:47 AM

Condolences Dave.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: DMcG
Date: 22 May 21 - 05:49 AM

Sorry to her that, DtG.

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 22 May 21 - 06:00 AM

Sorry to hear this Dave, but it sounds as though she went peacefully, which is very consoling. She certainly lived a peripatetic life, and as I went to 9 different schools between 5 and 15, I know what that feels like. Still it gives one something to talk about in later life.
Commiserations

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Monique
Date: 22 May 21 - 06:04 AM

My condolences, Dave.

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: fat B****rd
Date: 22 May 21 - 06:08 AM

Best thoughts and good wishes to you and yours Dave.
Charlie (fB)

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 22 May 21 - 06:16 AM

sending my condolences. Thanks for posting her story, Dave, she was a character.

Dying peacefully in our sleep is something many folks (everyone?) would like.

sandra

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: JennieG
Date: 22 May 21 - 06:35 AM

Condolences to your Mum's family, Dave.....sounds as though she had an interesting and full life, and a peaceful end.

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: GUEST,Observer
Date: 22 May 21 - 10:35 AM

Sincere condolences for your loss, no matter how expected the loss of a parent always strikes hard.

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 May 21 - 11:40 AM

Reading obituaries is a bit of a hobby, and the ones that don't just recite dates but that give a look into the character of the person are the most interesting. This accomplishes that. My condolences, Dave.

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 22 May 21 - 02:43 PM

Prayers and best wishes are with you, and with your departed Mum.
Cheers
Nigel

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: gillymor
Date: 22 May 21 - 02:51 PM

Sorry to hear this, Dave. It sounds like she left you with some good memories.

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: leeneia
Date: 22 May 21 - 04:59 PM

My condolences, Dave. I've lost my parents, and there are still times I see a beautiful bird and think, "I'll tell Mom and Dad about this!"

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 May 21 - 03:04 AM

Thank you all for your kind words and good wishes

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Mrrzy
Date: 24 May 21 - 08:58 AM

Thank you for telling us of her. You have my sympathies.

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: The Sandman
Date: 25 May 21 - 05:15 PM

Condolences,Dave

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 26 May 21 - 05:44 AM

All the best from me too, Dave.

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 26 May 21 - 07:52 AM

...and from me.

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: The Man from UNCOOL
Date: 26 May 21 - 12:12 PM

…from me, too, tho' a pretty occasional Catter. One feels one knows Dave even through his postings. Guess Mum had the best end she could have, both for her and for you.

Subject: RE: Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 29 May 21 - 02:08 PM

Thank you all again.

I have just been to see her and she was lovely. Obviously not there in spirit but the undertaker has done a great job of capturing her essense. I wish at times that we could do the old thing of washing and dressing our loved ones before committal but I will understand it is all regulated nowadays.

How do.you, the traditional folk community, feel about doing your own presenting of the dead?

Subject: RE: 2021 Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: GUEST,#
Date: 30 May 21 - 02:01 PM

I thought I'd posted condolences and now I see I haven't. Please accept my apologies, Dave.

Subject: RE: 2021 Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Jun 21 - 12:20 PM

Well, that's it now. All over bar the shouting as they say. But it isn't really. While there are people who still remember her, her spirit lives on in our minds. She may have shuffled off her mortal coil, which was pretty well used by now anyway, but the young, independent, proud woman she was is still about. Fussing over the kids, taking shoes back because she didn't like them and still looking for that perfect house :-D I may have said goodbye today but I will be a regular visitor and, from now on, it won't even cost me the petrol money!

Subject: RE: 2021 Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: vectis
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 12:23 AM

Sorry to hear this Dave but, at our age, it is, sadly, inevitable.

Subject: RE: 2021 Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 02:24 AM

Very sorry for your loss Dave.

Its a great privilege to have a parent stay with you to the point where you' re a developed human being yourself.

I'm not sure you ever really talk to them as equals, the way things are nowadays. The world moves on so fast - that we grow up in very different worlds from our parents.

I remember Miki and Griff - they used to be part of the Lonnie Donnegan experience. He had very long hair that he used to pull over the front of his face as a gag - and they did great harmonies. In later years they did the domestic Country and Western scene, which Margaret Thar butchered along with the coal mines, and miners welfares.

You have my sympathies.

Subject: RE: 2021 Obit: The Gnome's Mum
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 04:21 AM

Al, you set me thinking about the working man's clubs and I found an interesting piece in the Irish Times. I'll start a thread

Once again, thank you all for the kind thoughts and wishes