Thank you very much folks for all your beautiful sentiments and verse.

Dad was laid to rest on Tues 6 July and since then I've just felt numb but have had to pull myself together because there has been so much to sort out.

We had the option at the funeral of the vicar (who did not know him) gleeming some facts and tit-bits about Dad's life and then presenting them at the service or a family member standing up to the mark to talk about dad and his life.

Thanks to many of your heart-felt comments, encouragements and the beautiful inspirational prose you have posted on this thread I actually felt uplifted and brave enough to volunteer to do a Eulogy for Dad at the service.

Rather than focus on the frail old man and the misery of his final days and weeks I totally focused on describing his life, the man he was,the qualities that made him so exceptional and his considerable acievements in life.

I described the incredibly active,vibrant,loving,caring,cheerful and outstanding man he was and said that that was how we should all remember him and that he was a great man.

I pretty much managed to get through the whole thing without stumbling and only cracked up at the end.
Everyone said they were very proud of me for standing up to do it and that they found it uplifting and that I perfectly described the man they all loved and cherished.

I felt very proud that I found the courage to do it and feel very glad that I did manage to do it.
I also feel that I couldn't have done it without you.

God bless my 'Mudcat' family, wherever you are.
You gave me strength when I needed it most.

Thank you forever and always.

Chris xx